Backpacking Season

[qedcook]

Backpacking season is just about to open up. Any plans for everyone this year? Let's see some pics of the best places within 8 hours of SLC. Thanks.

[Byron]

Well I can tell you this with definitive certainly...don't backpack the upper Escalante River...it sucks!

My buddy Herb invited me and a few others to join him on a backpack of the entire Escalante river to happen at the beginning of this May...first half starting from the bridge and ending at Fence Canyon, the second half from Fence to Coyote. Not exactly the entire length, but pretty close. 4 nights each leg along with car shuttles.

I had done that upper section back in the 90s and plumb forgot how bush wacky and boring it is...the second leg however, is magnificent. Here's a pic of yours truly pretending to have a good time a couple days into it...

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[xjblue]

Backpacking season for me is usually Spring and Fall and so half way finished already... (I do need to get in to the mountains more)
This year I've been on two four day trips, both in April:

Finally did the first section of Grand Gulch Kane to Bullet, having done most of the rest before. It was very dry down there.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51124745031_85d49e42cc_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kTHFxe)
P4011762-Panolr (https://flic.kr/p/2kTHFxe) by Jared Payne (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8617045@N06/), on Flickr

And returned to Upper Salt Creek, very dry down there also.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51144687830_b79f511bde_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kVtTQA)
Late Morning Landscape (https://flic.kr/p/2kVtTQA) by Jared Payne (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8617045@N06/), on Flickr

[Byron]

Yep...dry is the name of the game this season, for sure. I was canyoneering the North Wash area for a couple weeks in late May and there wasn't any water anywhere we went...not even mud. So we went thru the Black Hole (water for sure) and it's the lowest I've ever seen it. Entire swimming sections are walks...only had to swim proper 3-4 times. There's a couple pools deep in it that if they dry up, I'd say the apocalypse is coming on fast...

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[kiwi_outdoors]

For me, the backpacking season is just beginning. The Grand Canyon is waiting for me.

It is likely to be hotter and drier than ever. This might not be the best season for a long hard trip