Mill Creek Traverse

I beep bopped over to Mill Creek. You can park just a mile from where I’m staying and head out along the Creek’s North Fork. Mill Creek’s greatest hits include “Carrying A Bunch of Water From the La Sal Mts to the Colorado River” and “Having a Curvy Waterfall.”

You pass Left Hand, a curving waterfall, a short way into the hike. If continue on, you’ll make it out to Cliffhandle Arch and Ortho Natural Bridge.

I figured I could wade across a deep-ish section of the river found shortly after Left Hand. 95% of the way across the creek it became clear that I’d need to swim, not just wade, to reach the exit point. Getting cold already, I decided I’d better get back to shore and try a different route.

Next try was traversing across the rock face abutting the creek.

I had to wait in a long line to take a stab at the illustrious Mill Creek Traverse. The V(-1) boulder problem generates a good deal of traffic. Folks come off the trad routes on the Fisher Towers looking for a proper challenge. The MCT is a real novelty in a part of the country not known to test seasoned climbers.

I made it through the traverse no damper than I started and went on toward Cliffhandle Arch.

Neither of these are Cliffhandle Arch.

This rock had more for a sec but I can tell you now that it is most certainly NOT Cliffhandle Arch.

Oh look, Cliffhandle Arch.

The trail becomes harder to follow past the arch. I turned back not long after reaching the arch.

I followed the smattering of social trails back to the traverse.

And I ambled back to the car with designs on returning to check out the bridge.