Horse Mountain Wilderness Study Area - alternate branches of Horse Mountain Gorge

 

Pillar along the old road

So I ventured out more than a month ago (Easter Sunday, 4/5/26) to have a look at the upper end of a branch of the gorge I explored back in the Fall and also have a look at a third canyon just to south.  I started at the Log Canyon trailhead this time where  I was greeted by an elk carcass laying right across the trail just beyond the gate. Weird, but I won't go into detail here all the reasons that made it so in my mind. Once at the drinker at the top of Log Canyon, I angled south (picking up the road from Nance Canyon  after a brief bit of cross country through the piñons) heading toward the huge tower of rock I call the Monolith Rock ( locals may call it something else and if I ever find out what I'll change this).

Monolith Rock

 From there I headed steeply down the canyon on its east side, snapping photos of the formations on both sides of the canyon as I went.

Eventually  the canyon fed into a gorgeous little park-like area with tall skinny pines and extensive meadows. 

I went up over a low ridge and the proceeded downstream again until I was at the top of the dry falls formed by several large boulders. Below here is where I had been stopped back in October, but from above it looks like there is passage way through, if your are willing to trust the stability these huge rocks by walking and scrambling under and through. Luckily, I had already been to the area downstream, so there was no need to risk it today.

Above the dry falls

I backtracked, climbed through a rocky passage and then walked over to the shade of a large douglas-fir where I sat down to have my lunch. After accidentally marinating myself with sardine juice (and finishing my food) I was up and at it, climbing up rocky ridge and then descending (somewhat treacherously) through rough formations down to another deep passage. 

Rough hill side I came down.

Undulating, jutting layers of craggy volcanic rock formed a wild wall over a hundred feet high on my left. Massive towers  emerged from the top of the slope on my right. At the bottom of the wall were large alcoves beyond a thick hedge of newly green squaw bush. Another alcove appeared about half-way up as I walked further down.  I knew I was approaching the private property boundary, so I began trek out. I had a good plan for returning to the landmark Monolith Rock, which was made even better by discovering an old road  that took me right to it.  Only light winds were blowing most of the day, and it never really got hot even with the sunny skies. A great spring outing.

Monolith Rock from the old road