Over the weekend the ONB staff and customers got the opportunity to go to Escalante to try out some of the gear that we carry in the shop. The weather was great. The group of people that we had made it a blast! ” Thanks Dr. Gomez and friends!” We all had a chance to sleep in the “Space Station” by Mountain Hardwear. We had the “Big House 4 & 6 from Big Agnes. Everyone got a chance to use the Katadyn water filters in Calf Creek Falls. We used the “Jet Boil” stoves to make coffee and cyder with breakfast.
I was lucky enough to try out one of the Big Agnes sleeping bags and pad system. For me it made the would of difference. I have to be able to move around inside of my sleeping bag, and having the extra room in their bags gave me just what I needed.
Our first day down we got up and did the lower Calf creek falls. It is a really nice/easy hike with a great reward in the end. For those of you that have not had the chance to do any of these hikes yet, you fallow this little river between straight mountain walls for about 2.5 mile to walk threw a tree line that comes from nowhere. Just as you enter the tree, you start to hear the falls. A few yards later, BAMB, there is this beautiful water fall nicely tucked away in the middle of the cliffs. The staff had a ball playing in the water and sliding on the moss that had built up on the cliffs. The water is crystal clear and glassier cold.
From there we met up with the other group to do “AMC” or also know as “Spencer Canyon.” This was a amazing canyon for some one like me that hasn’t done any canyons in years or for a first timer like some of the others in our group. You walk about 2 miles threw the desert when out of nowhere you stumble across this web of canyons. Once your into the canyon the real fun starts. It is only a few miles long, but you get to do a hand full of easy to slightly technical repels. At the end of the canyon you have the longest repel which is about 65 feet long. From there the fun doesn’t stop. You get to free climb your way back out of the canyon. Their is a mix of slots and vertical climbs to the top and a few area that you have to stem out of. The first time we did it we so much fun because we got to climb out in the dark. The next day we got up and did it again., but this time it was light the entire time. To me climbing out in the dark was much funner because it put an element of unknowing to the game. Not being able to see everything around you but what your head lamp lights up is a rush.
I have been to Escalante several time, but this was my first time getting to do a canyon and not just a few day hike. Escalante has so much to offer there is no way you can see it al in one trip.
