Day 5: Up 25 Mile Wash
Leaving the Escalante River behind we head up 25 Mile Wash hoping that our river crossing days were over. We didn't know about the busy beavers damming up the trickle that was 25 mile Wash. Although the dams were not wide they were much deeper and muddier than the Escalante.
Day 6: Continue up 25 Mile Wash to the Trailhead
Heading out on an icy morning we continued up 25 Mile Wash fighting the brush and the beavers. About mid-day, the wash dried up and the so did the brush, thank goodness.
Photos ending in "r" taken by Roger
Troop 24 Kickass Trekkers: "The High Adventure Troop" Alumni Backpacking Trip
-Cascade Bill Mooseker
Date(s): March 2003. Album by Cascade Bill. Photos by WHM. 1 - 67 of 67 Total. 372 Visits.
enlarge 99KB, 581x800 1 ut03176 Heading up 25 Mile Wash - near the mouth of the canyon. This is a very scenic stretch.
enlarge 123KB, 563x800 2 ut03177 Kevin heading up 25 Mile Wash - this arch is forming on the west wall of the wash.
enlarge 173KB, 800x600 3 ut03178r A short ways up the canyon, we came across this line of "army ants". They seem to be going in both directions.
enlarge 174KB, 600x800 4 ut03179r A view of the line of "army" ants.
enlarge 94KB, 581x800 5 ut03180 The only ruin we saw on our whol trip was this small one that was totally incacessible. There probably was a log ladder at one time that gave access, but that is long gone.
enlarge 135KB, 800x600 6 ut03181r A close up of the ruin - you can see how hard it would be to get up there.
enlarge 164KB, 800x600 7 ut03182r Close up of ruin.
enlarge 83KB, 496x800 8 ut03183r We decided to explore the 2nd major side canyon on the left (the one between pt 5013T and pt 5125T) - Here Roger works his way up the canyon.
enlarge 104KB, 601x800 9 ut03184 The canyon soon slots up - here Shelby and Roger are going into the slot. - There was a big pool (dry now) at the foot of this slot - it would be something to see a flash flood pouring thru the slot.
enlarge 74KB, 601x800 10 ut03185 Roger in the slot which is really tight at the entrance with a waist high choke stone at the entrance.
enlarge 83KB, 539x800 11 ut03186r Another view of Roger in the slot - looking back to the entrance. You can see the choke stone in front of Roger.
enlarge 81KB, 800x536 12 ut03187r Shelby and Kevin going up the slot at the entrance.
enlarge 82KB, 800x544 13 ut03188r I didn't get far - It was really tight and I didn't want to get stuck trying to get over the choke stone.
enlarge 184KB, 800x600 14 ut03189r Taking a break - Lower 25 Mile Wash: Shelby, Gary & Kevin.
enlarge 172KB, 600x800 15 ut03190r Danny - Break time.
enlarge 152KB, 800x600 16 ut03192r Gary's ready to go.
enlarge 177KB, 800x600 17 ut03191r Kyle and Bill - Packs on!
enlarge 99KB, 582x800 18 ut03195 The guys heading out after the break.
enlarge 153KB, 800x600 19 ut03193r Lower 25 Mile wash has many sandy benches such as this where the going is easy.
enlarge 139KB, 800x600 20 ut03194r Bill crossing the bench - you can see from his pants that along with the benches, the many beaver dams require wading as well. This gives a good view of the canyon walls.
enlarge 109KB, 582x800 21 ut03196 On our way up the wash, Roger spyed what he thought was another petroglyph panel.
enlarge 118KB, 800x534 22 ut03197r Gary and Roger making their way up to the petroglyph panel.
enlarge 93KB, 581x800 23 ut03198 Roger's Petroglyph panel proved a real find.
enlarge 85KB, 800x582 24 ut03199 Roiger, Shelby, and Gary - you can see the petroglyphs here. (Zoom Photo)
enlarge 96KB, 800x588 25 ut03200 Close up of the petroglyphs - a lot of bighorn sheep.
enlarge 84KB, 600x800 26 ut03201 This figure is impressive - I don't know if the use of the spalled area in the head was intentional but it sure is effective.
enlarge 103KB, 800x524 27 ut03202r Roger got this shot of a flower in the rocks below the panel.
enlarge 120KB, 800x509 28 ut03203r A panoramic view of the panel.
enlarge 76KB, 800x589 30 ut03205 There was no vandalism of this panel. Zoom in to get more details.
