Remember When - Zion

[Iceaxe]

I found my old Zion Canyoneering log while looking for something else in my files and thought some of you might find some of the entries interesting. We had been doing canyons from our boats on Lake Powell for a number of years, but I never knew about the Zion canyons until 1999 when a friend living at the Zion Ponderosa invited me down to do Keyhole and Pine Creek. In 1999 there were no crowds in Zion, you might get one or two groups through Pine Creek on a busy week but that was it. Mystery might see 2 or 3 groups during an entire month. Canyons like Imlay and Heaps were lucky to see one group each year.

All of these canyons had been done before us, but back then we often had only the Black Book or word of mouth to go from. There was no reliable beta available on any of these canyons and what was avaiable was always sketchy. Tom Jones posted the first trustworthy beta I am aware of to many of these canyons (Mystery, Echo, Misery, Behunin). The first reliable public beta for Heaps and Imlay first appeared on Climb-Utah.com in 2001. My first descent of Heaps was with the very capable Downtown Mel Brown who had done the route five years earlier through Gunsight. We went in through Phantom Valley after Mel heard about the better Entrance from Bo Beck. At the time Gunsight was the usual entrance for anyone doing Heaps. The first time I did Imlay was with Tom Jones (and Scott Holley), it was the first trip through for all of us.

Anyhoo.... enjoy....


Echo Canyon (Upper Slot)
8/12/01
5:00 round trip (Group of 7). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels. A 60' rope is required. Swimming and wading is required. No wet suit was used and I became chilled waiting for others. A wet suit is required during cool temperatures. Temperature was over 100 degrees in St. George.

Englestead Hollow
9/1/01
7:00 From East Mesa Trailhead to Temple of the Sinawava (Group of 3). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels. Two 60 meter ropes are required. Route requires a 280' big wall start. Wading is required. Temperature was over 100 degrees in St. George.

Behunin Canyon
3/31/01
8:15 round trip (Group of 5). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels. Two 50 meter ropes are required. Knee deep wading is required.

Heaps Canyon
6/11/01
16.5 round trip (Group of 2). Two days, 9 hours day one, 7.5 hours day two. Very Advanced Technical slot canyon. Two 50 meter ropes and one 300' rope. Wetsuit and full gear required.

Imlay Canyon
9/29/01
12.5 hours round trip (Group of 3). Very Advanced Technical slot canyon. One 50 meter rope, one retrieval line and one 60 foot rope. Temperature was 97 degrees in St. George. Wore a dry suit with excellent results. Four keeper potholes requiring hooking.

Keyhole
7/12/99
2:00 round trip (Group of 2). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels. One 50 meter rope is required. Swimming is required an a wet suit is required. You will be completely wet the last hour of this canyon.

9/10/00
1:00 round trip (Group of 2). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels. One 120' rope is required. Swimming is required. A wet suit is required.

5/27/01
1:00 round trip (Group of 2).

Misery Canyon
5/26/01
9:00 round trip (Group of 4). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels. One 100' rope is required. Swimming and wading is required. No wet suit, a wet suit might be required during cool temperatures. The return hike lasts 3 hours and is brutal on hot days. Visited Labyrinth Falls. Temperature was 102 degrees in St. George.

8/11/01
7:30 round trip (Group of 5). No wet suits. The canyon was full of water from rain the day before. Went in at noon and came out in the evening which made the hike out pleasant. Did not visited Labyrinth Falls because of high water flow in the East Fork of the Virgin River. The hike out took 2:30 hours. Temperature was over 102 degrees in St. George.

Mystery Canyon
9/9/00
7:30 from East Mesa Trailhead to Temple of Sinawava (Group of 6). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels. The longest rappel is 150'. Two 50 meter ropes are required. Some minor swimming is required but a wet suit was not needed at this time of year. The Devil Hole was dry.

8/3/01
6:00 from East Mesa Trailhead to Temple of Sinawava (Group of 3). No wet suits were used. The canyon had flashed the day before. This canyon holds very little water. The Devil Hole was dry.

8/10/01
6:30 from East Mesa Trailhead to Temple of Sinawava (Group of 12). No wet suits were used. The Devil Hole was dry. Temperature was over 100 degrees in St. George.

Pine Creek
7/11/99
4:00 from top to bottom (Group of 3). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels, with the last repel being a 98' free hanging repel. Some swimming is required but a wet suit was not needed at this time of year.

6/24/00
4:00 from top to bottom (Group of 4). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels, with the last repel being a 98' free hanging repel. Some swimming is required but a wet suit was not needed at this time of year.

8/4/01
4:00 from top to bottom (Group of 3). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels, with the last repel being a 98' free hanging repel. We used one 60 meter rope on the last rappel and had rope on the ground. The canyon had flashed the day before and was filled with water. Many long swims and lot's of wading was required. No wet suits were used but they would have been welcome as all members became slightly chilled. A good rule of thumb for this canyon is if swimming is required before the first rappel you will have lot's of swimming in the canyon, if wading is all that is required you will have mostly wading in the canyon. If you have a dry approach to the first rappel the canyon is most likely dry.

