West Canyon - Lake Powell

[Scott P]

Scott...have you done any hiking in the area?

Yes, but not for a few years.

Specifically Aztec Creek and Cummings Mesa?

Yes. I have been all the way through Aztec Creek, overland to the Cathedral Canyon area, to the Hourglass, and West From Cummings Mesa. I have been to West Canyon from the lake as well. Unfortunately I have not been through the upper slot because of weather conditions. I have also done the East Fork of West Canyon all the way through as well.

I have not however, done the overland route from Jayi Canyon. Supposedly it's quite a bit easier than the route from Cummings Mesa, though I do like the mesa itself.

If you are interested, here are some photos we took on a trip through Aztec and overland to the Cathedral Canyon area (there is lots to see in between):









We also found a presumably historic Wethrill inscription:

The overland route to West...or are you thinking of coming up from the lake?

I don't have a boat myself, so if someone else came with a boat, I could come in that way. Otherwise, I'd have to come in overland.

I still need to do canyons such as Anasazi, Mountain Sheep, and Wethrill as well.

[rockgremlin]

^^^Scott -- Did you take your dog canyoneering? (That third pic)

[Scott P]

^^^Scott -- Did you take your dog canyoneering? (That third pic)

No. I do not have a dog. That was someone else's.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of dogs in the wilderness, but I usually let others make their own decisions. I guess that's a different topic though.

[twotimer]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of dogs in the wilderness, but I usually let others make their own decisions. I guess that's a different topic though.

I'm not a dog guy either. I simply don't have time for one.

A girlfriend of mine has several, and she wanted to bring one on a big backpack in the Dirty Devil area. I was totally against it...because that dog would go after snakes, any snakes. I told her it would ABSOLUTELY SUCK to watch it suffer and die after a rattler nailed it.

She insisted it come along. So I did what I usually do with someone when they want to go right and I want to go left...let's flip a coin. The loser sucks it up, no bitching or complaining. I lost this one.

Aspen is a great dog, and he did just fine. No rattlers to be seen (early April) but I can't understand why some people would abandon common sense and literally love their pets to death.

[Iceaxe]

Hahaha... the dogs remind my of this awesome story.....

A Sh***y Day in Heaps
http://www.math.utah.edu/~sfolias/ca...le/?i=shtheaps

[Taylor]

Speaking of West Canyon, it appears that I will be between projects in June, which means time off.

Does anyone want to head to West Canyon?

yes

[Canyonero]

If think it's cute how poor people who can't afford a helicopter try to make those who can feel bad... Just a heads up, it's not working.

Next up the guys who can't afford a boat will be bitching about how the route is degraded if you don't swim to West Canyon.

Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a helicopter drop off and pick up in West Canyon and that's pretty much the same thing.

I love that you think I can't afford a 20 minute helicopter ride. But my financial situation isn't really the point.

I'm MUCH more concerned about what access to canyons on Navajo land will look like when people are flying in to canyons every week, even if it is legal to land on Navajo Land. To maintain access to canyons on Navajo land, most of us have been keeping a very low profile for years-permits, leave no trace, access from the lake, self-rescuing injuries/rescues etc. I don't know what the helicopter regs are on Navajo Land, but it's illegal to land one within the boundaries of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/36/7.70
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/36/2.17

This is all aside from the issue of wussifying the wilderness experience. Maybe we can run the paved trail at the Temple of Sinawava all the way up the Narrows so that even those whose leg would hurt for a year after a hike can still have that experience in their wheelchair. Last I checked, it's not supposed to be easy to get into wild places. That's what makes it so fun to go there. Whatever you think about Kelsey, you've got to admit the dude isn't afraid to go for a good long walk.

[Scott P]

I don't know what the helicopter regs are on Navajo Land

It is illegal without permission. That's one of the main reasons why the canyons in the Kaibito Chapter are closed. Someone went in there with a helicopter, bolted the !@#$ out of everything, claiming 1st descents of canyons that were done years ago, all without any permits or permission and including after the canyons were closed!

[twotimer]

I have not however, done the overland route from Jayi Canyon. Supposedly it's quite a bit easier than the route from Cummings Mesa, though I do like the mesa itself.



I still need to do canyons such as Anasazi, Mountain Sheep, and Wethrill as well.

Hmmm...somebody changed the title of this thread?

Anyway...Jayi Canyon. I've looked at that possibility, and I agree that it would be an easier hike. That road ends right smack at someone's house...I've gotten plenty of permits in Navajo land, but always at established trailheads. Round Rock, the old Rainbow Lodge, Navajo Begay and Kaibito near Butterfly (closed now). I wonder how they would feel about going deep into their turf and parking there? I remember hearing about cars being vandalized over by Tsegi and those areas closer to Kayenta. Keep out, white man.

I suppose the vehicles can be parked before that creek and the hike can go in west of the house...Do you think Jayi may be doable? I may give their permit office a call and ask about it.

