Gypsy 0 Posted August 17, 2014 I started off in Page AZ to launch my boat at Antelope Point Marina. 1st day I did Glen Canyon and Antelope Canyon and then slipped my boat. 2nd day I headed for Navajo Canyon and 4 miles in got turned back to the marina from a monsoon which produced almost no visibility. The next morning I left to store the boat at Big Water. I headed west for Cottonwood Canyon North off 89 entering Grand Staircase on Cottonwood Canyon Rd http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_2980_zps2e9f1b38.jpg.html?sort=3&o=41 Headed north on Cottonwood Canyon Rd to Grosvenor Arch. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_2998_zps56b4601a.jpg.html?sort=3&o=38 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3000_zps4a1de63b.jpg.html?sort=3&o=37 North again to Kodachrome State Park and a loop hike of Shakespear Arch. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3013_zpsfb8a5198.jpg.html?sort=3&o=36 Beautiful Cottonwood Canyon Rd. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_2982_zps890dcf40.jpg.html?sort=3&o=40 Continued north via Escalante to Boulder on Hwy 12 to the Burr Trail decending to Waterpocket Fold. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3060_zpsed840d4a.jpg.html?sort=3&o=34 Got a hotel in Ticaboo to retrace on the Burr Trail to Halls Creek over look with a forty mile view of Waterpocket Fold north to south. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3085_zps14237ff3.jpg.html?sort=3&o=34 Headed east on Burr trail to make the grade and off road for Upper Muley Twist Slot Canyon. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3124_zps95e57370.jpg.html?sort=3&o=28 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3110_zps9ce91652.jpg.html?sort=3&o=30 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3119_zps81b3ffa5.jpg.html?sort=3&o=29 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3106_zps1b15e207.jpg.html?sort=3&o=32 Unnamed arch http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3108_zpsfa522ee4.jpg.html?sort=3&o=31 Made my way back to Escalante to camp at Petrified Forest State Park only to get drawn in by the sign for Excursions of Escalante. Upon entering the establishment I was greeted by Rick and Amie who enticed me to a micro slot canyon tour into Box Death Hollow Wilderness. After camping at Petrified Forest State Park I arose the next morning to embark on a hike/ triple rappel of 60/200/70 feet to the bottom of the canyon at the Escalante River. Jim Clarey, one of two guides, http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/00000059_zpsa402d7d1.jpg.html?sort=3&o=44 Repelling http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/00000048_zpsffa6a861.jpg.html?sort=3&o=45 Winded, http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/00000027_zps24d1d3ba.jpg.html?sort=3&o=49 The next morning I headed south back to Cottonwood Canyon Rd and turned off on BLM500 for Willis Creek Slot Canyon. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3148_zps597e9400.jpg.html?sort=3&o=27 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3157_zps446dc959.jpg.html?sort=3&o=26 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3162_zpsfb2bb913.jpg.html?sort=3&o=23 Backtracked to Cottonwood Canyon Rd to head south to Upper Cottonwood Narrows slot. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3183_zps183875f6.jpg.html?sort=3&o=20 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3182_zpscba4c845.jpg.html?sort=3&o=21 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3174_zpsd5515ee6.jpg.html?sort=3&o=22 Headed south on Cottonwood Canyon Rd to Hyw 89 to Alstrom Point overlooking Lake Powell for dry canping. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3193_zps74ccdec2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=19 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3242_zps4fe7529b.jpg.html?sort=3&o=13 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3201_zpsd4e8b953.jpg.html?sort=3&o=18 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3203_zps1d49157b.jpg.html?sort=3&o=17 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3205_zps5b7141a3.jpg.html?sort=3&o=16 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3219_zpsbe0be9f0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=14 Left Alstrom Point the next morn and checked on the boat stored in Big Water and headed west for home with a detour for another slot canyon off Rockhouse Rd and Hwy 89, (Wirepass to Buckskin ). e and hotel http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3273_zps7915d467.