Grand Gulch for April Fools

DAA

Well-Known Member
Myself, Randy and Jared have been doing a spring backpacking trip every year now, for, a lot of years. Last year, our trip got squacked by the virus. So it had been awhile.

For this year, we decided to do the Kane to Bullet section of Grand Gulch. Randy and I have both done it before, but it's the only section of the Gulch that Jared had not hiked yet, so we decided to hit the Gulch again. Even though, the last time we did a section of it, we had decided not to go there again, because #bearsears has made it so crowded with idiots. Note - we had a great trip, but, we are serious about not backbacking there again. Just too many people now. Randy and I on our previous separate trips through this section saw NOBODY. This time, we saw DOZENS of people. The whole mesa was basically a seething mass of humanity. Monument status has ****ed that place all up...

But, anyway... I picked up Jared Wed. morning and we headed down to Cedar Mesa. We made a few stops and hikes along the way to check out some cool stuff.

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This one is called the Red Bear panel. Looks more like a dog to me?

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We hit a couple of ruins too, before making camp.

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Randy rolled in well after dark and we (I anyway) hit the sack. Next morning we were up early to drop off Randy's Jeep at the Bullet canyon trailhead where we would exit a four days later, then drive my truck to the Kane Gulch trailhead where we would start our hike.

Weather was great for the whole trip. Water was fairly scarce though, drought is in full effect. We didn't really have trouble finding enough water, but some of the water we had to filter was pretty scuzzy. This was the best water we were able to find on the first day.

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The whole hike was basically looking for ruins and rock art. And we saw plenty. Since both me and Randy had done this section already, and parts of it multiple times, we already knew where all the best stuff was. We did do some exploring and searching to find stuff that was new to us, too.

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- DAA
 

DAA

Well-Known Member
More...

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This sheep on a skateboard is one of my favorites.

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You only see maybe, 10% of the potsherds you used to. People pick them up and take them home. But, still, we saw hundreds of them. This one has a neat pattern on it.

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I always like these lines of faces. It's a theme you see more in Salt Creek than the Gulch though.

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Hand prints are probably the most common form of rock art throughout the Colorado Plateau. This is a pretty good concentration of them.

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- DAA
 

DAA

Well-Known Member
More...

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I always like paw prints, too.

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These moki steps went around the corner of this ledge to reach a very narrow, tight ledge that led to an otherwise inaccessible ruin. I might have scooted over then ten years ago, but I'm not up for that stuff anymore.

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My home for the second night on the trail.

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Randy chilling just above my tent spot.

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Randy calls this one The Watchman. It overlooks a wide swath of canyon far below.

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- DAA
 

DAA

Well-Known Member
More...

I have a large metal print of these ruins from a pic I took on a previous trip.

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The view facing away from the rock art above.

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This image, whatever it means, two figures with a circle in the middle, is a common theme in the area.

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Who doesn't love a big buck picture.

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There's a ruin under yonder mushroom rock.

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Closer look.

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More ruins.

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The famous Jailhouse ruin. Been to this one many times, didn't take many pics this time.

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Better water for the last night of the trip.

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My home for the third and final night on the trail.

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Thanks for looking!

- DAA
 
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iceaxe

Backroad Adventurer
Location
Sandy
Feeling blessed once again to try and keep up with Dave and Randy one more time. I had two better personal guides and photographers than you could probably ever buy. Friendship with a couple of like minded explorers who each bring their own talents make for such pleasurable adventures, I hope and pray I don't ever take that for granted. In sincere gratitude, thanks to Randy and thank you Dave!

A few photos;





Even before the sun dropped the temperatures sure did that first night, a brief text and an Instagram post was enough for Randy to find us, then while Dave sawed logs Randy and I caught up for a bit.










 
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