Hello,
My brother and I are planning a week in Escalante-Grand Staircase in early May. Coyote Gulch has me a little concerned. We're wanting to do it as a day hike without ascending or descending the arch--but also want to see the section from Jacob Hamblin Arch to the Escalante. We're thinking about entering at Crack in the Wall and exiting Hurricane Wash. We'd leave a car at the Hurricane Wash trailhead and hire a shuttle to take us to Fortymile Ridge trailhead.
Just for background: We live in Colorado, hiking 14ers and other trails here with 3K+ elevation gain in a day. We've hiked all the national parks in Utah (including Subway, Observation Point, far up the Narrows in as high/fast water as they allow, Peekaboo in the Needles, Murphy Trail loop in Island in the Sky). Also in Glacier NP: Highline with the steep offshoot to the Grinnell overlook, the Grinnell Glacier trail, combined Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Tunnel for about 16 miles with some decent elevation gain. Our trips are usually hiking day after day for 6 or 7 days.
Any advice on that? Think that's doable in day given our experience? There's been mostly negative reactions to this idea from people I've asked but would like to know from anyone who's actually done this route, even in reverse. We're just not wanting to backpack it; no experience backpacking. Thanks so much. Really would appreciate your insight.
All the best,
Walt