Harris to Escalante to Silver Falls Creek<\/p>\n
After passing through some fine narrow streches in Harris, we could see a castle-like tower. This tower, shown on the topo map, stood just above some benches on the Escalante, so we knew we were close. By a raven’s route, we were close, but we had to nearly circumnavigate the great tower in the last meander of Harris Wash before we reached the river. Late in the afternoon we reached a fine camp full of blue Pepsisewa flowers. It was time to sit back and toast our arrival with a jigger of Bowmore (Reed’s gift), AAdamx?x Islay (Chuck’s gift), or Irish Whiskey (my gift). Our plans for the next day developed: Tomorrow would be a rest day. We’d cross the Escalante and hike across to Silver Falls Creek and hike the canyon there with just day packs on.<\/p>\n
It rained all night–about an inch–but the downpour stopped about 9 am, late enough to make us worried that we’d have to cook breakfast in the rain. Our tents didn’t leak, but my boots were full of water when I finally got out to look where I had hung them to dry overnight. But after a fine oatmeal breakfast (all breakfasts are fine when you’re starving hungry), we got out for the day’s hike by the crack of 11 am. We’d ford the Escalante and search downstream for a side-canyon shown on our map.<\/p>\n
The canyon containing Silver Falls Creek turned out to be a beautiful one with walls peppered with old little huecos and small arches. (None were bigger than a foot or so high, so don’t mistake them to be bigger than that in the slides.) The creek ran thin and silvery under overhanging redwalls. We didn’t have time to explore the upper reaches of the canyon, but we found from the map that it’s possible to hike down from the opposite rim. Someday we’ll have to do that.<\/p>\n
My words can’t do justice to the canyon. Let my pictures<\/a> speak!<\/p>\n –rakkity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Harris to Escalante to Silver Falls Creek After passing through some fine narrow streches in Harris, we could see a castle-like tower. This tower, shown on the topo map, stood just above some benches on the Escalante, so we knew … Continue reading