enlarge 108KB, 800x589 31 ut03206 Big Box Bighorns
enlarge 86KB, 800x600 32 ut03207r Shelby climbed this little mound near the Petroglyph panel and struck this pose.
enlarge 130KB, 800x600 33 ut03208r There isn't much flow in the wash, but you still get your feet wet - Gary and Kevin with Bill far behind.
enlarge 127KB, 800x600 34 ut03209r The wash has undercut this alcove.
enlarge 106KB, 582x800 35 ut03210 Looking up canyon at the same alcove - a very deep shady spot.
enlarge 155KB, 800x600 36 ut03211r Just when you think you have it made, you come across the stream that the beaver have dammed up - although it isn't very wide, it sure is deep and mucky.
enlarge 93KB, 578x800 37 ut03212 I got this shot of Kyle crosing over a high bench - a welcome relief from the brush and dammed up wash.
enlarge 234KB, 600x800 38 ut03213r Shelby - crossing the beaver dammed wash. Once you're across you have to find some way to get up the bank on the other side, a task that was really difficult for me.
enlarge 226KB, 800x600 39 ut03214r Sometimes we were lucky enough to find a beaver dam to cross.
enlarge 193KB, 800x600 40 ut03215r Kyle crossing a "superdam" while Danny waits his turn.
enlarge 157KB, 582x800 41 ut03216 Another view of Kyle crossing the dam. One misstep and it would have been a head to toe bath.
enlarge 216KB, 800x600 42 ut03217r Kyle in the brush that's so typical of lower 25 Mile Wash.
enlarge 199KB, 600x800 43 ut03219r After a while you don't bother to roll your trousers up when you have to wade - Kyle.
enlarge 81KB, 800x600 44 ut03220r Soon after crossing the NRA Boundary we found a sandy bench for a camp. As soon as the sun wen down, it got very cold.
enlarge 103KB, 800x600 45 ut03221r You can see from Kyle's body language that it was really cold.
enlarge 90KB, 800x600 46 ut03226r Kyle downs his Chicken and Dumplings - the hot food was really good.
enlarge 131KB, 800x600 47 ut03222r Trying to keep warm - cold pudding for desert is too much.
enlarge 161KB, 800x600 48 ut03223r Gary and Danny - a nice Spring night in Escalante country.
enlarge 114KB, 600x800 49 ut03224r Shelby braced for the cold.
enlarge 71KB, 800x600 50 ut03225r Hot cocoa hits the spot - Danny.
enlarge 160KB, 800x600 51 ut03227r Morning - Last camp. It was still very cold. We had planned to spend another night but we were close enough to the trailhead that we could make our way out that day.
enlarge 134KB, 800x600 52 ut03228r Bill packing up. You can see that this was a nice camp.
enlarge 86KB, 800x600 53 ut03229r Thunbs up for getting out early.
enlarge 105KB, 800x600 54 ut03230r Keep on Truckin- Shelby (Another big Thumbs up)
enlarge 138KB, 800x600 55 ut03231r This combination of rock and brush was at the edge of our camp - Roger's art photo.
enlarge 180KB, 600x800 56 ut03232r Still cold even in the sun.
enlarge 251KB, 800x600 58 ut03234ar We sure didn't want to wade in the cold and were grateful for this skinny log.
enlarge 184KB, 800x600 59 ut03234r Danny & Bill making their way up the wash.
enlarge 73KB, 800x600 60 ut03235r Taking a break we spied this spider above our packs - if you placed you hands over it , it's legs would poke out.
enlarge 98KB, 800x578 61 ut03236 Fortunately, the wash soon dries up and it's clear sailing from then on.
enlarge 66KB, 537x800 62 ut03237r We took a break at the mouth of one of the Egypt slots as it opens into 25 Mile wash - Here Shelby goes for a flying leap.
enlarge 73KB, 800x525 63 ut03238r Roger's shadow.
enlarge 131KB, 800x524 64 ut03239r Kyle and Roger loading up the packs at the mouth of the Egypt Slot - you can't make your way up from the mouth of the canyon here but we poked around the entrance before heading back up the wash.
enlarge 123KB, 582x800 65 ut03240 Another view from the mouth of the Egypt Slot -You can see the mud has dried up - walking through this stuff has a lot of nice sound effects.
enlarge 88KB, 800x578 66 ut03241 It was a long hike out, but it sure felt great to get to the car and clean clothes.
enlarge 109KB, 800x582 67 ut03242 Getting the troop gear out and finding those clean clothes. Time for the long drive home after a very exciting trip.