Cummings Mesa is a hike that can't be beat, though. But getting up there to see the neat stuff...ruins, an abandon hogan and the big pothole up there, can still be done with a dayhike from West.

I've been through the slot of Wethrill (no big raps, lots of down climbing and short rope work) and climbed the dilapidated sheep trail up Mountain Sheep to the mesa, but not into that slot.

Anasazi, along with Lehi in particular, are fantastic. Here's a few pics from those canyons. Obviously, lots of swimming in both.

[twotimer]

Oh my! It looks like Slotmachine completely destroyed the beta on those nifty slots in West. Guess we've got to wing it now, eh?

[Canyonero]

Oh my! It looks like Slotmachine completely destroyed the beta on those nifty slots in West. Guess we've got to wing it now, eh?

Doesn't sound to me like that's going to cause you any issues!

Not sure of the reason, but I hope it's just because special places deserve special treatment so I say kudos.

[Iceaxe]

It appears that Bob moved the West Canyon beta to a personal website.
http://amazingslots.blogspot.com/

[jman]

It appears that Bob moved the West Canyon beta to a personal website.
http://amazingslots.blogspot.com/

That's some good stuff there!

Time to schedule my flight by helicopter... :)


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[twotimer]

Oh for cryin' out loud!!! All this talk of the helicopter I assumed was of some guys that Kelsey knew that flew in back in the 90s. Talk about being out of the loop!

Bob...I thought that you and your crew had hiked in from Round Rock and up and over the mesa! Or was that on another trip?

Anyway...got permission to land there, eh? If I could pull that off YOU BET YOUR ASS I'd fly in, too. Rock and roll, dude! My God...you could bring watermelons!

The blog has been bookmarked...and I don't blame you for scratching it here after all the BS from the snobs. Your blog is fantastic.

I was a little worried this morning but now it's all good.

[Canyonero]

It appears that Bob moved the West Canyon beta to a personal website.
http://amazingslots.blogspot.com/

Figured it was too good to be true. Must have wanted to use a site where no one could post criticism of his ethics next to his beta.

[Scott P]

.Do you think Jayi may be doable? I may give their permit office a call and ask about it.

Apparently it's now the "official" trailhead, though the permit offices don't always communicate this to the residents!

All this talk of the helicopter I assumed was of some guys that Kelsey knew that flew in back in the 90s. Talk about being out of the loop!

Me too! I thought the Navajos didn't allow access by helicopter. Has this changed?

[jman]

Figured it was too good to be true. Must have wanted to use a site where no one could post criticism of his ethics next to his beta.

Makes sense.

I don't blame him for doing that (if that is indeed his reasoning for all of the changes?).

It's his written up beta, his "ousting" of the West slots, his TR, his GPS coordinates, his money for the trip, etc. etc.

Btw, his blog was created back in 2012 as this isn't a recent thing.



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[twotimer]

Apparently it's now the "official" trailhead, though the permit offices don't always communicate this to the residents!

Now that's interesting. The usual trailhead to West was from Round Rock. The last big backpack I did there, we decided to walk around the southern end of Cummings Mesa instead of climbing it. We dropped into Aztec, walked up canyon a ways and camped. The next day it took us ALL DAY LONG to get over and into West. That's when we stopped by that big pothole that we had discussed earlier...the one with the Navajo name.

At one point on that hike, I reckon we were about 3 hours of hiking away from that house in Jayi. From that house to West is probably a good 6 hours.

My last two times at Round Rock the guy that lives about a mile down the road from the trailhead came up on his ATV asking for a "donation". The first time he was a bit vague about it...I offered him a cup of coffee.

"No man, I don't want no coffee"

After he left, my girlfriend said to me "Byron, he wanted money"

"Oh!"...it totally went over my head.

The next time, about four years later and the same guy, he wasn't vague about it at all. He talked about "Fires, vandalism and other troubles" up there on Black Mesa. I fished out a 50 dollar bill for him to "watch" my truck while we were away. I figured that would be better than coming back a week later and finding the windows of my truck busted out.

I wonder if there is an "official" parking spot for the "official" trailhead at Jayi?

I'd love to go with you to West next month but I'm doing a big mountain biking extravaganza in Moab shortly and I have work to complete in June/July. Maybe early October if you don't go next month? I've got a friend coming from England then and he wants to tour Cathedral Valley and hit High Spur. I could probably talk him into a trip to West. I backpacked with him up in the Sawtooths last summer...he's in good shape. Fun guy, too.

All this talk of West has me all jacked up for another visit.

[Iceaxe]

FWIW - if I spent a large amount of time and effort compiling massive amounts of detailed, complete and accurate beta I'd also place it on a website where I had control of the information.... oh wait.... I already do that.... never mind...

[rockgremlin]

Hey Bob - howcome you wouldn't publish my funny boy scout comment on your blogspot?