Adventures In Food Stashing

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 I didn’t have much time to enjoy Las Vegas, as downloading of maps and information onto my phone and backup devices took longer than anticipated. I think with two gps enabled devices and a complete set of maps on each I’m pretty well prepared.

Then it was time to hit the road!

Stash Map

It was about three hours from Vegas to my first stash location at the end of Hack Canyon. To reach it I had to cross a large and uninviting looking part of the Arizona Strip. I read that usually there is snow and mud on the long and rattly dirt road crossing it, but it was already bone dry and the Hack reservoir, one potential emergency water source, was only a dank looking puddle. Even though it’s at an altitude of over 5000 feet, the temperatures hovered between 88 and 90F. It’s a somber thought that I have to cross this area on foot towards the end of my hike in two months when it’s drier and hotter… I hope the 5.5 liters of water I stashed along with food will still be waiting for me then.

Between Hack Canyon and Zion

I found a good stashing location in a side canyon with good camping nearby. I made sure it wasn’t anywhere close to the bottom to prevent it from being washed away in a flash flood. I also chose an area that was unlikely to be frequented by cattle.

View From My First Stash

I repeated this process at each location. Sometimes I found a nice rock cave to hide my stuff, sometimes a prominent tree, sometimes I had to dig a hole to bury the bucket.


In addition to a gps marker for each location, I took pictures and videos to refresh my memory when the time comes to pick things up.

It was a lot of driving for three full days until I reached Moab, where my hike will start, but I took time for sightseeing and hiking some nearby trails that are not on my route. I quite liked the trip, but I am also happy to leave my car behind and start hiking. 

Burr Trail




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