11.5 miles, slow with some challenges

We started out walking up Indian Creek at a good pace, jumping across several times. The morning was cool in the shade of the canyon walls and we soaked it all in, knowing we’d be sweating within a couple of hours.

Soon we climbed up out of Indian Creek canyon, removing our packs a few times to climb over ledges. Soon we were up out of the canyon and on top of the world, navigating from one “chocolate layer cake formation” to another, staying up high. In any direction we looked there was no sign of humans, it was as if we were the only people to walk here. Except for footprints of the one Hayduke hiker to come through a month before us–Haydude, as we call him.

We had received an email back in Moab from our friend Candy, who said she might join us in Canyonlands for a night. Our schedule had us at Squaw Flat campground so when we came up to the Canyonlands road we went off-route to head to the campground. Just as we got to the road a ranger came by in her truck.

She turned on her official flashing lights and stopped. First she asked if we were hiking the Hayduke (no hello) and then whether we had a backcountry permit. Yes to both, except the permit was at the visitor’s center since they won’t mail them out, but it’s OK, we just entered the park today. It was as if she distrusted and suspected us of something right away. But then she offered us a ride to the campground turnoff, which was really nice, though first we had to put all knives amd firearms in the back of the truck. (!)

During the brief ride we heard complaints about the Hayduke route and its hikers–unprepared, tromping th criptobiotic soil, etc.. While the ranger was friendly to us, I felt as if we had to prove somehow that we knew what we were doing and that we weren’t doing anything wrong out there. It was not the kind of reception we’re used to getting on our trips.

When we got to the campground we looked around for Candy and soon she came driving up, (Yay! It’s Candy!) and scooped us off to the campground at the Needles Outpost where our re-supply package was waiting–so thoughtful! Then she took us to a camp spot she had reserved, and soon she was feeding us yummy snacks while cooking us dinner. What a friend! We enjoyed gabbing and getting caught up with each other.

TRAIL NOTES:
There was water in the canyon after lower jump. At mile 45.6 when turning up Little Spring Canyon, stay up on the ledge for a while. Drop down into the canyon at a snag marked with a cairn. There’s a big pour-off at about mile 46 to navigate, go up around the left. Squaw Flat campground fills by 10:30 starting mid-March, so leave the route early and head to the Needles Outpost by the dirt road on the topo map. Get your re-supply there and move to Squaw Flat the next morning if you’re taking a rest day.