Hell's Backbone Road summit(u)
A bridge - but no water flows below it. Instead each side
looks out over a different canyon. The bridge crosses a
narrow rock spine separating two intricately eroded
amphitheaters in an area with the intriguing name,
Box-Death Hollow Canyon complex, suggesting multiple ways
to achieve death. The bridge is the figurative and literal
high point of this ride. The route leading there is an
elaborately engineered gravel road, with steep ups and
downs that require climbing in a sitting position in order
to get enough traction. But it's not as bad as it sounds.
The gravel is worst on the upper western approach above
Escalante, making a loop climbing from Boulder over the
bridge, descending to Escalante preferable to the reverse.
The profile shows the paved Ut12 part of the climb
appended, in order to show maximum elevation gain for such
a loop.
picture
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click on profile for more detail
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01.(5210ft,mile00) START-END EAST:
Ut12 crossing Escalante River between town of
Escalante and Boulder
02.(6770ft,mile10) profile turns left onto dirt road
03.(8390ft,mile20) first high point
04.(7820ft,mile22) low point
05.(8750ft,mile24) Hell's Backbone Bridge
06.(9160ft,mile25) TOP: point of highest altitude
07.(7730ft,mile31) low point
08.(8190ft,mile33) high point
09.(7650ft,mile34) low point
10.(8010ft,mile35) another high point and junction
with Posey Lake Road on right
11.(5800ft,mile49) START-END WEST: Escalante |
 Approaches
From East. At point 2, Hell's Backbone Road leaves
Ut12 ( which is covered in the Ut12
summit: Boulder - Capitol Reef ), and traverses a
pleasant, forested, ranched valley. After an initial climb
following Salt Gulch, the road gradually approaches the rim of
the Box Death Canyons. Suddenly finding oneself at the end of
a ridge with deeply eroded canyons on both sides, on a small,
narrow, yet paved bridge, leading to the other side so close
you can almost touch it, is a supreme surprise, which I now
spoiled, because I told you about it.. "Enjoy your
National Forest" states a sign in a uncharacteristically,
understated way. The point of highest altitude comes soon
after crossing the bridge. There are several false summits
along the route. To demonstrate how high and steep they are is
best left to the elevation profile.
From West. The approach is described in a downward
direction. The road manages to stay closer to the edge of the
canyon on this side, buy also requires climbing several
steep, false summits. Trails promising "Upper Box
Access" and "Upper Death Access" may sound
appealing enough to stop and rest. The last false summit is at
the junction with FR154
summit: Posey Lake Road. By this point the road has
diverted from the canyon rim and leads downward, relentlessly,
and deeply graveled. The last miles follow the lower boundary
of the fold making up the wilderness area, that has been
transformed into such a perfectly forbidding, rock topography.
The last three miles to Escalante are paved.
Tours
Dayrides. (unpaved+paved) A loop ride beginning in
the Torrey area, going over FR154
summit: Posey Lake Road, continuing over Hell's Backbone
Road summit(u) to Boulder, returning to the starting point via
Ut12 summit: Boulder -
Capitol Reef measured 114 mikes with 11510ft of climbing
in 10:5 hours. This includes about 5 miles and 500ft climbing
used to access the loop (m3:06.09.23).
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