Overview:  "Imagine a corridor of stone so long it snakes through the red rock of southern Utah for more than 15 miles, so deep you cannot see the sky, and so narrow you have to remove your pack in places to get through.  This could only be Buckskin Gulch, the most impressive slot canyon in North America, perhaps anywhere.  Hiking the length of this sinuous defile is a backcountry experience that will amaze you, and challenge you in unexpected ways." -from Peter Potterfield's Worlds Greatest Hikes

Route:  We drove from San Diego and camped at the White House Campground where our trek would end 3 days later.  Our plan required a shuttle to drop us off at Wire pass trailhead and then it would be a 3 day, 24 mile hike back.  We would hike through the slots of Wire Pass until it meets with Buckskin Gulch.  After following Buckskin Gulch for 6 miles we would climbing out the only exit "The Hazardous Middle Route" and camp at the canyon rim on the first night.  Day 2 would be spent hiking from the Middle route to a campsite down from the Paria/Buckskin confluence.  Day 3 we would hike back up the Paria river to the White House trailhead where our car was waiting.

Before leaving I was a bit concerned about a chance of thunderstorms around the area.  Hiking in a slot canyon, a flash flood would mean instant death.  I had heard from the rangers that the watershed for Buckskin extended all the way to Bryce National Park, far to the north.  So if it really poured all the water even 30 miles north would come rushing through Buckskin.  We left San Diego at 7am and pulled into Whitehouse campground at about 5:00pm.  A-Ok drive except the fact that near San Bernadino a car comes skidding out of nowhere to spinning directly in front of me at 70mph.  Smoke flying everywhere, he then slammed into the guardrail.  I made sure he was ok, a fire truck came and we were sent on our way.  The drive had to be the most dangerous part of the whole trip.  When arriving there was a few scattered clouds overhead, but it did look a bit dark to the north. 

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  We settled in and took a hike up a nearby wash before sunset.  We found a unique white wave formation that you could walk through like a tunnel, foreshadowing the awesome features of this landscape.  The evening around camp was relaxing and the temperature was perfect.  It was dead silent out, you could hear the gravel crunching beneath ones feet a hundred yards away.  Felt a bit eerie in a way coming from daily life to 100% silence that we so rarely find.  As we enjoyed a small fire one star caught my attention to the south.  Red, blue, white, it flashed in the night sky- I had never seen such colors from a star.  Ten minutes later it continued across the sky disappearing beyond a nearby ridge.  Alarm was set for 5:30, shuttle pick was set for 7:00, ready to start this mysterious journey.

Day 1yWi(Wire Pass to Middle Route)

  That morning we packed up.... way up.  I had more than 2 gallons of water in my pack.  (1 gallon= 8 lbs).  My pack must be at least 50 pounds.  We were picked up by Steve from Paria Outpost.  On the drive we chatted about the area and the hike.  He tried to recommend going down the middle route and continuing from there.  Nope, we got 3 days to do the whole thing and did not want to skip wire-pass.  He mentioned that this was not monsoon season and a good time to hike the gulch and continued, "Unless God really wants you dead."  He also told us of a place down this same road called the white pits that is, "So beautiful Gaud created it himself."  He then let us know that we were in Morman country and, "they never did separate the Church from State.  You ain't Mormon are you?"  By now the sense of adventure was really setting in, he did mention that they have had to come back out from people abandoning the trip.  We were soon left on this dirt road deep into the heart of this the desert wilderness.  Its a one way trip from here. 

   After following the wash for about a mile the walls suddenly came together and we headed into the dark.  We now entered our first slot canyon, wire pass.

Soon later the slot became about a foot thick.  The sides of my pack scratched against the side of the slot, I could not make it.  I removed my pack, turned it sideways and dragged it below me through this short section.

 We soon made it through.  This shot is me looking back at Wire-Pass and at the gorgeous area that opened before us.  Here is where we begin down the longest slot canyon in the world, Mr. Buckskin Gulch.  Sam then yelled over to me that she found some pictographs.  I read that there would be some good ones here at the end of wire pass and also some at the middle route.  They are from the Ansari Native Americans that mysteriously disappeared in the 1300's.

We then entered Buckskin that we would follow for the next 2 days.  She beckoned us to come inside, follow her, around each bend, tempting and enticing us like the Sirens from the Odyssey.... there was no turning back she had us in her grasp.

We knew that it would happen sometime.  Now the canyon was only a few feet apart blocked by a pool of water.  The boots came off, tevas on, and we took the first steps into the first pool.  The pools were numbing cold, murky, mud past your ankles in places, floating dead rodents, they were cesspools. And then there was another and another.  We then saw a day hiker coming towards us.  "  I went as far as I could.  I reached a pool that was so deep my stick disappeared."  He was nice enough to walk with us to the pool to help out in any way.  I walked slowly in ankles, knees, and stuck my pole in to search for any shallow spots.  Nope, the pole went all the way to the grip in all directions.  Luckily, we heard some noise down the canyon.  Some other backpackers were approaching.  A group of about 5 came around the bend and charged on through up above their waists in water.  This gave me a chance to see how deep it was and ask about any other pools this deep.  They said they been through lots and about 3 others this deep, but the good news was that they made it without removing their packs.  I did take out our down sleeping bags and put them at the top of my pack.

We went through about 40 pools on day 1, most about 30 feet long and knee to waist deep.  It was a long day.  We had to move very slowly through the pools.  Placing each pole to find a shallow route.  In one spot their was a log jam and a pool about 4 ft below.  I remember sticking my pole down as far as I could from above the pool and never feeling the bottom with my pole.  Not good.  I took my pack off, found a foothold on a tree limb a little bit closer to the pool, and step into the unknown that was above waist deep.  I took both our packs across and returned for Sam.  We had one to many close calls that day, a slip in the mud would be no less than horrifying.   Movie

We were cold and relieved when the canyon started lowering and opened up a bit.  We came around another bend and I spotted the middle route.  I heard that it was not obvious to find in any way and was relieved to spot it.  What saved me was that I found a picture of it on the web and recognized immediately recognized the crack along the left wall. 

