Hackberry Canyon

[James_B_Wads2000]

After my failed attempt at the Zion Narrows, I'm ready to get out there and try my next misadventure. My friends, a couple of nephews and I are going to do Hackberry Canyon via the Round Valley Draw the weekend of Oct 7-9. Should be fun. I was up late last night uploading waypoints into my GPS. Here is the beta:
Utah Trails-Hackberry Canyon (http://www.utahtrails.com/Hackberry.html)
(Also featured in last month's Backpacker magazine.)

Roads out there can be blocked for months because of storms, check current road conditions for Cottonwood Canyon Road here:
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Road Conditions (http://www.ut.blm.gov/monument/road-conditions.php)


I have only been to that part of the Grand Staircase once before during the Olympics. We tried to do Round Valley but was turned back when it snowed 6 inches the night before. I am excited to get a chance to do it again.

If anyone wants to hang out with some foul mouth people and do a great Southern Utah over-nighter, then please come along. We do not discriminate.

James

[Sombeech]

That should be cool. Good luck. Hope everything goes as planned (or better).

[Iceaxe]

Looking forward to a TR when you return. This canyon has been on my to-do list for a long time.

[James_B_Wads2000]

Well we made it. Full TR and pics to come later. Short version is it was a lot longer than I imaged. But more beautiful than I imagined. I am very sore after the 20 mile trek.

James

[Sombeech]

Everything go well?

[James_B_Wads2000]

Everything go well?

Everything went fine. Good weather, no injuries or incidents. The problem was I vastly underestimated the time it would take me to do the route. Due to a bum leg I hike extremely sloooooow. I usually take time estimates and multiply them by X1.5 to get my times. But this time it took me better than double. As a result we were hiking until 6:30pm yesterday and then had to collect the shuttle, drive back to SLC and then I took my nephew home at the top of Emigration Canyon. Needless to say I am very tired today. But aside from that it was a good trip.

James

[James_B_Wads2000]

Still trying to figure out the whole picture thing.

[DickHead]

Very cool looking, any more pics?

I always advocate a person cruise at thier own pace. Getting out of your comfort zone defintely takes the fun out of it.

Whats the bum leg from?

[rockgremlin]

That looks like a really cool slot opening up there. Did you get into it at all?

[James_B_Wads2000]

Trip Report- Hackberry Canyon

Beta:
Utah Trails-Hackberry Canyon (http://utahtrails.com/Hackberry.html)

Current Road Conditons:
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Road Conditions (http://www.ut.blm.gov/monument/road-conditions.php)


We were on the road by 3:30 Friday after some traffic and some wandering around for a campsite made it to the trailhead of the Round Valley Draw at 10:00pm. Found a great little place to bed down just up from the Round Valley Seep. Leonard, my nephew Eric and I started out at 10:00am Saturday morning wile Cody and Brad set the shuttle. After a short walk you reach the head of the Round Valley Draw and your greeted with a 15ft downclimb. I have been out of canyoneering practice and feared getting down there and finding worse. While I sat there thinking about what to do a group of three sixty-year-old men from Vermont came by with there tour guide from Bryce Canyon. With a little coaching from their guide the three men made there way down the downclimb. I couldn

[James_B_Wads2000]

more pics

[James_B_Wads2000]

Whats the bum leg from?

A spine injury causes me to walk with a limp.

[DickHead]

Whats the bum leg from?

A spine injury causes me to walk with a limp.

Ouch.

Great pics!

[Sombeech]

Nice pics man. Thanks. That looks like a cool little canyon to do (even one I could get through)

[rockgremlin]

Sweet canyon! I've heard rumors about Hackberry, and always wondered what it was like. Thnx for the fresh beta! :2thumbs: