Best Buckskin day hike?

[aloken]

Want to day hike Buckskin Gulch, what's the best option? I'm thinking hike in from Wire Pass, but then should we turn right or turn left once we hit Buckskin? Want to start early, hike til lunchtime, then turn around and head back to the car. Need a rope, or is the obstacle further than we would get during a day hike? Thanks!

[Iceaxe]

Everything you need to know about Buckskin Gulch is here:

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

The best short (meaning 1/2 day to 3/4 day) is to enter at Wire Pass, Hike until you encounter Buckskin Gulch, admire the rock art at the junction, turn right and hike down Buckskin as far as you desire. Return the way you came. No rope or tech gear required.

The absolute best way to see Buckskin is to enter at Wire Pass and exit out White House. That route requires one very long day or a two day backpack trip. Doing that route a 30' section of rope "might" be required to get down the rock fall, it all depends on how the last storm rearranged the debris at the rock fall.

If you can swing it I highly recommend the Wire pass to White House route as the canyon is amazing and is continually changing. I easily rate this route in my top 5 all time slot canyons, and I've done a lot of slot canyons.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AmNbGlDuCQ

[aloken]

Awesome, thanks! I'm thinking we'll day hike it this year and plan on backpacking it next year when the kids are another year older. Super excited!

[kiwi_outdoors]

re "The best short (meaning 1/2 day to 3/4 day) is to enter at Wire Pass, Hike until you encounter Buckskin Gulch, admire the rock art at the junction, turn right and hike down Buckskin as far as you desire. Return the way you came. No rope or tech gear required." the wife and I did just that a few years back. I have to say that it was pleasant but hardly stunning. It would be more impressive if you have not done slot canyons before. Mind you - any day in a slot canyon is a day well spent.

[mzamp]

Option 1: Hike wire pass all the way to white house. I did this once with a very fit/fast group. It's quite the marathon so start early. It also requires a shuttle.

Option 2: Utilize the middle trail exit and either start or end their. This of course would also require a shuttle. I have not driven to the middle exit, but I have a friend that drove out there and day hiked from there.

Option 3: As stated above...down buckskin as far as you want to go and then return the way you came.

[Iceaxe]

Middle Trail is not a great option unless you are an experienced hiker or canyoneer. Finding the correct route into the slot from above is not a simple task. If using Middle Trail most gruops will want a rope. If entering and exiting Middle Trail you will probably want to leave a rope hanging for a handline.

Now that has been said, entering through Middle Trail and hiking down to the confluence with Paria and back would allow you to cherry pick the best section of Buckskin. That would also require you to deal with the rock fall in both directions, which is not a problem for experienced canyoneers, but others could have issues.

[kiwi_outdoors]

Middle Trail is not a great option unless you are an experienced hiker or canyoneer. Finding the correct route into the slot from above is not a simple task. If using Middle Trail most gruops will want a rope. If entering and exiting Middle Trail you will probably want to leave a rope hanging for a handline.



Well, between Topo! (on my PC) Google Earth and a bunch of online posts - it seems straightforward (I mapped it out), especially if I use my iPad (or iPhone) with Topo Maps + in the field. I do like the idea of "cherry picking" the good stuff!

[Iceaxe]

Well, between Topo! (on my PC) Google Earth and a bunch of online posts - it seems straightforward (I mapped it out), especially if I use my iPad (or iPhone) with Topo Maps + in the field. I do like the idea of "cherry picking" the good stuff!
Locating Middle Trail is not difficult. It's figuring out how to climb in and out of the actual slot, which is impossible to see from aerial views. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Just don't climb down anything you can't climb back up.

[french_de]

I have done the middle trail a couple of times and if you are a good hiker it is not that difficult. A hand line is helpful. It was fun route finding the way down. There are ledges and such all the way down. It sure is a great way to see the best parts of Buckskin when you only have a short day.

Here are a bunch of pictures taken of the "crux" climb of the middle route. We had a large group of high school students with us when these pics were taken


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[Scott P]

The difficulty of the Middle Trail depends on how much sand is on the ledges and slabs. When there is no sand on the ledges and slabs, the route is fairly easy, but when there is sand it is much harder.

[aloken]

Cool pics, thanks everybody. I think we'll opt for the "easy way" this first time and scout it out for longer options next year.