Bowdie Canyon SE UT

I'm looking to spend a couple days in and around the Dark Canyon Wilderness. Bowdie Canyon has come up on my radar, and it sounds like the preferred entrance to this canyon is somewhere around the confluence of the N and S forks. Does anybody have suggestions on where a good spot might be to drop in to Bowdie so as to avoid bushwhacking through either of the two forks? Also, it seems water shouldn't be a problem; but can anybody comment on the sun exposure in this canyon? I'm heading down mid-July. Cheers!

Below is the approximate route you may be referring to. It avoids the bushwhacking in the upper forks:

Attachment 84428

It will be hot and with lots of sun, but there are a lot of nice swim holes.

Thanks Scott!

I am new to this group and I joined because Bowdie Canyon has also come onto my radar recently. I was hoping maybe somebody would be able to answer a couple questions:

Does Bowdie Canyon have any pour offs that require any technical climbing to get around?


By chance is it possible to walk the south bank of the Colorado River between Bowdie and Gypsum Canyon, thereby making a nice backpacking loop?
Does Gypsum Canyon have any pour offs that require technical climbing to get around?

How is the access road (Sweet Alice Road I believe it is called)? Is it usually possible to get to Sweet Alice in the last week of April, and if so is it better to come from the north (highway 211) or from the south (Elk Ridge Road starting near Natural Bridges)?

Any help is much appreciated!

Tom

ahh, yes.

If you monument it, they will come....

**

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Does Bowdie Canyon have any pour offs that require any technical climbing to get around?

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No, but the canyon is very rugged and so are the bypasses.

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By chance is it possible to walk the south bank of the Colorado River between Bowdie and Gypsum Canyon, thereby making a nice backpacking loop?

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Yes, but it's unpleasant and difficult in places. A packraft is probably better.

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Does Gypsum Canyon have any pour offs that require technical climbing to get around?

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No, but it's also very rugged.

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How is the access road (Sweet Alice Road I believe it is called)? Is it usually possible to get to Sweet Alice in the last week of April, and if so is it better to come from the north (highway 211) or from the south (Elk Ridge Road starting near Natural Bridges)?

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Mud can be a problem as the road seems to hold water in places. I usually come in from the Dugout Ranch, but only because it's a shorter drive when coming in from the north.

No need to move along.
Just seemed odd that your first post is looking for information inside obamas new monument.
Maybe introduce yourself first, then go for the beta,
lots of information and knowledge here and ridicule as well.
stick around, you might like it, or not...
fyi--I've hiked a good bit in the Escalante area, pre monument as well as comb ridge/Butler wash, pre monument.
I strongly believe designation will kill both areas in ways not thought of by designators.
already evidenced in the gsenm.
At any rate, Scott is the right guy to help you with your inquiry, no doubt.

Steve Allen and Michael Kelsey have decent descriptions of both Bowdie and Gypsum Canyons in one or two of their volumes; can't remember which ones now, though. Can't hurt, might help.

Thanks guys. I apologize for the tone of my comments earlier. To be honest I quit smoking not long ago. I'm not going to blame it on that though, I take responsibility. Got caught off guard by being lumped into the rush of techno gadget backpackers that I fear will start making inroads into these places. Its been a shame to see that in the GSENM. Coyote was downright crowded the last couple times I passed through it. I'm actually from near Chicago (don't judge) but I spend a couple months every year in the intermountain states, especially Utah, between work and free time. Try and get into the off the beaten path places, but the paths keep getting more beaten every year!

Harsh tone is fine.
Have you ever witnessed a tongue lashing handed out by:moses:

Thanks! Have you got around the big pour off in Gypsum before - is it actually really dicey and unstable for walking around with a pack, or is it just very exposed?

Also, a pack raft is a good idea for traveling between Gypsum and Bowdie on the Colorado and I'm definitely considering this. However, just walking the 6ish miles on the Colorado- sounds like you think this isn't the best idea? Like it would take a good part of the day and the route isn't really reliable?

