High Adventure 2012 - Escalante

Looking down the Hole in the Rock

This year for High Adventure we went down to the Escalante Utah area.  Last year we learned about the Hole in the Rock Pioneers (Click HERE for more info on the pioneers), and were able to hike up the San Juan Hill.  This year we decided to go down to the actual Hole in the Rock carved out by the Pioneers to get down to the Colorado River.  They had walked for miles in search of a place where they could get down the cliffs surrounding the Colorado River to cross it, and had only found a crack, barely wide enough for wagons that dropped over 2,000 feet to the river!  They spent weeks blasting and chiseling out a path down the crack before they started taking their wagons down.  Coming from an Engineer, it was an Engineering Marvel!

Just to get down to the hole in the rock you have to drive 60 miles down a dirt road (4x4 is suggested, you may be able to make it in 2 wheel drive, but you'd have to be careful).  We stopped off at Devils Garden to let the boys (and adults) climb around and explore - it was a blast! Then we stopped at Dance Hall Rock for lunch.  That's where the Pioneers held dances to relieve their stress and relax a little on their journey.

Dance Hall Rock

The actual Hole in the Rock was a challenge because of the heat (it was in the upper 90's the day we did it). We were climbing down the crack, going over and around boulders with Lake Powell in view at the bottom. Our boy with Spina Bifida did this hike as well, and since it wasn't safe to take him in the Scout Carrier that was created to carry him around, he had to hike it on his own feet this time.  It was a challenge for him, but it was awesome to see his fellow scouts helping him all along the way and making sure he could make it.

Once we got to the bottom we of course jumped in Lake Powell, but wished it was a high mountain lake instead.  Lake Powell is very warm water!  We were searching for the cold spots in the lake to cool off.  It was refreshing, but it would have been so much better if the water was 10-20 degrees cooler!

Then we had the hike back up.  Again, it was challenging, and it was hot, but it was a little nicer since we started off wet (though that really only lasted the first 1/3 of the climb).

We also did two non-technical canyons on the trip, Spooky and Peek-a-boo canyons.  They're right next to each other (about 26 miles back down that Hole in the Rock dirt road), so we hiked up Peek-a-boo and back down Spooky.  They were really pretty canyons, with lots of cool formations!  Spooky was really narrow too, so that was fun!

Another day we did Lower and Upper Calf Creek Falls.  Lower Calf Creek Falls requires a 3.5 mile each way hike through sand.  It was a challenge, but it was so worth it when we got to the falls!  The water is so cold you can't stay in it long, but it was so refreshing!

Lower Calf Creek Falls

Upper Calf Creek Falls is more like 1.5 miles each way but involves more elevation change.  Both were so refreshing to jump into and swim around!  On each of these we used our scout carrier and took turns carrying to make sure we all made it.

We camped the whole time up at Posy Lake, which is 17 miles north of Escalante, up at 8,000 feet in elevation.  We didn't want to be stuck trying to sleep in 90 degree weather, so we opted to drive the extra distance in order to get a good nights sleep. It was worth it!

Little Sahara Sand Dunes Campout

So for April we drove down to Little Sahara Sand Dunes for our monthly campout.  We planned to play capture the flag, explore the dunes and experience an 800 foot tall sand hill!

Unfortunately during this trip we saw how dependent our scouts are on us - and we've facilitated the whole dependency!  Our older scouts were so willing to help in whatever needed to be done, that the younger ones have gotten used to not needing to help.  Now that the older scouts are moving on, we're going with just the younger ones that aren't used to helping out in the kitchen and such.  We try and try to get them to help out in the kitchen but they're lazy!  I need to clarify that not all of them are, but a good majority are.  One of the boys we asked to wash dishes after dinner (just one pot and a ladle) didn't know what to do.  He said that it's his sisters job to do the dishes at home, so he's never done it!  I had to show him exactly what to do in order to get it done!  We had to hound the boys to work together to get their tents set up and taken down.

So we've decided to do things a little differently next time - the way it should be done.  We're going to let them plan out the meals, and the cooking and cleaning schedule - and post it so all know what their jobs are.  We're not going to hound them about setting up their tents - if they don't get them set up they will just have to sleep under the stars.  We'll be available for consultation, but will let them run the show.  I've gotten into the habit of planning out the activities and such, and end up doing the kitchen stuff so that we will have time for the activities.  Next time I'll let them plan it all out and if we don't have time for the activities that's just too bad.

Wish me luck.

Gravel Pit Camping

So, we didn't plan on staying in a gravel pit, we planned on going to Little Sahara Sand Dunes.  But when the day came, and the forecast was for 40-60 mph winds out at the dunes, we decided we didn't really want to get sand blasted the whole time.  So we went to scrambled last minute and decided on Stansbury Island in the Great Salt Lake.

We drove around for over an hour trying to find a place where the wind would be blocked by part of the island, but the best we could find was a spot in the gravel pits on the south end of the island.  It was still pretty windy, but at least it wasn't blowing sand around like it would have been at the dunes.  Unfortunately with the change so late in the game we didn't have the best plans for activities.  The boys favorite pastime at the gravel pit was throwing rocks at the gravel wall, trying to make bigger rocks fall down.  I wasn't prepared with much more.  We did play capture the flag out there, but that was half hearted since you had to be careful and not trip on all the rocks.

The boys did get another night camping to go towards their camping nights, and boy did they earn it!  The wind picked up quite a bit at night and blew the tents all night long!  None of us slept very well, or very long.  It seemed like, just as I was starting to fall asleep again another big gust would come along and wake me up again. It was a long night, but a good experience for all.