The easy descent into Willis Creek and its great narrows.
In the narrows.
Susie staying out of the water in a wide spot in the narrows.
Good view of some of the narrows.
A wide spot between narrows. Ponderosa pine dot the canyon at this elevation.
Out of Willis and down Sheep Creek. We noted lots of ATV and truck tracks, but only saw a ranger in his truck.
Here is Will, trying to figure out how to get his stove working after washing out his Svea fuel tank with water. Can you spell "water soaked wick"??
Nice canyon walls near our camp near Sheep Creek's mouth on the Paria River.
The "No ATVs" sign had been knocked down at the entrance to this lovely slot. We are really tired of the "few bad apples" argument by some ATV clubs. If they can't police their own, they need to stay completely out of these sensitive areas.
Massive amounts of ATV tracks into this cathedral-like slot. Is it any wonder that so many self-propelled recreationists have problems with off-road vehicles??
Fortunately, the ATVs can not get quite this far up into the slot. A magnificant place.
Looking up in the slot.
The next morning, a little sandy slot near the confluence of Sheep Creek and the river.
Looking back at the confluence. Note the appearance of the red layer of Navajo sandstone. Very dramatic.
Susie captured this dramatic photo showing the interface between the white and red layers down canyon.
The famous Crack Spring was running like a fire hose.
Bird tracks in the mud near Crack Spring camp.
We were disappointed to learn that even horse-people are littering this lovely canyon. Across from Crack Spring, we found several plastic bags of what appear to have been used to carry horse feed littering the site.
One of the many empty bags we saw. Clearly, the group that left these have no sense of reverence for this land, and forgot the addage: Pack it in, pack it out.
Water in the Paria was running clear and strong. This is a view up canyon from near the mouth of Deer Creek.
Some of the many pictographs in Deer Creek Canyon.
Ron looks at some pictographs, one of which some idiot had tried to hack out of the canyon wall years and years ago.
A nice view up Deer Creek canyon on a lazy afternoon.
Susie captured this lovely desert varnish patterns in the overhanging rock.
Another Deer Creek Canyon view.
How the land changes: 14 years ago, there was a lovely emerald pool at the base of this blocking pour-off in Deer Creek. http://www.twohikers.org/CanyonCountry/Paria94/Paria94_day4.htm
The next morning, we start up the old CCC trail to begin what turned out to be an 11.5 mile traverse of the plateau which separates Paria from Hackberry canyons. Total climbing: 2300 feet (according to a GPS track). Total time under pack: exactly 12 hours.
Susie captured this shot of me on the climb. If one is climbing in a windshirt, gloves and a fleece hat, you KNOW it is cold.
Continuing the climb around the point beyond the end of the CCC trail.
Reconnoitering yet another draw to either bypass or descend.
Yep, we gotta make it to the base of those cliffs in the distance before we can even start to think about climbing down.
Once past the saddle, Cottonwood Butte becomes visible, but we still have many miles to go.
Descending a nice piece of slickrock.
The final descent into Hackberry on the Upper Trail by waning light.
The cow trail is easy to follow.
The final drop. Walk carefully.
Next day in Stone Donkey Canyon, the spring at the base of this pour-off has been covered with a foot of sand. It is now just a seep.
The floor of this pour-off base was much lower 14 years ago.
Nice Paintbrush in Stone Donkey.
Sand had filled in a lot of this little slot in Stone Donkey.
Just near the point where the water stops flowing in Hackberry.
Heading up "stream" in Hackberry, above the point where the water runs out. We carried all the water we would need for more than 24 hours. Thankfully, it was cool.
Spectacular canyon walls as we are in the white Navajo layer.
Pushing on in the afternoon, hoping that studying aerial photos pays off and that we can find a flat place to camp.
Success! A nice, albeit sandy and well used, campsite just near the mouth of Round Valley Draw.
Nice spire in the upper part of Hackberry.
Anatomically correct petroglyph on a rock fall the last morning, as we hike out of Hackberry.
The canyon walls begin to recede.
