Escalante Canyon Outfitters
Escalante Canyon Hiking Adventures.
 
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Escalante Canyon Outfitters
P.O. Box 1330
Boulder, Utah 84716
 info@ecohike.com
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Photo by Russell Kaye
Photo by Russell Kaye, visit his web site

   
 


Navajo Gorges Corridors Escalante River Gorge Rincons Kayenta Passages Narrows
Little Rockies Wingate Canyons II Lower Wingate Waterpocket Fold Glen Canyon One

The Narrows Hiking Trip
 
Rating:
The hike into this base camp on the Escalante River is rated easy. The 4.5 mile hike to base camp includes a 1200' descent and steep elevation changes.
Each guided day hike into the Escalante Canyons offers the opportunity for difficult and demanding routes, however the only required hiking and the basis for the rating is that into and out of base camp.
This trip is offered both as a five day and six day trip. Please check the schedule for trip length.
Departures:
May 4 - May 9, 2008
ArcheoHike & Wildflowers
May 12 - 16, 2008
ArcheoHike & Wildflowers
Sept. 14 - 19, 2008
Sept. 21 - 25, 2008
 

Intro:
When the Escalante River swells with snow melt, wildflowers bloom everywhere and the waterpockets overflow, we explore a system of gorges that drain a large area of red slickrock. We see 1000 year old Anasazi writings and hike ancient trails up and out of the canyons. As on all of our Escalante Canyon hiking trips, the option exists for either exploring many miles of incredible canyon country or wandering at an easy going pace in our beautiful surroundings.

We are offering this trip in both the spring and fall of 2008. Two departures in May will include ArcheoHike, our partnership with Anasazi State Park Museum. For more information on this combination of archeology and Escalante Canyon hiking please click on the link above called ArcheoHike.

 
Itinerary: 
Day 1 - We meet at the Burr Trail Outpost & Grill in Boulder, UT at 9 am. We provide a duffel bag for your gear (25 lbs. max.) & drive to the trail head 1,200' above the Escalante River. We hike down into the Escalante Canyon & arrive at camp along the river under a grove of enormous cottonwood trees (4.5 miles).
Day 2 - Widemouth canyon has two forks to explore. One of the forks is a winding narrows that goes for many miles. It is hard to stop hiking in this intriguing narrows for each canyon bend beckons you to continue. In places you may touch both walls at once & the sky is just a narrow strip of blue.
Day 3 - We hike up to the base of a Navajo Sandstone cliff and follow an ancient trail with spectacular views. Granaries with corn cobs, broken pottery and, in a huge alcove, a granary with a round front door so intact that fingerprints in the mortar are still visible are all part of the day.
Day 4 - A spur off the main canyon is a beautiful walk beneath overhanging tapestried walls with a wonderful surprise at the end. We continue our hike to the upper part of the canyon where ancient pecked steps allow access to a redrock gorge. Those who choose to will chimney into a Narrows that twists inside a purple gorge between folds of polished sandstone.
Day 5 - On this day we will see 3 petroglyph panels on the Escalante River. The first is by far the largest panel in the Escalante Canyons and dates back at least 4000 years. Another has large bird-like figures. Our hike continues to the tightest narrows of all. As we enter the sky disappears and we are left with occasional shafts of light.
Day 6 - On the way back to the trail head we have the option to explore a lush riparian fork of a side canyon & we should be back in Boulder, UT by 6 p.m. (dinner not included).
   
Every trip is different because of weather, the group and, most importantly, spontaneity. Our trips are about exploring; this land is so vast and intricate that we always make new discoveries. The preceding is a sample description of what you may expect.
In order to explore the country and accommodate different interests and abilities we split into smaller groups on some day hikes; on the first and last days of the trip we hike as one group. Spring and fall are beautiful times of year to explore both the canyons and the slickrock country above. The weather is generally warm in the day and cool in the evening with a 30 to 40 degree temperature difference between the high and low. Layers of clothing are the key to comfort.