Buckskin MIddle Trail

[Jammer]

Has anyone ever gone in or out of the Buckskin Gulch at Middle Trail?

I'm curious to hear opinion re: the difficultly.

I did it a LONG time ago before I had much experience hiking Utah sandstone. At the time I have to admit that it kinda freaked me out! I was leading several people who had very little hiking experience and it had much more exposure than expected and was extremely sandy. We did it w/o any type of assitance-- (besides one another and a short static rope for packs.) I felt bad for taking the newbies on such a route.

Now I wonder if maybe the condition (the sand) was abnormal, if maybe I was just inexperienced (definitely true at the time), and/or if maybe many people understimate this route. Anyway... curious to hear other opinions. Wondering if I went back if now if it would seem easier.

Thanks,
-Jamal

[Iceaxe]

I've gone in and out Middle Trail a dozen times.... I didn't think it was difficult at all.... but then again, I do a lot of technical canyons so scrambling with exposure doesn't usually freak me out.

The sand covered slickrock is typical....

Also.... the actual Middle Trail exit does not go up the crack all the way to the top. The actual trail exits to the climbers left on a ledge system. From the picture you posted it looks like your pal has climbed to high. If you look just below his feet there is a large ledge. The easy way out of the canyon is to walk this ledge left about 50 yards around a corner and out.

Take a 60' rope for belays and pack lowering, only one person really needs to climb the exit.

Good Luck

[Cirrus2000]

Jeez, when I was there in March, I got to about where the fellow in the photo is, and decided not to go any farther because I was solo & getting a little sketched out by the "consequence of error" (no one going to be entering the canyon for 5 freakin' days after me!) I wish I'd known about following the ledge system... I may have gone to Cobra Arch, after all.

I found the sand a little scary. The exposure itself wasn't bad. Like I said, the problem I had was I was alone and didn't want to push it since no one would know I was missing for DAYS. I would have really enjoyed it, I think, if I weren't alone.

I like the photos, Jamal - thanks for posting them.

[Iceaxe]

If you hike in to Middle Trail from the top road the trail brings you in to the end of the ledge system, or at least it did 5 years ago. First time I climbed out of Middle Trail I went straight up the crack and got to the top and no trail... It took some searching to find the actual trail, which is also when I learned how the ledge system worked.

Middle Trail is one of those obstacles like the Rock Fall farther down... some folks have a really hard time with it and some just blow over it and say "that's it"? It kinda depends what your other backcountry experience consists of.

[Jammer]

I think we used the ledge system and it was still pretty sketchy. See my green line for our route. The green bush which I marked is also in the shot looking down (orig post). Again-- I bet if I did this again it wouldn't seem as bad after building up confidence on other slickrock hikes/scrambles. But-- at the time that downward slope covered in sand (with wet shoes) was pretty scary. It wasn't THAT steep, but it just seemed like one slip would begin a tumble which might be hard to stop before going over that 25' drop (the !).

My same group that year powered down the rockfall farther down the canyon.

Thanks 4 the replies.
-Jamal

[kiwi_outdoors]

I've looked at some good picture posts on this site an don Flickr - it looks ok. But when wife and I do it in May 2013 we will take a 100 ft rope (and odds and ends) and our harnesses "just in case". We plan to do the Wire pass end of Buckskin, then on the next day do the middle region - as two separate day trips. Less to carry, less flash flood risk.

[Jammer]

BTW -- if you don't want to do an out an back, what worked great for us was to car camp near (not at) the Middle Route TH Leave all the gear and do the car shuttle. Then, one can do the top one day and then the bottom the next day, but w/o carrying all your gear and w/o backtracking! This is also a legal way to get around needing a Buckskin backpacking permit -- though you do need to have two day permits. BUT -- you have to absolutely know where the exit is located and be confident that you can make it out. It would be great to scout the day before if possible.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

- Jamal

[kiwi_outdoors]

well, we made it, mostly. Long Valley road up the incline is crappy with lateral partial washouts. Road on top was great. The route: follw fence from parking tree to edge of dranage . Use your map to hike down drainage to true middle. Go down crack (slot) to a flat nose then sideways to upper bench, go down sloped slickrock by bush to lower bench . Descend the final lower crack. We did not go all way down, too wet and muddy and I was feeling chicken as we were only a party of two.