long technical hiking in the Kaiparowits plateau

[heliodor]

I'm looking for people with info re: long technical backpacking (5-10 days) in the Kaiparowits plateau. I received a great route from a fellow forum member last Spring but lost all the info in a Windows related tragedy.

[rockgremlin]

Does Grand Gulch qualify as being in the Kaiparowits plateau? Just how technical do you want? Ropes mandatory?

[heliodor]

No, I was thinking more along the lines of the plateau area and it's drainages due west of the Escalante River. Technical is fine, though I like to be out for 7+ days if possible, so minimal gear is best.

Are you referring to the Grand Gulch that drains Hall Creek at the base of the Waterpocket Fold?. That is an area I've been curious about as well, so if you have info to share... :nod:

[adrians]

Which part are you interested in? its a big area. I have been out there for mutliple days at a time. email me and I will see if I know the area you are interested in.

[Jammer]

Heya--

I hiked across the Kaiparowitz a few years back: From Paria over to Wahweep Canyon, across to Last Chance, over to Reece, and then out Left Hand Collect Canyon. It was actually just part of a longer hike from Kanab to the Henry Mountains. Check out the trip report at:

www.curbpavement.com (Hike #1)

http://www.greenjam.com/hike1/images/daily2/15_dry_wash_canyon.jpg
Crossing Dry Wash Canyon in the middle of the plateau

Let me know if I can help with any specifics. I'm looking at doing another hike through this area so I have more info if needed.

Have fun,

[goofball]

very cool stuff jamal. 'im jealous. one of these years i'll be free to do some long distance hiking. till then thanks for the vicarious thrill !

[Raigro]

Hi,
I am from Germany and I am new here. However, I spent a lot of time in the US and particular in the Southwest.

I am also planning a longer hike on the Kaiparowits Plateau in particular to visit some Anasazi dwellings in the area around Lake Pasture. I am looking for the place shown in the picture 38818.

Does anyone know what the correct name for the Anasazi dwelling and/or the arch is? How can I get there? How can I get to the top of the Kaiparowits Plateau in order to hike to the place shown in the picture. I know that one possibility would be via Left Hand Collet Canyon, however, this is far way away north of the place where I plan to go. Are there other accesses to the Plateau further south?

I would be grateful for any infromation that brings me a bit closer to the goal I have for next year.

Raigro

[denaliguide]

there are three pack trails which can get you to the top. i don't know of the condition of any of them.

one starts in the batty pass area. near coyote hole. it's called the "upper trail" you end up on "west end point".

another is the "middle trail" it comes out of hurricane wash. you end up on top between llewellyn and blackburn canyons. go south around the head of blackburn and steer canyons and you can get into lake pasture.

a third one comes off 50 mile bench. its a bit to the south west of fifty mile spring. from where the road crosses fifty mile creek, there is a faint route up to the fifty mile bench (this route i have done up to the fifty mile bench, then i went south and over to navajo canyon). then head north to pick up the trail. this route puts you on top at the head of trail hollow. when on top go north past blondie knoll to get to lake pasture.

a fourth one is a jeep road up sooner slide. it comes out of willow gulch. it comes up on the fifty mile bench just below blondie knoll. if you have a 4wd this is probably the best option. once on the fifty mile bench go south and find the pack trail to the top of the pleateau.

google earth and nat. geo. topo! utah are your friend.

[Raigro]

Thank you Denaliguide. I use DeLorme Topo but I could not identify suitable routes to the top of the plateau. I will check all your proposals and I think I will find a suitable route.

Have you been to Lake Pasture? Is there the arch with the Anasazi dwelling? What is the official name of the arch if there is any?

Thanks again for your helpful proposals.

[denaliguide]

raigro, nope never been to lake pasture, looks pretty nice up there though.

no idea of the name of the arch if any. or even if it is in the vicinity.

all of the routes i described are on the usgs topos. "sooner bench" and "navajo point" are the quads. the routes should be on the delorme maps if they are using the usgs data. i used to use delorme but i have found that the nat. geo. product is a sharper product. i do like that you can design your own symbols though. i wish you could do that in the nat. geo program.

