HikeArizona.COM

Announcing...Grand Gulch - May 2013. This will be a six day adventure exploring the numerous canyons and ruins of Grand Gulch, Utah.

Permits have been secured for Saturday May 11 through Thursday May 16, 2013. Group size will be limited to six people, including myself. The cost, per person, is a reasonable $10.61 (via PayPal), excluding shuttle (which can be arranged if we decide not to leave any vehicles at the TH).

The plan will be to drive up to Valley of the Gods, Fri May 10 and car camp so we can be at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station at 0800 on Saturday. After signing in and watching the mandatory "educational" video, we'll head out to the TH (either in one of our vehicles or a shuttle - TBD).

We'll be entering at Collins Spring and exiting at Kane Gulch. Our itinerary will be based on group feedback (and projected water availability). While the terrain isn't considered extreme, this is a trek for experienced and fit backpackers; we'll be covering a fair amount of ground and negotiating various cliffs, ledges and outcroppings. I'll screen all potential adventurers prior to approving you. Please email or PM me, if interested...

@Outdoor Lover
Welcome aboard! I don't care about your backpack... just make sure you have a super-efficient, totally-reliable water filter... and snacks; plenty of snacks - we'll enjoy them during happy hour.

@MtnBart01 aka Super Jealous...
You're trying to get us in trouble by enticing us to go where no man (or woman) should go (we're staying away from the Canyon-O-Death on this trip...).

@big_load based on your recent feedback, we will NOT rely on your navigational input unless absolutely necessary...

That being said... Can't wait to hike with you all !!

@PLC92084
I have a Katadyn Hiker II that I bought 9 years ago, that's never been used. I believe it has a ceramic filter. It will be field tested at least once, probably more, before this trip.

@Outdoor Lover
My Katadyn had been extensively field tested and broke on the first quart due to the water. Might want a prefilter. fyi.

MtnBart01 wrote:In my absence I nominate Alex aka big_load to be the spaz who drops his pack and climbs up to every little alcove to take a peek no matter how unlikely the possibility of habitation. I'd nominate Paul, but I still feel a little guilty about the sandstone burn he got on the first day of the last trip following me and my ninja like skills where he shouldn't have gone. I want documentation of every ledge so I can pretend I was there. You guys might want to bring some rope.
Regards
Super Jealous

This reminds me of the time I went to Grand Gulch. It was a group of 6, and the guy I ended up pairing off with to hike with all day was kind of a complainer. He hadn't trained at all for the hike, since he didn't think he needed to, but he went along fast enough. But on the second day he refused to climb up any more ledges, and would wait for me to go see the ruins and pictographs. On the third day I spotted what looked like a pictograph of a line of quail. I asked him if he wanted to climb up there with me. He looked up, scowled, then turned to me and said, "Have you ever been to the Louvre?" I said, "No, but I've been to MOMA and the Met." He said, "Well, in terms of human endeavors, in terms of art, these aren't all that great, are they?" Sigh... So, we slogged on through the sand and I saw a two story cliff house, so of course I had to see it. He waited below. I got back and told him all about it. Then he said, "Have you ever been to Egypt?"

@azbackpackr How sad!