Buckskin Gulch

[Iceaxe]

We did Buckskin as a Saturday/Sunday backpack. In at Wire Pass, camped at the Confluence, and out White House. I took over 300 pics and I'll post some ASAP but for now here is the quick TR. I'll try and add more as I add pics but I know a couple members of uUtah are heading through shortly and can use the info.

Only a couple of pools in Buckskin and they were all less then waist deep. The sand slogging in Buckskin is the worst I have seen. The canyon bottom is really sandy right now. But the exit out Paria was on top of dry mud and the easiest I have seen... just backwards from the usual Buckskin/Paria sand slog.

The seeps are flowing in Buckskin just above the campsite and are easy to pump.

The rabbit hole under the rock fall is plugged up so everyone has to go over the top. Every group should carry at least 30' of rope to handline this obstacle. I don't expect the rabbit hole to unplug for a long time if ever. It's plugged solid with 5' of dirt over the top. It would take a full day of shoveling to open the rabbit hole back up.

I'll be updating a few tib-bits in my route description over the next couple of weeks but it currently has all you need to know.

Buckskin
http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

And last but not least.... every time I have ever done Buckskin the info I received from the rangers beforehand is sketchy at best and usually just wrong. This time was no exception.... take any current info you receive from the Paria rangers with a giant grain of salt.

:popcorn:

[CarpeyBiggs]

Nice report, gotta get this one out of the way sometime. :2thumbs: How was the temperature, seems like it would've been one hot weekend.

This is the best pic, no doubt. Does somebody need to use the potty? :lol8:

http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/Files/Buck04s.jpg

[marc olivares]

http://overtorqued.net/forum/images/smilies/worthless.gif

[Iceaxe]

Temp's were nice, shorts and t-shirt. Light weight sleeping bag at night. A couple of the girls were wearing light jackets in the morning chill but it never got cold to me. I slept most the night on top of my sleeping bag.

It never got to hot but we hiked out early Sunday morning to avoid the heat. The slot is usually nice and shady.

:nod:

Sorry it takes me so dang long to go through my pics.... the problem is all the hot babes in my pictures..

:2thumbs:

[Iceaxe]

:popcorn:

[accadacca]

Nice fotos. Some of those look really clear and sharp. Kewl. :cool2:

[stefan]

the buckskin ROCKS :2thumbs:

[tanya]

Looks like Ice heaven! You and a bunch of women. :lol8:

[Iceaxe]

I just posted the pics of the women because they are much easier on the eyes then John and Ryan (desrethiker). :haha:

[Alex]

I just posted the pics of the women because they are much easier on the eyes then John and Ryan (desrethiker). :haha:

Did you pay some hikers to pose or something? :ne_nau:

[tanya]

Nice report, gotta get this one out of the way sometime. :2thumbs: How was the temperature, seems like it would've been one hot weekend.

This is the best pic, no doubt. Does somebody need to use the potty? :lol8:

http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/Files/Buck04s.jpg

Looks like the wife caught him chasing those other ladies who tagged along. :lol8:

[tanya]

I just posted the pics of the women because they are much easier on the eyes then John and Ryan (desrethiker). :haha:

Did you pay some hikers to pose or something? :ne_nau:


:roflol: :roflol: :roflol:

[Iceaxe]

Left to Rifht

Shauna (hot, young stripper wife), Cristina (hesse), Lynn & Felicia

http://uutah.com/forum/files/hotbabes1.jpg

[Alex]

I stand corrected! Well ok another question, did you pay them to tag along BEHIND THEM.. checking out the "views"? :lol8:

[Bo_Beck]

Left to Rifht

Shauna (hot, young stripper wife), Cristina (hesse), Lynn & Felicia

http://uutah.com/forum/files/hotbabes1.jpg

Where do I find out how to sign them up? I'm planning a 14th-15th trip in there and I would love to duplicate the photo! :2thumbs:

[marc olivares]

i thought that looked like Felicia, next time you see them, tell them hi for me :2thumbs:

[Iceaxe]

My hot young stripper wife took her own camera this trip. Here are some of the better pics she took.

