Llama Assisted Boulder/Escalante Canyon Country Adventure May 13-21, 2017

Llama Assisted Boulder/Escalante Canyon Country Adventure May 13-21, 2017

Once more into the Canyon Country! For our spring 2017 trip, I have arranged with BJ Orozco of Llama2Boot to shuttle us to a camp on the Escalante River, downstream from the highway 12 crossing and about a mile downstream from the confluence of Boulder Creek. This will be a cool and comfortable destination for a mid-May trip, when the weather might be a bit warm. Our camp will be about 2 miles downstream from our Turkey Camp trip of May 2006 (http://lamountaineers.org/oldtrips/159.html). There is complex slickrock on both the north and south sides of the Escalante River, so there will be plenty to explore in our 5 days of wilderness hiking. The hike to camp involves a one-way hike of about 6 miles and 800 feet descent, leaving from a trailhead south of the river in the Big Spencer Flat area. Our day trips may include optional low-angle technical work. This should be a significantly less travelled part of the Escalante than the Neon/Choprock area that we visited last spring.

The trip is limited to a maximum of 8 participants. The llamas and packers will carry our gear in, and then return the day of departure to take us out. We will day hike from our base camp on the intervening days, but individuals are welcome to take their own rest days in camp. Community gear will include tables, stoves, kitchen gear, etc. The personal gear limit is likely to be around 50 pounds, which includes your share in community dinners and any libations. All participants should weigh their loads before bringing them on the trip.

We will drive to Boulder, Utah, arriving on Saturday May 13, and stay in a motel there. The next day we will meet BJ and load llamas for the hike in, leaving from a trailhead perhaps an hour from Boulder town We will have six nights in the canyon, and exit on Saturday May 20, heading back to Boulder to clean up, have dinner, and overnight before driving back home on Sunday the 21st.

The packer's fee should be about $410 per person, plus tip, if we fill all 8 slots. If you would like to take part, please contact me at bill at priedhorsky dot net. Participants can secure a place with $300 deposit.