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Cirrus2000
10-16-2006, 08:39 PM
Earlier this year, I was planning to take a trip to Utah for some solo backpacking. I asked here for some suggestions as to where I could go to get some serious solitude, great scenery, and non-technical canyon travel. Got some great suggestions, and I decided to go with one of them - Dark Canyon.

I considered going in via one of the side canyons (Woodenshoe, or Trail Canyon). Well, I only had a few days, (flying in to SLC on Monday morning, flying out on Friday afternoon) and I wanted to return via Moab (stay Thursday night there), which didn't leave me long in the canyon. With that in mind, I decided to go in via the Sundance Trail. This trail goes around the head of a little side canyon, than drops steeply down a rugged talus slope, ending up in Dark Canyon just above Lean-to Canyon, and below Lost Canyon.

This was the plan:

- Fly in Monday morning, pick up rental (Jeep Liberty)
- Drive down via Hanksville, Hite Crossing, then off the highway for the trailhead, arriving at sundown. Camp at trailhead.
- Hike in Tuesday morning, set up camp, then take some short trips as follows:

1. Tuesday afternoon - down to Colorado River
2. Wednesday - up Dark Canyon to Youngs Canyon
3. Thursday - possible scout around Lean-to or Lost Canyon if time would permit

- Thursday I would pack up and hike out to the vehicle, then drive up to Moab.
- Friday, drive back to SLC for the flight home.

Well, that's not how it all ended up.

Sunday afternoon, I began to feel a little stuffed up, and started feeling the tickle of an oncoming sore throat.

I got up Monday, very early, to drive 2.5 hours to Seattle for my flight (saved a couple hundred bucks on airfare!) Didn't feel very well. Got to the border, and could barely croak out my intentions to the customs dude.

Anyway, I got in to the canyon as planned, but it was much slower than I'd expected for the descent. Set up camp, and rested. Had some water, and rested. Started downstream toward the Colorado, and rested. I had no energy. My head hurt, my throat hurt, my lungs were full of horrible stuff. I could barely breathe, my nose ran like a tap, and I started coughing incessantly.

I got just about 2 miles downstream (about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way), and could go no farther. The heat was really getting to me (it was 32 degrees, so about 90 in American) and I just felt totally fatigued. I slowly worked my way back to camp. Found some shade and lay there a while.

Finally, late in the afternoon, I made the decision to get the heck out first thing the next morning. It just wasn't possible for me to do the kind of things I wanted to do in there. I needed medication for my throat, for my head, for my congestion and runny nose. I had some throat lozenges, but I?d been using them so incessantly that I'd developed canker sores in my mouth from them.

As the day cooled off, I headed up toward Lost Canyon. Poked my nose in, perhaps a quarter to half a mile, then returned. Watched as the sun went down, then finally sank into a fitful sleep.

Woke in the morning, and it took a lot of willpower to get up, pack, and get moving. I was on my way at about 8:30, before the heat got serious. As I climbed the talus back up to the rim, however, the sun was beating directly on the slope, and it started heating quickly. I finally reached the rim at about 10:15, and continued about 3 miles back to the vehicle, with ever more frequent rests, finally arriving at about noon.

Ah, air conditioning!

Well, I drove out of there, heading for Moab and a pharmacy. Made stops on the way at: White Canyon, Mule Canyon ruins, Butler Wash ruins viewpoint, and Arch Canyon ruins.

Arrived in Moab on Wednesday evening, hiked up to Morning Glory arch on Thursday, then drove down the Gemini Bridges road. Nabbed a couple of geocaches on Thursday, too.

Friday, up and on my way home.

In the end, I was glad I made the decision to get out early. I was still sick for days after getting home - had to take time off work, and could barely speak for a week and a half.

I loved what I saw of Dark Canyon, and would definitely consider a trip back in there - though perhaps higher up the canyon this time.

Thanks to Scott Patterson and stefan for their info on the area - it was very helpful in deciding what to do on this trip.

Cirrus2000
10-16-2006, 09:04 PM
Google Earth file of the hike in along the Sundance Trail, and the hike I started down the canyon toward Glen Canyon. There's also the drive back out from the trailhead. You'll notice a little spur continuing west on the track, then coming back and turning south. That was so I could take a photo of a small airfield marked on the topo map.

accadacca
10-16-2006, 09:20 PM
Awesome!!! :cheers:

Sombeech
10-16-2006, 09:29 PM
Wow, what a hike! Sorry it didn't turn out as planned, but we're glad you're OK. :cool2:

mattl
10-16-2006, 09:46 PM
Dark Canyon is awesome.
Highly recommended to any one.. just be careful of the descent

Cirrus2000
10-16-2006, 11:20 PM
Dark Canyon is awesome.
Highly recommended to any one.. just be careful of the descent

Yep, truly amazing place. The descent required slow and careful, and may seem a little bit exposed, but I didn't find it that bad. Coming back up was a chore, but I was a bit under the weather. A very worthwhile trip!


By the way, the rest of my photos from this trip are here. (http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3764)

stefan
10-17-2006, 07:21 AM
nice report and pix, cirrus. :2thumbs:

glad you at least got some notion of the place, even if you din't feel so hot.

hope you make it back sometime soon!!

goofball
10-17-2006, 08:21 AM
nice pics.

i was there in july when it was 110. camped at the th and then decided i didn't want to work that hard when i got up the next morning. i'll make it in there some day... it is a very nice area.

jinx
10-24-2006, 02:43 PM
those actually arent craters, technically they are iron rich solution pockets in the rock left as water flows through the porous rock. sorry im a geology freak.