Papago wall / slide

[robxxx]

Hi I'm doing the escalante route in a couple weeks.
I did it last year with someone who has done it and I'm having trouble remembering what happens after the
Papago wall is scaled. I know the path is up river and
quickly comes into the slide area but I can't remember the details of that connecting section. What worries me is
that in you tube videos I see people climbing up a chute to get to the slide area. I don't remember that at all. Is that the "wrong " approach and if so can someone please explain how to make this connection ? Thanks , unfortunately following others tends to shut off memory
Rob

[robxxx]

I got it figured out with the help of the hiker that I went with. Apparently after the wall is scaled the route heads up a
rocky slope at the top of which are a series of chutes. The leftmost chute(s) are claimed to be less constricting. At the
top of the chutes is a bench on which the trail heads to the slide. Rob

[shelby147]

There was rockfall on the Papago Slide last week. My ranger friend is literally checking it out today to see if it's still passable.

My strategy for routefinding is, make a guess about the easiest way from a distance, look at it up close, and if it feels lousy back off and look for another way. You should never commit to an obstacle that makes your trip one-way.

[robxxx]

Thanks for the heads up and good advice !

[nonot]

The slide area is just a gigantic pile of gravel. After you scale the wall, continue in a general down-river direction and follow the route that should be obvious from previous groups ahead of you. You will ascend slightly from the level of the top of the wall, gaining maybe 100 feet in elevation from the top of the wall to the top of the slide. You are maybe 200 feet above the level of the river at this point, but it has been many years and the slide may change from rain and additional minor landslides.

In general as far as the route goes, just look down. The areas of gravel that are fairly packed down from people walking on it before = route. The areas of loose gravel where there is no sign of people walking on that section of the gravel pile = not the route. If there is a recent landslide of new gravel, you might be the lucky group that has to establish the new route for the folks that follow. In which case, I suggest navigating a course that is the least steep way down the gravel pile with the best handholds, if those exist nearby. Don't be afraid to sit on your butt and slide for a section if you are uncomfortable tackling a portion while remaining standing

[hikeaz]

Plan A - Hitch a ride around to Hance Beach with friendly rafters. There is a small beach/eddy at Papago Cr. where, if hiking downstream is an easy pull-in for rafters.-
Plan B - Hike the Slide.

[ddgrunning]

To echo Nonot, the slide is down river (not up river) from the wall. My only other advice is that the top of the wall is not the top of the climb. There are several sucker trails that peal off too early on the right, which will either require some backtracking or some exposed climbing to get back on the correct route. This guy provides a pretty detailed description with some helpful photos: https://www.overseashiker.com/a-guide-t ... and-slide/

[azbackpackr]

Me, back in 2011. Photo by Belinda Norby. Yes, I had a hole in my pants! Our hike was Tanner to New Hance. I think it is particularly important to mention which direction you plan to travel, although from reading the comments, it seems you plan to go downstream, Tanner to NH.

Do I remember enough to comment on the specific questions? No. I just remember that the hardest part for me was hiking out New Hance, because by then I was tired. I didn't think the Slide was too bad. The wall, etc., was kind of fun.

[robxxx]

@ddgrunning
Thank you ! The sucker trails and the exposed ledges are what I was afraid of. I think I now know to turn " left " at the sign of a trail /cairn heading left up the hill. That article is very helpful thanks, I'm going to try that suggested route up the wall (go left) seems to avoid more difficult moves near the top.

[big_load]

First pic: A couple of my hiking buddies near the top of the slide, 2019.

near the top of the slide

Second pic: I was the first one down, and took pics of the rest as they descended. The lowest guy in this photo is nearly blind. He can distinguish light and dark with one eye, which is almost enough to find his way forward. Staying close to the wall is good.

from the bottom of the slide

The scariest part was not the descent of the slide, but the traverse across the top of the rubble pile from the wall to the start of the slide. You can feel the whole pile moving. On the other hand, somebody fell off the slide the week before we were there. The victim in that case went toward the river instead of the wall and fell from a large height.

[robxxx]

@big_load
thank you ! It looks like you 'stayed left' as you descended the slide which seems to be
the recommended way. Not a good place to get lost for sure.

[big_load]

Another thing I'm glad I did was tumble my pack down ahead of me because I wanted to have maximal effective control over my balance. A few of my buddies did that, too, but not all of them.