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Buckskin Gulch & Paria Canyon Trip
Report
October 22-24, 1999
 Six
of us started out of town around 6:15 a.m. Friday. We had three 4-wheel
drive vehicles, two in each truck: myself and Steve Allan; Angela Lien and
her friend Dan; and Jeannie and Tom Van Lew. We got to the White House
Ranger Station/campground around 12:30, set up camp, and set off in the
two 4-Runners to find "Cobra Arch". Taking what we thought was
the better of two roads shown on the map; we quickly were in the middle of
a hairy "4-wheeling" adventure to the top of the mesa. I was SO
glad Tom offered to drive my truck. I had been thinking about asking if
someone with more experience would want to take over since I was getting
very white knuckled and it was not fun at this point! Once on top of the
mesa the road was MUCH better. We realized the other road the author took,
as described, was probably the "best" road since it was
obviously much used and the one we had taken obviously wasn’t. We found
the trailhead straight away (no wandering up and down the various dirt
roads), even with all the dirt roads crossing and diverging that weren’t
on our map. Steve was right on the mark, and his many years of wilderness
navigating showed. However, his reference book was not so accurate, and
the "trail" was very difficult to follow once past the trailhead
(we dropped off the mesa into a maze of gullies and canyons). What should
have been a two-mile hike to Cobra was not…..We reached the mid point of
Buckskin after about two miles and Cobra was supposedly another two miles
of scrambling off-trail around the edge of Buckskin. Since it was getting
late, and it felt like it was 90 degrees out in the sun, and the trail was
iffy at best, and it was just hoping that the other road would be much
better to go back on, we decided to turn around. The hike through the area
we went through was just beautiful with all sorts of "baby"
arches and colored rock formations. We did get to look into Buckskin from
the top. It was very surprising we were able to find it so quickly! I
thank luck and Steve’s navigation skills!
Nights were spent around a wonderful campfire: wood provided by Tom and
Jeannie. The moon was full and came up early – no flashlights were
needed. White House is set up against some very unusual and beautiful
large rock formations. The setting was superb! Sleeping 9 hours was no
problem in a nice warm sleeping bag. The nights were cold – 30 and 25
degrees per the Ranger on Sunday morning. Putting down my spoon on a
plastic after stirring coffee quickly showed it was cold….after maybe 10
minutes it was frozen to the plate.
Saturday we drove to Wire Pass and started out, only to find that
shortly into the slot that things had changed (Steve and I and hiked here
before). There was an 8-9 foot sharp drop (looked like 10 feet to me).
Even though some of the group members thought we could make it down, it
was questionable on getting back out. I could not go down because of a
gimp knee that has the potential of coming apart with excessive force (as
with jumping down a big drop). We went back out of the slot and scurried
around most of the surrounding area to try to find another way to get  into
Wire Pass or Buckskin. Wire Pass is a shortcut to the slot part of
Buckskin – one can come into Buckskin from its main trailhead (which
hardly anyone uses) but it is 5-6 miles to reach Wire Pass and where the
narrow slot section starts. However, it was all VERY scenic. Out of the
canyon was incredibly HOT, and in the canyon most needed a coat or
something warm. Two of our group were VERY determined to get into Wire
Pass, and Steve went on a search for a log that could provide something to
climb on and the way in and out. The chances of finding such a log was
very slim (I would have said was impossible), but there one was, not too
far from the slot portion, and 4 people carried the large heavy log to the
drop, and it wasn’t just OK…it was perfect. It was a great victory. We
had no problem going in or out. (I however did need the help of the guys
to make it in & out of a couple spots – my thanks to Steve and Tom!)
I had wanted to go to the main trailhead, but due to perseverance and
ingenuity we got to take the short cut and see the best of the Gulch! We
also saw that if we had just looked a little further on top (as Steve had
suggested) we could have come into the canyon down from the drop, but the
log was much more exciting and challenging. If there is a drop in the same
spot next time we’ll know (but the Gulch constantly changes so one never
knows if and where the drops will be). The scenery was spectacular
(similar to Antelope Canyon)!
Only Steve and I were up for a hike on Sunday, which was to do Paria
(from White House to the confluence and back). Tom wasn’t feeling well,
and Angela had worn boots that had bruised the back of her anklebone, so
the rest of the group was packing up and driving back to Phoenix. It was
another sunny perfect day and Steve and I hiked for three hours in, and
three hours back out, and we did reach the confluence of Buckskin (6-7
miles each way). We were out of White House by 2:45 p.m. and heading back
to Phoenix. The drive back was long but pleasant. It was a long day but
very worth while. I swore I would never backpack in Buckskin again (as I
did about 5 years ago), and that still holds since it is a much
better/safer/easier day hike, but I want to spend more time in Paria and
promptly got a permit for backpacking Paria next October! It is amazing!
The above listed trip
reports--documenting day hikes, backpacking trips, and car camping trips
organized and arranged by the Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club, Inc.--are
meant to be more of a record of the various events performed by the hiking
club and are not meant to be the only guide for anyone else wishing to do
the same hike or backpacking trip. Instead, they should only be used as a
supplemental to an official guidebook that addresses that specific hike or
backpacking trip. Natural changes (floods, fires, windstorms, etc.) can
occur and change and alter the landscape. The Forest Service sometimes
changes the routing of a trail. Trail junction signs can be removed or
altered. For these reasons, the hiking club's trip reports and even the
official guidebooks may no longer be totally accurate in describing the
trail and its layout. There is always the possibility, however remote, of
a hiker sustaining harm or injury while on any hike, no matter how safe it
may initially seem. The Arizona Trailblazer's Hiking Club, Inc., as well
as any of its officers, directors, representatives, and designated hike
leaders, disclaims any liability or responsibility for accidents,
injuries, damages, or losses whatsoever that may occur to anyone using the
trip reports that are available on our website. The responsibility for
good health and safety while hiking, backpacking, or camping, ultimately
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