[Alex]

Do you have to have a permit for this canyon?

[Iceaxe]

Yes, a permit is required for Buckskin. Overnight permits are kinda hard to get and limited to 20 people per day. You also need a permit to hike it in a day but day hike permits are unlimited. You can also take dogs, but they also require a permit.

If you want to overnight this canyon its about time to start checking into getting September and October permits, which is a good time to do the route.

:nod:

[Iceaxe]

My new, improved and revised Buckskin route descrition is now up.

Buckskin Gulch & Paria Canyon
http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

This is a freebie route.

Enjoy
:popcorn:

[Bo_Beck]

My new, improved and revised Buckskin route descrition is now up.

Buckskin Gulch & Paria Canyon
http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

This is a freebie route.

Enjoy
:popcorn:

Cool! I look forward to 23 days from now! Nice write up...I'll be sure to pack my poop!

I did the one day thing in '91' and just sort of flew through. Looking forward to taking some time in there this time.

Thanks Shane...nice writeup

[Iceaxe]

When we picked up our permits the BLM supplied us with one ReStop for each permit.

Restop
http://www.whennaturecalls.com/products/wilderness-pouch.html

One thing I forgot to mention that I'll be adding. Watch for rattlesnakes!!! They are little midget fellas and hard to see. Watch where you put your hands and sit. I've never done this route without seeing at least one. I've always seen the snakes above the rock fall, never below. But that just might be a freak of where I spied them.
.

[Bo_Beck]

When we picked up our permits the BLM supplied us with one ReStop for each permit.

Restop
http://www.whennaturecalls.com/products/wilderness-pouch.html

One thing I forgot to mention that I'll be adding. Watch for rattlesnakes!!! They are little midget fellas and hard to see. Watch where you put your hands and sit. I've never done this route without seeing at least one. I've always seen the snakes above the rock fall, never below. But that just might be a freak of where I spied them.
.

I've already stepped over 2 big ones this season without hardly noticing them. I better be wary! Thanks for the advice!
:hail2thechief:

[Iceaxe]

A couple more pics.

[fouristhenewone]

looks like it was a blast. we did buckskin overnight at the end of April, it was a lot of fun. been to lazy to get a trip report up.

how was the water? when we did it, the only deep water was between the Wire Pass confluence and Middle trail?

Here's some pics from our trip.

[montanablur]

That's the first canyon I ever did and it was by accident. We were there to shoot the Coyote Buttes in '92 and the photographer that I was working for had very bad directions, he had a habit of finding these hand drawn maps on the back of paper plates. We entered through wire pass but never took the cut-off...

We ended up just pushing on through the canyon scrapping the shoot for that day. That day probably changed my life.

[Wasatch]

I guess I will add this back to my list.

[Iceaxe]

I guess I will add this back to my list.

I can't imagine any canyoneer not having this slot on their list. And somewhere near the very top.

:2thumbs:

[Wasatch]

Was on my list back in 02, then heard some bad things about it. Since then have not heard it mentioned much, till now. After seeing the pics, well, back it goes. There are so many canyons, it's ridiculous.

[Iceaxe]

heard some bad things about it.

Only negative I have ever heard was that its not technical..... and I'm guessing your average hiker/backpacker would consider that a major positive.

If I had a top five list this would be in the top three :haha:

Probably the only canyons I have done more are Pine Creek and Keyhole.
.

[tanya]

Any more tips? Anything that is not obvious that one should not miss? Are the pictographs all in one spot?

[Iceaxe]

Any more tips? Anything that is not obvious that one should not miss? Are the pictographs all in one spot?

I just updated my route description:

http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

That has about everything I can think of. I'm sure there is a lot I've missed. I find new items every time I go through the slot.

