Fall Canyoneering - What are the good ones!?!?!?

[tanya]

Where do you head in the fall when the days are short, the water is COLD and the days are sort of hot and cold? :drums:

There is Shane's favorite Canyon in Zion of course. :boxing:

[FOX]

I like the Swell and the Roost this time of year. North Wash is great as well. Lots of 5 to 8 hour trips to choose from. Water can largely be avoided and there are no bugs!

[tanya]

I like the Swell and the Roost this time of year. North Wash is great as well. Lots of 5 to 8 hour trips to choose from. Water can largely be avoided and there are no bugs!


Some day I am just going to have to cross my boundry line and head for this Swell place. It just seems to be a favorite of so many when the weather turns cold. :2thumbs:

[Iceaxe]

Some day I am just going to have to cross my boundry line and head for this Swell place.

:2thumbs:

I like the Roost, North Wash and Moab when the weather turns cold.

:popcorn:

[FOX]

Some day I am just going to have to cross my boundry line and head for this Swell place. It just seems to be a favorite of so many when the weather turns cold. :2thumbs:

Got a trip coming up real soon to the Swell and North Wash if you'd like to join us?

[stefan]

cedar mesa is one of my favorite places in the winter.

[Iceaxe]

cedar mesa is one of my favorite places in the winter.

You talking hiking or tech canyoneering?

I really like hiking Cedar Mesa in winter, but not technical canyoneering. The Cedar Mesa canyons can hold a lot of ice cold water..... were talking major shrinkage :nod:

[stefan]

cedar mesa is one of my favorite places in the winter.

You talking hiking or tech canyoneering?

I really like hiking Cedar Mesa in winter, but not technical canyoneering. The Cedar Mesa canyons can hold a lot of ice cold water..... were talking major shrinkage :nod:

cold water ROCKS! :haha:

yeah ... nontech. i just threw it in on this thread for the shock value.

that being said, there is one mildly tech canyon catching on for a descent at least one day in the winter. :cool2:

[tanya]

like the Roost, North Wash and Moab when the weather turns cold.

:popcorn:


Where would you go if you left that comfort zone this time of year?

[tanya]

Some day I am just going to have to cross my boundry line and head for this Swell place. It just seems to be a favorite of so many when the weather turns cold. :2thumbs:

Got a trip coming up real soon to the Swell and North Wash if you'd like to join us?


But dear, we hardly know each other. :bath:

[stefan]

like the Roost, North Wash and Moab when the weather turns cold.
Where would you go if you left that comfort zone this time of year?

actually some of the road accessible stuff on powell could be quite nice in the fall and winter. it's lower elevation makes it often much warmer than the roost/swell and even northwash.

in early january we did two powell canyons ... the temps were QUITE nice and the canyons had almost NO water in them whatsoever.

[Iceaxe]

Where would you go if you left that comfort zone this time of year?

I consider anything in the western US to be in my comfort zone.... but a lot of times in winter I go do slots and slickrock hiking in southern NV. Lots of stuff around Lake Mead..... Valley of Fire would probably be a good starting place for you.

:rockon:

[tanya]

I could go with Shane anywhere. :2thumbs:

I learned my lesson during my first trip through the Subway. I went with people I did not know. :ne_nau: One guy invited me. Someone I really did not like at all, but still went since I was new to this stuff. It was the trip from Hell for me! :help: I think the 2 females :twisted: there hated me. The 3 guys were okay. One was really nice actually. :nod: After that I stuck to people I have posted to a lot and have got to know. My trip through the Subway with Shane was fun and so has been every other hiking/canyoneering/climbing trip I have taken because I make sure I know the people now. --- at least as well as one can on the net.

[tanya]

Where would you go if you left that comfort zone this time of year?

I consider anything in the western US to be in my comfort zone.... but a lot of times in winter I go do slots and slickrock hiking in southern NV. Lots of stuff around Lake Mead..... Valley of Fire would probably be a good starting place for you.

