Fred has wanted to see Bull Valley Gorge since he read about it and that seemed like an ideal destination for the day's outing. The Visitor Center staff reported that hiking and road conditions were both favorable so we bounced off down unpaved Skutumpah (Scoot-em-pa) Road.
I had read about Bull Valley Gorge also and was scared about crossing 'the bridge.' Back in the 1950s, three young men went out Skutumpah Road to party. They drove across the narrow, deep gorge and stopped (or stalled) their pick-up truck on the road beyond, which climbs steeply uphill. The truck rolled backward and into the gorge. The doors flew open and all three fell to their death. Their bodies were retrieved but the pickup, wedged between the stone walls of the canyon, remains. The practical locals made the truck the foundation for a new crossing, throwing tree trunks, boulders and dirt on top of it until the debris reached the level of the road.
My question, Have you people never heard of rust?
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| Bull Valley Dirt Bridge |
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| Pickup Truck That Ran Off Road in 1950s |
Driving the Jeep across that narrow chasm with a deadly drop-off on each side didn't faze Fred but I chose to walk to the other side.
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| It is only scary if you look right or left |
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| Jan Standing on Edge of Bull Valley Gorge |
We edged along the rim of the canyon to a point shallow enough to enter (and exit) without ropes or technical moves. About 100' downstream, the bottom dropped 8-10' vertically sending the water into a deep pool at the foot. We decided to hike another slot canyon instead and rattled down the road ten miles further.
Lick Wash, a seasonal river course, was an easy walk with a couple of short narrow, twisty sections, two petroglyphs and some great wildflowers. All in all, it was just the right amount of exertion prior to a strenuous week. And now we've 'done' Skutumpah Road and never, ever have to travel it again!
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| Fred in Lick Wash |
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| Jan in Lick Wash |
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| Lick Wash Petroglyphs |
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