I used to spend quite a bit of time in the Gold Butte area of Nevada, I have thousands of photos.
The hobgoblins area is quite fragile and likely to be loved to death with it's recent designation.

I now spend most my spare time at GCNRA, I can easily remove myself from crowds and have the equipment to be self supportive for a couple weeks at a time, only wish I was able to spend a couple weeks at a time:haha:

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Steve Allen and Michael Kelsey have decent descriptions of both Bowdie and Gypsum Canyons in one or two of their volumes; can't remember which ones now, though. Can't hurt, might help.

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Steve Allen covers upper Bowdie Canyon in detail, but that part of the canyon is pretty sucky with lots of bushwhacking. The canyon below the confluence of the two forks is much better and a real gem.

Kelsey has brief beta for both canyons.

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Have you got around the big pour off in Gypsum before - is it actually really dicey and unstable for walking around with a pack, or is it just very exposed?

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Loose rock and rugged terrain. Nothing technical or extremely scary, but slow going. There are actually several falls in Bowdie and Gypsum. The last one in Bowdie is that hardest one to pass.

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However, just walking the 6ish miles on the Colorado- sounds like you think this isn't the best idea? Like it would take a good part of the day and the route isn't really reliable?

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It would take two days for most. Gypsum to Palmer isn't too difficult, but Palmer to Bowdie is very slow and unpleasant and will take all day.

Excerpt I wrote for one trip in the area 26 years ago:

Cataract Canyon is well known to white water rafting enthusiast, but receives almost zero climbing and hiking use. Cataract Canyon itself is very rugged and there are few routes in and out of the gorge. What few routes there are at least 4th class in difficulty and usually take several days. If there is a more rugged area anywhere in the Lower 48 States, I have yet to see it. We spent one 5 day trip traversing the benches and side canyons of Cataract Canyon, and all days were long and strenuous. We ended up covering only 11 miles in those five days.

Thanks for this info. Now it looks like I probably wont be doing this trip, unless its later this year, because of time constraints. Seems like I will doing the nice loop through Stevens/Fold Canyons in the lower Escalante area instead. However, I do have one final question - you described the part of Cataract Canyon in general and the section between Gypsum and Bowdie in particular. What about the section between Bowdie and Dark Canyon - how long would it take to move through that with full packs? And is that even advisable?

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However, I do have one final question - you described the part of Cataract Canyon in general and the section between Gypsum and Bowdie in particular

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In general, though the section between Gypsum, Bowdie, and Dark will be difficult. Why not just bring a packraft? It would be way easier.

Ya, I suppose you're right. I have no good reason not to do that. Thanks Scott, you have been very helpful.

Did a backpack a few weeks ago involving a full descent of Bowdie, and in addition to the useful info posted above I want to mention a 40’ rope is handy for lowering packs on those last couple of tricky spots before the river.


The canyon has little in the way of cairns, bypass trails, or any other signs of recent human activity. Changes in federal land status should not affect this, I suspect. It certainly wasn’t my motivation, as the master ticklist was written years ago.


It is also supremely time consuming to get around in. Day hiking lower Bowdie from Sweet Alice road would bring most parties no further than the big alcove ruin. Still lots of canyon below. Few, if any, would manage to get past the huge set of pour-offs via the rugged one hour+ bypass.


To the river from the confluence talked about in previous posts, carrying big packs and having no beta, took us 6 hours. With packrafts, we were quite happy it was a one way outing! A fit person with a light daypack could round trip this section in maybe 3-4 hours with prior knowledge, and no intent to enjoy the scenery!


Even with a good eddy and a small beach at the mouth, it didn't seem like river runners venture more than a few minutes up Bowdie. The first obstacle they would meet, with a moderately exposed short bypass, might put a halt to most of them.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2939/3...4de05ddb_k.jpgIMG_2020 by jan nikolajsen, on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2934/3...7bac7bc9_h.jpgIMG_2064 by jan nikolajsen, on Flickr