:five:

[tanya]

Any more tips? Anything that is not obvious that one should not miss? Are the pictographs all in one spot?

I just updated my route description:

http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

That has about everything I can think of. I'm sure there is a lot I've missed. I find new items every time I go through the slot.

:five:

Read it!!! Good stuff, but now I am going to be thinking of silent creepy crawlers biting my ankles the whole way. :mrgreen:

Glad to know the springs a springing too. :2thumbs:

[tanya]

Bo and I did Buckskin today. We were going to backpack it but decided to just do it as a one day thing. Great canyon. I think I took more photos today than I did in the Narrows last week.

That's a lot of pph. :haha:


We saw no srs (silent rattle snakes)! Whew!

[oldno7]

did you go down and back out or down and up Paria?

[tanya]

did you go down and back out or down and up Paria?

We started at Wire Pass and ended (up Paria) at the Whitehouse Trailhead.

[Iceaxe]

I figured Buckskin would be difficult this time of year with deep sand and hot days.... how was it? how long did it take you?

I figured your camera would love this canyon. When are we going to see a couple of your usual great pics?

[thedesertnomad]

I know that the best/worst time that I had in Buckskin was October '05 - 2 days after a "biblical flood" the 13 miles to the campsite involved thigh deep Buckskin Mud for at least half of the trip.

Shane, in your pics it looks like someone is crawling UNDER a log jam. In October 06 (21st ish) that baby had to be climbed over very very delicately as it was only about 4 days old and super unstable. Ahhhhhhh fun times!!! That was also within days of biblical flooding. I have yet to see Buckskin dry. Those 2 times it was flowing all the way through.


Bill

[Cirrus2000]

I have yet to see Buckskin dry. Those 2 times it was flowing all the way through.


Bill

Wow - flowing through would be amazing to see. My one and only time was dry dry dry. 2 mid-thigh puddles only - and no cesspool.

One day I'll do it again, we'll see what happens then...


Tanya - looking forward to your photos!

[Iceaxe]

Shane, in your pics it looks like someone is crawling UNDER a log jam. In October 06 (21st ish) that baby had to be climbed over very very delicately as it was only about 4 days old and super unstable. Ahhhhhhh fun times!!!

I've done Buckskin 8 or 9 times. Once we went through and never got our feet wet. Once we had about 1/2 mile of waist to neck deep wading. Typical for me is probably a little knee to waist deep wading. We usually do the route once a year but we missed a couple of years. We have always done it as a backpack because my wife enjoys camping at the confluence.

What was originally known as "The Cesspool" 10 years ago has completely disappeared and is now just part of a usually knee deep section. The rabbit hole under the rock fall is clogged and might never reopen.... its clogged bad. We had one log jam we crawled under this year that was new to me so it had to appear within the last two years. I have always done the hike in May and only encountered flowing water once in the Paria and never in Buckskin. I've done the route once when the snot mud was slippery and once (this year) when the canyon was a difficult sand slog.

Anyhoo.... that about covers the changing conditions I have encountered over the past 10 years in Buckskin.

:cool2:

[Bo_Beck]

I figured Buckskin would be difficult this time of year with deep sand and hot days.... how was it? how long did it take you?

I figured your camera would love this canyon. When are we going to see a couple of your usual great pics?

Ok Shane, Now you have me wondering? I remember the other time I hiked Buckskin a long time ago we crawled thru a hole to avoid rapelling or ropework. You call this the Rabbit Hole? Or maybe you call the entirety of Buckskin the Rabbit Hole? Right from the git-go as we entered Buckskin there were literally dozens and dozens of Rabbit Legs and carcasses all the way through. Kinda like humans munchin chicken wings during the Super Bowl, I think the Birds of Prey munch on rabbits as they watch us humans hiking thru their canyon? Near the end though I saw a couple birds of prey carcasses....maybe they met up with a couple mutant Jackrabbits and finally met their match? :popcorn:

[thedesertnomad]

Off the Buckskin topic, but with the rabbits feet...

