Day 20 – 4/2/16
21.0 map / 24.5 GPS miles
293.5 / 308.9 miles total
By Hayduke standards, it was an easy day. 21 map miles and we had 3 long breaks!
We finished walking out Swap Canyon, entering Capitol Reef National Park at the end. We picked up the popular tourist dirt road, the Burr Trail and climbed its famous switchbacks, reaching the Lower Muley Twist trailhead and our cache at the top.
We finally got to dump our snowshoes! But only to pick up even heavier packrafts and a 4 day supply of food. Ugh, so heavy.
The Lower Muley Twist canyon was a nice walk, meandering along around one huge wall to another. It was nice scenery and also a nice mental break, not really having to pay attention, just funneled along through the canyon. But it was also sandy uneven footing most of the day, so that was still tiring.
We stopped late in the afternoon at some potholes to tank up on water. (~18 miles to the next reliable source). The puddle was even big enough for Bubs to find the leak in her sleeping pad! (I believe the problem with mine a few nights ago was actually a frozen air valve. It’s been ok since *knock on wood*).
Tonight will be our last night camping with Joey for the time being. Two miles into tomorrow he’ll be splitting off to take an alternate route.
We have been to Capital Reef. You have shown us much more. Wonderful.
Awesome photos. Really liked the canyon wall that appears to be dripping.
You pic looks like the middle, or more probably highest of the 3 Muley Tanks. Either way, it’s drier than when Fireweed and I were there last spring.
“Just after” Muley Tanks, as I recall, was an unmapped, unexpected tinaja. Did you find it? Fireweed and I were walking thru a jumbled area trying to stay on the track, again as I recall, and ran right into it. She sent the waypoint to Li Brannfors months ago, but I don’t know if he put it into his HT stuff on Dropbox.
I am so enjoying your adventure. The pictures are fantastic. I found your blog because I follow Carrot Quinn.