The 2nd "Cathedral Valley"
In May 2013 we visited the Caineville area, but had no concept what to see. We left UT 24 for Caineville Wash Road and suddenly there was a spur going away from the road. After a short distance there was some pavement in the middle of the Caineville Wash Valley. A Road? I doubt!
Length of pavement might be some 1,100 to 1,200 feet and it is not completely straight. Might this be an airstrip?
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00519_12.jpg
One end of the assumed airstrip
Nevertheless this was the wrong way. On the other end of pavement a spur let us across Caineville Wash and into a smaller colorful canyon with another wash. (We named it Red Desert Wash) It must have flown not that long ago. The bed was still moist. This canyon is short, the length of the pretty good road measures approximately 1,2 miles.
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00520_12.jpg
Entering the small canyon
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00521_12.jpg
Improvement by pioneer bridges
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00524_12.jpg
Wild and colored
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00525_12.jpg
Within the canyon
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00529_12.jpg
Angled strata ascending to the West
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00530_12.jpg
Looking back (east): banded Morrison Formation and Caineville Mesa in background
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00532_12.jpg
Next layer is Summerville Formation
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00533_12.jpg
Topomap tells us we are entering Red Desert. Seems to be!
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00537_12.jpg
Red Summerville remnants on greyish Curtis Formation. Nice contrast!
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00538_12.jpg
Entrada cliffs with Curtis caps
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00539_12.jpg
At this point there is no need for a Jeep Wrangler. Even a sedan might work.
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00541_12.jpg
Looking west out of the little canyon
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00542_12.jpg
The last of at least three pioneer bridges
The wash in the little canyon drains a basin surrounded by Entrada sandstone cliffs. Seems to me that this was once an upwarp. The inclining strata from the east side starts to decline on the west side (we saw that later).
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00543_12.jpg
The eastern Cliffs of the basin
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00545_12.jpg
A view across the northern half of the basin
This is what the Topo Maps call Red Desert.
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00546_12.jpg
Branch of the wash
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00547_12.jpg
Cliff on the north end of the basin
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00549_12.jpg
This is what is left from eroded Entrada sandstone
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00550_12.jpg
Hoodoo and a small arch in the distance
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00551_12.jpg
Still inclining strata
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00555_12.jpg
Looks like a labyrinth
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00557_12.jpg
Colorful cliffs
The road climbs up some 250 feet and we got acompletely different view backwards.
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00558_12.jpg
Red Desert and blue shale on the Caineville Mesas
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00561_12.jpg
Cliff line to the west
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00562_12.jpg
Resembling Cathedral Valley - its the same geological setting
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00567_12.jpg
The maps show a flowing well
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00564_12.jpg
Moisture = flowers
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00567_12.jpg
We haven`t seen the well but we saw the trees
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00568_12.jpg
"Cathedral" walls - unfortunately in the shadow
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00570_12.jpg
A bit better
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00571_12.jpg
Egyptian temples?
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00577_12.jpg
Remnants from volcanism
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00576_12.jpg
Agate
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00580_12.jpg
More cliffs
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00586_12.jpg
Cliff height declines
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00587_12.jpg
Looking back with better "cathedral" light
There is something like a gap on the west side of the basin. Topo maps show a prospect and a trail running up to it. We wanted to see whats there? The prospect must be in that gap.
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00590_12.jpg
Western cliffs
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00591_12.jpg
The former road is now a trail
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00593_12.jpg
No name on the maps - we call it Red Desert Pass
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00594_12.jpg
The Red Desert Basin from Red Desret Pass
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00595_12.jpg
A tighter spot
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00596_12.jpg
Red Desert Pass
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00604_12.jpg
Last stretch to the summit
http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA...SC00603_12.jpg
From the summit to the west
Down in the valley runs Hartnet Road. It is only a mile away. (Junction at 12S 0491175 4241257) Strata is pointing down now to the west.
Red Desert Pass and Red Desert might be a solution for these coming from Cathedral Valley finding Freemont River running to high to ford. Driving back to Cathedral Valley to change onto Caineville Wash Road to reach UT 24 means 56 miles or so, the pass is only 12 miles. A big saver!
More details at "Red Desert"
