Spencer Canyon / Red Brakes area down to Escalante River?

[slim]

Not having any luck searching on this topic so I'll try a new thread...

I want to drive down the Spencer Flat Road east of Escalante, car camp somewhere near the end and then backpack over to near the Escalante River.

That looks pretty easy. But then I want to do a day hike further east down to the Escalante river itself. Google Earth makes it look potentially do-able and I'll have the ability to do a low-angle rappel and ascend back but I know there can be big drops, etc that you can't see on sat maps.

Anyone done this? And if so, any help on the best route?
I see a Panoramio photo titled "The Ladders Route" showing a couple of scary looking LONG ladders against a slickrock slope. Any knowledge of that?

Thanks,
Mike

[Scott P]

There are many non-technical routes to and from the river between Spencer Canyon and Harris Wash. Kelsey's latest book alone has seven routes, but it usually isn't very detailed.

The easiest route to the rim not far below Spencer Canyon is probably the constructed cattle trail between the Ladders Route and Spencer Canyon.

[slim]

85839

Thanks for the quick reply.

Seems like "Spencer Canyon" generally refers to the western portion of the big arc shaped fault/canyon that goes all the way to the Escalante river on it's east end (in this GE screenshot). It intersects the river about where The Gulch comes in on the other side.

Is that the area of the "constructed cattle trail" that you refer to?

Thanks again,
Mike

[zzyzx]

Your pin: Spencer Canyon, is the wrong way. Take the fork below. In the middle (approx) of this fork is a cairn. It's a canyoneering walk in, sometimes a bit challenging w/ a huge backpack.
Your pin: ESC Access isn't the access point to the river. You'll see the right point if you walk the east/west traverse towards the river.
The ladders in the canyon are old but stable. I took these (up and down) last year. I climbed out of the Escalante via Allens "Climbers Route" towards Dome Islomania, aka Volcano, and back to Spencer Flat Rd. Had a wonderful 4-day backpacking trip.


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[slim]

Hey, thanks, Zzyzx. I dragged out my "Canyoneering 3" book by Steve A. and managed to find his description. Looks to me like the (non-ladder) route into/out of the main Esc. Canyon is 0.45 miles due east of my "Esc Access???" pin. (Just east of the "Ladders" canyon mouth)
Looking forward to some fun exploring in a part of the Escalante I've never seen. (Other than a kayak trip from the highway to Hole-in-the-Rock, MANY years ago!)
Mike

[zzyzx]

My pleasure!
Roughly. From the mouth of L-Cyn. You've to cross the river twice.
Have fun and enjoy. :-)


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