The Peekaboo-Spooky Challenge

Arrrrrrgh!

We left Capitol Reef early on Saturday, 5/13, in hopes of beating the weather. We planned for a stop in Boulder, UT for brunch at a fantastic little farm-to-table restaurant called Hell’s Backbone Grill. The place had been recommended by at least three different folks and did not disappoint. Although, given the weather it might not have been our brightest move – little did we know what lay ahead. Note to self: do not attempt Hwy 12 from Capitol Reef to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument if there is any chance of high winds.

While a steady side-wind is a pain, sudden violent gusts where you end up momentarily in the oncoming lane are far more difficult (and scary!) to deal with.  Add to that, a portion of Hwy 12 we were traversing is called the Hogsback – a narrow, 2-lane road with no shoulder that runs along the top of a ridge with steep drop offs on both sides. Oh, and in case that wasn’t enough, let’s throw in some road construction so we get to dodge miles of traffic cones. To say this wasn’t a fun drive would be a bit of an understatement. Lol.

Hwy 12 is considered one of Utah's most scenic drives.
Maybe so if I didn't have a death grip on my armrest. Lol.

Our game plan was to boondock just inside the national monument just off Hole in the Rock Road. Grand Staircase-Escalante was designated a national monument in 1996, the first one to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Under the BLM the rules are a little different and free camping in designated areas is still allowed, along with free range cattle grazing within the boundaries. Careful of those cow plops! Many of the trails are well mined. Lol. 

We were so thrilled at the prospect of getting off the road and out of the wind, that we neglected our normal practice of unhitching the mule and scouting our boondocking spot before taking the RV off-road. Hey, it worked out great last time at Temple Mountain. Note to self: take the time to do it right. We started down Hole in the Rock Road and saw several boondocking spots – all full. As we continued down the dirt road, it became narrower and obviously less well trafficked. There was nowhere to turn around and then the narrow dirt track wound out of sight so we couldn’t see what was ahead. Oops. Insert a few choice curse words here. We finally spotted a site we could squeeze into and unhitched the CRV. The winds were still howling and the site was too exposed with dust blowing everywhere. We decided to scout in the mule, hey better late than never! We found a better site in a grassy area (less dust!) and after much maneuvering finally got the coach settled in. Whew! What a stressful day and it was only half over! Lol.

After lunch and some time to chill, we went over to the visitor’s center. We’d heard about a great slot canyon hike in Zebra Canyon and wanted to ask the rangers where to find it. We were informed that Zebra Canyon had neck-deep water in places. Yeah, think we’ll save that for next time. Lol. The ranger did tell us about another slot canyon loop hike (Peekaboo and Spooky Canyons) that was difficult, but doable. She kept looking at us and stressing the difficult part. Well, Ms. Oblivious did not pick up on the cues. Hey, we’d just done Little Wild Horse Canyon and had a blast. Note to self: All slot canyon hikes are not created equal. But we’ll get to that in a minute. 

I found him outside the Visitor's Center. Can I take him home, pleeeeeeeease?? 

Sunday morning we set out on our adventure. Hole in the Rock Road is a “natural surface” road (read that bumpy dirt, gravel, rock, and washboard) that extends for 55 miles into Grand Staircase-Escalante. The turnoff for our slot canyon hike was at mile 26, but we had a few stops to make along the way. First stop – Devil’s Garden. Sort of a smaller version of Goblin Valley, but still a lot of fun.

Sculptured arch in Devil's Garden.

Don't lean too hard on it! Lol.

Balancing act!

Fun playground.

Second stop – Twenty Mile Wash Dinosaur Track Site. Woohoo! Talk about a well kept secret, the turnoff to the tracks was unmarked and if we hadn’t run into a couple who told us how to find them, we’d still be looking. Lol. The tracks were at the top of a slickrock bluff and, although not as distinct or numerous as the tracks at the Dinosaur Stomping Grounds, it was still so cool to see them.

More dinosaur tracks!

Third and final stop – The Peekaboo and Spooky Trailhead. The ranger had given us a handout with the usual cautions and a brief trail description. “Peekaboo Gulch presents a fun though challenging slot requiring a 12 foot climb to gain entry… If you decide your group does not have the agility to explore this canyon head downstream one half mile to the mouth of Spooky Gulch. Only 10 inches wide at some points, Spooky is appropriately named. It is possible to travel almost halfway through before the first of two climbs, so go ahead and squeeze through as far as you dare.”  Other than the 12-foot climb to access Peekaboo, that doesn’t sound too bad. Guess I should have paid more attention to the line that read, “Do not underestimate these slot canyons. This is a strenuous hike.”  Lol.