While first checking out Englestead, we get to the drop in and my "not so good with heights partner" starts going on about bad omens (jokingly of course) There were 7 torn rabbits feet, normally GOOD luck, but when they are within 2 feet of the "void" and surrounding a pothole of blood... hehehehehe PRICELESS!!!

If you're gonna eat, what a freakin' view!!!

[tanya]

Here is one.... just starting going through them. It was tough in there. I am not too pleased with most of them. Buckskin is a tripod sort of place and I am not a tripod sort of person.

I do like this one though! Hopefully there are some more good ones in my batch. Bo probably got some too.

[tanya]

I figured Buckskin would be difficult this time of year with deep sand and hot days.... how was it? how long did it take you?

I figured your camera would love this canyon. When are we going to see a couple of your usual great pics?


The usual time! Where it's photogenic... Real SLOW!
Where its not.... Real Fast. :lol8:

There was a lot to take photos of in the slot so ..... We left here at 5:30 am --- got the trailhead at 7ish. I did not pay attention much to the times... Bo would know every second... but my guess it that... it took from 7am to about 6pm to do the photos and enjoy the slot... What is that ???? ... about 16 miles?

Then 3 hours to do the less photogenic (is it about 6-8 miles?) slog out.

I hope I got some good ones, but it was so dark! I was trying to get the background (sky, etc...) and ended up getting a lot of dark, non contrasty shots. If I went the other way they are too washed out. Tough place to photograph without a lot of batteries and a tripod!

[tanya]

I have yet to see Buckskin dry. Those 2 times it was flowing all the way through.


Bill

Wow - flowing through would be amazing to see. My one and only time was dry dry dry. 2 mid-thigh puddles only - and no cesspool.

One day I'll do it again, we'll see what happens then...


Tanya - looking forward to your photos!

It was really dry yesterday.... and sandy. Paria was totally dry and sandy. I think I have hiked enough in the soft sand for a while. :mrgreen:

[tanya]

Off the Buckskin topic, but with the rabbits feet...

While first checking out Englestead, we get to the drop in and my "not so good with heights partner" starts going on about bad omens (jokingly of course) There were 7 torn rabbits feet, normally GOOD luck, but when they are within 2 feet of the "void" and surrounding a pothole of blood... hehehehehe PRICELESS!!!

If you're gonna eat, what a freakin' view!!!

:lol8:

That first drop in Englestead is scarey enough without any needed help!

[tanya]

I figured Buckskin would be difficult this time of year with deep sand and hot days.... how was it? how long did it take you?

I figured your camera would love this canyon. When are we going to see a couple of your usual great pics?

Ok Shane, Now you have me wondering? I remember the other time I hiked Buckskin a long time ago we crawled thru a hole to avoid rapelling or ropework. You call this the Rabbit Hole? Or maybe you call the entirety of Buckskin the Rabbit Hole? Right from the git-go as we entered Buckskin there were literally dozens and dozens of Rabbit Legs and carcasses all the way through. Kinda like humans munchin chicken wings during the Super Bowl, I think the Birds of Prey munch on rabbits as they watch us humans hiking thru their canyon? Near the end though I saw a couple birds of prey carcasses....maybe they met up with a couple mutant Jackrabbits and finally met their match? :popcorn:

And very very loud Ravens! Dang! Scared me several times! They like to perch up there on the rocks and laugh at us I think. :haha:

[montanablur]

Any more tips? Anything that is not obvious that one should not miss? Are the pictographs all in one spot?

I just updated my route description:

http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

That has about everything I can think of. I'm sure there is a lot I've missed. I find new items every time I go through the slot.

:five:

The rattle snake is known as a Faded Midget. Not to be messed with.

