Canyonlands N.P/Needles District (Part 1)

Please read the FULL event description, and review the details before signing up.

About
Canyonlands National Park is to depth, what the Himalayan mountains are to the heights. These deep, colorful and varied canyons are spectacular!

This car camping trip features some of the more outstanding canyons in the Needles District, including the Confluence of the Colorado & Green rivers above Cataract Canyon.

Ultimately, on our confluence hike for this weekend, we will be dipping our toes into the Colorado river itself!

The Colorado plateau is one of the most outstanding geological physical features on planet earth. It contains tens of thousands of picturesque slot canyons. It is clearly visible from space!

Arguably, the Confluence overlook is one of the top 10 'must see' views, in all of Utah.
This trip is not one to miss...!

This trip includes hikes that are moderate to difficult, with some possible route finding and scrambling.
Less ambitious attendees may turn around if they choose to do so at any point, on these hikes.
Thus... this trip is open to hikers of all abilities.

Details
Some carpooling on this trip may be necessary to get to tailheads. Four wheel drive or higher clearance SUVs are helpful, but not required. If you have to work and know you'll be arriving late Friday, please inform me of that by text, or in meetup messages, as I will have to coordinate arrival times and camping location with you. (Camp location made known to paid attendees only).

Signup:
RSVP's are open to those interested in attending. Those signing up are expected to communicate and follow directions found below. If you have any issues or questions, please text (801) 671-1605. This trip is open to 18+ and 14-18 who like hiking and are accompanied by an adult. The cap for this trip is 20 attendees.

Priority is given to those that communicate via text. Send meetup message to give or get text number. One-fourth of the 'going' slots will be reserved for first-timers, until two weeks from beginning of trip. Then all remaining slots will be open to waitlisted folks. If possible, we would like to achieve a more balanced gender ratio on this trip, so women do not feel intimidated from participating.

A $40 deposit is required for this trip (to cover trip and meetup costs). Until this fee is paid, you will remain on the waitlist (standby) list. $25 is refundable, if you cancel before the trip start. No shows can request a $15 refund.

New participants only (because the others have already registered)
Signup and answer questions at the following link:

https://ssl2work.com/clarkwork.com/campInfo.php?p=cal&id=42

If you are having trouble for any reason, please contact Wade or Bill and they can help get you added. The following is needed:

First Name
Last Name
Preferred Name
Email
Phone Number
Emergency Contact Name
Emergency Contact Phone Number

General overview
we will be doing either dispersed camping, or camp in a BLM campground. Wade will scout and procure a campsite on the Thursday beforehand .

Wade will be leading this trip... as well as others, as deemed necessary. However, as with all successful events, this trip's success depends on a group effort.

All participants are responsible for their own camp gear, supplies, food and drinks for the trip. Bringing 1-2 gallons of water per person per day is recommended. No water is available at campsite.

If you have Venmo, just send $40 to @William-Clark-409 and specify the date and event you wish to attend. (Link to QR Code http://clarkwork.ssl2work.com/campInfo.php?p=qr). If you do not have Venmo, arrange payment with any of the event organizers in person. You are not signed up until payment is received.

Itinerary:
We will meet at 5pm, Friday evening (October 17th) at Lyon's park,
by the Colorado bridge, just north of the Moab town center.

We will then top off gastanks and proceed to our campsite, where we will setup camp (approx 1 1/2 hr drive south of Moab). Camp made known to attendees only.

Late arrivers will be
able to find camp by description and pin,
via group text.

Be sure to bring your National Parks passes to avoid NPS admittance fees.

Saturday, October 18th...
8am departure for Cave Spring/Salt Creek trailhead for 10-15 mile exploratory through-hike, with vehicle shuttle.

This hike will be held in conjunction with Ed's Facebook exploratory hiking group, 'Swell Hikers.'
Ed's 'regulars' are a
very experienced and extremely capable hiking group. It will be a priveledge to join them for our Saturday hike.

We will meet Ed's group and hike 3 routes: 1) a relatively flat sandy route to Paul Bunyan's Potty, a spectacular skylight arch near the mouth of Horseshoe canyon.

We will then proceed to Peekaboo Springs pictographs, window and towers on the Salt Creek trail about 5 miles, with 2) an option to bridge the routes with an ascent of Anchor Arch 2, which would add around 4 more miles climbing, up and over to an unnamed wash enroute to Peekaboo.

From Peekaboo,
we will follow 3) the 5 mile established cairned trail to Lost Canyon,
and exit to our shuttle vehicles at the Needles Campground trailhead, ascending the overlooking rim on ladders, through windows, while offering a number of additional opportunities to explore new features, pinnacles, narrows and joints from a clever, circuitous rim route on slikrock benches.

We should be able to complete these routes in a maximum of 7.5 hours, then return to camp taking in any sites along the way.

Sunday, October 19th...
8am departure to upper Salt Creek trailhead. From this trailhead, we will do an out and back hike to the All-American man and 4 Faces pictographs, including side/exploration hikes.
There are graneries and rock art panels all along the way.

This will be a 10-15 mile hike, with little elevation gain.

Depending on side hikes, this hike should total around 7 hours,
at the most.

Monday, October 20th...
8 am departure.
Elephant Hill trailhead...
Confluence/Confluence overlook trail.

Hike to overlook,
with optional hike to the river... around 10 miles and 1600 feet elevation gain, (depending if you hike to the river... to be updated). About 7 hours total for full hike...

After this hike,
depart for home...
caravaning for safety, where possible.

Lastly... We are committed to making this an event where all attendees are safe, comfortable and made to feel welcome, regardless of gender, race, political or religious affiliation, or inclinations. Occasional respectful conversation about diverse, or even controversial subjects is not discouraged, provided it is respectful and courteous. Vulgar, rude or disrespectful conversation or behavior, will not be tolerated. Our ultimate objective... is to make this an epic, enjoyable, enlightening, and rewarding trip, shared by friends that love participating in the outdoors together.

Attendees that have intel, knowledge, ideas or talents that they feel would help make this a more rewarding and epic adventure, are encouraged to bring such, to the organizers' attention.

This trip requires a communal effort for success.
So please pitch in to make this an epic trip...!

Frequently Asked Questions:
http://clarkwork.ssl2work.com/campInfo.php?p=faq

Disclaimers:
http://clarkwork.ssl2work.com/campInfo.php?p=dis
If you do not have access to the links above, please contact an organizer and request the information.