Grand Gulch in mid -March--snow/ice?

[akpfeiff]

Hey Folks--

New to this board but have been enjoying reading through old posts.

I am heading down to So. Utah around March 11 and planning on the "standard" Grand Gulch hike--Kane Gulch to Bullet Canyon. (travelling with three kids, so looking for something fairly well-trodden and straightforward. I did this hike nearly 20 years ago and hope I'm not too shocked at the changes....) My question is how has the winter been down that way so far? Lots or little snow? Can I expect the route to be fully melted out by the second week of March, or is it too early to tell yet? Thanks for any local/insider scoop you can give me!


Oops--so how do I change the title of a thread now that I submitted it with a misspelling....arghhhh!

[Scott P]

It's too early to tell, but my guess is that you will be fine. The nights might be slightly cool, but the crowds haven't arrived yet and plenty of water should be available.

[Cirrus2000]

Hey Folks--

New to this board but have been enjoying reading through old posts.

I am heading down to So. Utah around March 11 and planning on the "standard" Grand Gulch hike--Kane Gulch to Bullet Canyon. (travelling with three kids, so looking for something fairly well-trodden and straightforward. I did this hike nearly 20 years ago and hope I'm not too shocked at the changes....) My question is how has the winter been down that way so far? Lots or little snow? Can I expect the route to be fully melted out by the second week of March, or is it too early to tell yet? Thanks for any local/insider scoop you can give me!


Oops--so how do I change the title of a thread now that I submitted it with a misspelling....arghhhh!


1. Welcome to Bogley!

2. I'm not local, and I've only been through Grand Gulch once, about 3 weeks later than you. It was a little cool at night, and very pleasant during the day. That's the best info I've got. :ne_nau: You can see my trip report by clicking on "My Trip Reports" link to the left <--- under my photo. Look for "Kane to Collins". (Make sure you post a trip report when you're done!)

3. Title = fixed! :2thumbs:

[akpfeiff]

Thanks Cirrus--for the title fix and the info,

I did read your trip report already a couple days ago and enjoyed it very much! This board is really help rev my engines for our trip!

[uintafly]

I did Grand Gulch last year around March 20th. Temp was perfect both day and night and we had no problem sleeping under the stars.

I'm headed to Slickhorn Canyon for a couple days on March 11th this year and am keeping my fingers crossed for similar weather.

[gnwatts]

I have had a couple of trips where it snowed in mid March, but the snow did not last. But most of my trips in March were in the 70's, down to the low 40's at night.
Taken the same day march 3rd:
4139541396

[hike.higher]

I'm headed down for the same trip the following week, March 18-20. I went once before in '06 and it was fine, but the snow pack down there was light that year. 53% on 2/7/06. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/635182039/Utah-snowpacks-high-in-north-low-in-south.html.

This year is is considerably higher, 139%, http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=134181&nid=149.

As a result, I am a little worried. I also found this from last year: http://www.backpacker.com/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi?act=Print;f=623107219;t=9991133474

March 17, 2010
I just got back. The rangers had photos of water flowing from rim-to-rim a week ago Wednesday, but it actually wasn't too bad on Saturday. Collins was the only accessible TH, although a handful of masochists trudged through the snow at Kane Gulch. There was a lot of quicksand (the Narrows was a little hairy), and we decided to keep it to a dayhike because the coming rain and snow could have trapped us for a while. Cedar Mesa still has 1-2 feet of snow and it looks like most of the THs won't be reachable for a few weeks yet. We spent some of the extra time in Butler Wash.

Last year the snowpack was 92% on 2/1/10. http://www.ut.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/watersupply/wsor/2010/wsor_sum_0210.pdf Page 3

[gnwatts]

The state of Utah plows everything in sight. I have always been able to get to a trailhead on Cedar Mesa in March. The most spectacular day I ever spent in Grand Gulch was a sunny day after a snow storm. Thousands of waterfalls for about 3 hours.
Don't worry about the weather. It will be great.

[Scott P]

Don't worry about the weather. It will be great.


If it is snowy though, the exit out of Bullet Canyon can be dicey. One Thanksgiving, my dad had trouble getting out Bullet.

As said, more than likely it will be nice and I wouldn't worry too much. Chances are you will have good luck (this is a desert), but just in case a big storm is forecasted (or happens just before you go), I would suggest coming in Collins Spring rather than in or out of Bullet. Collins Spring is usually much drier and warmer and the trail usually isn't problematic in snow.

[denaliguide]

weather should be fine. i have however been snowed on as late as mid-april. nights will be cool. don't think you will have any trouble with the hiking. beware if you drive off the pavement, the roads there when wet can be a mud trap. i wouldn't worry and have a great trip!

[akpfeiff]

Thanks for all of the replies. Glad to have that snowpack link--that's the kind of information I was curious about and I'm not totally happy to see it so far above average....we are locked into our dates due to school spring break schedule. Of course, I'm not going to sweat it too much. Just trying to gauge how much effort I should put into making a plan B. If snow/snowmelt were still an issue on Cedar Mesa, where's the best general direction to headfor drier conditions? Escalante? Zion?

[denaliguide]

i would still head to cedar mesa. you could head out the road from the goosenecks to johns canyon. plenty to explore out there. it's 1000' lower in elevation so it should be drier. escalante could be a good choice as well. but again you have all those dirt roads which can be impassable when wet.

[Scott P]

If snow/snowmelt were still an issue on Cedar Mesa, where's the best general direction to headfor drier conditions?


Even if Cedar Mesa does have snow in it's higher elevations, as mentioned lower Grand Gulch is warmer and drier. In fact, even in mid-winter snow is pretty rare in lower Grand Gulch. Lower Fish Creek and Butler Wash is also low altitude.

Most Escalante Canyon require wading. Places like Silver Falls Creek and Moody (but clay can be wet) are easily doable very early. Horse Canyon too. Calf Creek Falls is interesting in winter/early spring. Cedar Mesa shouldn't be bad though and either way and will likely have better conditions than most of Escalante.

[Deadeye008]

I was near Grand Gulch last weekend. We were a little east of there on Comb Ridge and Butler Wash. There was hardly any snow at all. Days were around 50 and nights in the teens. You can check out my TR here.
http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?45491-TR-Cedar-Mesa-Jan-2011

[Cosmic Kid]

I've been to Cedar Mesa quite a few times in the winter/early spring in recent years. Once, during Xmas week, I walked down Kane Gulch to Turkey Pen Ruin and back--there was some ice but nothing that impeded my walking at all. The next year, did the same hike in mid-March and no signs of any snow or ice at all--even ran into a group with two llamas. Another year in mid-March, I walked the county road from White Canyon up to Jacbos Chair and got sunburned while not wearing a shirt. I'd be shocked if you run into any bad weather, but best to have your Plan B. The rangers at Kane Gulch are tough to reach, so you might try calling the rangers at Natural Bridges as your trip date approaches.