Author: Jim, Sagebrush

HDT 2022 Day 7, April 7, Thursday
Start S3 mile 36.9
End S3 mile 49.2 along Dark Canyon
Miles walked: 12.3 ! 

The night was particularly cold, and my water froze. Fortunately I was sleeping with my water filter, or it would have been ruined.

Climbing out of Fable Canyon still left a few high drop-offs to find a way around.

Getting to the top of the plateau and going a bit, the route reaches Youngs Canyon. Soon a giant drop-off appears, and the trail around was hard for me to find. Several user trails were going to wrong places.

HDT 2022 Day 6, April 6, Wednesday
Start S3 mile 20 Butler Wash BLM boundary
End S3 mile 36.9
Miles walked: 16.9

Climbing out of a pour-off in Butler Wash, Seldom Seen Arch appears, which the hiker must climb through.

A scramble up a rocky cliff is necessary to descend into Beef Basin. Which route would you choose?

HDT 2022 Day 5, April 5, Tuesday
Start S2 mile 43.7 dirt road in Canyonlands, just over BLM boundary
End S3 mile 20 Butler Wash 
Miles walked: 23.1

I see footsteps at my remote campsite, so another HDT hiker also looked at the map and saw this tiny corner of BLM land where camping is allowed.

To make sure I am out of the Park by end of day, since I do not have a back-country permit, I wake up early and night-hike on dirt road, and enter Little Spring Canyon.

Along the park road is Big Spring Canyon Overlook and trailhead. This would be a good location for a food cache, but the park service does not allow caches on park land. But my pack is heavier today…

The HDT route uses the Confluence Loop Trail leaving from the overlook. It is pleasant to be on designed trail, marked with small cairns.