Observation Point
7/12/99
3:00 round trip using East Mesa trail from East Park boundary. Very enjoyable hike with very little elevation change. This is a fantastic hike for beginners or inexperienced hikers. End of trail has a great view of Zion canyon.

Subway
5/18/00
Top to Bottom route was completed in 7 1/2 hours. This was a great trip and good time of year to do this hike. 60' rope required. Swimming required.

I hope you all enjoyed the stroll down Memory Lane.... :rockon:

[Brian in SLC]

The first reliable public beta for Heaps and Imlay first appeared on Climb-Utah.com in 2001. My first descent of Heaps was with the very capable Downtown Mel Brown who had done the route five years earlier through Gunsight.

"...and his band of renown!"

Nah, Mel's trip wasn't via gunsite, but, down the ridge across from it and into the same fork of Heaps. With me, in '96.

My very sketchy trip notes following our descent in '96 included below. Yeah, fun to stroll down memory lane...

Heap's was my second canyon in Zion, after doing the Left Fork into the Subway back in '86 or so (on 60 feet of 7mm static). And gettin' bouted in some variation of Wildcat around that time (no cold water protection or dry bags).

-Brian in SLC

Heap's Canyon @ Zion Nat'l Park
Billy's beta combined with post hike notes from Brian 7/96:

Start: Hike up Angel's landing trail. Go past Behunin on West Rim trail. Refill water bottles at spring (thank goodness). Next big canyon to the west. End: upper Emerald Pool.

Hike up the west side of the spit of land to the east of the canyon (between Behunin and East fork of Heap's). Go approx 1/2 mile up spit past saddle to top of spit crest. Look for tree dotted arete that comes up from canyon. Try and locate "huge" tree with webbing. Billy suggests going further down (south) and try lower tree. Update: nope, just rap and rap, use double ropes and look for trees with webbing. Was 6 rappels (2 double, 4 single). Look forward to loose rock, tree sap, scratchy scrub oak, full-on sun and biting ants. Note: the following directions are referenced as if the hiker is facing downstream.

Walk down canyon (above canyon bottom, sort of an island mini mesa spit) for a short ways until you come to a pouroff. Go to (left side) pouroff (narrow channel) to a good (small) tree to rap off (40 feet). Looks like if you hike up to right over small pine tree and scrub hill can avoid this rap but would miss start of cool slot and have to rappel again (keep rope out) right away anyhow. Wade through neat narrows then hike up left to obvious drop. Next section is a full 85 foot rappel. We used anchors in rock (don't slip!!) instead of tree with sling and needlessly used 2 ropes (may want to scope this closer if using tree for rap). Tree looked like a safer option (less scary to get to). Some wading and narrows follows.

Hike down to "crossroads". Shouldn't be wetsuit time yet. Crossroads is large open area (safe from flash flood if camp is placed high) where two canyons intersect. Looks like a place to exit up right (West) to Arth's Pasture. Consider camping here (will be warmer, firewood) or....

Proceed down canyon staying on left side. Can avoid rapping into canyon by entertaining down climb through root mass. Will hit 2 water holes (not wet suit time yet if camping but put on if starting from Crossroads). Can avoid 1st hole by taking shelf on right to a tree. Put a short rope on tree and hand-over-hand about a 10 foot descent. Second hole is short and should be wading only. After second hole is a neat area (a beautiful joint per Billy) and would be good camping but may be a bit colder than the crossroads (esp. key if no sleeping bag....).

Downstream approx. 1/2 mile canyon starts to get narrow.

General notes: There are a couple places where its easier (quicker) to jump the 10 feet into pools than rap (especially off of baby angle anchors). There is a place where there is a big log coming out of a pool on the right. Billy says its an area that is sort of confusing but a little looking around will put you on the right track (to avoid the Devil' Hole that no one can find).

The finish: When you start seeing a big cliff (Lady Mtn?) then the end (of the hike) is near. Where the canyon slot sort of disappears into the rock, look for a rap point way up high on the left (up loose sandstone and grunge, your lead). Here there is a low angle rappel to a big tree. Then a 150 foot vertical rappel to a "cubbyhole" (John joked that it will be too small for us). This is the 300 foot rap station. Billy added a new bolt here and recommends a stuffin' a "rag" in the rope eatin' groove (old t-shirt). May be old rag left in place. Billy has gone to a 450 foot rope to eliminate having to stop at the cubby hole.

Billy says could be 18 hours total (his fastest out of 3 trips is 12). Take ATC for rappel device (figure 8 spun too much). Take chain links & webbing for rappels (so knot won't pass: rap single).
Recommended stuff: at least 10 shoulder length slings and perhaps 30 feet of loose webbing (for replacing anchors). Bolt kit (include baby and 3/4 or 1 inch angle pitons, with a pair of hooks too(?))

[Brian in SLC]

Look forward to loose rock, tree sap, scratchy scrub oak, full-on sun and biting ants.
biting ants

Yeah, that entry sucks. Phantom Valley is sweet. Even the regular gunsite would have been preferable.

Bet I lost a pint of blood. I have a funny picture of my shins and you can't tell blood from skin.