On the way down to Peekaboo, we chatted with an older gentleman in his mid-70’s who had been mountaineering for over 45 years. No longer able to tackle the mountains, he was trying his hand at canyoneering. He and a friend were also going to try Peekaboo/Spooky and the helmets, gloves and other protective gear should have been a clue.   

We arrived at the entrance about the same time as a small herd of college-aged guys and another couple a little older than us. We watched the guys scramble up the 12-foot wall. While there were some toe/hand holds, most of them required help up and a few barely made it. This doesn’t look good. The older couple, Lisa and Mike were also observing. I was waffling, when Lisa said she hated to chicken out and that if I’d try it, so would she. Peer pressure is a terrible thing. Lol. 

Rog went up first and one of the college guys gave him a hand. I was next. I’m telling you, if Rog wanted my life insurance money he missed a perfect opportunity. Without his help, I’d never had made it. Once I was up, Lisa came next and then Mike. Rog gave them both a hand too. With that out of the way, I thought the worst was over. Hahahahahahahahah!

The 12 foot climb to Peekaboo's entrance.

The next hundred yards or so was one crazy obstacle after another. We climbed over boulders, squeezed through narrow openings, scrambled up sheer crevices. With the specter of that 12-foot drop behind us, there was no turning back! After a while things got a little less nuts and we could enjoy the beautiful slot canyon. I didn’t get pictures of many of the more challenging spots, I needed both hands and both feet and all my attention to get through!

This was the easy part! :)

Rog in the lead and ready to lend a hand.

Squeezing through. Glad I skipped lunch. :)

Just love navigating the twisty turns.

Tunnel of love. Lol.

Stopped to chat with one of the locals. :)

After exiting Peekaboo, there was a short hike to the entrance of Spooky. Thank heaven for the hiking app that Rog uses or we’d have totally missed the trail. Actually we did miss it, but he consulted the oracle and we didn’t get too far off track before correcting course. Lol. 

I was looking forward to Spooky, thinking that all we’d have to contend with was narrow. Hahahahahahahahah!  Will I ever learn? Right at the beginning was a short scramble down over some boulders. Rog went first, then me. Lisa, being nice, let another young couple go ahead. It was a snug fit, but they were able to get past me without a problem. A little further into the canyon, I could hear Rog telling them there was no way there was room to pass. Uh oh.  Lisa and Mike made it down and then the fun began. The canyon quickly narrowed so that we had to take off our backpacks and turn sideways to get through. Mike was a bit bigger than us and he really struggled in a few places. I even had to take my little compact camera off my belt, because it kept snagging on the walls. Talk about tight!

Down we go, into Spooky!

It got tight fast! We had to take off the backpacks and shuffle sideways.

Skirting a choke stone, image the flood that lodged that behemoth in the canyon.

It was really a hoot until we came to the first big drop. A series of boulders (choke stones) were wedged in the narrow slot. It was a little wider here, so there was room to climb over the first one and then you had to go under the next one which meant a 6-foot drop to the rock-strewn floor. Not happy. Rog went down first to help the rest of us. Seeing a pattern here? He ended up in full on Boy Scout mode, helping us and then a family with four kids. At one point, he bent over so Lisa could use him as a stepping stone to descend and then one of the kids got stuck and literally climbed him like a tree to get down. Lol.

This was the tough spot. First over, then under, and then a 6 foot drop.  :(

But awesome areas like this make it all worthwhile.\!

One of the rare large "rooms" in Spooky - beautiful!

Neither of the slot canyons were that long, about a half mile or so each. But they sure felt longer! Lol.  It was quite the team-building exercise and I have the bruises and rock scuffs to prove it. It was exhausting and so much fun!! Rog said it’s probably the most fun he’s seen me have on a hike. Fun, or just happy to have survived?? Maybe a little of both. Lol.

After a hot shower, we made our way back down Hwy 12 to Boulder for an excellent dinner at Hell’s Backbone Grill. A much more pleasant drive in the CRV! There were “Save the Grand Staircase” signs at the restaurant and around town supporting the national monument. Grand Staircase-Escalante is on the “hit list” for the current administration’s review. I am so grateful we have a system of national parks and monuments that preserve these incredible natural, cultural, and historical places. It is so frustrating to know that they may not be here for future generations to enjoy. I fervently hope its designation is not revoked. These are places worth fighting for.  

Scenic Hwy 12 runs through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
Public lands are an amazing legacy we must preserve.  

With only two days here, we’ve barely scratched the surface. But, yet another cold front is moving in and we want to have a few days at Bryce Canyon National Park before it hits.