HDT Day 12: Young’s Canyon to Dark Canyon

Daily Miles: 10.1, Total Miles: 153.5

Wow, what a day – don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard for ten miles!

! quickly got to Young’s Canyon Rim and had a good look around, reviewing the steep, difficult route down. I had to make sure I had the right starting point. A bit unnerving, one of the first big boulders I stepped on slowly dislodged and fell all the way to the canyon floor. I was very appreciative of the sporadic small cairns on the way down – misery loves company.

With jellylike legs, I finally got to the canyon floor and filled up my water bottles with cool, clear running water. The next challenge was getting to the confluence of Dark Canyon. After much physical effort and slow progress, I got there. What I thought was going to be a small creek with clear water was a ripping torrent the color of chocolate milk – recent snow melt?

Progress was slowed my frequent thigh-deep stream crossings being extra careful to check water depth and probe for quicksand. I also had to backtrack a few times realizing I was on the wrong side of creek. Or on the wrong level and getting cliffed out. Lowered my pack twice off steep drop offs to give me a bit more room and mobility.

I feel bruised and battered tonight. Leg muscles are sore including my butt where I fell on a pointed rock. Most of my knuckles have been scraped and bloodied from rock encounters. Complain, complain – all in all, this was a beautiful, remote, wild canyon I’m fortunate to have seen it.