The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch
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The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - A view of the river from about a mile below the White House Trailhead. We followed a trail up on top of these cliffs, which turned out to be a mistake because we had to backtrack to get down to the riverbed where we eventually needed to be. A view of the river from about a mile below the White House Trailhead. We followed a trail up on top of these cliffs, which turned out to be a mistake because we had to backtrack to get down to the riverbed where we eventually needed to be.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - About the same spot along the river after we found a way back down to the riverbed. We had tried to stay up high so we wouldn't have to cross the river, which later we would find out was a pretty silly thing to postpone. About the same spot along the river after we found a way back down to the riverbed. We had tried to stay up high so we wouldn't have to cross the river, which later we would find out was a pretty silly thing to postpone.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Mike crossing the river for the very first time. This crossing probably took 10 minutes for us to get ready and the cross, and the figure everything out. By the end of the trip we weren't even slowing down when going into the river. Mike crossing the river for the very first time. This crossing probably took 10 minutes for us to get ready and the cross, and the figure everything out. By the end of the trip we weren't even slowing down when going into the river.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - These were some pretty neat rock formations along the river. You could just imagine the water carving them out during a flood. These were some pretty neat rock formations along the river. You could just imagine the water carving them out during a flood.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - A view down the river with the sandstone getting higher on each side. A view down the river with the sandstone getting higher on each side.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Another view down river getting closer to the narrows. Another view down river getting closer to the narrows.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - A big bend in the river with the cliffs starting to get much higher. A big bend in the river with the cliffs starting to get much higher.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Mike finding out what's ahead near the top of the narrows. We all picked up sticks to help find out what the riverbed was like because the water was totally opaque. You couldn't see something a half an inch down in it. We had also heard of the water being waste deep in spots, so we were worried about falling into those holes. Luckily we were always able to find paths with the water never more than much above our knees. Mike finding out what's ahead near the top of the narrows. We all picked up sticks to help find out what the riverbed was like because the water was totally opaque. You couldn't see something a half an inch down in it. We had also heard of the water being waste deep in spots, so we were worried about falling into those holes. Luckily we were always able to find paths with the water never more than much above our knees.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - We camped for night just upstream from the narrows, because we were worried about waist deep water with our packs on, and we had gotten a pretty late start, and didn't get to the top of the narrows (about 3 miles from the next campground) until 3 or so, and we were afraid of not being able to warm back up if we got wet up to our waists. We camped for night just upstream from the narrows, because we were worried about waist deep water with our packs on, and we had gotten a pretty late start, and didn't get to the top of the narrows (about 3 miles from the next campground) until 3 or so, and we were afraid of not being able to warm back up if we got wet up to our waists.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - A view of our campsite from a little rock outcropping, looking downriver. We were camped on a little plateau about 50 feet above the river. It was a nice camp spot, with an amazing view. A view of our campsite from a little rock outcropping, looking downriver. We were camped on a little plateau about 50 feet above the river. It was a nice camp spot, with an amazing view.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - The view from the same rock outcrop looking upstream with the evening light. The view from the same rock outcrop looking upstream with the evening light.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - The official Paria Narrows, where the sand banks were pretty small, and often far in between. We took a foot warming up break here because the water was really cold in the morning, although it probably warmed up 10-15 degrees by afternoon. The official Paria Narrows, where the sand banks were pretty small, and often far in between. We took a foot warming up break here because the water was really cold in the morning, although it probably warmed up 10-15 degrees by afternoon.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - The canyon walls just kept getting taller the further we went down into the narrows. The canyon walls just kept getting taller the further we went down into the narrows.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Here was one of the last sunny spots of the day before we got into the tighter part of the canyon. Here was one of the last sunny spots of the day before we got into the tighter part of the canyon.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - One of the many stretches where the water went from one side to the other. We were always a little nervous when we saw these sections about how deep they would be. One of the many stretches where the water went from one side to the other. We were always a little nervous when we saw these sections about how deep they would be.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - More huge canyon walls, and tiny people. More huge canyon walls, and tiny people.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Another narrow stretch with people poking ahead with their sticks, trying to avoid deep water and quicksand. Another narrow stretch with people poking ahead with their sticks, trying to avoid deep water and quicksand.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - We let Sara go first on this wall to wall section, if she sank in up to her head we would know to try the other side. We let Sara go first on this wall to wall section, if she sank in up to her head we would know to try the other side.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - More of the deep canyon. More of the deep canyon.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Slide Rock Arch seen from the downstream side, just a huge rock that fell straight down. The river went right underneath it, it was pretty cool. Slide Rock Arch seen from the downstream side, just a huge rock that fell straight down. The river went right underneath it, it was pretty cool.