Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Gunsight Canyon

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Distance: 7.88 mi	Points: 1088	Calories: none
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Distance: 1.30 mi	Points: 155	Calories: none
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Location: 37.116684, -111.393486
Things got interesting right out of the box. Sixteen of us--three BACKPACKER editors and 13 readers--had convened at a sandy basecamp in southern Utah to explore and document seldom-hiked Gunsight Canyon. We soon saw why our guidebook and Google searches had turned up so little trail beta: A 90-foot, three-drop pourover blocked easy passage through the narrows of this 400-foot-deep chasm. No matter--we rigged a line and rappelled. Down the rope--with a huge grin on his face--was Tom Bice, a 54-year-old desert rat from Rio Rancho, NM. Next came Diane Parisian from Houston, on only her sixth backpacking trip. And so it went until we'd all dropped into the dark slot at the bottom. The rest of our hike was less eventful--if you don't count the headlamp-lit climb back up the pourover--but no less striking. The twisting halway widened to reveal towering mesas of fractured redrock and more side canyons. Closer to Lake Powell rose giant dunes with views of Alstrom Point and Gunsight Butte. By day's end, we'd mapped, photographed, and inventoried a little-known canyon. Here's our report: **** This point marks the sandy campsites near the canyon mouth. From here, stay L on the middle bench to wrap around the canyon. Don't follow the canyon bottom. It quickly leads to a dizzy pouroff. Look for a rusty barrel left by cowboys.

Apple Pancakes

Location: 37.116550, -111.393394
Before we headed into the Gunsight, everyone filled up on apple pancakes with maple syrup. © Peter Flax

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Location: 37.114933, -111.389015
Impressive overlook into the curvy Gunsight Canyon streaked in red, pink, and white. Keep veering L on faint trail.

Gunsight View

Location: 37.115089, -111.388924
Jon looks over the lip into Gunsight Canyon, a seldom-hiked chasm located in the southern tip of Glen Canyon National Recreational Area. © Kris Wagner

Big Drop

Location: 37.115284, -111.388145
From camp, Gunsight looks pretty drab but in less than 1/2 mile the scenery turns dramatic. Note the hikers on the bench. © Kris Wagner

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Location: 37.119915, -111.390999
Two rusty shovels left by cowboys. Slowly descend on faint trail to canyon pouroff. On the return, stay high and wrap around along a faint path on the W canyon wall, heading NW

Cowboy History

Location: 37.119839, -111.390984
Shovels sit under a shady overhang. © Kris Wagner

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Location: 37.121819, -111.388802
Gunsight Spring sits under a pouroff and is the only water source (mostly reliable) in Gunsight until Lake Powell.

Gunsight Spring

Location: 37.121826, -111.388809
Moss and grass cling around the only consistent water source in Gunsight. © Jonathan Dorn

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Location: 37.120682, -111.391335
Pourover: The easiest route into Gunsight. Anchor your 60-meter rope on the giant boulder nearby, and rappel down the three-drop pourover. Before the last person raps in, be sure someone can lead the 5-4 climb back out (or pack ascenders).

First Drop

Location: 37.120636, -111.391342
The first step over the drop looks difficult but everyone succeeded without a hitch, including a handful of readers who have never rappelled before. © Jonathan Dorn

Going Down

Location: 37.120670, -111.391357
Peter rappels down the 90-foot, three-drop pouroff. © Jonathan Dorn

Last Drop

Location: 37.120495, -111.391113
The last short drop into Gunsight is tight and slightly overhung. © Jonathan Dorn

Gunsight Rappel

Location: 37.120575, -111.391090
Kris rappels into Gunsight Canyon. © Jonathan Dorn

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Location: 37.116550, -111.386635
Follow the bends through a redrock hallway

Redrock Egg

Location: 37.115089, -111.385323
This white-and-red striped rock cracked open like an egg most likely after a 200-foot drop from the canyon rim. © Jonathan Dorn

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Location: 37.114017, -111.383682
Small window in redrock on L

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Location: 37.109482, -111.378220
On R is a small, partly shaded amphitheater

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Location: 37.100433, -111.375320
Veer L to continue to the lake (side canyon on R); ahead, wash pockets in the sandstone illustrate the massive force of flashfloods

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Location: 37.096100, -111.372780
Look closely at the red and white swirls in the sandstone

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Location: 37.092766, -111.368965
A giant rock balances on a smaller one, defying gravity

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Location: 37.081833, -111.356667
Sandstone walls grow taller

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Location: 37.078415, -111.356186
Despite what the topo maps say, Lake Powell is nowhere in sight. The canyon is full of new life: brush, flowers, young cottonwoods, and rabbit tracks. The best travel is on the L-side.

Spring Blooms

Location: 37.078617, -111.356140
Purple flowers decorate the canyon floor. © Jonathan Dorn

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Location: 37.076351, -111.354614
Fire rings. You'll find all sorts of treasures and junk left by the receding lake, including boots, fishing poles, and golfballs.

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Location: 37.074184, -111.350334
In March 2006, this is where we saw the first sign of water. The bottom is muddy in spots.

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Location: 37.070450, -111.350365
Now dead, a handful of cottonwoods stand in the muddy flats as they once did before the waters of Lake Powell submerged them.

Tree Carcasses

Location: 37.070545, -111.350502
The black, dead trunks of cottonwoods. © Kris Wagner

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Location: 37.069267, -111.348381
Great campsite with old fire ring and 180° views of Lake Powell and nearby Gunsight Butte. From here, turn E to walk through Gunsight Pass. This V-shaped pass was submerged by Lake Powell for decades.

Gunsight Pass

Location: 37.068890, -111.348557
This pass really does mimic the view down a barrel of a gun. This landmark was under water for decades. © Kris Wagner

Lake Powell

Location: 37.069202, -111.348282
A kayaker paddles near re-emerging redrock domes and benches in Gunsight Bay. © Kris Wagner

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Location: 37.070332, -111.345268
Gunsight Pass: Sweeping views of Lake Powell and Gooseneck Point with a white bathtub line left by the high waters of lake. Backtrack to pourover and WPT 3.

Pass View

Location: 37.070251, -111.345154
The beautiful overlook from Gunsight Pass illustrates how high the watermark--the white bathtub line--was in 1999. © Kris Wagner

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Location: 37.120834, -111.391602
Keep high, following faint path over rocks, pea gravel, and brushy patches

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Location: 37.122768, -111.392601
Trail enters canyon bottom again. Head up canyon. Option: Take five minutes to head down canyon for a sweet view overlooking a deeply undercut pourover.

High Above

Location: 37.121433, -111.390945
A faint path strings around the canyon wall. © Jonathan Dorn

Steep Sides

Location: 37.121296, -111.391136
The terraced steeps of Gunsight Canyon. © Jonathan Dorn

Scramble Spot

Location: 37.121613, -111.390572
John scrambles over a boulder on the way out of Gunsight. © Kris Wagner

Edge Walk

Location: 37.121841, -111.390732
Tom hikes along the edge. © Kris Wagner

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Location: 37.122932, -111.396133
Swing SSE into the sandy desert back to car

The Group

Location: 37.117176, -111.394516
Sixteen of us (four not pictured) traveled from Georgia, New Mexico, California, Arizona, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Utah for a 3-day adventure in Glen Canyon. © Jonathan Dorn