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new hance-escalante -tanner, AZ
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| Backpack | 29.00 Miles |
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| | Backpack | 29.00 Miles | 2 Days 6 Hrs | | |
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| no partners | | wow what an incredible hike. started out at the new hance t.h., no parking is allowed here so i dropped my freind matt off and parked my truck at moran pt. .8 miles away and walked back. we started out at about 10:00.off we went ,when we got to the beginning of the tr. about 1/4 mile from the rd. down we went. and not gradually either.but steeply. i let matt lead so he could break my fall  because even though we were moving cautiously along i was sking all over the place. the trail required constant attn. to keep from falling on our dumpers or worse yet down a slope. the views were great,but what else would you expect in the greatest natural wonder in the world.we kept going down until we finally entered the wash of red canyon for the last time and remained in it until we hit the river 8 miles and around 6 hrs. from our start.when we hit the wash it started raining on us .we sat at hance beach contemplating going on.since it was loose sand and kind of crappy here we decided to go on. this tr. should have been called red canyon because thats the canyon you continually cross and hance crk. is actually 4 miles to the west of red canyon and the rapids should be switched ,hance rapids should be at hance crk. and sockdolager rpids should be at red canyon.somebody got it ssa sdrawkcab,you figure it out.anyway we headed upstream along the river to papago crk. about a mile away where our progress was stopped by a cliff jutting out into the river this required us to climb about 200 feet up a very steep rockslide with al lkinds of rocks that could let loose at anytime.at the top we worked our way a short distance to the other side where we were confused a bit about where we were going to go down. matt was ready to head down a particularly hard downclimb which as it turned out would have required us to backtrack because of a 40 ft. slick dryfall preventing access to the beach.but i discovered an easier way down marked by a lg. cairn w/a white rock on top of it that we managed to somehow walk right by.so matt went first easily negotiating the 30 foot down climb. i didn't feel comfortable going over the edge because i only had 1 decent hand hold ,and i was going to lower my pack w/some rope when he bounced right back up to just below me where i lowered my pack to him and then was easily able to lower myself down put my pack back on and continued down the wall.once on the beach we set up my tarp in case it rained over night,which had stopped at this time.matt usually carries a solo tent every time we have been backpacking but opted to leave it in the truck.i just sleep under the stars w/a bivy sack over my sleeping bag which keeps me totally waterproof in case of rain and use the tarp as a ground cover.we set up the tarp this night though because we thought the rain would continue,which it didn't.the next day,sunday, we headed out toward 75 mile canyon along the river 1 mile away where our next challenge awaited us. because our progress once again would be blocked along the river by another cliff. go figure. we had the choice of hiking up 75 mile canyon about a mile or two where we could pick up a tr. out of th canyon,this is the easier safer rt. according to nps... or go up the canyon a 1/4 mile and take a very steep 300 foot climb up a ravine. we opted for the climb  the canyon itself was a really nice slot that would have been nice to explore....but we didn't. i went first so i could get some video of matt coming up. we had to first negotiate a 30 foot vertical climb then a 200 foot steep scramble up loose rock and then another 30 foot vertical climb to get to the top. all this w/ packs on... very exciting!!!.once on top we discovered a trail.- that was the one that took you out of the canyon farther up 75 mile.so far so good.we continue on the tr. toward the colorado and after a mile or so dumped us on escalante beach and some really nice hard packed sand.met a couple of guys here that told us about a pack on the tr. ahead of us and there was nobody around....we didn't think anything of it at the time ,said our goodbyes -and started walking up escalante crk.after a while we made it out and looked out at our next stop about a mile ahead and 1000 ft. above the river. when we got to this spot at the end of a long ridge the views were incredible,probably the best of the whole trip!!!.unkar delta was right below us w/awesome3-400 foot cliffs on one of the bends and views both up and down the river. needless to say we spent some time here taking it all in before our next challange- a long traverse on some very steep slopes where the tr. is barely wide enough to walk on.this section required constant attn. for a fall here would truly have been spectacularly deadly . .. w/tape rolling. surely limbs would have been flying away from your body and there would have been pieces everywhere for the nps to collect.i s#@t you not.so we continue on cautiously not wanting to be the main story in "death in the grand canyon part 2"...all of a sudden we came upon that pack 1/2 way along on the upside of the tr... at the top of a very prominent steep ravine.nobody around anywhere...the pack looked like it was deliberately placed there . we turned it over a little and saw the hydration tube had been chewed apart by a mouse . no water -no permit- but fully loaded w/a fishing pole underneath it.we carefuully looked around and saw no skid marks or no bodies laying in the ravine below . even if there was, it would have been way to risky to go down and help,and at this point we were about 15 miles from any t.h. so i could not see abandoning a pack here.we yelled and got no answer...so we continued on w/ this mystery weighing heavily on our minds.when we got to the other side of the wash to where we could scan the area w/matts binos we still didn't see anything.i hated leaving the area not knowing for sure- but there was nothing else we could do...so we continued on not knowing. what a sick feeling that gave me, because i solo a lot. so we finally reach tanner beach .what a nice place w/lots of great campspots on gravelly sandy soil. matt and i staked out our spots and settled in for a restfull night....when all of a sudden matt sees a mouse on his pack.