:rockon:

I still have a lot of stuff to explore around me. I was just reading yesterday in the news that Lake Mead got more visitors this year than the Grand Canyon did! I grew up in Vegas and even went back for a few years to go to school at UNLV but did not spend enough time at the lake to find the good stuff. What do you like out there?

[tanya]

like the Roost, North Wash and Moab when the weather turns cold.
Where would you go if you left that comfort zone this time of year?

actually some of the road accessible stuff on powell could be quite nice in the fall and winter. it's lower elevation makes it often much warmer than the roost/swell and even northwash.

in early january we did two powell canyons ... the temps were QUITE nice and the canyons had almost NO water in them whatsoever.


I am going to get a boat one of these next years and start spending a LOT of time at Lake Powell!

[Iceaxe]

What do you like out there?

As I said, start with a day or two in Valley of Fire. This will get you started.

Valley of Fire
http://climb-utah.com/VoF/index.htm

If you want the scoop on Southern Nevada the best info around is probably Branch Whitney's

Hiking Las Vegas
http://www.hikinglasvegas.com

It's a pay-per-view site. I find his info to be really good. I have no problem paying for good beta, its worth every penny to me to save the time that lack of beta eats up. Branch's site is really slim on technical canyons, but by reading between the lines you can put together some nice tech routes. If you are into hiking around LV then this is probably must own beta.

.

[FOX]

Some day I am just going to have to cross my boundry line and head for this Swell place. It just seems to be a favorite of so many when the weather turns cold. :2thumbs:

Got a trip coming up real soon to the Swell and North Wash if you'd like to join us?


But dear, we hardly know each other. :bath:

Well I think you'd have a fun time. We're all pretty mello. There are actually a few people going that you may already know personally from the forums here. However I do understand going with people you like and trust all too well. Nothing sucks worse than being in the middle of nowhere with an a__hole. :argue:

[tanya]

If this photo is you, just use it for your poster and you will have all the women sign up for your tours. Charge them more than the other guy. :nod:

I can't find Kyrell. Who are you?!?! All I know is you hang out with Shane. That is not always a good thing. :eek2:

[rockgremlin]

:oops: I see you've been snooping around in my photo album. :oops: That's me on the job. There's about 80,000 pounds of pure copper cathode behind me.



Ya, I know.........I'm a nerd. :lol8:


I can vouch for Kyrell. He's fun to hike with....when he can grab a free weekend. He works with Hollywood types with crazy deadlines....enough to stress anyone out! :frustrated:

[Scott P]

Don't be thinking the warm weather is over yet. I've seen many days in southern Utah in the 90's, and 80's are still common.

Anyway, if the roads clear up and the rain stops for a while (after all this is supposed to be a desert), then most areas save some of the wet slots in Escalante and Zion should be at their prime. In most years, October and April are the best month to do most canyons. This year seems to be very different though. :shock:

[tanya]

:oops: I see you've been snooping around in my photo album. :oops: That's me on the job. There's about 80,000 pounds of pure copper cathode behind me.



Ya, I know.........I'm a nerd. :lol8:

Oh there is something back there. I did not notice. :cool2:


I can vouch for Kyrell. He's fun to hike with....when he can grab a free weekend. He works with Hollywood types with crazy deadlines....enough to stress anyone out! :frustrated:


:ne_nau: That must be a rough job! I did look at his website that had some info about that, but nothing about him?

[tanya]

Don't be thinking the warm weather is over yet. I've seen many days in southern Utah in the 90's, and 80's are still common.

Anyway, if the roads clear up and the rain stops for a while (after all this is supposed to be a desert), then most areas save some of the wet slots in Escalante and Zion should be at their prime. In most years, October and April are the best month to do most canyons. This year seems to be very different though. :shock:


I am always looking for something around Zion, GSENM, Bryce, Coyote Buttes, North Rim and inbetween -- and something different. Its suppose to rain hard Saturday so remote dirt roads are out this weekend. I have never done Hop Valley in Zion. I think I will head there on Sunday ... maybe? But I am open to suggestions for every week all fall and winter! I would love to find some new, dry routes in or near Zion.

