Current Bucksking Gulch and CC road conditions?

[UintaSolitude]

Does anyone know what the current conditions for a Buckskin trip will be like? Doing the one day thing this time from Wire, so I'm hoping for no deeper than the waist holes.

[UintaSolitude]

Who has walked back to Wire from Middle up top? Can you straight line it? If not, what's the walking distance? Any advice?

[CarpeyBiggs]

i'd expect wet. the paria has been flowing all 4 times i've crossed it near house rock valley road this spring. although i have no idea what that will translate to in the canyon. plenty of snow down that way until a few weeks ago.

[Iceaxe]

Who has walked back to Wire from Middle up top?

You really can't walk from Middle Trail to Wire Pass "up top". If you hit Middle Trail and decide to turn around going back up Buckskin is the fastest.... but that wouldn't make a lot of sense either, since most the water obstacles are located above where middle Trail enters. Once you hit Middle Trail it's normally smooth sailing.....



the paria has been flowing all 4 times i've crossed it near house rock valley road this spring.

What's happening in the Paria is not usually a good indicator of Buckskin conditions..... other then if the Paria is flowing you will have some ankle deep wading near the confluence with Buckskin.


Wading in Buckskin is normally not too bad.... I've done the route dozens of time, including right after it has flashed and only found the water deeper than waist deep once.

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

http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/Files/buckskin3.jpg

[ststephen]

Please post your experience. I'm heading there the following week. If it's not too bad I'll use that to soothe my wife's worries. If it is deep and muddy we'll keep it to ourselves :naughty:

Then we're continuing all the way down the Paria to Lees Ferry. I've been noticing the ever-climbing flow rates for the Paria in the last weeks. Seems like we might have some wading to do as we continue down that way.

[DOSS]

Please post your experience. I'm heading there the following week. If it's not too bad I'll use that to soothe my wife's worries. If it is deep and muddy we'll keep it to ourselves :naughty:

Then we're continuing all the way down the Paria to Lees Ferry. I've been noticing the ever-climbing flow rates for the Paria in the last weeks. Seems like we might have some wading to do as we continue down that way.

I have been tempted to carry inner tubes down buckskin (deflated and air them up at the convergence) and float down the Paria :)

[ratagonia]

Then we're continuing all the way down the Paria to Lees Ferry. I've been noticing the ever-climbing flow rates for the Paria in the last weeks. Seems like we might have some wading to do as we continue down that way.

You will (of course) always have some wading to do. But if it gets too high, you might not have very much not-wading, which could prove difficult. Innertubes and wetsuits might not be a bad idea.

Tom :moses:

[ststephen]

Thanks for the tips guys. We're packing wet suits. I think a couple of inner tubes might be a good insurance policy!

[thedesertnomad]

Last time we did it was October before all the snow and Buckskin was it's usual self (up to waist deep). However the confluence was torn up and dug out by last seasons rains. It was almost neck deep on me (5'-10") and just a bit on the chilly side (36 deg). The first 1.5 miles upstream from Buckskin was deeper than I have seen it in the last 5 years.

[ststephen]

Giving this one last "bump". I'm heading down from Wire Pass Sunday and on out Lee's Ferry. Got our wetsuits. Still need to pick up some inner tubes. Would love to hear from anyone who has recently been down...

[Cirrus2000]

I got nothin', but have a great time! Hope the weather and conditions all cooperate!

See you next month...

[ststephen]

Day's Inn in Page now. The BLM office outside of Page is displaying this photo they say was taken a few days ago in Buckskin showing a torrent of water flowing. Really? Does it flow there just from snow melt? Maybe it was a snap shot after a recent rain? Cloudy but dry today and forecast holds for dry at least through tomorrow. Guess I'll find out soon enough...

[ststephen]

Just finished the trip and back in the Day's Inn. The Buckskin was VERY muddy. The pools were not that deep. Nothing over waist deep but the mud was unrelenting. Still an outstanding if a tad grueling of a trip. Full report after I'm home and can sort through photos...

[Cirrus2000]

Excellent! Looking forward to the full report! Happy recuperation...

[Felicia]

:clap: