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 - 40 of 40 Total. 641 Visits.
enlarge 183KB, 800x503 1 ut2003-D1a Day 1: Hiking down Harris Wash from the Trailhead to Camp 1
The online version of this Caltopo map can be found HERE.
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.
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Our original plan was to camp at the Harris Wash trailhead Sunday night and meet 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.
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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...
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.
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We got a late afternoon start down the wash. This is in the wash very near the trailhead.
enlarge 132KB, 572x800 8 2003-390-012 Soon sandstone walls appear on our right heading down the wash.
enlarge 188KB, 585x800 9 2003-390-013 Gary, Shelby, Kyle, and Roger.
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The "fence" mentioned in the guidebooks to keep cows out of the lower wash - 3 miles from the trailhead. However, We did see some very wild cattle later that trip down in the Escalante Canyon.
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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 183KB, 800x503 13 ut2003-D2a Day 2: Camp 1 to Escalante River (Camp 2) Part 1
The online version of this Caltopo map can be found HERE.
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.
enlarge 207KB, 800x503 14 ut2003-D2b Day 2: Camp 1 to Escalante River (Camp 2) Part 2
enlarge 105KB, 800x568 15 ut03014 Breakfast at Camp 1 - Danny and Shelby.
enlarge 86KB, 474x800 16 ut03015 Bill at Camp 1 "bill, you are immortal" View Comments...
enlarge 175KB, 800x563 17 2003-390-015 Packing up - You can see the good use Shelby puts his lawn chair to.
enlarge 163KB, 557x800 18 2003-390-016 view of camp - you can see the canyon walls across the wash.
enlarge 184KB, 800x600 19 ut03018r Super Tiogas for Kyle and Shelby.
enlarge 110KB, 800x531 20 ut03019r The Gang: Danny, Roger, Gary, Kevin, Kyle, Shelby, and Bill.
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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 22 ut03012r Danny getting his music ready for the hike. "here, my walkman is broken, causing me to panic" View Comments...
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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 24 ut03022r Gary and Kevin take advantage of the NRA sign at the NRA boundary.
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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 (noted on the map above as D2-05 Rincon Narrows).
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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.
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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 - Enlarging the photo, I can 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.
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We explored the side canyon coming into Harris Wash at the narrows. It was rough going but with good views. Note the fallen cottonwood spanning the wash.
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If you look closely (Enlarge thumbnail) you can see Roger standing on the cottonwood that has fallen across the wash.
enlarge 145KB, 800x532 30 ut03028r Shelby, Kevin, and Kyle at the big cottonwood.
enlarge 130KB, 800x520 31 2003-390-021 Bill exploring side canyon.
enlarge 123KB, 800x520 32 ut03030r The stream from the side canyon has cut this alcove.
enlarge 151KB, 531x800 33 2003-390-022 Shelby, Danny, and Kyle - Leaving the Narrows - as you can see the sky is clouding up.
enlarge 166KB, 537x800 34 2003-390-023 Another shot of the narrows
enlarge 119KB, 601x800 35 ut03033 Close up. "we appear to be forming a wall in hopes of stopping a..." View Comments...
enlarge 123KB, 800x523 36 ut03034r Roger - at bend in wash. You can see that you wouldn't want to be here during a flash flood.
enlarge 122KB, 530x800 37 2003-390-024 Gary heading down the wash.
We lost our sun and soon had some showers - here we are taking a break almost all the way down the wash.
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Danny 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. Contrary to what the other hikers told us, we were able to cross the Escalante (although it was pretty daunting the first time as it was almost at crotch level).
