{"id":6234,"date":"2017-02-07T21:07:46","date_gmt":"2017-02-07T21:07:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.acrossutah.com\/wordpress\/?p=6234"},"modified":"2023-03-25T19:24:45","modified_gmt":"2023-03-25T19:24:45","slug":"hayduke-alt-via-escalante-east-choprockharris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.acrossutah.com\/wordpress\/hayduke-alt-via-escalante-east-choprockharris\/","title":{"rendered":"Hayduke Alt: Via Escalante East (Choprock\/Harris)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Escalante\"<\/p>\n

\"-<\/a>

– part of the Hayduke Reference –<\/p><\/div>\n

Almost all Hayduke Hikers<\/strong><\/a> end up in the town of Escalante<\/strong> for a re-supply (or do an inconvenient cache pre-hike.) Getting to this small town from the route usually means a long and sometimes difficult hitch along the Hole-in-the-Rock Road. However, many great canyons in this region provide possible alternates which allow hikers to simply hike through the town instead.<\/p>\n

The Via Escalante East alternate connects the Burr Trail Switchbacks (HDT Section 6 start point<\/strong>) to Escalante and is covered below. The Via Escalante West<\/a><\/strong> page focuses on connecting to the west. Doing this eastern part of the alternate would mean bypassing the amazing\u00a0Coyote Gulch<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(and more). This is a bummer, but if one has already hiked Coyote Gulch, wants to avoid its spring crowds, doesn’t want to hitch, or all of the above… then consider the following options.<\/p>\n

I’ll present two possible routes coming in from the east. Highlights of the southern route<\/strong> detailed below include Choprock Canyon, Harris Wash, Big Horn Canyon and Phipps Canyon. Highlights of the northern route<\/strong> (detailed in a separate post<\/a><\/strong>) include Upper Muley Twist, Egg Canyon, The Gulch and Boulder Creek Narrows. The two routes routes converge to follow the upper Escalante River and an opportunity for a spectacular side trip into Death Hollow before arriving in Escalante. I personally prefer the southern route, but each has its own pros\/cons.<\/p>\n

NOTE:<\/strong> a more direct path is possible by skirting Wagonbox Mesa en route to Little Death Hollow (or Wolverine Canyon) and then to the river before hiking up to where the other two options converge. This route is considerably shorter, but I don’t recommend it. Little Death Hollow is amazing, but it’s slow and problematic with a big pack. Then the extended stretch up the Escalante is overgrown and slow as well. Overall the route is not nearly as scenic.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

.
\n<\/strong>The Southern Route (approx. 85 miles from top of Burr Trail)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Escalante_Alt_South_Map2\"<\/a>

— click for full-size map —<\/p><\/div>\n

The first part of the this alternate isn’t an alternate at all; simply hike down Lower Muley Twist Canyon<\/a><\/strong> as described by the book. As you near the end of the canyon (about two bends south of the Cowboy Camp<\/strong> and huge undercut), a canyon cuts in from the west and provides an escape. Head up this canyon for a difficult climb to the top of the Waterpocket Fold.<\/p>\n

NOTE: It’s also possible to link to the southern route from the top of Red Slide. To do this, instead of dropping over the pass to Mid Moody, continue on the mining road to the old miner’s camp north of Deer Point mentioned below. This option adds about 10 miles.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

.
\nThe escape route from LMT is easy at first. Spot a large arch tucked against the northern wall as you make your way up the first part of the canyon. There will be some boulders to climb up and over, but nothing too bad.<\/p>\n

\"western

western exit canyon from Lower Muley Twist<\/p><\/div>\n

Once past the initial part of the canyon — one can see the Fold rising sharply straight ahead. Several drainages come together in short succession. Following most of these will soon lead to slots which are impassable. Instead, pick a ridge which separates the canyons and start climbing. It’s steep — but nothing technical. There will likely be water in the potholes on the way up — though it will require climbing back down into the canyon to fetch (easier in some places than others.) Near the top of the incline is a cliffband which might take a bit of scouting to find the best way up. Again no real climbing is involved. Make sure you turn around every now and then as you climb to enjoy the great view behind you.<\/p>\n

\"difficult

view back from the difficult unofficial route leaving bottom of LMT<\/p><\/div>\n

Once up on top, head SW and you will find yourself in a rather flat mesa and a sparse juniper forest. Keep an eye out for an old road which heads south — it’s really nothing more than a clear-cut line through the trees now. Head this direction not worrying if you are on the actual road — just stay on high ground for a mile or so as you head toward Deer Point.<\/p>\n

One can follow this old road all the way to the bench below Deer Point and to an old Mining Camp. A quicker option though would be to go cross-country down a ridge and drop into the drainage below the camp. If you do follow the road though, the camp is just below where the old road goes up a ramp to the top of a higher bench before bending back to connect to the top of Red Slide. From the camp it’s an easy scramble down into the drainage below.<\/p>\n

Follow the drainage down canyon to the west. Before long you will come to a spot where there’s a few minor drops (all easy to bypass) and you might find potholes of water. Continue on down canyon until it opens up near what looks like a “trident” or “pitchfork” on the map. When you get to the second junction exit to the west and make a beeline toward Colt Mesa.<\/p>\n

\"Colt

Colt Mesa waterworks<\/p><\/div>\n

One can go around either side of Colt Mesa<\/strong>. I think the southern side is a bit easier to walk, but the northern side might provide more shade if it’s a hot day.<\/p>\n

On the western end of the mesa near the Moody Canyons Road<\/strong>, there is a piped spring with water tanks. The ruins from an old prospector site are also nearby.<\/p>\n

From here you will head down the road for about one mile before climbing up a bench to access the upper portion of Choprock Canyon<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

NOTE:<\/strong> one can also go north from Colt Mesa and then down Silver Falls Canyon. This is the shorter and quicker route, but it’s not nearly as spectacular as going down Choprock. Water is also much more abundant in Choprock.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

.
\nThe upper part of Choprock Canyon is fairly wide open as you make your way down through the colorful Chinle mudhills.<\/p>\n

\"Choprock_Top\"<\/p>\n

An old road can still be seen in some spots and makes progress faster if followed. Petrified wood and hoodoos are a common sight in this part of the canyon. After about 4 miles you might come across an outbreak of water — depending on the season. In about another mile is a major junction — keep going downstream.<\/p>\n

As you continue downstream the walls begin to rise and close in. In less than a mile you should be at running water and then soon at the junction with the North Fork of Choprock<\/strong> (aka “Poison Ivy” Fork by author Steve Allen). This scenic canyon is worth a side trip up — at least 15 minutes or so to see the cool alcoves which make for good camps. Good camping is also found near the junction. This is the only remaining good camping until after the narrows near the bottom of the canyon.<\/p>\n

The next 3-4 miles are truly amazing. First is a highly entrenched canyon with fluted walls, then an extended sections of narrows, and then finally a deeper entrenched canyon. Depending on the season this section could be mostly dry, with scattered pools or with flowing water. There are no major obstacles — not even really any minor ones.<\/p>\n\n\t\t