this is all it took. this mouse was huge w/teeth like a rabbit and fire in his eyes, looked like lucifers pet!! any way i guess they did battle all night w/matt getting 3hrs of sleep during a cease fire . matt finally got me up at 5:10 as planned , he looked ok and the mouse was gone so im guessing the mouse acheived his goal and went home to sleep. so we got going as soon as we could see...and headed up tanner tr. and started out fine w/ some steep sections and then we hit the bottom of the redwall - where the climb really begins very steep but went by quickly. once at the top we took a much deserved break...the views as usual were magnificant.although the lighting was weird...for the next 3 miles before the last 1 1/2 mile assault was relatively easy .we met 7 hikers on their way down, staying at tanner beach that night . we got out just in time !! for it was matt -the mouse and me down there alone- really cool.  we took a break at seventy mile saddle looking down its namesake canyon - absolutly fantastic!! it took us 1hr.20min. to get to the top where we immediately started looking for a ride and walked about a mile and a half before some nice people picked us up for what i thought was 17 mile journey back to the truck... and turned out to be 5  our 1st priority was to find a ranger and report the backpack we had found - and turns out the guy was airlifted outfor med. reasons- i don't know why they couldn't take his pack then - but boy was i worried!!!. anyway this trip gets 5 out of 5 stars from me - just the kind of hike i enjoy ! |
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i was going to die. but all was good i was able to hike and was soon on my way, gingerly.took the shortcut up a break in the cliff wall in 75 mile crk. next was escalante crk. and then finally up to the ridge w/ the kickbutt views both up and down the colorado, particularly of the unkar delta. took lunch. ankle was soar and didn't bother to wrap it. so i was under way again to a 2 mile traverse of some very steep slopes w/a tread boot width. have to concentrate here. no rubber necking. about half way through i twisted my left ankle AGAIN i crumpled to the ground in agony. relizing where i was i didn't writhe.thanking no one in particular that i didn't fall over like a tree, left ankle the slope is on the left. it would have been a tumbling mess, and certain death. thinking i should have stuck to my original hike plans. 
when the pain mellowed out a bit i rubbed my anle and moved it around a little and figured i could still walk on it, hopefully iwiggled out of my pack and fished out my ace bandage, wrapped, stood up and was able to continue.about 4.5 miles to tanner baech and camp. finnally got off the steep stuff and hit a nice smooth tr. and was able to move along pretty good, hope for the same tommorrow. after some good cruising i crossed cardenas crk. and shortly there after the rollercoaster section more of a pain at this point than anything. finally got to tanner beach and camp. camped in my usuall spot. sun finds my ankle slightly swollen and pretty soar. but none the less i am able to shoulder apack and getting up the tanner in a little over 6 hours. was able to get a ride after walking for about a mile. life is good 
. we both thought it would take forever to get up.took 5 hours down and 6 hrs 10 min.up for matt and 6 hrs n17 min for me.very happy w/my performance after letting myself go to hell in a big handbasket. all was good.also i think it is 9 miles to the crk. not 11.8 unless thatincludes the mile and a half to the river
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before a ranger heading to work picked me up and brought me the rest of the way. 
boucher tr. wasn't going to work for me. decided hermit tr. was the way to go even though it was 13 miles. so onward i went. surprisingly things got better as i went on.reached hermit crk. and took a good break, ate and got more water.about tjhe time i reached santa maria spr. i was having terrible spasms. contemplated staying in the shelter for the night ,but decided to keep going while i still had the ability to carry my pack. made it to the top in 5 hrs from hermit crk. i was anticipating many hours of plodding and suffering. very happy to be there. all in all this was an really beautiful and isolated trip. ran into only 1 person around slate but we didn't stop to talk for i was in a hurry to fall on my head 
