The Hardest Rock Climb Yet - Hayduke Trail Thru Hike 4

Our 800 mile hike across Utah continues, and the Hayduke Trail never ceases to amaze! In this section we have another long waterless stretch, we have to take on a very difficult rock climb up a tiny chute, we hike through some amazing canyons, and find ourselves fording the Dirty Devil River over and over and over again... but can't drink from it? It's an amazing stretch of trail to be thru hiking and as always I am loving it!

vvv Hayduke Trail Gear List vvv
Shorts - http://tinyurl.com/ykdx7fwe
Hat - http://tinyurl.com/5bwua2cy
Shirt - https://amzn.to/4a9cRaU
Shoes - https://amzn.to/3wvKKnm
Watch - https://amzn.to/3mz7ePp

Backpack - http://tinyurl.com/ykhnu4fh
Pack Liner - http://tinyurl.com/2p8uvn7w
Quilt - https://tinyurl.com/yc2h5d54
Shelter - https://tinyurl.com/mv9f66r2
Foam Pad - http://tinyurl.com/3wn5zuh2
Ground Sheet - http://tinyurl.com/3yxhhbbn
Stakes - https://amzn.to/3TXTMTF

Rain Jacket - http://tinyurl.com/bdadk452
Fleece - http://tinyurl.com/4hxdpden
Beanie - http://tinyurl.com/3ynkyca3
Wind Pants - https://tinyurl.com/mtdxxztb
Socks - https://amzn.to/3DDlk73
Sunglasses - https://tinyurl.com/mrx785s6

Water Bladder - https://amzn.to/3V5zskj (Carrying 6L)
Water Filter - https://amzn.to/3UQXI9t
Spoon - https://amzn.to/3cA3mVG

Flashlight - http://tinyurl.com/5n6jkrmd
Battery - Ravpower PD Pioneer 20,000mah 60w
Charger - Ravpower PD Pioneer 30w 2-port
Camera - https://amzn.to/3wjb6sG
Lens - https://amzn.to/3IRQV8q
Microphone - https://amzn.to/4cBW6GY
Camera Clip - https://amzn.to/4cvIgpT
Watch Charger - https://amzn.to/3PJ5zm3

Bidet - https://tinyurl.com/5hav84xd
Toothbrush - https://amzn.to/3tkN4GY
Knife - https://amzn.to/3r3psb7
Trowel - https://amzn.to/3u6VIMr
Blister Tape - https://amzn.to/3qZ55f9
Chaffe Cream - https://amzn.to/3bNorNu
Wallet - http://tinyurl.com/3bbsup83

After leaving the wonderful Dark Canyon we have a bit of a dirt road walk towards the Hite Marina. Unfortunately for hayduke thru hikers this year, Hite is closed and thus we cannot get water there. Without them it is either an hour long one watch hitchhike to Hanksville for water, or a 40 mile carry without. We knew about this prior to starting our hike and decided to cache some food and water for ourselves here! So that 40 mile carry is cut down to 25 miles with our cache.

We cross the Colorado River near Hite, and make our way to what is known as The Chimney, a very tall and difficult chute which is a full on rock climb. This is one of the most difficult scambles on the entire trail, made much worse as we are carrying 14lbs of water and have all our camping gear on our backs. The chimney climb is maybe 20 to 30 feet high, and is up a tight crack, I wouldn't say it's the most difficult thing IF you are comfortable with a lot of exposure, because a fall here would be very bad.

I climbed up first, without my backpack, but with a 40ft thing of rope in hand. I dropped down an end of the rope, and my partner tied our gear to it, as I hauled each pack up one by one, by hand. My partner then did the climb after me. It was quite wild as this is a remote area, and a fall would be dangerous. No cell service, no people, no help.

After the chimney climb we hiked across the red benches, navigated our way into fiddle cove canyon, to then hike along the dirty devil river. The fastest way through this section is to cut the rivers corners as it takes big bends winding around beaches. So we crossed it again and again. The beaches are sugar sand, or dense bushwhacking. Thankfully cows have made a path, and it's best to follow their lead.

The dirty devil river we heard is not something you want to drink. It is full of silt and looks like mud which would destroy your filter, it has agricultural runoff in it which will give you a stomach ache, there are cows all over, and it has heavy metals in it apparently. We didn't drink it, which feels bad when you're on a 25 mile dry stretch, but hiking along this river for half of that. WE DID HEAR that if you camp along the river, before bed fill up your bottles, all of the silt will sink to the bottom and the water can be easily filtered in the morning.

Next up was poison springs canyon, delicious water, and the walk into the town of Hanksville to begin the Henry Mountains.

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