Day 07

Day 7 – Camp still sucks in the morning, early sun. Just as I am nearly ready to leave, 5 wild horses almost wander into my camp before seeing me. 1 big black stallion with a white star on his forehead, 2 brown mares, and 2 nearly full grown brown (foals? colts?). Stand there and watch me get ready, pose for some good shots, even kind of follow me up the Pasture Track a bit. Follow the Pasture Track, which is an old 4wd road, now totally washed out, but still a fairly good foot trail in most spots. Two and a half hours to Chimney Canyon along the bench above the Chute. Nice view in all directions. To the west the escarpment goes back to Tomsich Butte and the other buttes around the mouth of the upper Muddy, then veers northward towards the Head of Sinbad. Directly north of me, the canyon falls into the Chute, so deep and narrow that only one time do I get even a glimpse of the lower canyon, let alone the water. Across the river is the area called Keesle Country. To the south is the backside of the San Rafael Reef. 45 minutes up Chimney Canyon (past the airstrip and the old miners cabins), find a nice spot by the upper end of “Spring Fork”. Lots of bugs, lots of water everywhere. Hot day, windy afternoon. Lots of bats. Campsite much better than previous visit to this same canyon. Finally, good water! Only campsite on entire trip that had decent tasting water.