Utah Trip Report 2014 March - Procession Panel
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Cedar Mesa / Comb Ridge, Utah
Day 2
Procession Panel / Wolfman Panel / Ruins
I normally like to start my day with a cup of coffee and
time in the restrooms especially when I know I will be out on the trail for
hours. I had everything required to make a cup of coffee in the camper but
really just wanted to buy one since setting up the stove would take some time.
Dawn started about 6:00 am (AZ & UT time) and I was up and ready to go. The
only problem was there wasn’t anything open at 6 am. As part of my book
research, I need to know these things. I drove around a little; Bluff is a very
small town, not much driving to be done. I parked the truck and enjoyed the
sunrise and a few Sandhill cranes squawking and flying by. I noticed a few cars
in front of the Twin Rock Café at about 6:40 am despite not being open. I
guessed employee parking and was right since the restaurant opened at 7:00 am.
I noticed the sign announcing extending the hours to 7:00 am starting in March.
Not only did I get a cup of coffee but decided on a light breakfast of French
toast with 2 slices of bacon. Breakfast was sitting on the table by the time I
returned from the restrooms. I leisurely enjoyed breakfast and then headed out.
Because of the limitations of the camper space I have a daytime and nighttime
quarter’s arrangement. Basically at night some stuff, 2nd backpack,
clothing bag, tripod and a few other items must be put into the cab of the
truck to make room for sleeping in the camper. I keep the photo backpack with
me at all times since it has the cameras and lenses.
In the restaurant
parking lot I converted into the daytime camper configuration and replenished
the fluids in the photo backpack containers. It’s was about 7:45 AM and I
arrive at the gate at 7:55 AM. The gate to CR-262 and I did a trip odometer
reset. The Cedar Mesa 2014 Canyon Atlas says 6.1 miles from UT-163 but the
track at 6.3 miles has the GPS coordinates that match the first three digits in
the atlas for the trailhead for Procession Panel. I figured this has to be it
and as I drive down the track and see logs marking the parking spots. Again
there is no sign designating the trailhead but I find a worn path going down
into the wash which has tall but dormant vegetation and back up and out of it.
After a short while I approach another wash but this time there is one of those
brown BLM stick signs with an arrow sticker and a hiker image sticker pointing
the way to go. I follow the worn path through sandy soil into a 2nd
and 3rd wash crossing. I hike
up a sandy drainage and after awhile hit a large Slickrock area and hill.
Fortunately a second stick sign points the way. Even though I’m getting pretty
far away from the camper, maybe a half mile, I can see it in the distance
looking down hill. The trail has turned into solid rock with only rock piles
leading the way. Although I don’t have waypoints, I brought along a map with a
few key GPS coordinates, one for canyon entrance, midway point and destination
coordinates. I keep following the rock piles across the hard rock and come
across a 3rd stick sign at the end of the Slickrock and pointing the
way at a sandy trail.
I was now past the midway GPS coordinates and lost the trail
but I had the destination coordinates. I clearly see a cliff wall to the right
running east west and know the Procession Panel is toward the west end of it
and I’m about 0.2 miles away. I head for the cliff and struggle along the
cliffs edge with all of the obstacles that have fallen off the cliff. I finally
realize traversing along the cliff is in vain and head back down. From the
stick sign I was heading north-west in a straight line for the panel, I had the
destination coordinates but couldn’t find a route along the cliffs edge. I retreated
down to low ground away from the cliffs edge and couldn’t pick up a trail again
so I followed the low ground heading west thinking I may have to loop around
the west end of the cliff. I eventually came to the west end of Comb Ridge, a
very sharp drop and a great view for many miles looking west. But that was the
end of going this way.
Looking at the
destination coordinates I’m still about 0.1 miles away (500 ft too far south)
but even worse about 170 feet too low. I head back for 0.2 miles near where I
made the first approach to the cliffs wall. I study the terrain carefully and
then I see it, there is a subtle uphill bench about midway between my first and
second route. It wasn’t real clear to me on getting onto the sloping bench and
I marked several “maybe” waypoints until it became obvious this was the route.
There were no rock piles marking the way. I kept checking the GPS coordinates
and elevation along the way verifying I was on the correct route. I finally
made it to the prize, Procession Panel which was still in the shade but it
looked like it would be in direct sunlight in a short while. I know this hike
is a favorite for many but I consider the prize a letdown and maybe it is a
favorite more for the hike and less for the prize. Although the panel size is
significant, it is not huge or full of figures like I have seen other panels. I
now have lots of GPS waypoints so returning was not a problem plus I could see
the camper from about a half mile away. On the return there was one Slickrock
hill that is steep going up, it had me scrambling and huffing puffing, I didn’t
even notice it coming in since it was downhill. I returned back to the camper
and did my usual recovery ritual drinking lots of Gatorade. The two couples on
ATVs saw my camper and pulled up to me to chat. They told me about a few of
their hikes and got me interested in Wolfman Panel/ Ruin.
Summary
It was about a 3.5 mile hike round trip, maybe 4.0 with the
detours and a pleasant hike over quite a bit of Slickrock with great distant views.
The Procession Panel itself was okay and for this kind of hike where the
destination isn’t obvious a handheld GPS is very useful.
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