The Swell - Sids cabin hike

[gloo]

I feel like a broken record. I swear I've only posted this basic type of question here. Oops. maybe i'll venture out someday lol.

This year's weather is wack. I'm trying to find a place to car camp and then day hike in the northern swell in mid June. I really wanna hike up the little grand canyon, but looking at the rover flow, its at like 600 right now, well above the 50 I've heard it should be at to safely hike it. And I'm pretty sure there's still too much snow and stuff to get any good uinta camping in.

So, on my nat geo map of the swell, it shows the sids cabin hike is not too far. Have any of you done that? worthy hike? I read somewhere that it required some technical / climbing knowledge is that right? Any good places to camp near the trail head? and if not, any other good swell day hike destinations for mid June to suggest?

[Udink]

I did the hike in 2007, hiked to the cabin and then to the minor high point to the east. It turned out to be a long day hike of about 16 miles. There are a couple of different trailheads, and I'm not sure which one your map shows. I came in from the northwest by crossing North Salt Wash and then hiking a ridge up to Sid's Mountain, but there's also a way up from the southeast near Cane Wash, and I believe also another way to get there from the west in Saddle Horse Canyon. On the route I took, there was no technical climbing at all, just a little scrambling.

There's not really any great car camping near the trailhead, but there might be some decent spots in the pinyons/junipers closer to Ferron, kinda near King's Crown.

[gloo]

thanks for the reply Udink :D

I have decided to save that hike for another time. it looks like a cool hiking trip but i think i'll bunch it with hiking the little grand canyon when the water levels drop there.

I am now going to the robbers roost area. I plan on exploring Horseshoe canyon, moonshine wash and colonade arch over a couple of days. Instead of making an entire new thread i'm just gonna add onto this one. My one question on this area is: where is the best place to make camp...shade, views, etc? We'll have the same base camp for each night and just drive to each hike so it doesn't really matter where in the area it is. I've read that horseshoe canyon trail head is horrible for camping. It seems a lot of peeps camp just near moonshine wash - would that be the best spot?

[Scott P]

I would suggest spending one night at the Chaffin Geyser and that way you are assured to see an eruption. I don't know if I'd use it for a basecamp for Horseshoe since it's a fair distance from Horseshoe, though it could work out. There are some campsites along the road to the Colonade Arch Trailhead as well. North Spring used to make a nice campsite with some shade around, but I haven't camped there for years so I don't know what the current situation is.

I'm sure you already know, but mid-June is typically very hot for all of those hikes. Biting flies might be around Horseshoe Canyon as well. Maybe around the geyser as well?

[gloo]

yeah, its gonna be super hot. I looked at the long term forecast a while ago and it didn't look too bad so i jumped on it. checked it again recently and it - not really surprisingly - changed to the point where i agree that i might want to look else where and push off going to this area for fall. June is so hard to get ideal weather in. Uintas and mountain stuff is still too snowy and wet, especially this year.

Is capital reef a bit cooler than the roost and swell area this time of year? I could perhaps do sheets gulch and camp at capital reef if it is... http://climb-utah.com/pr/sheets.htm , looks like a good hike. Or where would you guys go? is there a good water hike to do like muddy creek - that won't have too high of water to hike?

I'm being super indecisive lol :D

[pixie1339]

Capitol Reef is generally a little cooler this time of year. Lots of good slots and several nice water hikes too. We just went over Memorial Day weekend and the temps were perfect for hiking. You should check out Sulphur Creek if you can. Nice water hike/slot canyon.