Friday, 15th of June 2012 at 06:19:57 AM

Y.S.N.M. 2012 day 13: Bucksin Gulch

The Bucksin Gulch is one of the deepest and longest Slot Canyons. The only way to visit is either a more day hiking tour  or for day hikes through access from either Wirepass or Whitehouse Trailheads. To see the deeper and narrower sections I wanted to enter through Whitehouse trailhead. There the Paria River is accessible and leads after 7 miles to the Bucksin which merges here into Paria river. In June both streams have no water so hiking is possible. At the confluence I planed to go upstream in Bucksin Gulch for 2 miles.

GPS track of the Whitehouse to Bucksin hike
It was a long hike (total of 28km or 17 miles roundtrip). I started at 6.30 am Utah time at the Whitehouse trailhead and reached at 10.15 am the confluence of Bucksin into Paria, only there a little water was still present. Then I walked 2 miles approx. upstream to the Boulder Jam location where I had a break and then returned back to the carpark at the Whitehouse Trailhead where I was back at 2.50 pm. I had kept a high pace to not walk for very long in the hot june sun. The first foto shows the Paria Slot Canyon and the second the Bucksin, both close to the Confluence.
in the Paria Slot Canyon near the Confluence
in the Bucksin Slot Canyon near the Confluence

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Thursday, 14th of June 2012 at 03:59:00 AM

Y.S.N.P. 2012 day 12: The Wave

My friend Alex had won 3 Permits for hiking the Wave in the Coyote Buttes North, in the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument for June 13th. Unfortunately one of his hiking Pals was not able to attend the hike as planed. Being in US at the same time (I had this year delayed my trip to June, in order to visit Yellowstone N.P.) he asked me if I want to join. That was an easy and quick decision, of course The Wave is always worth a hike, even if I had done that hike in 2009 and 2011 already. We had a pleasant day together although the June sun was not good to us. It qas poor coincidence that on the morning we ampeared in traffic light colored hiking shirts.

Alex, Yang and me at The Wave 2012
The evening we had dinner together in Page’s “Dam Bar and Grille”. A nice day.

 

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Wednesday, 13th of June 2012 at 08:27:14 AM

Y.S.N.P. 2012 day 11: Rainbow Bridge

6.00 AM I checked out at Escalante’s Prospector Inn and my plan was to move to my next basecamp: Page in Arizona. I wanted to drive the Cottonwood Canyon Road a scenic 47 mile dirt road connecting US12 in Cannonville with US89 Highway. I had driven this road several times and loved its variety of landscapes. I found it in perfect condition even for 2WD car and thus it was pure focuse on the landscapes without any challenge due to road condition. I had driven this road already once in 2009 when it hat been declared unpassable due to mud. I am always remebered again at that scary situation when driving here. But this time of year road was really in a fantastic shape, easier to drive than Hole in the Rock Gravel Road. Unfortunatly I was early and shadows present, thus it made no sense to do any fotos.

I checked in at my hotel in Page, Az at 11am and drove then to Whaweap Marina, where I had booked a boattrip to the Rainbow Natural Bridge .The boat started 12.30 in plain sun, so I hide myself in the lower deck. We arrived at 2.30pm at the Natural Bridge, which is reachable through a 1/4 mile hike from the boat dock. Unfortunately sun was still standing high and contrast to extreme for fotos.

Rainbow Bridge
On the boattour back to Whaweap Marina I stayed on the upper sun deck and enjoyed the amazing views of the Lake Powell and the sandstone formations. This kind of boat tour is the best way to see Lake Powell from close distance.
Lake Powell

In the evening I met my friend Alex from Munich and his friend Yang from Phoenix, Az. We planed our comen hiking tour for the next day having diner at Dam Bar & Grille. Here GPS log of the boat tour:

boat tour on Lake Powell gps log

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Tuesday, 12th of June 2012 at 06:23:42 AM

Y.S.N.M trip 2012 day 10: Laurent and Capitol Reef

The highlight today was meeting Laurent Matres, whose book series Photographing the Southwest is my favourite Photo Guide book. We met at my hotel for coffee and had a 1h chat about my trip and previous trips and also about his current projects and activities.

Laurent Matres and me
He  gave me many tips for new tours in the area. Many thanks again Laurent, you made me really happy.

I had originally planed to visit the Coyote Gulch but felt tired and thus decided to visit another Nationalpark which  was completly new to me, the Capitol Reef National Park near Torrey – around 70 miles east of Escalante. Driving on scenic byway 12 in eastern direction was furthermore very attractive and I knew this route only up to Boulder, UT.

US12 15 miles east of Escalante
It is amazing to see on such a roadtrip how the landscape  changes from the arid rocky landscape of the Grandstaircase into a immense green forest when climbing up the mountains east of boulder.
US12 near Boulder
In Capitol Reef I arrived at times inadequate for photography (noon). I first took the Scenic drive to Capitol Gorge and drove down the Gorge
Capitol Gorge in Capitol Reef N.P.
There I did a small 3 miles hike. Then I drove back to the Hickmann Natural Bridge viewpoint for another small 2 miles hike to the natural Bridge.In Capitol Reef I liked very much the choclate icecream topped with whip cream 
chocklate topped with whipped cream
I arrived at 8pm back in Escalante for a Burger dinner ad Circle D Eatery.

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Monday, 11th of June 2012 at 05:58:14 AM

Y.S.N.P 2012 day 9: Zebra Slot Canyon

The plan today was to visit the Zebra Slot Canyon 8 miles south on the Hole in the rock road. I had tried this already in 2011 but due to high waterpools the Slot canyon was not accessible last year. I hoped to be more lucky this time. I found the entrance of the Slot Canyon full blown with Sand thus it was no problem to enter and go though the Slot Canyon. Especially the back part is knowwn for its amazing patterns and the Moqui marbles in the walls.

Zebra slot Canyon
I afterwards visited the exhibition at the BLM ranger station of Escalante and than decided to cruise the Scenic Byway 12, considered one of the most attractive scenic roads of the US.
Scenic Byway 12
I ended up for evening shots of Bryce Canyon, where I had not been for some time. My favourite spot here is Bryce Point.
Bryce Canyon

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