Mystery Canyon-Can one Rap in & not enter by erosion gul

[slitslot]

Can anyone suggest a way to rap into Mystery Canyon instead of going down the steep erosion alley at the beginning of Mystery? I hate contributing to the degradation at the top of this canyon by walking/sliding down the top of this otherwise wonderful canyon.

[marc olivares]

i dont have any beta, but i'm curious how you thing that you are doing more damage to the ecosystem than a normal rain storm?
that is a natural drainage, all of your traces are gone w/ the next rainstorm.
i understand what youre saying, i hate that slog too, but i'm thinking our impact is minimal compared to mother nature.

comments?

[moabfool]

i dont have any beta, but i'm curious how you thing that you are doing more damage to the ecosystem than a normal rain storm?
that is a natural drainage, all of your traces are gone w/ the next rainstorm.
i understand what youre saying, i hate that slog too, but i'm thinking our impact is minimal compared to mother nature.

comments?

I was talking to a lady on the bus last July after I had just finished Mystery. She told me about going down there 15 years ago. She said it was just the watercourse, not the massive slash that's opened up since the canyon has gained popularity.

Here's a good idea that unfortunately would never fly.

http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1240&highlight=ferrata

http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2200&highlight=ferrata

[slitslot]

The upper most Mystery Canyon trail is steep and descends straight down the canyon watershed. Our hiking and sliding down has removed and continues to remove soil and vegetation (both foilage and roots) which keep the soil together. The soil and vegetation are nature's barrier to errosion and this trail has effectively removed natures protection for the watershed. There is no protection left to prevent erosion, and erosion has and will continue to accelerate. The trail needs to be reclaimed and revegetated. Enough preaching.

Besides, (1) the trail is now an eyesore, and
(2) as canyoneers, aren't we supposed to prefer rapping to slip sliding down that slope (ie rapping is more fun), and
(3) most would agree that a rap point and rope would leave less of a scar than the erosion alley we have created and continue to make worse?

Now, has anyone worked out another way to drop in to Mystery?

[shaggy125]

Tom went around last summer with someone trying to assess building new access trails for canyon approaches. they set up the new route into keyhole and are talking about constructing parts of the trail out of Pine Creek to decrease impact. They looked at Mystery and I think the consensus was that it's pretty much hopeless. Tom and others were working on finding a less damaging rappelling route in but I haven't heard what they found. Tom? You there? Am I way off or is that right?

Eric.

[stefan]

does anyone have any good photos they can post to demonstrate the problem for all to see?

[moabfool]

does anyone have any good photos they can post to demonstrate the problem for all to see?

These don't really show the extent of the problem, but the loss of topsoil and the exposure of root systems is apparent. I probably have some more at home that are better. These are just what I had stored at photos.yahoo.com. My intent wasn't to show the gaping slash when I posted them online.

To see all the pictures...
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/moabfool/album?.dir=289a&.src=ph

It's too bad the CCC didn't see any value in building a nice stone and concrete stairway down into the canyon back in the 1930's. Okay, that wouldn't have worked, but there's got to be something we can do now. I still say the via ferrata is a good alternative.

[slitslot]

What is the via ferrata? Enlightenment is needed to cure my ignorance.

[moabfool]

What is the via ferrata? Enlightenment is needed to cure my ignorance.

Click the links in my post at the top of the thread or search "via ferrata" in the uutah.com search field.

[slitslot]

Sorry, I just read your links regarding the via ferretta. Thanks.
However, I hope a more traditional rap route solution can be pioneered for Mystery Canyon.

[moabfool]

Sorry, I just read your links regarding the via ferretta. Thanks.
However, I hope a more traditional rap route solution can be pioneered for Mystery Canyon.

Like folks have said, it's been done. I guess it just took a lot of rope and some insane technical skills. The hardest part would be finding rappel stations if you didn't want to haul 600+ feet of rope down the canyon.

