2 permits available Buckskin/Paria 47 mile backpack in May

[donnagail]

I have two permits available (out of 6) for a couple of experienced canyoneers that wish to join me and my group. The dates are May 6th (FRI) through May 15 (Sun), possibly the 14th. I would like to find a couple of experienced safety conscience canyoneers in case we finish the backpack to Lee's Ferry a day or two early and have time to do some semi-technical (+) canyons. I applied for this permit June 7th of last year and got rained out. In case that happens again this year, I would like to travel to other areas in Utah that are not fed by the same tributaries and hopefully, has better weather.

My group has had some degree of rock climbing, basic to more technical. A few years ago I hired an outfitter to take a different group than this one through technical canyons near Zion and teach us how to set up ropes/webbing, etc. but that's been a few years and some, if not most all of that experience has been forgotten. I'm not hiring an outfitter for this group to do technical canyons, if I have to travel to a different area for a day or more to do some nontechnical or semi-technical canyons, I will do that. Although, if a couple of you want to join the Buckskin backpacking part of the trip, then spend some time doing technical canyons, that would be awesome.

I need safety conscience people on my team, willing to alter plans if weather becomes an issue. We will not enter a canyon if flood warnings are issued or rain percentages for that day make entering a canyon questionable. We will track the weather system several days prior to the trip and obtain weather reports on current conditions and make a group decision.

I am asking for a nonrefundable $70 pp deposit to pay for the permit and sharing first night lodging in Cortez. (Nonrefundable only if a replacement is not found) It does not include $50 cash to pay the shuttle driver or travel gas. It does not include any costs associated with alternate plans we may decide.

Lemme know if interested.

Donna Gail Schneider
719.201.8548 (phone/text)

Agenda:
Friday 6th - Drive to Cortez-stay overnight
Saturday 7th - Drive to Lee's Ferry, drop off vehicles and take shuttle to Wirepass TH - Camp
Sunday 8th - Enter Buckskin -Camp overnight at confluence of Paria

Permit is for 6 days to allow time to explore side canyons or extra days if rain delays entering Buckskin - or we can hike out the 5th day and do a couple days of technical canyons.

May 14 or 15th Drive back to Colorado Springs (or wherever home is)

[donnagail]

Can anyone suggest an area of Utah with slots to travel to in case rain hits the Bryce/Buckskin area of Utah in May? Last year when my group tried to do Buckskin/Paria we were rained out. My plan 'B' was to do other slots but I was told by the Ranger that all the slots I highlighted on my map were all fed by the same tributaries and the same Bryce weather system. He didn't spend much time looking at my map so I'm not sure he actually looked at all the slots I had highlighted. Can anyone tell me if the following slots would be affected by the same water flow that goes into Buckskin that are a little more northeast of Bryce: Booker, Cottonwood Wash, Zebra Tunnel, Big Horn, Red Breaks, In the case, we get hit again with bad weather this year in the southern part of Utah, any suggestions how far north I should plan to travel to escape bad weather if it happens again? I need to basically organize an entirely different trip as a backup plan, just in case. I realize a front could cover the entire state in May but if there is still a chance I could travel out of it, I wanted to have other slot canyons in mind. My group is more experienced in rock climbing, not as much canyoneering, (although I am in my 7th year hiking slots) so I can't do canyons rated 'difficult' technical without guidance. We would love to do some 200-300ft rappels but would need guidance! Still hoping one or two of you guys would want to join my Buckskin trip and join us on some semi+ technical canyons after exiting Lee's Ferry.

[donnagail]

I still have two permits!

[spinesnaper]

I am doing this hike solo April 8 so I am on weather watch. Right now there is 10% chance of precipitation on my entry day. I like Buckskin with 0% chance of precipitation. There is basically very few places to retreat for let's call it 12 miles. My plan B is to do the canyon from Whitehouse and forego Buckskin. Buckskin is great don't get me wrong but with rain in the forecast, hiking from Whitehouse is much safer. The approach to the narrows is very wide. Once you turn the corner at the Confluence, there are many benches to escape on should the canyon flash provided the flow is not Biblical. One year not so long ago, it hit 40,000 cfs in a flash flood! I will post a trip report in the hiking/scrambling section.

