Escalante Creek (4/21-22/14) Trip Report

A reproduction of my journal entry from 4/21/14:

Monday, 21 April 2014 ~ 1845

I should have gone...

As I write this I am sitting on a BLM park table near the takeout for the Lower Gorge of Escalante Creek.  Sensing my opportunity finally at hand, I left not as early as I had hoped from Salida this morning and made the mad-dash west.  There is no gauge on this little creek, so the catching of it always has to be a mission.  The drive to here along the Gunnison is just gorgeous and this remote canyon is like a small slice of Utah and the Canyonlands.

'57 Chevy

So I get here by 1300 or so and the guy I knew would be here from the Buzz had already put on 45 prior, according to is friend who had run shuttle and was hanging around the takout.  So heck, I missed my possible run.  I explored around.  Took some photos and actually saw Josh and his two friends come through '57 Chevy.

It sure looked low, but it went.  Then later, after they all had changed, this other solo kayaker (Tyler) just appeared out of nowhere and walked up.  He had just taken out above the Lower Gorge and was contemplating running it... which he did eventually....

Tyler entering the Lower Gorge

I should have run it with him.  Instead, I opted to watch because at the time I felt the need to warm up on the Upper Section before just hopping in the mank of it; but then, of course I watch this fellow run down and I immediately regretted that decision.

That is certainly not a decision or feeling I enjoy and I do not want ever to live my life that way.

Now, after walking down to the water for a bit and taking some photos, I do feel a bit better about not boating at all.  I know it's good to listen to that cautious instinct, but I must remember to keep it in check!  Now I am even more psyched on having a solid run tomorrow.  And if Wednesday is even better, I can still stay the extra night...

~ end of entry ~

And the next day did indeed see a glorious run.  In the end there were four of us and we managed to get a fairly early start.  As it turns out, the fellow who showed up Tuesday morning and I had actually run Browns Canyon of the Arkansas many many year earlier.  He was a bit older and I and certainly put my memory to shame!

Looking into the Lower Gorge with Esca Falls

I wish it ran more often because Escalante Creek is really one of my favorite runs ever.  It has a pool drop character as the larger rapids are distinct, but between them is a lot of Class III & IV fun.  On this day we guess that the flow was about 300 or 400 cfs or so... That's kind of on the low side of medium, but I have no qualms with getting friendly with rocks.  Unless you're running with someone who knows the creek, my advice would be to scout every drop you can not see.  It isn't that the lines are particularly difficult, but many drops consist of picking the correct kayak wide slot and having the correct angle when you leave the lip.  If not, you're staring at a very steep piton situation.

On this day we did not run the main Escalante waterfall.  It is broken jumble of a falls and would need a bit more water to feel at all clean.  That is personal preference.  It was run that day by another group, but the line was very manky and could have gone very wrong.

The Lower Gorge consists of the Teacups, '57 Chevy, Escalante Falls, S Turn, and Magnetic Wall.  The Teacups and S Turn are pretty straight forward.  '57 Chevy is fun as you drive up and over the pillow above a rock fin that makes the drop and in doing so get surprisingly close to the wall.  Then lastly is Magnetic Wall.  It is basically a drop leading into a boil on river right that you charge into and then manage to not get pushed hard against the left well immediately thereafter.  Super fun stuff.

In the end, the only run I got in was this one on Tuesday.  There was weather coming in that evening and temps were dropping.  So was the creek.


Thanks to everyone who became a part of this adventure.  I can't wait to try and get back next weekend!

The author in the Lower Gorge.  Thanks to Brian Bank for this great photo!