Day 1: Harris Wash to Camp 1
Due to a lucky break by getting our shuttle ride switched from Monday morning to Sunday afternoon we didn't have to camp at the trailhead as planned but were able to go down the wash almost to the Glen Canyon NRA boundary for our first camp.
Day 2: Camp 1 to Escalante River (Camp 2)
This was a long day down the wash with a side trip exploring a side canyon opposite the Narrows. Most of the hikers coming up the wash told us the Escalante was too high for fording but we ended our day with a nerve wracking ford of almost crotch deep Escalante to our best camp of the trip a little down stream of the mouth of Harris Wash.
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 Mooseker. Photos by WHM & Roger. 1 - 39 of 39 Total. 391 Visits.
enlarge 111KB, 800x518 1 ut03001r Our original plan was to camp at the Harris Wash trailhead Sunday night and meet out Escalante Outback Adventures shuttle on Monday morning to transfer the car to the 25 Mile Wash trailhead. Fortunately, the EOA guy was in his store in Escalante when we arrived and he agreed to do the shuttle that afternoon. Here we are unloading the Suburban at the Harris Wash Trailhead.
enlarge 99KB, 900x506 2 ut03002r While Bill and Gary drove to the 25 Mile Wash TH to meet the EOA shuttle to bring them back, the guys had a little fun at the Harris Wash Trailhead - Here Danny and Shelby have tied branches on their heads and are impersonating deer. "these are the sexiest deer i've ever seen... except t..." View Comments...
enlarge 80KB, 900x505 5 ut03005r Shelby, Kyle, and Danny atop a little mound near the Harris Wash Trailhead. You can see that the country is fairly open with no discernable canyon.
enlarge 112KB, 800x598 6 ut03006 We got a late afternoon start down the wash. This is in the wash very near the trailhead.
enlarge 87KB, 601x800 7 ut03007 Soon sandstone walls appear on our right heading down the wash.
enlarge 112KB, 600x800 8 ut03008 Gary, Shelby, Kyle, and Roger.
enlarge 129KB, 800x596 9 ut03009 Close up - Gary, Shelby, Kyle, and Roger.
enlarge 145KB, 800x600 10 ut03010 The "fence" mentioned in the guidebooks to keep cows out of the lower wash - 3 miles from the trailhead.
enlarge 193KB, 800x600 11 ut03011r We found a sandy spot opposite a side canyon just short of the NRA Boundary for our first camp.
enlarge 113KB, 800x600 12 ut03013r Shelby and Kyle have fun with a deer backbone they found in camp.
enlarge 105KB, 800x568 13 ut03014 Breakfast at Camp 1 - Danny and Shelby.
enlarge 86KB, 474x800 14 ut03015 Bill at Camp 1 "bill, you are immortal" View Comments...
enlarge 130KB, 800x601 15 ut03016 Packing up - You can see the good use Shelby puts his lawn chair to.
enlarge 127KB, 601x800 16 ut03017 view of camp - you can see the canyon walls across the wash.
enlarge 184KB, 800x600 17 ut03018r Super Tiogas for Kyle and Shelby.
enlarge 110KB, 800x531 18 ut03019r The Gang: Danny, Roger, Gary, Kevin, Kyle, Shelby, and Bill.
enlarge 106KB, 553x800 19 ut03020 Garry on a rock outcrop at Camp 1. This outcrop provides a good spot to sit - a lot of Escalante camps don't have any such spots.
enlarge 163KB, 800x600 20 ut03012r Danny getting his music ready for the hike. "here, my walkman is broken, causing me to panic" View Comments...
enlarge 116KB, 601x800 21 ut03021 Heading out - this is just down canyon from our camp. You can see the canyon walls are quite impressive here. The NRA boundary is just around the bend.
enlarge 185KB, 800x600 22 ut03022r Gary and Kevin take advantage of the NRA sign at the NRA boundary.
enlarge 142KB, 600x800 23 ut03023r As you can see, the wash has quite a flow of water here - the water shoes sure come in handy. Just down canyon you can see the Harris Wash narrows.
enlarge 100KB, 601x800 24 ut03024 Harris Wash Narrows - This is the narrowest spot in Harris wash. The river has pinched out a meander and left it high and dry as it carved this channel through.
enlarge 143KB, 800x582 25 ut03025 Looking back upcanyon from the Narrows. A side canyon joins the wash here on the left. We dropped our packs and explored up this side canyon. We didn't notice it at the time but the scratches on the rock behind Gary could be writing - I make out "Wayne" on the first line, then .......UR on the second. I can't decipher the 3rd (Maybe 1934??). - It's definitely not an ancient pictograph but could be historical.
enlarge 115KB, 601x800 26 ut03026 We explored the side canyon coming into Harris Wash at the narrows. It was rough going but with good views.
enlarge 130KB, 572x800 27 ut03027 Roger is on the cotton wood that has fallen across the wash.
enlarge 145KB, 800x532 28 ut03028r Shelby, Kevin, and Kyle at the big cottonwood.
enlarge 98KB, 800x601 29 ut03029 Bill exploring side canyon.
enlarge 123KB, 800x520 30 ut03030r The stream from the side canyon has cut this alcove.
enlarge 104KB, 600x800 31 ut03031 Shelby, Danny, and Kyle - Leaving the Narrows - as you can see the sky is clouding up.
enlarge 114KB, 602x800 32 ut03032 Another shot of the narrows
enlarge 119KB, 601x800 33 ut03033 Close up. "we appear to be forming a wall in hopes of stopping a..." View Comments...
enlarge 123KB, 800x523 34 ut03034r Roger - at bend in wash. You can see that you wouldn't want to be here during a flash flood.
enlarge 111KB, 601x800 35 ut03035 Gary heading down the wash.
enlarge 107KB, 601x800 36 ut03036 Close up of Gary.
enlarge 136KB, 800x567 38 ut03038 We lost our sun and soon had some showeres - here we are taking a break almost all the way down the wash.
enlarge 88KB, 601x800 39 ut03039 Canny crossing over the bench. From here you can see the next bend, which is where the Harris Wash meets the Escalante. The magnificent rock formation on the right looks like a castle guarding the entrance to Harris wash. You can see this formation from the Escalante as well.