"The venom of the Midget Faded Rattlesnake is composed of a much higher neurotoxin than one would assume. This species carries the presence of a phospholipase A2-based B-neurotoxin (concolor toxin) and several myotoxins (Mackessy et al. 2003) which makes concolor venoms highly toxic. In fact concolor is the most toxic out of the (Western Rattlesnake clade, Crotalus oreganus). It was hypothesized that concolor had an ontogenetic variation in venom composition due to is shifts in diet from juvenile to adulthood. However, it was discovered that although juveniles feed predominantly on lizards (Scleoporus ssp.) and adults on rodents (Peromyscus and Tamias) there isn't much in ontogenetic variation in venoms (Mackessy et al. 2003)."

http://www.venomousreptiles.org/articles/213

[tanya]

Any more tips? Anything that is not obvious that one should not miss? Are the pictographs all in one spot?

I just updated my route description:

http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

That has about everything I can think of. I'm sure there is a lot I've missed. I find new items every time I go through the slot.

:five:

The rattle snake is known as a Faded Midget. Not to be messed with.

"The venom of the Midget Faded Rattlesnake is composed of a much higher neurotoxin than one would assume. This species carries the presence of a phospholipase A2-based B-neurotoxin (concolor toxin) and several myotoxins (Mackessy et al. 2003) which makes concolor venoms highly toxic. In fact concolor is the most toxic out of the (Western Rattlesnake clade, Crotalus oreganus). It was hypothesized that concolor had an ontogenetic variation in venom composition due to is shifts in diet from juvenile to adulthood. However, it was discovered that although juveniles feed predominantly on lizards (Scleoporus ssp.) and adults on rodents (Peromyscus and Tamias) there isn't much in ontogenetic variation in venoms (Mackessy et al. 2003)."

http://www.venomousreptiles.org/articles/213


:eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

I am glad I know now, rather than before or while hiking Buckskin. :mrgreen:

[stefan]

buckskin buckskin buckskin ... looking forward to the report tanya. it's great to get a titration of photoreports of the buckskin from different times of year.

you guys blazed through it, you tryin' to beat kelsey or something :wink:

it's all about the mindset ... there are times where i am amped and just wanna go-go-go and other times when i am so mesmerized i can't bring myself to leave or move.

[tanya]

buckskin buckskin buckskin ... looking forward to the report tanya. it's great to get a titration of photoreports of the buckskin from different times of year.

you guys blazed through it, you tryin' to beat kelsey or something :wink:

it's all about the mindset ... there are times where i am amped and just wanna go-go-go and other times when i am so mesmerized i can't bring myself to leave or move.

Kelsy and Bo would love each other!

Blazing would be when Bo did it with his Buds...... They started about the time we did and were done by 3pm! :eek2:

With camera in hand it's hard to go fast by the really good stuff.

[Iceaxe]

Ok Shane, Now you have me wondering? I remember the other time I hiked Buckskin a long time ago we crawled thru a hole to avoid rapelling or ropework. You call this the Rabbit Hole?

Yeah we also noticed a lot of rabbit parts :haha:

What I used to call the Rabbit Hole was a way to by-pass the rock fall and crawl under instead of having to rappel/handline over the top. The Rabbit Hole was sometimes a little hard to find and not really noticeable unless you knew about it before hand. It is now covered with 5' of dirt.

:rockon:

[tanya]

Another one I like....

[tanya]

Any more tips? Anything that is not obvious that one should not miss? Are the pictographs all in one spot?

I just updated my route description:

http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

That has about everything I can think of. I'm sure there is a lot I've missed. I find new items every time I go through the slot.

:five:

The rattle snake is known as a Faded Midget. Not to be messed with.

"The venom of the Midget Faded Rattlesnake is composed of a much higher neurotoxin than one would assume. This species carries the presence of a phospholipase A2-based B-neurotoxin (concolor toxin) and several myotoxins (Mackessy et al. 2003) which makes concolor venoms highly toxic. In fact concolor is the most toxic out of the (Western Rattlesnake clade, Crotalus oreganus). It was hypothesized that concolor had an ontogenetic variation in venom composition due to is shifts in diet from juvenile to adulthood. However, it was discovered that although juveniles feed predominantly on lizards (Scleoporus ssp.) and adults on rodents (Peromyscus and Tamias) there isn't much in ontogenetic variation in venoms (Mackessy et al. 2003)."

http://www.venomousreptiles.org/articles/213


:eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

I am glad I know now, rather than before or while hiking Buckskin. :mrgreen:

[Iceaxe]

The rattle snake is known as a Faded Midget. Not to be messed with.

