Eye of the Needle - Pictures

[price1869]

K, I know everyone just wants to see the pictures, and I'll get to that.

Trip Report

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Location: Eye of the Needle - Near Zion National Park, Utah

Date: October 22, 2005

Group: Sam, Masiel, and Devan Gregory, and Jason Price

Equipment: 100’ 200' and 60' canyoneering ropes, harnesses, rappel device, ascenders, headlamps, helmets, wetsuits, neoprene socks, food and water.

Time: entered the canyon at 9:15 am (cold) exited an eternity later.

Notes:

We left my mountain bike at the West Rim trailhead and drove back to the Logandale campground and crashed for the night there. In the morning we cruised down the hill and got to the canyon at about 9:15. This is our halloween canyon, so we dressed up a little for it.

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Big Blues Sam and Paiaso Masiel

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Me and Sam

Anyway, we got into the canyon and did the first few rappels. I dont' knwo if we just didn't understand the beta we had, or if it was incorrect, but we had some mixups, our radios quit working, and the big rappel was not smooth. I ended up at the eye of the needle with no more rope, no way to communicate, and I ended up sliding down the rest of the cliff into the six inches of water at the bottom. Anyway, we got it all worked out (barely), everyone made it to the bottom, and we got all of our ropes.

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Devan

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Masiel passes through the eye of the needle

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Sam

After that, the canyon was a piece of cake. Just romping down a wet canyon with some minor rappels and tall walls. Pretty cool stuff.

Now, let me give a warning

The MIA exit SUCKS!!!!!!!! The descriptions are wrong. It's a lot worse than they say. I know that they say it's hard and that you don't want to do it, but in all of my canyoneering, This was 5 times worse than any other entrance/exit hike. I got to the top of the exit okay, but then you have to hike another 3-4 miles on this road that just never ends. IT NEVER ENDS.

Then you get on your mountain bike, since we didn't have a car spot and bike another who-knows-how-many miles back to the car, trying to avoid all the idiot hunters that are shooting from the roads. :frustrated:

Anyway, we all made it okay, my foot is killing me today, but whatever. Here we are, and another notch in the belt.

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Yeah, I was there too, but Devan said I couldn't take anymore pictures of myself, so i just had to sneak this one.

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Kolob Canyon confluence

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The MIA exit

[accadacca]

Those are some sweet pictures price. :five: You've gotta love the Halloween theme too. :2thumbs:

I need to get OUT! It has been too long...... :roll:

[shaggy125]

Nice dude, those costumes are sweet! I'm guessing this was your replacement for Choprock, good choice. Choprock will be better when you have a little more time to spend getting to it. I agree about the MIA, those roads never end. I hear you can cut through the woods to knock an hour or so off the hike, but I'm too afraid of going in circles and then being eaten by the blair witch so I haven't tried it yet. I can't imagine how sucky that uphill bike ride was after a looooong day.

[Mtnbiker]

Wow, those pictures are incredible! some day I'd love to be able to do that. those pics of you rapelling down the waterfall through the hole are just awesome. Keep them coming.

[nitmik]

Those are some nice pictures, looks like lots of fun

[James_B_Wads2000]

I feel your pain. MIA was the hardest hike I have ever done. Had it not been for the other guys in my group I would still be there today.

Ah the memories... I found my old TR from last year when I did Kolob. I'll post it.

James

P.S. Hey Price I think I ended up with your green canister of propane that you left at Ledgemer last Wednesday. Let me know how I can get it back to you.

[rockgremlin]

You guys are a riot. The Halloween theme was a really fun idea!! :lol8: Sweet canyon!!!

Thnx for the advice on the MIA exit, I'll steer clear of it in the future.

[Sombeech]

That looks like a lot of fun. Glad you guys made it out alright.

Price, you're rockin' with the trip reports. Keep 'em coming. :rockon:

[accadacca]

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[jman]

Since this is resurrected, my buddy Jeff guest and I are doing this in July! Looking forward to it with ZAC

[Iceaxe]

Eye of the needle is a very pretty canyon, I just wish there was more meat on the bone. I like this TR as Price and Sam are some of the funnest guys you will ever canyoneer with. For a couple of years those two, along with Summers, were my rope guns. I never needed a sandtrap, fiddlestix, bolt kit, yada, yada with those guys around. They would just climb it.... Last year Price and Sam took my daughter and myself through the Darby Ice Cave (http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?64814), which I consider one of the highlights of my outdoor adventures.

[price1869]

Throwback Thursday! Cool.:cool2:

[hank moon]

Eye of the needle is a very pretty canyon, I just wish there was more meat on the bone.

To maximize fun in that canyon, fix ropes and ascend back out. Way more fun than just going down, and you see stuff while ascending that is easily missed on rappel.

[Jolly Green]

Glad this one made a reround. The canyon looks awesome- I'm just not sure it's $400 awesome.