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Show Escalante Exploration Trek Plans Readied The time has finally arrived for the trek into the Rainbow land of the lower Escal-ante River; twenty influential men from upstate are . coming to join the local fellows and they will motor to Willow Tanks where the first night will bo spent, Friday, August 29th. On the 30th, the party will travel through Hurricane Gulch to a point where it joins the Coyote Gulch, thence through the colorful Coyote .Gulch to its confluence with the Escalante River. Outstanding attractions to be visited in that Gulch will be the huge Lobo Arch, Coyote. Bridge, Jug Handle Arch, and the famous Steven' Arch, the largest span in the Escalante drainage. The weird Sunset Arch will be bypassed at this time. That night camp will be made at the confluence of the Coyote Gulch and the fabulous Escalante River in the Sand Basin; here they will receive their first air-lift of supplies. On the 31st, the route will (continued on back page) Escalante Trek (continued) continue southeasterly through the fantastic Escalante River Gorge- with its giant monoliths, deep alcoves and serpent-like meanders. The camp that night will also be airlift, and will be made at a point where Willow Gulch junctions with the Escalante. The huge Broken Bow Arch of Willow Gulch will be bypassed this time. On the morning of September 1, the trail will lead on down the Escalante Canyon; a short distance down stream where the Soda Gulch meets the Escalante, a side trip will be taken into this beautiful tributary to see one of the highlights of the trek, massive Gregory Natural bridge, one of the large natural bridges of the world. Continuing on through the Escalante Cahyon, the route will by-pass the Davis Gulch, the Canyon of the Nemo, and Moqui Window NaturalArch-es, and also the place where the trail of Everett Russ ended in 1934. ' A short distance below where the Davis Gulch joins the Escalante, the route will leave the Escalante Gorge by way of the Weir Trail, and from here the trail will lead to the vicinity- of Soda Springs; here the party will exchange mounts for jeeps and journey some 5 miles southeast to the historic Hole-in-the-Rock for the camp of Sept. 1, which will be the final air-lift camp. Next day, the party will travel by motor vehicle back to Escalante, taking time out to visit Broken Bow Arch and other attractions as Side trips. That night will be spent in Escalante where a banquet will be served to the group and a number of National SUP members are expected to attend. Claron Griffin and Orland (Whitey) Porter are in charge of the banquet, and Mohr Christensen of transportation; Billie Barker will fly with the pilot to drop supplies at the camps. The wranglers, cooks and guides will be Edson Alvey, Wallace Roundy, Gail Bailey, Thur-man Spencer, Jennings Allen and Lloyd Gates. Harlan Bcment, of the State Aeronautics Commission, will fly over daily to pick up messages with a walkie-talkie set. A doctor from Salt Lake City will be among the trekkers and will be prepared with first aid' materials. The local SUP members met Sunday evening to work out the final details of the trip. Some of the local stockmen are worried, thinking that if this area becomes a State Park they will have no grazing rights, but State parks serve a duel purpose, grazing and mineral rights as well as recreation. |