Dark Canyon Wilderness - August?

[Shan]

I've got a Grand Escalante Falcon Guide in front of me. My good friends are pushing to see the desert when they come out in late-August. Stanley is their other option.

First of all the map on this link:
http://www.ut.blm.gov/monument/maps/...Travel-Map.pdf

and the map in my book don't match. Did something happen since 1998? The website doesn't include Dark Canyon, Cedar Mesa or Hite area. I'm not familiar with this area.

I'm reading in this book:
"June through August is the most unfavorable time of year. The exception is upper Dark Canyon, where elevations range from 5800 to 8600 feet, and summer can be hot but not intolerable."

Would this be the Scorup Cabin area? How hot is hot? They don't say.

[Shan]

Dark Canyon Wilderness Area is administered by the Monticello Ranger District. The adjacent the Dark Canyon Primitive Area is administered by the Bureau of Land Management.

I found out why. Oops.

[stefan]

hi shan,

what are you looking to do? camping/hiking, backpacking?

it really depends on their threshold for tolerance of hot weather. some days are cooler than others, but, of course, that doesn't help when your trip depends on particular dates. high elevation is one way to deal with the situation, but if it's hot, and you're in a canyon with sunlight beating down on you and no wind...it's still damn hot!


have you/they done the zion narrows? if you're worried about heat, this would be an ideal hike (as long as you can get permits), especially to backpack through and camp a night. their minds will be blown in this fantastic canyon (nothing like it!!). they just better be prepared to hike in a river with slick boulders.

[Scott P]

June through August is the most unfavorable time of year. The exception is upper Dark Canyon, where elevations range from 5800 to 8600 feet, and summer can be hot but not intolerable."

Would this be the Scorup Cabin area? How hot is hot? They don't say.

I have hiked the entire Dark Canyon in hot summer weather. I can say that I found the above to be the exact opposite of my experience.

The upper end may be cooler temperature wise, but it was the most miserable part. I would skip it in summer. Below Black Steer, my reaction to the canyon was the exact opposite in summer. The air may be hotter, but there are huge swim holes all over the place (lower Youngs is the best!!!) . It was very pleasant in hot weather and we could slow down and take your time. My suggestion is to skip the upper section in summer and focus on the section below Black Steer, and most especially between Youngs and Lost (or the very lower end). The upper end is not as scenic as the lower anyway.