Coyote Gulch

 If you relish desolation and get high on solitude, Escalante National Monument is your heaven. I car-camped at the mile 26 of Hole in the Rock road by the dried creek and a tree on Sunday night. Not a sole went by all night long. I viewed the sunset and then walked up on the creek bed in the dark all by myself. The next day I still didn't see a soul while hiking Coyote Gulch, marveled at the vastness that is Escalante all by myself, and struggled to make it back to my car all by myself.

Hole in the Rock could well be the one of the most, if not the most, scenic dirt road in America. All 42 miles of it. Soon after you turn off UT-12, the Grand Staircase plateau spreads out, seemingly endlessly. It is not unlike Eastern Sierra, but only with flat topped, horizontally stripped cliffs -- hence the name staircase -- instead of jagged granite peaks. On the opposite side of the staircase where Coyote Gulch is located is a mix of powdery red sand, igneous rocks, and sandstones, which spread out over thousands square miles.

Soon after I turned to the Hole in the Rock road, the car's front left suspension started making the most horrible creaking noise every time I hit a bump and the car gets twisted. I thought the suspension finally gave up after so many miles on the dirt road. I couldn't do more than 8 mph without triggering the noise. 42 miles at 8mph, you do the math. I called Tesla roadside assistance, and all they could offer was to tow the vehicle. The closest Tesla service station is either in Salt Lake City or in Colorado, hundreds miles away. That would cost me a fortune in towing. If I turn back now, I might gimp my way to Colorado for the service. It seemed hopeless. But then, I came all the way out here for Coyote Gulch and the prospect of giving up, yet again, wasn't palatable. It was going to be Coyote Gulch or bust. I drove 8 mph for a while and then relaxed a bit when noticed Escalante Staircase unfolding to my right. Soon, the creaking sound disappeared and I could do 15 mph! I have no idea what happened. Maybe a pebble got stuck in the suspension and then eventually dropped out from all that shaking. It still took me more than 2 hours to get to the tree at the mile 26 by the dry creek. It would be another hour to get to Moki Stairs where the Coyote Gulch hike is supposed to start.

I was so aroused by the desolate scenery, I had difficulty falling asleep. Next morning I got up well after 6AM. After the coffee and oatmeal, and some more picture taking, it was well after 7PM. I got to Moki Stairs at 9AM. No problem, I'll still have plenty of daylight to complete either 6 or 8 mile hike. I set out for the butte, the first milestone marker toward Hamlin-Jacob Arch. I waded through the powdery sand, then walked over the rocky terrain that looked like cauliflower head sprouting from the ground, and then skirted the butte. The next milestone was supposed to be the black igneous rock and it was nowhere to be found. It may have eroded and disappeared. The YouTube instruction was either wrong or was too  old. No matter, I set out to the general direction of the Hamlin-Jacob and soon found cairns showing the direction. More staircase rocks, and soon I could see the Hamlin-Jacob Arch. You can't miss it, just look for a white bat and black flying fishbone carved on the cliff. 

So the first portion of the hike was completed with relative ease. Now the fun part of roping down to the gulch, and that was done with relative ease too. 

When I got to the bottom, I went left and meandered toward the grand cavity that is Hamlin-Jacob Arch first. My aim was to find the pool that people filmed skinny dipping. After all the work of getting to the gulch, pool dipping would've been a lovely break. I walked up for about 15 minutes, and then returned upon not finding the pool.(The pool was actually at the Natural Bridge, not Hamlin-Jacob Arch). I came back to Hamlin-Jacob arch, had lunch and rested in the cool shade of the cavity for a while. 

I figured, since I've done a mile up the "wrong" direction, maybe I should do half the distance to the Natural Bridge. But I was walking at a pretty fast clip on the flat terrain following the creek. Soon I was at the half way mark and it hardly took any time. I wasn't turning back. I made it to the natural bridge, waded in the water for a while and then turned back. It was 2:45PM then and I was sure I'd get out of the gulch before 4 and make it back to the car before 6. 

My rope was still there when I got back to Jacob-Hamlin. I donned my biking glove again and tried to climb up while hanging on the rope. I was tired by then and pulling on the rope was just impossible. My heart rate went up to 180 after a few try, but I haven't made any progress. I looked up, and thought maybe I better press the SOS button. Then I found another spot that I could walk zigzag while hanging on the rope instead of pulling on it. It worked to my relief and I started make small progresses. I had to stop every 15 feet or so and rest. By the time I got to the end of the rope I was totally exhausted. And I still had another 100 feet to climb on my hands and knees to get out of the gulch.

It took me almost an hour to completely climb out of the hole. And guess what? the climb continued. In the morning I didn't notice that I was descending so much amidst marveling at the desolate scenery and clicking the shutter. Coming back, you have forced to notice. And it climbed all the way back to the butte and then some more. It only flattened out about half mile away from the water tank of Moki Stairs. 

By the time I got to the butte I was totally out of water. I took half a gallon but that apparently wasn't enough. I could've used at least another quart. I had a half left when I got out of the gulch. I figured it'll be another 2 hours and I'd be fine. It was instead another 3.5 hours. I had to stop every a few hundred feet and rest. The sun was beating down and I had no place to hide. I pulled out the space blanket, pulled it over me and naps 5-10 minutes at a time. 2 miles, stop every a few hundred feet, you do the math.

When I got back to the car, it was 7:30PM. It was 10.5 hour hike and at least 8 miles, possibly 9. Next day I was cramping all over, all day long. It took 2 days to recover, but I did not get sick. There is no doubt that I'm no longer sick with CFS. At least not while I'm traveling.