Baptist Draw Upper Chute Sunday April 25, 2009

[french_de]

After spending some time in Arches NP the last few days, my brother Paul joined us Sunday for a day in the Swell. The weather in the Utah desert was sporadic with some high dusty winds and snow flurries mixed with breezy partial sun. As we drove down the road to the Baptist Draw TH we were joined by a Sheriffs s posse from the Emery County Search and Rescue. The day before a group of Colorado canyoneers had discovered the body of a hiker who had gone missing last November and the SR team was out to set up a command post at the BD TH. Apparently the woman, after hiking up Bell canyon, continued further east and become stranded in a side-drainage of Upper Chute. The SR team ended up retrieving her from the deep canyon with a helicopter.

Baptist Draw is short, dark and tight with several nice down climbs. BD culminates with a 70 foot rappel into Upper Chute Canyon. We were surprised to find this rappel fixed with a three bolt and chain anchor. There are by the way plenty of ways to rig this anchor with webbing only. Since the bolts were there we used them.
At the junction of BD and UC we took a left up canyon. What a surprise this upper section of Upper Chute turned out to be. It has some great Cedar Mesa sandstone narrows not unlike the type you would typically find in Navajo Sandstone. There are tight sections, lots of up climbs, dark and sunken chambers, and beautiful cathedral like hallways. Upper Chute was dry. We exited left out a side drainage as the Chute begins to widen. This is a nice canyon. We circled back around Teepee rock and headed back to the vehicles where we began to hear chicken teriyaki sandwiches with fries and fry sauce at Ray

[davehuth]

Nice TR Doug. So, did you call the number???? We didn't see the helicopter from Ding/Dang... Nice to see Rhonda with her helmet on. So you're sick and tired of cheese burgers?

[Iceaxe]

Those pictures got me to thinking.... I need to do that route again... maybe this summer since the kids are big enough to really enjoy it.

[french_de]

Nice TR Doug. So, did you call the number???? We didn't see the helicopter from Ding/Dang... Nice to see Rhonda with her helmet on. So you're sick and tired of cheese burgers?

Yes. we waited until we got to Ray's to call. Rhonda took her helmet off just long enough for pictures only. Actually, this time I tried the Bacon Chessburger for the first time. My favorite will always be the Chicken T sandwich.

[french_de]

Those pictures got me to thinking.... I need to do that route again... maybe this summer since the kids are big enough to really enjoy it.

I want to go back and do the section below the BD intersection (right turn). We started to do that but the day was gettiing along and the weather was a little iffy.

[James_B_Wads2000]

That is one of my most favorite places in the Swell. Thanks for the great pictures, they make me want to go back.



James

[uintahiker]

Is it possible to go down Upper Chute- bypassing Baptist Draw? What are your thoughts? How far down canyon can you go, and how big are the rappells?

[paul4886]

It was a very enjoyable canyon! I know stop posting so much and keep the narative short! lol

[french_de]

Is it possible to go down Upper Chute- bypassing Baptist Draw? What are your thoughts? How far down canyon can you go, and how big are the rappells?

It is possible to bypass Baptist. Where we exited you could enter the canyon easily. (See pic - blue flag) it would be 1.1 miles down canyon before you came to the big chokestone that blocks the canyon. This upper part of the canyon is really nice with downclimbs, tight dark areas, twists and turns and very scenic narrows. It is easly reversed with a little upclimbing and partner assists. A rappel is required to get past the big chokestone and once past that you are commited to the rest of the canyon with the next exit 2 miles down at the faultline canyon intersection.

[Rhonda]

it could be handy having the sheriffs phone number programed in my cell phone..