Latest Rave: A Canyoneering Journal: Mid-March 2001

 

Upper Spooky and Brimstone

 
How should we start our week in the Escalante-Dominguez? While the lower Dryforks of Coyote Gulch (Peekaboo, Spooky and Brimstone) are one of the most visited spots in the area, the upper sections of these same canyons have escaped common noteriety. So we pulled out our Steve Allen #3 book and drove out the Cat's Pasture / Early Weed Bench road and set up to drop into upper Brimstone.
 

The head of Brimstone is a complex maze of slots and buttresses. Steve's directions are good as usual, and we soon find ourselves climbing down into the slot.

Upper Brimstone is remarkable - perhaps the longest section of sideways-dragging-the-pack narrows I've ever been in. Here's a few pics from in there, but of course, pictures are only taken where it is light, meaning where it is wide. Be sure to wear long sleeves and long pants, and gloves are really useful too. Carry as little gear as possible. Recently, I've found it useful to wear a stout belt and drag the pack behind using 3 slings - a Mae West Bunny Strap.

And more narrows...

And more narrows... Eventually, we pop out into the open air again, and soon come to a short drop. Since we were not prepared to continue down the very difficult Middle Brimstone, we backed up a few hundred yards, and found an exit to canyon right, then traversed across the slickrock to the Spooky drainage. Dropping into Spooky near a 3 way intersection, we decided to explore the interesting side slot, codename "Spanky".

An interesting slot, with huge walls on both sides.

Eventually, Spanky narrows to a slot with a pool in the bottom. Since we did not want to get wet, and time was running short, we turned around thinking perhaps we could drop into this slot from the top, on the morrow.

Next - Upper Coyote Dryforks, Part II Back to Escalante-Dominguez March Index