La Sal Traverse: South Mountain

October 7, 2015

Day 1

"The mountains are calling and I must go."

--John Muir

The mountains had been calling to me for months, taunting me, staring down upon Moab every day. Freebird returned to town in October after hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail. Once he was settled in, I took off a week from work to hike the La Sals with him, right in the peak of autumn. Only a few days before leaving, the peaks received a dusting of snow - an added bonus! 

Connie and Queequeg drove us and the rest of the dogs to the south end of the La Sals to begin our northbound jaunt. We would all hike Doe Canyon together, then Connie and the dogs would return to Moab as we continued on through Pole Canyon, hearing the bugling of the elk and meeting the hunters they were hiding from. It was a drastic rise in elevation, or so it felt to me anyway with our packs fully loaded with food. We would then circle around South Mountain to an overlook of La Sal Pass and the middle section (there are three sections - north, middle, south) of the La Sals for sunset. The next day, we would drop into this pass. Some hunters from Oklahoma kindly informed us about the upcoming La Sal Creek, just below from where we had watched sunset. This was our first encounter with water on the trail, just when we needed it. We camped above the creek, serenaded by coyotes in the distance as we went to sleep.

Here are some pictures from that day...

South Mountain.

Starting up the Doe Canyon trail, through a patch of golden aspens.

Last break taken with Harvard, Queequeg, Dinga, and Connie before they turned around.

Hiking up Pole Canyon trail, with South Mountain peering out of the clouds.

Stopping to look at the map as we begin to circle South Mountain. Views to the south of Pole Canyon, the town of La Sal and a thunderstorm passing us.

After looping around South Mountain, we stood above La Sal Pass and watched the sunset glow on the middle section of the La Sals. This rugged face just off of Mount Peale is considered probably the most technical and dangerous climb in the entire range.

Mount Peale, the tallest La Sal peak at 12,721 feet.

Mount Tukuhnikivatz, the third tallest peak at 12,482 feet.

At dusk we filled up on frigid water at La Sal Creek, ate dinner, and went to bed, thus ending our first day in the La Sals.