There's another way into Mystery Canyon from the north. Have a look at the Zion topo (The Temple of Sinewava) The second intermittent stream up Orderville provides a weakness that one can scramble up. You'll miss the first rappels (which I think make the canyon), but if you just go down there for the Mystery Springs and Mystery Falls rappel it might be for you. Just know that somebody said "we did it so you don't have to."

[Scott Card]

Can anyone suggest a way to rap into Mystery Canyon instead of going down the steep erosion alley at the beginning of Mystery? I hate contributing to the degradation at the top of this canyon by walking/sliding down the top of this otherwise wonderful canyon.

I see no real solution unless a trail crew creates a better trail by shoring up the current trail into the canyon. The above photos appear to be post land slide and further down the slope. This slide occurred spring of '05 (if I remember correctly) and really made a mess of things making the trail much worse. In other words, it was mother nature not canyoneers that screwed up that part of the trail. Prior to the slide, the trail at the slide location was not as bad (compared to the upper part) and was in a wooded area and there was a defined trail. Now, post slide, the cut away and the slide pile it is the scariest and worst part of the hike. I am fairly certain the slide was not caused by canyoneers but rather mother nature doing her thing (very wet winter, post drought soaking, steep slope and down she went). This slide was pretty broad and brought down some big trees into the canyon. My wife and I and some friends were one of the first groups in after the slide and it was truly a mess. Further, I tried another way in (on accident and several years ago) and it was way worse. I sorta went in too early by a couple of hundred yards to the east on my very first canyoneering descent. We followed some social trial, that we convinced ourselves was the trial, created by those wanting to get a view I guess. The Black book (my only source of info at that time) said the descent into Mystery was a tree grabbing slip sliding descent. We took that to the extreme. I pretty well skied my way in grabbing on to every thing in sight. All the rock in that drainage bowl is garbage. As was mentioned, If you really wanted to rap in you would have to lug at least 600 feet of rope (single strand) to get in as far as I can tell. Otherwise you deal with the crappy rock and a steep slope.

[slitslot]

I thank all of you for sharing your experience and insight.

I have enjoyed this canyon three times. In 00, June of 02 and and August of 05. The degradation seemed to increase noticeably each time. Admittedly, the slide in the spring of 05 made a total mess of things, and I agree that the slide itself probably had nothing to do with canyoneers' feet. But the degradation of the upper part of the slope is our doing. I believe I saw some light trails (possibly animal made but possibly used or usable by canyoneers) on the upper east side of the canyon (but still below the wall) on my August 05 trip, and I just wondered if any one had found a way to rap in from somewhere on the east upper part of the canyon to avoid some of the steep slip slide slope.

I wonder (at the risk of the wrath of all) if bolted hanging disconnect stations (or ledges) could be a viable option as opposed to 600 ropes? Maybe the best bet is to just keep using the existing "trail".

[shaggy125]

I wonder (at the risk of the wrath of all) if bolted hanging disconnect stations (or ledges) could be a viable option as opposed to 600 ropes? Maybe the best bet is to just keep using the existing "trail".

This option would slap a 4B rating on the canyon because it would now require advanced rope work, and I would guess this would discourage many from using the route when they can just hike down the gully without having to do a scary as h$!! mid wall clip in while pulling and rethreading ropes.

Eric.

[moabfool]

I wonder (at the risk of the wrath of all) if bolted hanging disconnect stations (or ledges) could be a viable option as opposed to 600 ropes? Maybe the best bet is to just keep using the existing "trail".

No less wrath than my idea. I think bolt stations would be a good idea. The idea of a mid-wall rap changeover doesn't really scare me, but I know members of my crew that are opposed to the idea. The biggest challenge would be finding a place for six canyoneers to hang out (literally) while the rope was reset for the next rap. Don't drop your rope. You'll need it five more times before you're off the wall.

Another thought would to be using a handline on the existing route to avoid grabbing roots and branches. More fuss to be sure, but if one really wants the trees to live they'll do it. That said, I probably won't.