[Scott P]

I am always looking for something around Zion, GSENM, Bryce, Coyote Buttes, North Rim and inbetween -- and something different.

I don't know how much I can reveal without getting shot or something, but there are many fine technical slots in the Paria-Hackberry Complex.

For mid-Winter, Marble Canyon stays pretty mild all winter long.

[tanya]

Secret Beta! If you don't want people to know about it don't tell me. I don't believe in keeping things secret. That is too much like closing down hikes or canyons. ~imho~ :popcorn:

[Scott P]

You could start with Deer Creek and Stone Donkey, both are which already in guidebooks. :2thumbs:

[tanya]

You could start with Deer Creek and Stone Donkey, both are which already in guidebooks. :2thumbs:


Thanks Scott :nod: I will look them up.

[stefan]

those are in MK's latest paria book which has a number of good hike in it.

another possibility is to make a loop with round valley draw and a mildly techinical canyon just downstream hackberry from RVD. i forget at the moment what it's called, starts with a B. haven't done it. it's mostly a wide canyon which then constricts towards the bottom. but i imagine it'd be scenic as is much of that area. so you can descend that canyon then up RVD and back to the car. could be interesting but scotts suggestions sound better.

nat has done deer creek, he might make some comments. but i remember he did like it.

i'd like to get back to that area sometime. real pretty sandstone down there and i love conifers, especially all of those ponderosas!

[Scott P]

another possibility is to make a loop with round valley draw and a mildly techinical canyon just downstream hackberry from RVD.

It's Booker, and apparently unknown to MK, the fall can be bypassed.


could be interesting but scotts suggestions sound better.

Sone Donkey is a favorite of mine, despite the realitive shortness of the slot. Some might call the approach a slog. I call it an incredibly beautiful hike. There are other good slots in the immediate area and the climb up Buckhorn Peak should be spectacular. We didn't have time for a serious attempt on the peak, but I wish we would have.

[tanya]

Thanks Guys! :2thumbs:

[moabfool]

I did Subway over Thanksgiving last year. Most fun I've ever had down there even though I'd torn the skin off five of my knuckles two days earlier. There were only 10 permit spots used that day. The only other people we saw were at the Left Fork TH when we dropped off out shuttle vehicle. We didn't see them again.

I've also done Mystery in early November. Don't even bother with a wetsuit (maybe later in the year, but by then Mystery is a bad plan). That day there was a trickle of tourists passing Mystery Falls without special gear. The fall colors in The Devil's Hole were awesome.

That said, you really need to head east and see some of the more remote canyons. Just as good as Zion, no crowds, and no stinking permits.

[FOX]

I can't find Kyrell. Who are you?!?! All I know is you hang out with Shane. That is not always a good thing. :eek2:

I actually haven't done a trip with Shane yet. We've traded some beta but that's about all.

RG snapped of this of me a year ago in the Roost. It's been affectionately refered to as the "International DJ" shot. So...that's me.

[tanya]

I figured it out from a banner shot. Very handsome :ahh: :

[FOX]

Awww shucks :oops: Thanks for the compliment Tanya! :wink:

[rockgremlin]

RG snapped of this of me a year ago in the Roost. It's been affectionately refered to as the "International DJ" shot. So...that's me.

Actually, I was going through my negatives the other day, and I stumbled across that shot of you. I've been meaning to get a print made up for ya, I think its one of your best canyoneering photos. I'll be in town over the holidays...maybe then. :five:

[FOX]

It is a cool pic! That was a fun day. I finally got a large print of our Imlay exit from that dude in St. George. It's awesome! Both of us can be seen in it pretty clearly. Next time you're up, we'll have to swap photos. :2thumbs: