Westward 2013 (5/2: Wire Pass, Buckskin Gulch, and a mystery hike)

Today was our first round of hikes.  We first stopped at the Ranger Station to enter the lottery once again for a pass into The Wave - one of the most famous places in the US,  There are only 10 spots open each day and today there were 109 people entered in the lottery.  Of course we didn't make it but we will try again tomorrow.  Instead we were able to get passes into Coyote Buttes South for tomorrow.

We did end up returning to one of our favorite places (Jeff and Linda had not been before).  Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch are some of the prettiest slot canyons around.  There were some parts that were passable although very wet.  We were able to traverse over some well placed rocks.  We finally got to a place that we would have had to wade through about a foot of icy cold water and we decided that none of us really wanted our arthritis to act up.  The whole hike still took over 2 hours.

We then went to the Paria Canyon Ranger Station to find out about a little known hike to a curl in the rocks that will have to be left un-named.  They don't like too many people walking back to it because the rock is very delicate they want to preserve it.  They only tell you how to find it if you know to ask for it.

The area along House Rock Valley Road on the way back to Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch is so beautiful.

The first part of the hike is through Wire Pass.  The walls are all sandstone and the color is incredible.  

These pictures do not do it justice.

Inside of Buckskin Gulch is very rocky and hazardous.  

Here is Linda carefully crossing one of the water hazards.  

To the right is Vaughan's head - complete with movie camera strapped to it.

Another cool formation along the road.

This is taken inside the curl of the secret area.  

There is a short nearly vertical climb in front of him up through a funnel-like sandstone formation.

This is taken from the top of the funnel.

We had a tired drive back to the RV but the day was well worth it.