DAV001
Location: 37.2575454711914, -110.986221313477
Begin hiking N on stock trail, which slowly descends through arid landscape of Navajo Sandstone domes and open slickrock before hitting Davis Gulch
Caution: Pack water; none available until canyon
DAV002
Location: 37.2819519042969, -110.977233886719
Continue NE, parallel with Davis Canyon on R. Trail passes blackbrush, sand sagebrush, yucca and snakeweed with distant views of Mounts Pennell, Hillers, and Holmes
DAV003
Location: 37.3017044067383, -110.953582763672
Turn R @ abandoned stock trail occassionally marked by cairns. Descend steep slickrock trail
DAV004
Location: 37.3005867004394, -110.950462341309
Turn L @ well-trodden trail to continue NE navigation in Davis Gulch. This spot is the last known camp of Everett Ruess, a brilliant but enigmatic writer and painter who, in 1934, left the village of Escalante to explore ancient cliff dwellings along the Escalante River. He was never heard from again, and a nearby corral marks his last camp site, which was discovered in 1935 with the mysterious signature of "Nemo" on surrounding walls.
DAV005
Location: 37.3101692199707, -110.938003540039
Trudge around scattered waterfalls and silty canyon floor as towering walls of quiet canyon hem in a lush environment apparently favored by pre-Columbian Native Americans. Prior to the dam, ruins and intricate pictographs were found here in abundance. After hitting LaGorce Arch, which amplifies the canyon's profound silence and solitude, retrace steps to waypoint 4 and continue hiking SW to explore the opposite reaches of Davis Gulch.
DAV006
Location: 37.2837905883789, -110.964797973633
Arrive at Bement Arch after passing numerous massive alcoves, sculpted into the streaked canyon walls. Mocking the appearance of a train tunnel, this arch is especially large and sits just before the end of navigable canyon terrain.
LaGorce Arch from below
Location: 37.3101348876953, -110.939315795898
©Rich Rudow
Walking the creek
Location: 37.3088073730469, -110.941558837891
©Rich Rudow
Bement Arch
Location: 37.2839202880859, -110.964279174805
©Rich Rudow
Petroglyphs
Location: 37.3014450073242, -110.950096130371
©Rich Rudow
Kris Wagner’s filthy pants after going knee-deep into a beaver hole in upper Davis Gulch
Location: 37.2906188964844, -110.956848144531
©Jon Dorn
Glen Canyon Mud Pants #2
Location: 37.2907180786133, -110.95694732666
Filthy pants on the Editor-in-Chief and Map Editor. ©Jon Dorn
LaGorce Arch #2
Location: 37.3117485046387, -110.940650939941
LaGorce Arch, which was right above the current lake level. ©Jon Dorn
LaGorce Arch #1
Location: 37.3117485046387, -110.940444946289
LaGorce Arch, which was right above the current lake level. ©Jon Dorn
LaGorce Arch #3
Location: 37.3120536804199, -110.940544128418
LaGorce Arch, which was right above the current lake level. ©Jon Dorn
Davis Gulch Waterfall
Location: 37.3033981323242, -110.948196411133
A restored 20-foot-high waterfall about halfway between the high-water mark and the current lake level. ©Jon Dorn
Cottonwoods #1
Location: 37.2940406799316, -110.954231262207
A 30-foot-tall cottonwood changing to its fall colors. This tree was just upstream of the waterfall and could only be 3-4 years old. It’s a remarkable sign of how quickly the native vegetation is returning. ©Jon Dorn
Cottonwoods #2
Location: 37.2941398620606, -110.954437255859
A 30-foot-tall cottonwood changing to its fall colors. This tree was just upstream of the waterfall and could only be 3-4 years old. It’s a remarkable sign of how quickly the native vegetation is returning. ©Jon Dorn
Stump
Location: 37.2949447631836, -110.957550048828
A beaver-chewed stump a few dozen yards upstream of Everett Ruess’s old camp. The upper half of Davis Gulch hosts an active beaver colony and is choked with reeds and dams. ©Jon Dorn
Overhang #1
Location: 37.3048057556152, -110.946487426758
Kris marveling at an overhanging wall belong the high-water line. ©Jon Dorn
Overhang #2
Location: 37.3051071166992, -110.946380615234
Kris and the overhanging wall belong the high-water line. ©Jon Dorn
Davis Gulch Petroglyphs #1
Location: 37.2983665466309, -110.955841064453
Petroglyphs ©Jon Dorn
Davis Gulch Petroglyphs #2
Location: 37.2983665466309, -110.955642700195
Petroglyphs ©Jon Dorn
Davis Gulch Petroglyphs #3
Location: 37.2985687255859, -110.955741882324
Petroglyphs ©Jon Dorn
Davis Gulch Petroglyphs #4
Location: 37.2986679077148, -110.955841064453
Petroglyphs ©Jon Dorn
Alcove and Lake Powell high-water mark
Location: 37.3080253601074, -110.939743041992
Desert vanish streaks over the bathtub ring in a giant alcove. ©Jon Dorn
View into Davis Gulch #6
Location: 37.3020896911621, -110.955139160156
Views from the rim looking down into the midpoint of Davis Gulch. ©Jon Dorn
View from rim into Davis Gulch #1
Location: 37.302188873291, -110.954940795898
Views from the rim looking down into the midpoint of Davis Gulch. ©Jon Dorn
View into Davis Gulch #2
Location: 37.3017883300781, -110.954734802246
Views from the rim looking down into the midpoint of Davis Gulch. ©Jon Dorn
View into Davis Gulch #3
Location: 37.3022918701172, -110.955741882324
Views from the rim looking down into the midpoint of Davis Gulch. ©Jon Dorn
View into Davis Gulch #4
Location: 37.3019905090332, -110.955139160156
Views from the rim looking down into the midpoint of Davis Gulch. ©Jon Dorn
View into Davis Gulch #5
Location: 37.3016891479492, -110.954833984375
Views from the rim looking down into the midpoint of Davis Gulch. ©Jon Dorn
View into Davis Gulch #6
Location: 37.3020896911621, -110.955039978027
Views from the rim looking down into the midpoint of Davis Gulch. ©Jon Dorn
Approach hike and 50 Mile Bench
Location: 37.2639045715332, -110.988624572754
Early on the approach hike, looking back at 50 Mile Bench. ©Jon Dorn
Reedy Bushwhack
Location: 37.2926292419434, -110.959060668945
BACKPACKER Editor-in-Chief buswhacking through the reeds. Damn beavers. ©Jon Dorn
Bushwhacking injury
Location: 37.2927322387695, -110.959060668945
Bushwhacking injury. Damn beavers. ©Jon Dorn
Remnants of Everett Ruess’s horse corral
Location: 37.2988700866699, -110.953125
Kris standing next to the remnants of Everett Ruess’s horse corral. ©Jon Dorn
Pourover
Location: 37.2985687255859, -110.953224182129
A lush pourover just downstream of Ruess’s camp. ©Jon Dorn
Views from the rim
Location: 37.300220489502, -110.949417114258
Looking at a rushing waterfall from the rim of Davis Gulch. ©Kris Wagner and Andrew Matranga
Abandoned Horse Corral
Location: 37.2982559204102, -110.950889587402
Everett Ruess's last known camp. ©Kris Wagner and Andrew Matranga
LaGorce Arch in shadow
Location: 37.3119049072266, -110.937728881836
Jon Dorn marvels at the newly revealed LaGorce Arch, just above the driftwood-strewn waterline of Lake Powell. ©Kris Wagner
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