CJR Escalante Adventure 2005 – Day 17

The mosquitoes were pretty bad in the morning. We straggled one-by-one out of camp, regrouped at the crack, and then headed north around a large mesa. The goal was to explore this large slickrock area, hundreds of acres with almost no soil, only rock, and perhaps climb one of the buttes we could see on the map. We made our way north over a wide valley, slogging up and over each ridge dividing minor drainages.

John and several other folks who were in the lead took a direct line straight up the near side of the butte, hoping to find a way around to the far side just below the steep terminal cliffs. However, there was no traverse route to be had, and I was able to capitalize on their misfortune. I had decided to skirt around at the base. The far side wasn’t as steep, and I was able to put together a Class 3+ route to the top. The views on top were amazing, perhaps the best viewpoint of the whole trip. I walked over the flat shale that formed the top of the butte and yelled over the edge at my dad and Kathleen twenty or thirty feet below.

The leaders had to backtrack almost all the way to the base before they were able to skirt around. Eventually, we were all on top except for John, who (perhaps wisely) elected to take a nap instead.

We descended, found John, and headed down the small wash on the north side of the butte towards Deer Creek. John split off and headed back to camp.

Below Black Bart’s Pool, the drainage took a left turn, narrowed, and became populated with black volcanic rocks and dead ponderosa pines.

Shortly before Deek Creek, the drainage narrowed sharply and our way was blocked by pools (and beyond that, a pouroff). We turned left and climbed up into the sandstone hills; we skirted a wide bowl and then descended into the wide, flat area we had crossed that morning further up. From this point, the only obstacle remaining before the pools was a large sandstone hill. It was getting very hot and dry.

We climbed nearly to the top and traversed left, arriving at a saddle where we’d been that morning. Charles and some others split off to head back to camp, while another group including me went to the pools for a dip. The weather was beginning to turn, becoming more cloudy, and the wind was picking up. Sitting in the shade while wet was very cold! After a few minutes, I dried off and headed back to camp.

It was a 45-minute sandy walk back to camp, and after a long hike it was quite a slog. I cooked enchiladas (chicken this time) for supper, and brownies for dessert, which were a hard sell because of the weather and the fact that everyone was already stuffed.

There had been some excitement in the other camp; Kim Scudder had taken a 30-foot fall and escaped with a dislocated pinky finger. Apparently, a ledge she’d been sitting on had given way. Dave Scudder (her dad) and Geoff Reeves had hiked out to the trailhead with her, and then Geoff turned around and came right back to camp. He materialized out of the bushes about 9:00 pm.

The weather continued to deteriorate. By dark it was drizzling on and off, and we headed for the tents.

Please continue reading on Day 18.