Good ol' Mel. Anyone heard hide nur hair from him? Seems like I got an x-mas card from his last year or so. Strong laddie. Miss climbing with him. Plenty of horsepower.

-Brian in SLC

[bruce from bryce]

Hey Tanya,

What's with the new avatars? You get my vote for the best on the site? You gonna be a model when you grow up?

bruce from bryce

[tanya]

Around here the females are like....


not yet legal to drink.... way younger than my son!!!!!


I have to try and keep up with the competition! :mrgreen:

[Iceaxe]

I have to try and keep up with the competition! :mrgreen:

Your doing a mighty fine job. :slobber:


Good ol' Mel. Anyone heard hide nur hair from him?

Last time I talked to Mel was at the Arharts a few years back. I know he and his wife were jumping back and forth between here and Germany.... I kinda figured he went back over the pond and never came back.

:cool2:

[ratagonia]

I
Echo Canyon (Upper Slot)
8/12/01
5:00 round trip (Group of 7). Technical slot canyon requiring a series of repels.

Cool to stroll down memory lane... thanks.

Good to see your spelling has improved in the last 7 years.

Tom

[Scott P]

A stroll down memory lane.

I guess my dad has been taking us hiking and backpacking in Zion since we were very young, but the first trip I know of that I actually walked on my own was in 1980 when I walked to Kolob Arch at age six.

Anyway, I

[Brian in SLC]

[quote=Scott P]In June 1998 six people and I completed Icebox Canyon on a WMC trip. Stu Addler and I were the ones that installed the original North Pass hanging station bolts (the only time I

[Scott P]

We did the "U" pass entrance, not the pass to the north, though.

We weren

[ratagonia]

[quote=Scott P]

We weren

[Scott P]

Can you tell me what kind of bolts you put in, and do you remember where?

On the ledge half way down the two big wall raps. I don't know what kind, but it sounds like they muat be the Fixe ones since there were two.

Rappelling finally somewhat steeply. One rappel from a pine tree drops steeply to a pretty good ledge. Three bolts (including 2 Fixe bolts of dubious quality) allow a 150 foot rappel to the canyon floor. A 15 minute fern-wack down the canyon leads to the first decent water and a few possible camping spots. We arrived just at dark and set up camp.

Stu was the climbing expert of the crowd and the one that did most of the work and we epoxied those in and waited several hours for it to harden since the sandstone is soft would widen the hole when tightened. I believe he even wrote in the Black Book that it would be better to replace those with better ones or to at least bring a BK, but it looks like they were still there at least three years later. Are those the ones that people still use? :nono:

Anyway, if I did it all over again, I would have just brought longer ropes, but the drop into the canyon was bigger than expected. With two very long ropes, it definately could easily be done without the bolts.

We somehow missed the old "homemade bolt" in your photo.

The single bolt station you mentioned didn't exist. We downclimbed everything down to the "sturdy pine" you mention in the TR and placed nothing above that.

[ratagonia]

[
Anyway, if I did it all over again, I would have just brought longer ropes, but the drop into the canyon was bigger than expected. With two very long ropes, it definately could easily be done without the bolts.

We somehow missed the old "homemade bolt" in your photo.

The single bolt station you mentioned didn't exist. We downclimbed everything down to the "sturdy pine" you mention in the TR and placed nothing above that.

300 feet, probably, from the "sturdy pine" to the ground.

Loading in Sheer, the canyoneer's saviour!

There were at least two single bolt anchors in the 4th class couloir - but they were hard to see, so they might have been there. The "homemade bolt" was probably pretty old. Brian has mentioned that those metal-strap hangers were sold in the 80's???? Then the one before the pine that I put an additional bolt in (and I botched the first one).

Tom

[Brian in SLC]

Brian has mentioned that those metal-strap hangers were sold in the 80's????

Nah, way before that. My bet is the 50's or early 60's.

Problem is, you can't freshness date a bolt or hanger other than knowing it can't be older than the date when the gear was introduced.

In other words, like the guy that still was placing star dryvin bolts (Heaps Phantom) in recent years. You see that old stuff and assume its super old, when its really pretty fresh.

Flipside is when you find and old piton, like we did near Hook Canyon (enroute to Spearhead). When you see the "BD" on either side of the "diamond C", then you know its a much newer pin.

So, those strap hangers could be from a guys bolt kit who either inherited the stuff, or, never upgraded. Crazy.

But, back in the 50's, there were folks sniffing around that country. For some reason, arch baggin' was all the rage back then.

Its funny, but folks talk about fixed hardware and the impact, but, when you see the old stuff, it more conjures up wild thoughts about these pioneers out doing some pretty nifty exploration. At least it does for me. I'll admit I kinda like seeing it out there.

Pulled an old pin and a couple of cams off Devil's Castle last summer. The pin was super old, probably from an ascent (or attempt) in the 60's or early 70's (rumor of Mayor Ted, perhaps). The cams had to be a BD person, I'm thinkin'. One or both were pre-production prototypes that just weren't sold (a #1 and #2 nested together, with biners). Given the terrain, a bit of epic avoidance most likely. Single rope rappel to the ground from the cams.

Anyhoo, neat-o.

-Brian in SLC