| |
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 8.17 Miles |
364 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.17 Miles | 4 Hrs 4 Mns | | 2.40 mph |
| 364 ft AEG | 40 Mns Break | 20 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | The trailhead for the Zebra and Tunnel slots is just off the Hole in the Rock road, roughly 8 miles from UT 12, making it closer and easier to drive to than Peekaboo and Spooky. If you're driving a low clearance passenger car and have doubts about being able to make it to Peekaboo and Spooky, then these are the slots for you.
The trail out to the slots isn't especially scenic in the first quarter mile, but quickly improves as you go. The trail is easy to follow and crosses a wash multiple times. On the way out, I switched off between following the trail and walking in the wash. As I got further out, I found myself preferring the wash to the the trail. My wife and daughter stuck to the trail and I eventually became separated from them. Even so, we both hit Harris Wash at about the same time. I found them by walking west in Harris Wash.
Harris Wash seemed to have some firm sections, but once we entered the drainage that led to Zebra, we found it to be very sandy. My wife found the sand to be most enervating.
Zebra is cool, though after her experience with Spooky on the day before, my wife decided not to go very far into the slot. This time, I left my pack near the entrance and, for some sections of the slot, I used my teeth to hold onto my camera strap.
My daughter got ahead of me and did the climb leading to the keeper pothole. She looked at the pothole, but did not go into it. She climbed back down and spotted me as I did the climb to look at the pothole. It appeared to me that two people might be able to escape it together (especially if they also have a length of webbing or rope available), but we didn't put my theory to the test.
After Zebra, my wife headed back to the truck, but my daughter and I went on to take a look at Tunnel. I found that the GPS track that I had loaded led us on trails through the sand. We found it easier to stay on some relatively firm terrain in the wash. We followed some of these trails on the way to Tunnel, but stayed in the wash on the way back. Staying in the wash - which winds a bit - adds some distance, but the hiking was easier due to the firmer terrain.
Anyway... Tunnel was wet right from the start. I didn't wear my water shoes that day, but my daughter had, so she went in. It was a warm day, but the water was cold. She practiced her stemming technique to avoid being in the water for very long.
We stayed in the wash, first Harris Wash, and then whatever drainage it is that feeds into Harris Wash which led back to the trailhead. Eventually it made more sense to hike the trail, so we did that.
I found this to be a very pleasant hike. I enjoyed the hike to/from the slots as much as the slots themselves. The striations in Zebra are impressive and is well worth the trip.
|
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
