Utah's Escalante country: a vast jigsaw puzzle of desert canyons, draws, defiles, gorges, slots, and washes demarcating upland expanses of slickrock, benches, and ridges, above which stand towers, pinnacles, and peaks. Inhabited for centuries by the ancient Puebloans and now managed primarily by various federal agencies, it is a land of stark contrasts and unforgettable beauty. This guide features 37 major hikes designed to satisfy any canyoneer from novice to expert, including 20 in the new Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. All hikes are designed as loops, eliminating the need to backtrack or car shuttle for those inclined to do the full routes. Dayhikers can choose routes from an hour to all day, backpackers will find multi-day hikes, and those who prefer charting their own course will also profit from the information here. Aside from the detailed route descriptions, Canyoneering 3 describes 14 road sections plus side roads to ensure time will not be lost finding a trailhead in this often confusing country. Also included are sections on geology, history, equipment, and technical canyoneering. Thoroughly researched, this is now the most comprehensive guide to the wonderland of the Escalante. Hikes include: Death Hollow; Sand Creek; Boulder Mail Trail; Big Flat Wash, the Escalante River, and the Bowington Road; Middle Boulder Creek; Upper Boulder Creek and Dry Hollow; Phipps Wash; Big Horn Canyon; The Escalante River and the Sand Slides; Red Breaks Canyon; Harris Wash; Egypt 3-The Slot; Lower Harris Wash; Fence Canyon, the Escalante River, and Twenty-five Mile Wash; Twenty-five Mile Wash, the Escalante River, and Scorpion Gulch; Spooky and Peek-a-Book Gulches-The Long Loop; Upper Brimstone Gulch-The Slot; Scorpion Gulch and the Scorpion Horse Trail; Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Gulches-The Standard Loop; Coyote Gulch; Stevens Canyon and the Waterpocket Fold; Stevens and Fold Canyons; The Pollywog Bench Area; Forty-mile Creek and Willow Gulch Everett Russ; Fifty-mile Creek; Sixty Point and Twilight Canyon; Llewellyn and Cottonwood Gulches; Davis Gulch; Clear Creek and the Cathedral in the Desert; Deer Creek; Steep Creek and Horse Canyon; The Gulch and Horse Canyon; Little Death Hollow and Wolverine Creek; Egg Canyon and Lamanite Arch; Silver Falls Creek and Choprock Canyon; Deer Point-An Ascent; Moody Creek Canyons
Steve Allen has explored the canyons of southern Utah for over twenty-five years. He has guided many trips for the Sierra Club and is an instructor for the Four Corners School of Outdoor Education.
Foreword Introduction Wilderness Protecting the Environment The Geology of the Escalante Region The Strata Man in the Escalante-The Prehistoric Period Man in the Escalante-The Historic Period Equipment The Art of Travel Technical Canyoneering Access How to Use This Guide I. Box Death Hollow Wilderness Hells Backbone Road Section 1. Death Hollow 2. Sand Creek 3. Boulder Mail Trail II. The Highway 12 Area Harry Aleson and George White-The First to Run the Escalante Highway 12 Road Section 4. Big Flat Wash, the Escalante River, and the Bowington Road 5. Middle Boulder Creek 6. Upper Boulder Creek and Dry Hollow Old Sheffield Road Section 7. Phipps Wash 8. Big Horn Canyon 9. The Escalante River and the Sand Slides III. Hole-in-the-Rock-The Western Escalante The Hole-in-the-Rock Expedition Hole-in-the-Rock-The Story Continues Harris Wash Road Section 10. Red Breaks Canyon 11. Harris Wash Egypt Road Section 12. Egypt 3-The Slot 13. Lower Harris Wash 14. Fence Canyon, the Escalante River, and Twentyfive Mile Wash Early Weed Bench Road Section 15. Twentyfive Mile Wash, the Escalante River, and Scorpion Gulch 16. Spooky and Peek-a-Boo Gulches-The Long Loop 17. Upper Brimstone Gulch-The Slot 18. Scorpion Gulch and the Scorpion Horse Trail Dry Fork Coyote Road Section 19. Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Gulches-The Standard Loop Red Well Trailhead Road Section Hurricane Wash Trailhead Road Section 20. Coyote Gulch 21. Stevens Canyon and the Waterpocket Fold 22. Stevens and Fold Canyons 23. The Pollywog Bench Area 24. Fortymile Creek and Willow Gulch Everett Ruess 25. Fiftymile Creek 26. Sixty Point and Twilight Canyon 27. Llewellyn and Cottonwood Gulches 28. Davis Gulch 29. Clear Creek and the Cathedral in the Desert IV. The Burr Trail-The Eastern Escalante Burr Trail Road Section 30. Deer Creek 31. Steep Creek and Hot Canyon 32. The Gulch and Horse Canyon Wolverine Loop Road-The Western Entrance Road Section 33. Little Death Hollow and Wolverine Creek Lampstand Road Section 34. Egg Canyon and Lamanite Arch Wolverine Loop Road-The Eastern Entrance Road Section (The Moody Road) 35. Silver Falls Creek and Choprock Canyon 36. Deer Point-An Ascent 37. Moody Creek Canyons The Overland Route-General Description The Overland Route-Highway 12 to Silver Falls Creek The Overland Route-Silver Falls Creek to Choprock Canyon The Overland Route-Choprock Canyon to Twentyfive Mile Wash The Overland Route-Twentyfive Mile Wash to Scorpion Gulch The Overland Route-Scorpion Gulch to Fold Canyon The Overland Route-Fold Canyon to the Fortymile Ridge Trailhead Bibliography Acknowledgments
"A good source of information on canyoneering in the Escalante region. Allen's passion for protecting the environment and exploring the land is evident in his writing."--Utah Archaeology "Can save many hours of time and exasperating search."-- The Denver Westerners Roundup "Entertaining...invigorating."--Deseret News
