us_south_west_2019 Photo Gallery by Brian Dickson at pbase.com

Looking down to the Escalante River from Stevens Arch

Our two 4 day backpacking trips in September 2019 in the Escalante area of southern Utah.
We firstly hiked down the Escalante from the Highway 12 bridge, into Phipps Canyon then down past Boulder Creek to cross country into The Gulch. We then hiked up the Gulch and across to Boulder Creek narrows. We waded and bushwhacked up Boulder Creek for a long way before exiting up to Highway 12 and hiking down the road past Lower Calf Creek campsite back to the Escalante Highway 12 road bridge.

Our second backpack was from Hurricane Wash, Upper Coyote Gulch, Sleepy Hollow, cross the slabs east past 'Rock' to the Bobsway into Escalante river. Down the river and a climb up to visit Stevens Arch then a return via Coyote Gulch to Hurricane Wash.

Both were excellent, colourful and exciting trips to some new corners of this wonderful part of the world. We only saw other hikers in Coyote Gulch which is the most popular backpacking destination in the area.

1st HIKE Map Escalante -The Gulch-Boulder Creek	We drove through Nevada via the Extraterrestrial Highway and stopped at the Little Ale Inn Rachel!	Little Ale Inn Rachel!	Little Ale Inn Rachel!	Little Ale Inn Rachel!	1st HIKE Day 1 Setting off down the Escalante in the evening towards Phipps canyon to camp
September 2019 Escalante area - Phipps camp	Day 2 We hiked back down the Escalante past Boulder Creek confluence exiting on an old cattle trail	Climbing out of the Escalante to a line shack	The line shack used by cattle ranchers	We then hiked cross country south east towards The Gulch (another canyon feeding into the Escalante)	Crossing south east to The Gulch
We descended another old cattle trail to The Gulch	We found The Gulch to be unexpectedly dry so we hiked down canyon to The Escalante for water	Some cool huge alcoves heading up The Gulch	September 2019 Escalante area -We scrambled out of The Gulch to camp on rock slabs above	September 2019 Escalante area -DAY 3 Morning light on our camp above The Gulch	Further up The (still dry) Gulch in the morning
We found a scrambly exit west from The Gulch before a difficult dryfall	Above The Gulch	Above The Gulch- heading parallel to the canyon looking for another scramble to descend back in after the difficult dryfall	We found the descent but backed off as it looked to dangerous. Maybe in ascent it might have been fine.	Some cool slabs around here	We next crossed Bringham Tea Bench north west heading towards Boulder Creek
Martina's cactus and juniper skirt safety pin	Lovely slickrock on Bringham Tea Bench just before turning west towards Boulder Creek	Water at last- Potholes descending to Boulder Creek	Descending to Boulder Creek	Descending to Boulder Creek	Boulder Creek lizard
At boulder creek hiking north to look for descent route	At Boulder Creek looking south above the scrambly descent route	Down in Boulder Creek at the north end of the narrows- descent route 'the crease' is the corner line centre left	Wading down Boulder Creek narrows	Boulder Creek narrows	Sandstone close up
Boulder creek heading upstream	Snake in boulder creek	Boulder creek heading upstream	Boulder creek water gauge	Boulder creek	Boulder creek
Boulder creek	Boulder creek	September 2019 Escalante area -Beautiful slickrock above Boulder Creek	September 2019 Escalante area -Boulder Creek	September 2019 Escalante area -Boulder Creek	September 2019 Escalante area -Boulder Creek breakfast
September 2019 Escalante area -Boulder Creek camp in the morning	Boulder creek camp in the morning	Boulder creek camp in the morning		Boulder creek final day	Upper boulder creek beaver dam
Upper boulder creek beaver dam	Upper boulder creek beaver signs	Leaving upper boulder creek at steve allens midpoint cattle trail exit	2nd HIKE map Hurricane Wash- Bobsway-Escalante-Coyote	2nd HIKE - Hiking down Hurricane wash	Entering into green riparian vegetation in Upper Coyote Gulch
Upper Coyote Gulch cottonwood	September 2019 Escalante area -Upper Coyote first camp in alcove near the junction with Sleepy Hollow	Next morning climbing onto sandstone slabs above camp	Looking back to Sleepy Hollow camp alcove	Heading east on slickrock slabs with 50 mile cliffs behind	Shadows hiking
Descending into 'Bobsway' - our route down to the Escalante river	Easy travelin in Bobsway	We reach the Escalante river itself and head downstream	Escalante gooseneck ahead	Escalante river - we had low water levels on this trip but there were still some deep pools around	Escalante
Escalante	Escalante - We stopped for a break at these weeps	Escalante - approaching Stevens Arch late afternoon	September 2019 Escalante area -Escalante camp in alcove below Stevens Arch	On climb up to Stevens Arch above the Escalante river	Climb done and an easy scenic traverse to the arch
Stevens Arch	THE Arch!	Back to the Escalante river (and coyote Gulch beyond)	The arch from below - surreal!	Arch, raven and Martina - ravens keep an eye out for some potential food!	Martina dwarfed by Stevens Arch base
Skull at Stevens Arch	Looking down south into the Escalante river	We descend then reach lower Coyote Gulch	Loer Coyote Gulch	Scrambly section at lower Coyote Gulch	Lizard warming up
Coyote - wading is not so bad with warm temperatures	Jumble of boulders in Coyote Gulch	Coyote Natural Bridge	Coyote Natural Bridge	Coyote - Jacob Hamlin Arch	September 2019 Escalante area -Camp in Upper Coyote Gulch
Morning light hiking back out	Drier territory nearing the trailhead at Hurricane Wash	Hurricane trailhead - glad we have the car here as we have hitched from here in the past	We drove back through Nevada just missing the 'storm area 51' festival		Alien Research Centre
Tonopah Nevada - cool mining town	Exiting Nevada heading back towards Bishop CA - so long Nevada it was fun!

comment |

Brian Dickson		02-Nov-2019 17:16
Ahh thanks Eli, we love that area!

Eli Finkelstein		11-Oct-2019 00:54
Wonderful gallery, it looks like you had a great time! Thanks for posting these images. V

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