Escalante, Utah area day hiking, October 8-16, 2016

I previously announced a Canyon Country trip for these dates, and am happy to now provide details. We have taken dozens of backpacking and pack trips to the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument area over the decades. All of the time, we have been driving past a number of interesting day hikes as we head deeper into the wilderness. These include places down the Hole in the Rock road, like Dance Hall Rock, the upper slick rock region called Egypt, and upper 25 Mile Wash; high country slick rock like Steep Creek, The Box, and Hell’s Backbone; southern tributaries to the Escalante Canyon like “micro Death Hollow”; the slick rock country between Sand Creek and Calf Creek; and places off the Spencer Flat road like First and Main and upper Allen Dump. We might also head farther afield to Bryce Canyon National Park. We could day hike for many weeks, but will settle for one week, ranging out from a base in Escalante, Utah.

I have reserved a 5-bedroom house in Escalante from October 9 to 16 (details here). We will leave Los Alamos on the morning of Saturday, October 8, carpooling as much as possible, and drive to Bluff, Utah, hopefully getting in a short hike near Bluff that afternoon. We will spend that night in Bluff,  in individual rooms at the Recapture Lodge if available, and drive to Escalante the next day, on Sunday the 9th. Midway we will stop for a hike, perhaps in Capitol Reef National Park. Once in Escalante we will have 6 days for day hiking. The house has a full kitchen, so we can have some meals out and some meals in. Grocery options in Escalante are limited, so we’ll organize dinner plans and do some of our shopping before we leave home. On Sunday the 16th we will head from home, with participants driving straight back (a 10-11 hour trip) or splitting their drive midway as they choose.

If we can fill the house with 10 participants, the cost will be about $200 per person for lodging, plus the one night’s lodging in Bluff, plus groceries and meals out, and driving costs. To reserve a room in the main house, I would appreciate a deposit of $150 per person. Please make your own reservations at the Recapture Lodge,- 435 - 672 - 2281.  If the house fills there are other lodging options in Escalante. Please let me know of your interest by emailing bill at priedhorsky dot net.