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - More narrows - this spot reminded me of pictures I've seen of The Subway in Zion with the big overhangs above the river. That'd be another neat canyon to go see sometime. More narrows - this spot reminded me of pictures I've seen of The Subway in Zion with the big overhangs above the river. That'd be another neat canyon to go see sometime.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - This was probably the narrowest section along the Paria, and also quite long and straight. This was probably the narrowest section along the Paria, and also quite long and straight.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - If you look closely you can see sticks and stuff in that round hole way above Mike's head from some big flash flood. Luckily the water wasn't that deep for us. If you look closely you can see sticks and stuff in that round hole way above Mike's head from some big flash flood. Luckily the water wasn't that deep for us.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - The Confluence of Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon. It was a pretty amazing place, with the walls about 500 feet tall everywhere, and then all of a sudden there's another way to go. You can see the same hole as in the last picture with the sticks at right, on the Paria side. The Confluence of Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon. It was a pretty amazing place, with the walls about 500 feet tall everywhere, and then all of a sudden there's another way to go. You can see the same hole as in the last picture with the sticks at right, on the Paria side.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Near the Confluence, just a little way up Buckskin, was a safe camp spot that was pretty amazing. The cliffs opened up some, and there were some 40-50 feet tall hills to camp on. When we were there they were all covered in brilliant green grass, so they seemed quite surreal in a canyon where there was almost nothing else living. This picture does not really convey how strange and cool they were. Near the Confluence, just a little way up Buckskin, was a safe camp spot that was pretty amazing. The cliffs opened up some, and there were some 40-50 feet tall hills to camp on. When we were there they were all covered in brilliant green grass, so they seemed quite surreal in a canyon where there was almost nothing else living. This picture does not really convey how strange and cool they were.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Hiking up Buckskin, and canyon just as deep, and much narrower that the Paria. Luckily there wasn't much water running through it, although there were plenty of potholes. Hiking up Buckskin, and canyon just as deep, and much narrower that the Paria. Luckily there wasn't much water running through it, although there were plenty of potholes.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Another view of the narrowness. Pictures were hard to take in here because it was so dark. Most of my exposure times were 1/20th of a second to 1/4th of a second. I didn't have a tripod, and it's hard to hold still for that long. Another view of the narrowness. Pictures were hard to take in here because it was so dark. Most of my exposure times were 1/20th of a second to 1/4th of a second. I didn't have a tripod, and it's hard to hold still for that long.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - The canyon turning a dark corner, with some nice big overhangs. The canyon turning a dark corner, with some nice big overhangs.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Sara moving by an overhang. She's blurrier than the rest of the picture because she's moving and the exposure is so long. Sara moving by an overhang. She's blurrier than the rest of the picture because she's moving and the exposure is so long.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - A sharp (more than 90 degree) bend in the canyon. I'll bet the water right here in a flood is pretty amazing. A sharp (more than 90 degree) bend in the canyon. I'll bet the water right here in a flood is pretty amazing.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - More of Buckskin. Some spots like this where there were overhangs snaking up on both walls you could stand in certain spots and not be able to see the sky at all. It was a little creepy sometimes. More of Buckskin. Some spots like this where there were overhangs snaking up on both walls you could stand in certain spots and not be able to see the sky at all. It was a little creepy sometimes.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - A wider spot in the canyon with some big rocks that had fallen, and one that had separated, but not quite fallen yet. A wider spot in the canyon with some big rocks that had fallen, and one that had separated, but not quite fallen yet.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - This is at the boulder jam, about 1.5 miles from the confluence, as far was we went. There were two ways to get up past it. You could climb up these little holds (with wet and muddy shoes) that were above another boulder that I was standing on, with more standing water below it. Or... This is at the boulder jam, about 1.5 miles from the confluence, as far was we went. There were two ways to get up past it. You could climb up these little holds (with wet and muddy shoes) that were above another boulder that I was standing on, with more standing water below it. Or...
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - You could worm your way back to that bright spot under the rock through the mud, and the climb up a little chimney like crack. You could worm your way back to that bright spot under the rock through the mud, and the climb up a little chimney like crack.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Just below the boulder jam there were a lot of fallen rocks, and potholes. Here Mike's navigating a pothole, after just having gone under a fallen boulder. Just below the boulder jam there were a lot of fallen rocks, and potholes. Here Mike's navigating a pothole, after just having gone under a fallen boulder.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - Justin finds his way through another pothole (these were tough because there was very slippery mud on the bottom, and they were often quite sloped, being deeper nearer the rocks). Another pretty strange thing in this picture, if you look at the big boulder that has fallen into the canyon there is a 55 gallon drum wedged into it on the right. It seemed very out of place. Justin finds his way through another pothole (these were tough because there was very slippery mud on the bottom, and they were often quite sloped, being deeper nearer the rocks). Another pretty strange thing in this picture, if you look at the big boulder that has fallen into the canyon there is a 55 gallon drum wedged into it on the right. It seemed very out of place.
The Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch - A last look at the deepness of Buckskin before I had to put my camera away so we could make it back to our camp before dark. A last look at the deepness of Buckskin before I had to put my camera away so we could make it back to our camp before dark.