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3271_zps5537ccfc.jpg.html?sort=3&o=5 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3269_zps6c6e86d6.jpg.html?sort=3&o=6 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3258_zps7cd3158e.jpg.html?sort=3&o=8 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3251_zps39c9dd40.jpg.html?sort=3&o=10 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3247_zps08252fb5.jpg.html?sort=3&o=11 Left Wirepass for Mesquite and got a hotel there for the night. The next morning on my last leg home I ran into another monsoon between Mesquite and Vegas. http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3295_zps1db8d1f0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3294_zpsa98e1af7.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1 http://s993.photobucket.com/user/joevobucket/media/Grand%20Staircase/IMG_3293_zps22ae93c6.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2 All in all a good trip. I am looking forward to the Hole in the Rock trip proposed by Diane to return to Escalante to do another micro slot with Excursions of Escalante. Rick, Jim and Amie are the real deal, safe expert guides that will leave you wondering why you never heard of them before. I never dreamed I would feel so at ease on my first abseil. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jgaz 750 Posted August 17, 2014 Excellent write-up, great pictures, thanks for posting! If you don't mind me asking, what maps and /or guide books did you use to plan this trip? Jim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzJeepChic 2,897 Posted August 17, 2014 Looks like a fun trip! Beautiful area up there. Thanks for sharing your story and pictures! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gypsy 0 Posted August 17, 2014 For Lake Powell I used a Garmin Montana 600 with a marine mount and Inland Lakes mapping software, Boaters Guide to Lake Powell by Michael Kelsey and a laminated map of Lake Powell and it's 96 canyons by Stan Jones and Steve Ward. Off road I used Garmin 24K Topo Desert South West mapping software, Benchmark Maps Atlas's, (Utah and Arizona), Utahs Incredible Backcountry Trails by David Day for hiking and Rick Green with Excursions of Escalante as a guide for one day. On a side note Rick Green is Commander of Search and Rescue in Escalante and he gave me the phone number for Search and Rescue out of Page, (800-444-9223). He said if you get in trouble or find someone else in a jam to call that number in lieu of 911 because on occasion 911 routes calls that Page should service to Phoenix adding an hour or more to response time. It is a good number to have if you are in that region and have cell reception. I am compiling a list of Search and Rescue numbers for the desert southwest and I will post when completed. I am looking forward to going back to Escalante for more rappelling/hiking slots later this year and also doing Hole in the Rock Road. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squinko 69 Posted August 17, 2014 Great pics Joe. Looks like you had a blast. We loved that area and need to go back. Benny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gypsy 0 Posted August 17, 2014 Hole in the Rock late September early October anyone? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theksmith 5,778 Posted August 17, 2014 good info on the search and rescue for the area, thanks for sharing! Hole in the Rock late September early October anyone? we're meeting this week to discuss more calendar stuff and that's looking likely as the big trip. probably mid-October though. even then it's a crap shoot of whether it's still too hot or starting to get cold - but much earlier is definitely on the warm side for my taste. stay tuned! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gypsy 0 Posted August 17, 2014 Once again count me in regardless of dates, I just burned 7 days of vacation and have 7 weeks left and do not want to sell the time for a payday from the company! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzJeepChic 2,897 Posted August 18, 2014 Hole in the Rock late September early October anyone? good info on the search and rescue for the area, thanks for sharing! we're meeting this week to discuss more calendar stuff and that's looking likely as the big trip. probably mid-October though. even then it's a crap shoot of whether it's still too hot or starting to get cold - but much earlier is definitely on the warm side for my taste. stay tuned! Once again count me in regardless of dates, I just burned 7 days of vacation and have 7 weeks left and do not want to sell the time for a payday from the company! I think Gypsy is referring to the Hole-in-the-Rock Road which approaches from the north side - out of Escalante. Our planned trip is on the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail, which approaches from the southern side and is a much more difficult route. It is already on the calendar for Oct. 2015 http://offroadpassport.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3756. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
