Cataract in Oct, Elephant Hill or Ernies Country?

#1

Trying to put together a 3 day weekend packraft trip to Cataract/ Canyonlands in early October. The standard Elephant Hill-> Red Lake Canyon-> Imperial Valley looks good but kind of ends the trip with a huge (boring?) hike. Was wondering if anyone has tried the trip from the west side? Kelsey describes a route out Easter Pasture Canyon in his Canyonlands Hiking guide, this is just below the standard Calf Canyon/ Imperial valley exit. So one could use this as an exit and put in at Spanish bottom. To connect the two, one could hike the Fins trail through Ernies Country/Fins/ Dollhouse.

Has anyone tried this one? Any info on how tricky the exit would be out Easter Pasture Canyon? How does the Fins trail compare to the Imperial valley/ Grabens jeep road? Lastly, any chance of getting a Subaru to the top of the South Fork of Range Canyon where the Fin trail crosses the Spanish Bottom Road? Sounds like most non off road vehicles get stopped at Teapot Canyon.

Thanks,
Dave

#2

If you want another packrafting companion, I can go. Dont have a car, but willing to split gas if you can pick me up in American Fork.

Scott
scotticus80gmail.com

#3

Need to figure out what weekend and whether this trip will actually go. Would be nice to have 3+ folks. My standard PR friends wanna mtn bike then. Silly idiots!

#4

Depending on dates, I may be interested in a trip in Canyonlands in October. Please keep us posted. Thanks!