Coyote Buttes North - Paria Canyon

[FishPOET]

Ever since this trip report I have been toying with the idea of a March or April visit to Paria Canyon. We were talking about "The Wave" over the campfire last Saturday night and after I got home I did some more checking in to it. In the Spring and Fall they get over 500 people entering "the lottery" per day at $5.00 per person and the BLM only awards 10 lottery winners. This has to be the worst case of public land mismanagement ever.

[inVERt'D]

An older couple (60s) died out there during that recent heat wave. They were "winners" that day, and so didn't want to miss their chance.

[sarah]

That's so beautiful... And so sad. Maybe we should try to win their lottery so we can see it before they change their mind and close it forever.

[suntinez]

After last weekend, I submitted for the lottery for November. Chances are slim, but fingers crossed. Agreed, there has to be a better way to do this!

[Ol Man]

Here is the link to the area:

http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/arolrsma...s/permits.html

[RAT]

Just played the lottery for November. Wait n see. And I agree with Doug, piss poor management.

[USMC 0369]

[COLOR="#800000"]This lottery is maybe the worst example I've ever heard of denying people access to public land. Paying fees is bad enough, but paying for a 'chance' to maybe have access to public land is just... wow.[/COLOR]

[RAT]

[COLOR="#800000"]This lottery is maybe the worst example I've ever heard of denying people access to public land. Paying fees is bad enough, but paying for a 'chance' to maybe have access to public land is just... wow.[/COLOR]

No doubt. But I am going to try to get there so I can tell my grandkids about it when they can't access it at all. Ok, so I don't have grandkids. You get the idea...

[USMC 0369]

No doubt. But I am going to try to get there so I can tell my grandkids about it when they can't access it at all. Ok, so I don't have grandkids. You get the idea...

[COLOR="#800000"]I guess you just talk to your "wedding tackle" a lot huh?[/COLOR]

[RAT]

[COLOR="#800000"]I guess you just talk to your "wedding tackle" a lot huh?[/COLOR]

WTF? "Wedding tackle"? Is this a Midwest term?

[FishPOET]

3 hikers have died this month hiking to "The Wave"

http://news.yahoo.com/anniversary-hi...080809948.html

[sarah]

So, since

More than 48,000 people applied last year for 7,300 available permits, officials said.

48,000 x $5 = $240,000 of revenue for simply hosting an existing website ...

And they can't put up any trail markers? Trail markers can be discreet - they don't have to look like highway signs. This is really sad news.

[Russ Chung]

Sarah,

The fee is $7 but only the 7,300 permit winners pay the fee. Also, the fee for each dog is $5, but dogs don't count toward the 20 visitor daily limit. We paid $19 for two hikers and one dog.

The temperature on the day we hiked to the Wave was in the low 90s but fortunately for us, it was cloudy during the hike and the sun came out just as we arrived at the Wave. The hike took about two hours each way. I brought a couple quarts of Gatorade and four quarts of water. When we stopped for a water break, I poured a little on Ziggy's back, so I can't say for sure how much we drank. I also brought some trail mix but the heat melted the chocolate pieces so it was an unappetizing mess.

I suspect that the reason there are no trail markers is to keep the area pristine. I wonder if the EIS/EIR address that. Instead of trail markers, the BLM gave us a map, a list of GPS waypoints and photos of the route taken in both directions from each of the waypoints. I found that taking my GPS on the trail with me made it much easier than trying to match the photos to the trail. As we were leaving the parking area, we met a couple who were returning. They did not find the Wave, they were exhausted and disappointed. They won their permits in the advance lottery and had travelled from Chicago for the hike.

I believe the key to success is to bring a portable GPS and if the weather is hot bring plenty of water. Permits are issued year round. So if you don't mind frost bite you could apply for a winter hike.

Russ

[Kodiak Spirit]

I couldn't imagine 'winning' the chance, spending all that money and time for travel, risking my life, and not finding the damn thing. That is almost more sad than the ones that died trying. I gurantee there are survey markers in the ground out there somewhere, why can't they just slam in a bunch of ground level survey markers or something?

[FishPOET]

I'm headed for Utah on Saturday and if the Government is still shut down I am seriously considering a side trip to Paria Canyon along the way.