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View Full Version : Trip Report Photos, Wild Horse Canyon



sparker1
04-12-2007, 02:15 PM
Took a hike through Wild Horse Canyon recently. I'm sure most know it is in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley. (I also did Little wild Horse, but that's another post.) Anyway, WHC is not known as a slot canyon as it has only a short section of narrows. It was a nice walk, although the approach to the canyon has some steepness. I was looking for pictographs reportedly 1.5 miles into the canyon but never found them. I walked well past the area described and carefully checked out every alcove and set of foot prints going off trail. No luck, but I still enjoyed it. Only met two groups on the trail and they didn't find the pictographs, either.

Iceaxe
04-12-2007, 02:29 PM
Nice pics :2thumbs:

I was told some of the WHC rock art is high on the canyon wall up on one of the benches. Don't know if it's true, just what I once heard. Attached is my map of where I was told the rock art is located. Three different sets of rock art located in the canyon. If someone has GPS waypoints I would like a copy.

:popcorn:

Wasatch
04-12-2007, 03:00 PM
Nice pics. There's an arch in there right?

sparker1
04-12-2007, 03:01 PM
Thanks. There was one alcove up high that I felt might be the place. However, I spotted it on my return trip and was too tired to make the climb without knowing for sure. I had already investigated several out of the ways places without finding them. I guess I need a better-developed eye for these things. I've also been known to miss ruins. :ne_nau:

sparker1
04-12-2007, 03:05 PM
Nice pics. There's an arch in there right?

Thanks. If there is, I missed it, too. You don't suppose I took a wrong turn and went into a different canyon? :haha:

Wasatch
04-12-2007, 03:10 PM
Yup, just confirmed it. Skylight Arch, I'm still looking for it, LOL

Iceaxe
04-12-2007, 03:18 PM
Yup, just confirmed it. Skylight Arch, I'm still looking for it, LOL

I believe Skylight Arch is anther name for Wild Horse Window, which isn't actually in the canyon but is noted on the map I posted.

:rockon:

sparker1
04-12-2007, 03:22 PM
Yup, just confirmed it. Skylight Arch, I'm still looking for it, LOL

I believe Skylight Arch is anther name for Wild Horse Window, which isn't actually in the canyon but is noted on the map I posted.

:rockon:

Yes, I saw the top of The Window from the trailhead, just as it appears on the map. I didn't go up there because the sun was too low by the time a came out of WHC. (Also I was tired and had to climb the hill to the trailhead. Old legs, you know.)

asdf
04-13-2007, 09:58 AM
Nice pics :2thumbs:

The last time we did this canyon was a week after that "50 year storm" last fall. It was really fun seeing the canyon a bit of running water.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/335585229_148af95fd3.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/335585212_716a056953.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/165/335585215_3db0439170.jpg

Jaxx
04-13-2007, 10:02 AM
That looks awesome. I am going to be down there with my family in May and wanted to do this hike. If I am understanding correctly, to see the "window" you have to hike out of the canyon, sortof? is it just up a slickrock hill or is there climbing involved?

asdf
04-13-2007, 10:21 AM
That looks awesome. I am going to be down there with my family in May and wanted to do this hike. If I am understanding correctly, to see the "window" you have to hike out of the canyon, sortof? is it just up a slickrock hill or is there climbing involved?

I have never been up there but you can see the "cave" from the parking spot on the front (east) side of the reef. We started hiking up there and my 2 year old got sick so we went back down... then home.
It would be faster if you stay to on the north side of the canyon, see the map here http://climb-utah.com/SRS/whw.htm

Jaxx
04-13-2007, 10:31 AM
Thanks Summit. Climb-utah rocks, thats why Im a member of the CoF. I guess if I wasn't so lazy I would have read the route description. Its explains it all.

Sick kids are a bummer. When I was little my sister threw up on the back of my Dad's head while we were driving from Texas to Utah. It was in the middle of the night and when my dad pulled over to get a rag out of the trunk it all froze on his hair. :roflol:

asdf
04-13-2007, 11:14 AM
Sick kids are a bummer. When I was little my sister threw up on the back of my Dad's head while we were driving from Texas to Utah. It was in the middle of the night and when my dad pulled over to get a rag out of the trunk it all froze on his hair. :roflol:

Sick kids and camping = bummer :frustrated:
Last year we went to Glacier and on our first (and only) hike of the trip my son threw up on the back of my head while he was in his kid carrier backpack. He was sick... then I got sick... we spent most of the trip in a hotel room. :ne_nau:

Jaxx
04-13-2007, 01:37 PM
Sick kids and camping = bummer :frustrated:
Last year we went to Glacier and on our first (and only) hike of the trip my son threw up on the back of my head while he was in his kid carrier backpack. He was sick... then I got sick... we spent most of the trip in a hotel room. :ne_nau:

I remember reading that thread and thinking about how much of a bummer that would be.

sparker1
04-13-2007, 05:35 PM
Good shots, summit42. Were you able to find the pictographs?

asdf
04-13-2007, 06:33 PM
Good shots, summit42. Were you able to find the pictographs?

I never looked in the lower end of the canyon. I also failed to find the set in the upper canyon area (MK has them marked in his guide book). But it was late, dark and was drinking involved.
:five:

denaliguide
04-13-2007, 07:47 PM
But it was late, dark and was drinking involved.
:five:

now that sounds like the start of a great rescue.

:five:

asdf
04-13-2007, 08:42 PM
now that sounds like the start of a great rescue.

As long as you dont tell people the largest dry fall in the canyon is about 4 feet and we were only a few hundred yards from camp.

I have always wanted to get rescued by the Emery County Bikini Team :naughty:

Mtnman1830
04-14-2007, 05:23 AM
I cant wait until next weekend when I will be down there.