[tmartenst]

The arch looks like a cool spot. There is a watermark on the photo, can you find out from the originator?

[stefan]

The arch looks like a cool spot. There is a watermark on the photo, can you find out from the originator?


germans tend to be very secretive with the locations of the lesser-known features in their photos.

given that Raigro is from germany, i'm going to go out on a limb and wager that the original photo was taken by someone from germany who either won't disclose the location or who Raigro suspects won't disclose the location.

:ne_nau:

[Raigro]

germans tend to be very secretive with the locations of the lesser-known features in their photos.
:ne_nau:

Hi Stefan,

your quoted remark is absolutely correct, but in this case the original photo is from a guy from the Netherlands. He went to the arch with a friend and does not know where the place is?!?

Nevertheless I got several other infos on the arch, and probably my assumption on the location was wrong. The arch is called "collet top arch" and is near collet top, which is on Kaiparowitz Plateau but much further north than I assumed. The advantage is, that it is not too far away from Smokey Mountain Road and no long hike is necessary to get there. However, I still don't know the exact location but I am working on it.

[jman]

For some reason, that image (the arch specifically) looks 'shopped to me..........??????? Anyone else?

[CarpeyBiggs]

http://stanwagon.com/wagon/utah/HTMLLinks/utah_62.html

[Raigro]

Thanks for the link. When you know the name of the arch you find some information in the web. I am in contact with Stan Wagon and he will hopefully be able to give me the GPS data of the arch.

[IntrepidXJ]

Thanks for the link. When you know the name of the arch you find some information in the web. I am in contact with Stan Wagon and he will hopefully be able to give me the GPS data of the arch.

PM sent :cool2:

[stefan]

Hi Stefan,

your quoted remark is absolutely correct, but in this case the original photo is from a guy from the Netherlands. He went to the arch with a friend and does not know where the place is?!?

Nevertheless I got several other infos on the arch, and probably my assumption on the location was wrong. The arch is called "collet top arch" and is near collet top, which is on Kaiparowitz Plateau but much further north than I assumed. The advantage is, that it is not too far away from Smokey Mountain Road and no long hike is necessary to get there. However, I still don't know the exact location but I am working on it.


that sounds like a great adventure to find it and looks like a very neat place. good luck on your adventure

[Raigro]

Thanks everybody - all problems solved.

[CarpeyBiggs]

return and report once you've made it... :haha:

[Raigro]

return and report once you've made it... :haha:

Yes, Sir!

[stefan]

:lol8::lol8:

[wisconnyjohnny]

haha yes old thread. i live in escalante now and went looking for this arch and granary yesterday. first things first this arch and ruin is on a small cliff face allegedly. and allegedly the anasazi were not cliff dwellers in these parts. this i was told by an Escalante Visitor center worker.
so now i'm left questioning what's considered a cliff?

this place does exsist and although i did not find it yesterday i now know exactly where it's at. i was off by several roads and miles but hunted nonetheless.
My ruins hunt was still successful.
good thread

[xjblue]

...and allegedly the anasazi were not cliff dwellers in these parts. this i was told by an Escalante Visitor center worker.
so now i'm left questioning what's considered a cliff?

The question isn't what's considered a cliff, the question is what's considered a dwelling. Often the term cliff dwellers is or has been used as synonymous with Anasazi in general leading to a bit of confusion or misunderstanding perhaps. Cliff structures are not always dwellings, and often only represent the easy to see well preserved remains while many open air sites and pit houses simply got buried by time and the elements. Add to that a thick Pinion Juniper forest and spotting any "open air" habitation sites is extra challenging.

[JohnBetrow]

Are you referring to the Grand Gulch that drains Hall Creek at the base of the Waterpocket Fold?. That is an area I've been curious about as well, so if you have info to share... :nod: (http://vipbrides.com/)