Water Canyon Today

[tanya]

For those that don't know where Water Canyon is..

Hildale, Utah
http://www.dankat.com/swhikes/waterc.htm

[trackrunner]

I'll be less than 30 min away in the area and was thinking the same thing. :2thumbs: I've got to be in St. George by 2:00 pm. Can we be done by then?

[tanya]

We just got home from doing Water Canyon. It was beautiful and the company was excellent.

Photos of the first 2 rappels :haha:

We did not get Shaun out in time. We started about 8am and got done about 4pm.

[oldno7]

Now I'm confused--
I thought Bo was doing Heaps today, instead?

[tanya]

Ninth rappel or so?

Nice water reflections here....

[tanya]

Now I'm confused--
I thought Bo was doing Heaps today, instead?


Silly! That was a joke!!!

(But I did not get it either, so I emailed him and he un-confused me)

[tanya]

The rappels in this canyon are easy, but fun. This would be a good canyon for beginners.

[tanya]

This is the swim I avoided that Bo is doing... Thanks to the very nice guy from ZAC!

[tanya]

More photos

[tanya]

More photos

[tanya]

Bo on the 2nd to last rappel into the swimming hole

[tanya]

:popcorn:

[DiscGo]

Man, what great pictures! That first picture of TrackRunner is a fantastic shot. I have to get back out there soon!

[accadacca]

Man, what great pictures!
You can say that again. I wish I was there again. Gotta get back! Need to mix in a canyon on the next bike trip down south. :nod:

[tanya]

Thanks guys!

Water Canyon is a cool one. You know where Hildale is right? It's the pligamist community that has been in the news. This is not only an outstanding canyon, but one of my favorite hiking area. In the winter or spring the water is raging in that canyon. It is the place that Zion Rock and Zion Adventure Company, both in Springdale take many of the groups that pay to do a slot canyon. There is no permits needed either.

Winter shot of Water Canyon

http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/images/canaan-h_jpg.jpg

Would this be the last rappel we did Bo/Shaun?

[Caddis]

Very nice picts and report!! I imagine that the water felt pretty good in the heat.

Looks like a fun canyon.

[tanya]

Very nice picts and report!! I imagine that the water felt pretty good in the heat.

Looks like a fun canyon.


Thanks!!! I bet it did to the guys that did have to swim. The reason many of us navigate toward slot canyons in the summer is they are usually cool being so shaded, but this one was open more than many so.. yes.. it was hot. :haha:

[tanya]

Here are a couple more photos that Bo sent me....

[trackrunner]

[quote=tanya]bo.jpg
2nd to last rappel I think

[trackrunner]

I imagine that the water felt pretty good in the heat.

Yes it did it, but there was not enough water for the heat level. I read beta TR with much more water than this trip. So it depends on the time of year and most recent precipitation for the level of water.

[tanya]

So how many rappels did it end up being? Do you remember the length of them all?

[Bo_Beck]

So how many rappels did it end up being? Do you remember the length of them all?

I believe we did 11 downclimbs and rappels? 90', 2-stage 60', 25', 175', 90', 45', 2 stage 50', 25', "downclimb 30'", 90', and 20'. At least this is how I remember them? We did one rap that did not have anchors and people used a pine tree so we put a small loop of webbing around a tree in the middle of the wash. Shaun walked up canyon and up and over to bypass this one.

[tanya]

I can hardly remember what I did after midnight last night let alone all that. :haha:

[Bo_Beck]

I can hardly remember what I did after midnight last night let alone all that. :haha:

I remember what I did! Lets see? up at 2, then again at 4, then once again at 6...oh yeah! To go climbing on the last round!

Saw Palmetto isn't all it's cut out to be. Climbing with 38 Kids in Snow Canyon is! Youth...so beautiful! I'm rejunivated (oops, rejuvinated, but it's still june so I'm Junivated as well!).

Dang...I'm pumped and ready to get going again!

[Felicia]

Very nice! :2thumbs:

[tanya]

Thanks Lady! It was a fun trip!

[Sombeech]

great photos!

http://www.bogley.com/?p=803

[tanya]

Thanks Justin! Bo and I are getting better at them all the time. :five:

[canyonphile]

Oh, what great pics! Loved all the "action shots" and the canyon is awesome!

I have never done any technical canyoneering...the 20' rappel on the Royal Arch route in GCNP doesn't really count, nor does some of the bouldering and simple rock climbing I've done. I am *so* jonesin' to learn it so I can go explore areas not otherwise accessable by regular hiking and non-assist climbing.

Y'all are SO LUCKY to be so close to all those geological goodies to explore and play in! :nod:

-SJ

[Bo_Beck]

Oh, what great pics! Loved all the "action shots" and the canyon is awesome!

