Read day 1 – White Rim Road : Shafer to Airport
Read day 2 – White Rim Road : Airport to Murphy
It was great to wake to a warm sun rising and no wind and a good opportunity to dry and air our gear before packing it away. Day 3 mileage is about 22 miles but it’s either downhill or flat and pretty fast.
After we’d eaten breakfast, caffeinated and decamped we hit the trail which starts with a fast and long down hill section giving up about 900ft of altitude. At about mile 6 we stopped take take in the views of the Green River and White Crack – a long fissure on the White Rim which is a few hundred feet deep and 6″-12″ wide. At some point a huge section of the White Rim will sheer along this fissure and a couple of millions of tons of rock will crash into the valley below. Fortunately not this day.
At about mile 13 we stopped for lunch and a quick detour to explore Holeman Canyon – an interesting and fairly accessible slot canyon that ultimately drops into the Green River.
How far you can explore really depends on the level of the floor which rises and falls depending on what storm wash-off leaves behind. Pro-tip for exploring slot canyons – wear regular shoes – climbing in cycling shoes is a little tricky.
I left my phone in my pack so didn’t get any pictures but this Google Image search will give you a good idea of what to expect.
The last few miles roll fast and slightly down hill to Potato Bottom campsite. It was a cold and clear night – perfect for some star gazing after dinner.
Rich Sharples' Weblog 