Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument 2011

[DaveK]

Our trip this year will focus mostly on the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah. An exact itinerary has not been set at this point but it will be about 12-14 days in length and will take place somewhere at the end of April and beginning of May. To the extent possible, we will keep the dates a wee bit flexible so as to avoid particularly bad weather. I will be posting an itinerary shortly.

The GSE borders Lake Powell and for a day or two, we will be staying on or very near the lake in some of the more remote locations.

Although it is unlikely that we will be able to do it, I would like to spend a couple of days at Kelly point in the Parashant. We'll see.

The GSE is one of the most visually intriguing wilderness areas in the US. For those making the trip, my first piece of advice is to bring a few extra high capacity SD cards. You’ll need ‘em!

This is from the BLM website, (http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/grand_st ... lante.html)

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument's vast and austere landscape embraces a spectacular array of scientific and historic resources. This high, rugged, and remote region, where bold plateaus and multi-hued cliffs run for distances that defy human perspective, was the last place in the continental United States to be mapped.
Even today, this unspoiled natural area remains a frontier, a quality that greatly enhances the Monument's value for scientific study. The Monument has a long and dignified human history: it is a place where one can see how nature shapes human endeavors in the American West, where distance and aridity have pitted against our dreams and courage.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument spans nearly 1.9 million acres of America's public lands. From its spectacular Grand Staircase of cliffs and terraces, across the rugged Kaiparowits Plateau, to the wonders of the Escalante River Canyons, the Monument's size, resources, and remote character provide extraordinary opportunities for geologists, paleontologists, archeologists, historians, and biologists in scientific research, education, and exploration.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument covers 1.9 million acres of public lands in southern Utah, with over 900 miles of routes available for vehicle travel. Off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are restricted to certain designated roads in the Monument. Dirt roads in the Monument range from moderately rough to challenging.

This will be a vehicle based trip, but there will be some hiking to the more interesting places.

I have listed several publications and maps below which have have been very helpful in getting information on the GSE. Although they are not complete, they are an excellent start and I would recommend them if you are interested in attending. All are available on line through Amazon.

Here are some pictures of the GSE from the BLM website:

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2011 GSE007-1.jpg (88.32 KiB) Viewed 6259 times

The books and maps:

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2011 GSE003 (Large).jpg (59.96 KiB) Viewed 6259 times

2011 GSE001 (Large).jpg (55.38 KiB) Viewed 6259 times

Suggested reading

1. Geology of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Utah - http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/ ... 0GSENM.pdf

[unwiredadventures]

An exact itinerary has not been set at this point but it will be about 12-14 days in length and will take place somewhere at the end of April and beginning of May. To the extent possible, we will keep the dates a wee bit flexible so as to avoid particularly bad weather. I will be posting an itinerary shortly.

Sign me up!

[michael]

This area is on my list for 2011 so the timing of this trip is perfect! Count me in!

[DaveK]

Thanks for the interest. I have a couple of additional details to work out and I will post a sign-up later this week. Stay tuned.

[traveltoad]

Hmmmm... interest high.... free time low... I will watch to see the final dates to see if we can make it.

[cruiserlarry]

Looks like an amazing trip - I only wish I could take 2 weeks off from my business and family to be there....maybe I'll hit the lottery by then...
(I guess I'll have to play first )

[smslavin]

I'm also very interested. We're currently in the area at Bryce on our way back from CO. First time here in the snow and it's epic. Keep me posted on dates. We're moving to CO at the end of the month and GSE will be a 1 day drive from where we'll be living. Very tempting.