Ken

[donnagail]

I had permits last year to enter at Wirepass but weather prevented us from entering. We ended up camping at Whitehouse and waited for the Paria to recede so we could go upstream, camp at the confluence and do Buckskin as a day hike as far as we could, but the weather would not let up nor the river, so we ended up at Antelope (eeeek!) and just plain hiking in the area instead.

Hopefully, we will have better luck this year. Good luck to you, too. Looking forward to reading your trip report, if there is one.

Donna Gail

[spinesnaper]

Weather watch for Paria has been very interesting. Friday I am planning on hiking Buckskin from Wirepass and then continuing to Lee's Ferry. Rain is definitely in the forecast but as time goes by the forecasting as been getting better. Now the chance of precipitation for Friday is less than 1% until about 4 or 5 pm which is more than enough for transiting through. If the forecast holds, I am going to do Buckskin. Plan B continues to hike from Whitehouse to Lee's Ferry. Once you are geared up to swim with a pack, a little rain does not seem so bad.

Ken

[donnagail]

Watch the Pacific for any storms brewing. That's where I went wrong last year and got rained out. I would like to read your report when you get back. Be Safe and have fun!

[spinesnaper]

The weather is interesting Friday. Rain is in the forecast for the afternoon increasing after 1 pm with very little precipitation. The creepy thing is that the weather service is calling for a 3 hour window of thunderstorms. I probably have a big enough window to do Buckskin but I think instead of enjoying the experience, I suspect I will fret about the potential wall of water racing in behind me. So instead, I am planning to enter via Whitehouse unless the weather for Friday improves. Buckskin will be there for next time. Still beautiful country.

Ken

[donnagail]

Or you can hike up Paria from the Whitehouse CG to the confluence, camp, and go up Buckskin as far as you can go as a day hike. Nice thing about Whitehouse is the Ranger station is only a couple miles up the road and you can get updated weather reports. We tried to do that last year since we couldn't enter at Wirepass but the river wasn't receding. I think the 0 precep can be a rare occurance but when it starts hitting 15-20 percent I start to question my plans.Check the pattern of the storms from the Pacific now to get an idea of what might be coming in. .

[spinesnaper]

Okay. I am not immune to rain. I have been studying the forecast and it just is getting worse and worse. No flash warnings but there is a 5 hour window for thunder showers in the evening on Friday with 0.8 inch of rain. That is real rain. In fact canceling probably guarantees that Buckskin won't flash before 4 pm. Saturday has rain but overall a much nicer day. Now I will look for an October window.

[donnagail]

I feel your pain. I hope we have better luck in May.

[spinesnaper]

As it turns out, I hiked Whitehouse to Lee's Ferry April 9-11. Starting a day latter, I had improved weather. Still rain in the forecast but not too bad. I did get a shuttle to Wirepass and hiked to the mouth of Buckskin Gulch. Rain forecast for the day was 80% change of precipitation but for perhaps 0.04 inches and no flash flood warnings if you believe in that sort of thing (the risk is never zero). I reached the mouth of Buckskin to find water flowing into the canyon. It was raining and guarding the mouth of Buckskin was a 20 foot long waist deep pool of water. I contemplated a day of worrying about the weather, fighting the mud and doing a lot of wading. I decided it sounded like more fun than I was prepared to have that day. I turned around and headed back to the trail head and figured I would hike or hitchhike to the Whitehouse trail head. I ran into a group of guys headed into Buckskin. They planned to do Wirepass to Whitehouse overnight. One was carrying their stuffed sleeping back outside a pack. None of them had neoprene or waterbags. I did talk to them about what they were likely to encounter and the reality that they might end up camping in Buckskin. Still I was surprised when they caught up with me on the road back to Highway 89 in their car. They gave me a lift over to Whitehouse.

[donnagail]

Sounds like you had a somewhat successful hike. If you want to try it again on my trip I still have one permit left.

Congratulations on dodging the rain.

dg

[spinesnaper]

I love that corridor. I think that was the 7th or 8th time through for me. Your offer is tempting but I will have to pass. I recommend bringing a super light head netting and strong insect repellant for your trip. There were no biters on my hike but the are certainly going to be out in force soon. Remember to plan your hike around the reliable springs. Never filter water directly from Paria. Have a great time.

Ken

[donnagail]

Thanks for the tips, Ken

Dg