Photo: David Roberts Escalante Slickrock, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah Highlights:
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Trip Number: 09084A Price: $ 895 Deposit: $100 Capacity: 10 Rating: MS Leader:
The Trip  Photo: David Roberts The Escalante River has created a labyrinth of colorful canyons carved into southeast Utah's ancient sedimentary formations. Filled with alcoves, arches, natural bridges, hanging gardens, and waterfalls, this is a land of unmatched slickrock majesty. Beyond the immediate domes, buttes and canyons, we'll gaze out on the distant Henry Mountains to the northeast and the Kaiparowits Plateau, a remote region of mesa tops and sheer cliffs, stretching out toward the southwest horizon. During our ramblings we'll likely see centuries-old petroglyphs and pictographs, as well as signs of the early Mormon settlers who endured severe hardships as they settled the southern part of the state and blazed some of the same routes we will be traveling. It has been said that people first visit the area for the Escalante River, but return for its side canyons. We'll explore parts of some of these side canyons, including Death Hollow, Sand Canyon, and some narrow slots.
The exact itinerary will be dictated by conditions during the trip. Be assured that we'll find some exceptional hiking among the various routes in the area.  Photo: David Roberts Day 1: After meeting in the town of Escalante, Utah, in the morning, we will caravan to the trailhead. Private or rental cars are the only way to get to the trailhead and carpooling is strongly recommended. After leaving some of our vehicles at our exit trailhead, we will head up the Boulder Mail Trail, used in the early part of the 20th Century to carry mail from Escalante to Boulder. Ascending more than 1,200 feet, this steep route affords access to some of the finest slickrock spectacles in canyon country. With expansive views unfolding around us, we will hike along the undulating slickrock and sage meadows, following cairns and at times an old telephone line that was in use until 1954. We will camp the first night nestled in a wide canyon, near a whimsical natural bridge. Day 2: We will layover here to explore the upper portions of Mamie Creek, searching for enticing potholes and a route into enchanting Moonshadow Canyon. Day 3: We'll see how far we can go in narrow, verdant Death Hollow -- beaver dams may create deep pools which could hinder our progress. We may scramble over ledges, bushwhack or wade as we work our way through the challenging canyon, but no technical canyoneering will be attempted.  Photo: David Roberts Day 4-7: The itinerary will be determined by our passage through Death Hollow. There are various possible routes for getting to the Escalante River -- we'll find plenty of adventure to satisfy our slickrock cravings. The trip will end by early afternoon on day seven after a shuttle back to the rest of our vehicles. Getting There The nearest major airport is in Salt Lake City or Las Vegas. It is a five-hour drive from either city. The small town of Escalante is located along Highway 12, 50 miles east of Bryce Canyon National Park. Complete driving directions will be sent to registered participants.
We plan a diverse and appealing menu to accommodate both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Any food allergies or limitations should be indicated to the leader as far in advance of the trip as possible. Responsibility for cooking and clean-up duties will be shared among the trip members on a rotating basis. The first trip meal will be lunch on day one, and the last meal is breakfast and a late-morning snack on day seven. Accommodations for the night before the trip are available at motels in Escalante or in local campgrounds at Escalante State Park and Calf Creek. The Escalante Outfitters and Bunkhouse offers cabin cottages ($45 for two) with clean sheets and hot showers, (435) 826-4266. Additional Background Located in southern Utah, the Escalante area was declared Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by President Clinton in September 1996. It covers 1.7 million acres stretching from Capitol Reef National Park to Bryce Canyon. The Grand Staircase region is a series of multi-colored cliffs which begin at the rim of the Grand Canyon, ascends 5,500 feet, and ends with a final stair of pink cliffs in Bryce Canyon National Park. The first proposal to save this breath-taking landscape was presented by Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes in 1936. Had the heavy pressure from mining industries failed, 4.5 million acres, stretching over most of Utah's canyonlands, would have been christened the Escalante National Monument. Within the last couple of decades, as oil and mining interests were casting about for speculative drilling, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance championed the battle to save the Escalante. They worked with many environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, to save it from commercial destruction. What the public gained from the Monument's creation has been mostly publicity-in reality, it represents less than 10% of Utah's national lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
This trip is rated moderate/strenuous. Daily elevation changes could be 1,000 feet or more. Daily distances will mostly be less than eight miles. Most of our hike will be on unmaintained routes over slickrock expanses or will follow tributary canyons and the Escalante River. There will be frequent wading in streams (ankle to knee-deep), and we may wade through deep chilly pools in Death Hollow and Sand Canyon. At times we'll have to thrash through thick vegetation (with poison ivy in Death Hollow). Negotiating ledges and boulders and braving some precipitous narrow use-trails is to be expected. We may encounter short pitches of steep-angled rock and some canyons may have narrow passages. Quicksand may be present. Trip members must be in excellent physical shape and be able to cope with the physical discomforts of being wet and cold in a narrow, shaded canyon. Participants should engage in a regular aerobic training program starting several months prior to our trip. Each participant should have some backpacking experience and be able to carry a fully loaded pack with his/her own gear plus 13 to 16 pounds of group commissary.
While it's impossible to predict the weather in advance, you can expect to be hiking in warm, even hot, daytime temperatures, sometimes with little or no shade. We'll pay particular attention to adequate hydration. We may encounter some dry stretches along the route, so a water carrying capacity of at least four liters is required. The Club provides food and cooking equipment, a first-aid kit, and liquid iodine or chlorine tablets for water purification. Bring only the absolute essentials and keep them as light as possible (maximum of 25 pounds). A pair of sturdy, fully broken in Vibram-soled boots providing adequate ankle support is your most important hiking investment. On parts of the route your feet will often be wet, so appropriate footwear is important. Bringing along a lightweight pair of camp shoes or sandals is highly recommended. For shelter, tents with rainfly are strongly encouraged, and lightweight waterproof tarps are the required minimum. For rain gear, we recommend a waterproof jacket and rain pants rather than a poncho. Your sleeping bag should be able to keep you warm on cool nights. Most people will enjoy hiking in shorts and but long pants may be needed for inclement weather or bushwhacking. You must supply all first-aid materials you may routinely need, including bandages, moleskin, pain relievers, and especially any prescription medicines. No prescription drugs will be included in our first aid kit. A detailed equipment list will be sent to approved participants.
Maps A good map of the entire Escalante area is "Canyons of the Escalante" by Trails Illustrated. The USGS topographical quadrangles for this area are: Escalante, Boulder Town, and Calf Creek, Utah (7.5 minute series). Books
Conservation The redrock country of southern Utah is one of the most unique and beautiful wild landscapes in the nation. Unfortunately, this magnificent land is at great risk from a number of continuing threats, including off-road vehicles, over-grazing, energy exploration and extraction, and development.We'll discuss reasons for protecting wildlands everywhere as wilderness and steps we can take as individuals to urge our legislators to support the Redrock Act and other land protection bills.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
E-mail: tmillerca@gmail.com General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Growing up on a farm in the flatlands of rural Iowa, Tom Miller enjoyed the outdoors, but there weren't any mountains nearby to explore. It wasn't until 1985 when he joined some friends for a week in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming that he had a chance to go backpacking–-he was hooked immediately. Since then Tom has backpacked in much of the West. His first Sierra Club outing was as a participant on a 1989 backpacking trip to the Arctic Wildlife Refugee. In more recent years he's served as either assistant or leader for a number of national Sierra Club backpacking outings.