Hall’s Creek Narrows, Horse Pack, May 3-11, 2014

Update Feb 27: This trip is full but no one is yet on the waiting list.
I am pleased to announce a 2014 canyon country adventure. I've been wanting for years to return to Hall's Creek Narrows, a very special place in Capitol Reef National Park at the base of the Waterpocket Fold. This is a fabulous destination that offers both a slot canyon explore and numerous possibilities in the nooks and crannies of the Fold. My last visit was 1995, so a return trip is way overdue. A nice photo trip report can be found here. I’ve arranged a horse drop camp for this trip, along the lines of our many llama trips – we hike, the horses carry in our gear, making possible a very comfortable camp. The National Park only allows horses to this destination, so we cannot use our regular llama packers. We can hike into camp over a 7-8 mile distance, but the trail is too steep for horses, so they have to take a route that is 20 miles one way, requiring the packer to overnight both on the way in and the way out. So it won't be a cheap trip. The packer Cody has offered the trip for $550 per person for a party of 12. While this is more expensive than our typical trip, it is a very special place – in the opinion of the packer, the best place in the national park – and the only alternative would be a fairly long backpack, which is no longer my favorite. As usual, I share the costs equally with the other participants, and imho, this trip will be worth it.
We would leave Los Alamos on the morning of Saturday, May 3rd, overnight in Bullfrog, Utah, meet the packer at the trailhead the next morning then drive ourselves to the hiking trailhead, then spend 6 nights in the canyon before hiking out on Saturday May 10th. We would overnight somewhere interesting and drive back to Los Alamos on the 11th. The 12 slots will be available first-come first-serve to those who pay an initial deposit of $150, followed by a second deposit of another $200 by February 3 (a deadline for paying the packer), and settling in full at the end of the trip. Please contact bill (at) priedhorsky (dot) net to register your interest and arrange a deposit.