Now for the next challenge.  The middle route is known as an emergency way out of Buckskin.  I could tell that the rangers did not like to recommend it to people when they told me that you had to do the whole thing in one day- we would have been destroyed and would have been hiking in the dark if that was the case.  We were getting out here.  The middle route was steep and precarious in places.  Sam was having a hard time so I took each pack up on separate trips and then assisted her on the way up.

 It feels fantastic to be out of the canyon and feel the freedom of space.  Nearby the rim, we set up camp.  Some afternoon winds set in and some clouds moved in.  We had dinner and hit the hay early.  It was a long day.  We were beat pretty good, so much more water in the gulch than expected.  Hiked for 8 hrs (7:30-3:30) and only covered 8 miles. 

Day 2  (Middle Route to Paria River)

 We got a bit of sand in the tent from the winds yesterday evening, but thankfully they soon died down at night.  We both felt a little uneasy that night.  Especially the fact that Sam would have to go back down the middle route this morning.  We even talked about the option of trying to call Steve for a pick up, but soon concluded the middle route was not going to cut this trip short and that the best was of the trip was yet to come.

I explained to Sam that I would really need her help to also get the packs down each ledge.  Their were 3 main sections.  Each time I would offer encouragement and show Sam the way.  And then climb back up to lower the 2 packs back down.  Our gear took one hell of a pounding on this trip.  I was glad that mine came out on top when backpacker magazine tested it by dragging it behind a truck.  After getting down we were relieved.  I never thought it would feel so good to be back in the Gulch.  We felt like nothing could stop us now and were eager to continue on.

    I took a picture straight up at this section.  A reminder to myself how incredible it was to look straight up the vertical walls hundreds of feet high to the slit above.  It was only 4 feet wide at the bottom. 

  We had some fantasies about not getting wet during day 2, but soon encountered more pools.  About 15 more.  Coming out of each one your feet are numb and instantly the pain sets in with your first step out.  Its like an ice cream headache on your feet. 

  We heard plenty of strange noises during the hike.  A few times a bird would sweep through the canyon.  Each flap sounding like a low flying helicopter. 

  A picture showing of what the path commonly looks like when canyoneering.  Lots of boulders and log jams from the floods that commonly rage through the canyon.  It could be intimidating at times because there is no way out, you just keep moving picking your way through.

  "Got milk?"  The swirls of mud were common throughout the hike.

 A rare spot where the sun was able to make its way all the way to the floor and into this pool.

  The beauty of our surroundings was commonly haunted by disgust and danger.  Animals commonly fall into Buckskin and there was a feeling that nothing will survive down here for long.  We came across 4 snakes during the trip.  There was also one feisty rattler. Movie

  We then came to our last obstacle of the trip that we knew that we would encounter on day 2.  A rock fall.  Others had left a rope that you had to use to make a safe decent.  Sam did a perfect job of leaning back on the rope with all her weight to get down safely.  We soon later came to another pool, "Damn, we just put our boots back on."  But another hiker, looking like a day hiker, was coming towards us.  " Have you been through any pools your way?" was the first thing I asked.  She gave me a funny glance and said, "This is the first."  High-Five to Sam, this was our LAST pool.........a rush of satisfaction.

This is a tribute shot that is taken from the same place as the cover of The Worlds Best Hikes, it provided the inspiration and planning for the trip.

 At this point we were nearing the end of Buckskin.  The slot was much wider and the walls were now hundreds of feet high.  It was an exciting moment when we came to the confluence with the Paria.  Just walking along when unexpectingly their is another opening to our left.  The Paria is much more of a canyon than a slot and much less intimidating than Buckskin. 

We continued down the Paria after the confluence finding the first campsites full.  We did not mind hiking another mile farther to check the next site because it was such a fantastic place.  We then would a wonderful spot near a cottonwood tree that the guidebook mentioned.  It was up about 40 ft above the rivers floor.  You never want to camp near the bottom due to flash floods.  It is quite a spot to have to ourselves.  We pushed it hard again to today, 6 hours of hiking for 8 miles.  As I write I look up from inside our tent.  Its a 1/2 hr after sunset,  All you see is a massive wall of black, to the front and sides, so large it looks like it is overhanging the tent and will collapse any minute.  How little sky there is.

Day 3

Packed up we left camp at 9:30 that morning.  It was the same distance (about 8 miles) than the previous days, but so much easier.  We made it back to the car at 3:30 and began the drive home.  Camp Movie

 The walls slowly opened up as we hiked upstream the Paria that morning.  The sky welcomed us back with open arms.  The first rays of sunshine hit me and I instantly felt the rays soak deep within. It felt like we were free from its grasp after spending so much time within her walls.  The sky had never looked so expansively blue.  Many day hikers were heading in the opposite direction.  I talked shortly with one couple about what we just did and she responded in a stern voice, "Wow, you guys are rugged"  Ya we were feeling good.

On my fridge there is a magnet that reads, do one thing a day that scares you.  I told Sam that she got a month full on this one.  We almost got in a bit over our heads with much, much, more sketchy water than expected.  I do not recommend hiking it in these conditions.  Buckskin covered all the bases.  Claustrophobia....check......heights....check.....freezing/murky/pools of death... check. .....rattlesnakes.....check.  We were both proud to complete this adventure, no matter how tough it got we still both knew that we were doing something special and consumed in the moment.  It was an otherworldly journey that we are proud and thankful to have experienced.

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