You don't have to worry about that...... I hate snakes!

[RedRoxx]

Hate snakes!!! Snakes are cool!!!

http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvk91/888888_G.jpg



http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvk74/snake1.jpg



http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvl30/snake2.jpg

http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvl30/2_G.jpg

[stefan]

wow great photos ... you took all of them?

[Iceaxe]

Thanks... now I'm going to have nightmares about snakes jumping out of trees!!!!

http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvl30/snake2.jpg

[RedRoxx]

Yep, I took all of them, the rattler my BF almost stepped on, then he/she posed for pictures. With a zoom lens of course. The other non-venemous snakes we encountered in some canyons we were exploring in the Sierra Anchas near Globe.

Entering caves this time of year in Az usually with have a rattler of varying types cooling off in the entrance, Tigers, Mohaves, Blacktails--you name it. Kinda stimulating to be crawling in and have that rattle about 2-3 feet away from you.

[tanya]

Yep, I took all of them, the rattler my BF almost stepped on, then he/she posed for pictures. With a zoom lens of course. The other non-venemous snakes we encountered in some canyons we were exploring in the Sierra Anchas near Globe.

Entering caves this time of year in Az usually with have a rattler of varying types cooling off in the entrance, Tigers, Mohaves, Blacktails--you name it. Kinda stimulating to be crawling in and have that rattle about 2-3 feet away from you.

I really love your photos! You have quite a talent with the camera. Not just these but your scenery shots!

[Bo_Beck]

Yep, I took all of them, the rattler my BF almost stepped on, then he/she posed for pictures. With a zoom lens of course. The other non-venemous snakes we encountered in some canyons we were exploring in the Sierra Anchas near Globe.

Entering caves this time of year in Az usually with have a rattler of varying types cooling off in the entrance, Tigers, Mohaves, Blacktails--you name it. Kinda stimulating to be crawling in and have that rattle about 2-3 feet away from you.

I really love your photos! You have quite a talent with the camera. Not just these but your scenery shots!

Speaking of "fear of snakes".... In 1980 I went to Hong Kong to join my parents do reparations on their sailboat and then help sail back to the US (the wrong way, E to W). We spent 4 months fixing and stocking as we waited out the typhoon season. A harbour called Hebe Haven close to the "New Territories" (close to the back then 1980, Chinese border) is where we were moored. One day I decided to take a hike from the harbour. Initially it was along a path as I saw green snakes hanging from the trees above (later to find out that they were very venomous) then decided to short cut thru the jungle back to the harbour later in the afternoon. The hike was the thickest jungle I've ever seen. Rarely touching the ground thru the thick foliage and root systems. Finally got back and in the 90 deg temps and 95% humidity realized a cool shower in the provided camp shower was in order! I walked up to the door and saw immediately an 8' black snake in the bathroom/ shower and he had a rat in his mouth! I backed out and he slithered (with rat in mouth) out the door. As I entered to take my refreshing shower he stood up ( with rat in mouth) and flared his hood not more than 4' from me! It was a 'Cobra' and to think I was just "bushwacking" through his environment! I now Call Hebe Haven.....Hebe Jeebes!

[tanya]

I have Bo and my album done for Buckskin.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index44.htm

Found this of Buckskin.... for the guys. It reminded me of a Shane and lady friends trip through Buckskin. :haha:

http://www.andyfreeberg.com/photos_fa/6fa_buckskin_gulch_h.jpg

http://www.andyfreeberg.com/fa13_buckskin.html