I have never done any technical canyoneering...the 20' rappel on the Royal Arch route in GCNP doesn't really count, nor does some of the bouldering and simple rock climbing I've done. I am *so* jonesin' to learn it so I can go explore areas not otherwise accessable by regular hiking and non-assist climbing.

Y'all are SO LUCKY to be so close to all those geological goodies to explore and play in! :nod:

-SJ

Dang! Iwas just down Royal Arch Creek a few weeks back! The only rappels we did were after Royal Arch. A 170' drop and then another 140' drop. Some sketchy downclimbing to avoid a few waterfalls until we finally arrived at Elves Chasm and then the river.

[Iceaxe]

OK, I just assumed with a name like Water Canyon that there would be year round stream flow... and I've seen pictures with a lot of water flowing in that canyon... so what's the deal? Looks like you guys only had a trickle?

Nice pictures :2thumbs:

[canyonphile]

Dang! Iwas just down Royal Arch Creek a few weeks back! The only rappels we did were after Royal Arch. A 170' drop and then another 140' drop. Some sketchy downclimbing to avoid a few waterfalls until we finally arrived at Elves Chasm and then the river.
Oh, lucky you! I would love to do that again - it kicked (or tried to, anyway) our asses, and we made the huuuuuge mistake of ignoring sound advice from Sally and listening to some other backpackers there and drank the water at Toltec...its bad taste was a foreshadowing of things to come :eek2: .

We did the namby-pamby thing and followed the "official" route, I guess, where all the ropes are tied in by the 20' area.

Did you follow RA creek all the way to Elves, then? That's sweet! There are some dicey downclimbs just above Elves Chasm; I climbed up a bit and one of my partners went further up. There has been at least one death (and hopefully that's the only one) from a fall in that area.

D'oh - didn't mean to hijack Tanya's thread! :spankme: Sorry!

SJ

[Randi]

Now I'm confused--
I thought Bo was doing Heaps today, instead?


Silly! That was a joke!!!

(But I did not get it either, so I emailed him and he un-confused me)

Not so much of a joke as I tried to talk him into doing Heaps last weekend! :)~

Unfortunately for us (we would have loved his company) he had these Water Canyon plans already. Thanks for the shoes Bo, they worked out perfectly! :mrgreen:

PS: These water canyon pix are lovely! What a great canyon. My friend mark calls it "taste of Zion" because it has so many diverse sections....sort of Fat Man's Misery like at the beginning, Behunin-ish in the middle and Subwayish toward the end. Looks like you all had a great time!

[trackrunner]

Tanya the 2ndrappel.jpg is cool. I wish I would have taken a picture here of all the waves in the sandstone.

Where is the reflective pool pic of you that you had as a home page photo over on the zion hiking forum. :ne_nau:

[tanya]

Tanya the 2ndrappel.jpg is cool. I wish I would have taken a picture here of all the waves in the sandstone.

Where is the reflective pool pic of you that you had as a home page photo over on the zion hiking forum. :ne_nau:

That one is on Bo's camera. I have some good ones like that too but I am so far behind on photos as usual. There should be some good ones of you in the bunch.

[tanya]

Now I'm confused--
I thought Bo was doing Heaps today, instead?


Silly! That was a joke!!!

(But I did not get it either, so I emailed him and he un-confused me)

Not so much of a joke as I tried to talk him into doing Heaps last weekend! :)~

Unfortunately for us (we would have loved his company) he had these Water Canyon plans already. Thanks for the shoes Bo, they worked out perfectly! :mrgreen:

PS: These water canyon pix are lovely! What a great canyon. My friend mark calls it "taste of Zion" because it has so many diverse sections....sort of Fat Man's Misery like at the beginning, Behunin-ish in the middle and Subwayish toward the end. Looks like you all had a great time!

I guess that ends our confusion. Randi was trying to STEAL my hiking partner! :frustrated: :frustrated: :frustrated: Luckily my guys are loyal. :haha:

[tanya]

OK, I just assumed with a name like Water Canyon that there would be year round stream flow... and I've seen pictures with a lot of water flowing in that canyon... so what's the deal? Looks like you guys only had a trickle?

Nice pictures :2thumbs:


There is always water at the bottom, but not so much on top. Winter it flows like crazy!

Winter Shotshttp://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index27.htm

[tanya]

Dang! Iwas just down Royal Arch Creek a few weeks back! The only rappels we did were after Royal Arch. A 170' drop and then another 140' drop. Some sketchy downclimbing to avoid a few waterfalls until we finally arrived at Elves Chasm and then the river.
Oh, lucky you! I would love to do that again - it kicked (or tried to, anyway) our asses, and we made the huuuuuge mistake of ignoring sound advice from Sally and listening to some other backpackers there and drank the water at Toltec...its bad taste was a foreshadowing of things to come :eek2: .

We did the namby-pamby thing and followed the "official" route, I guess, where all the ropes are tied in by the 20' area.

Did you follow RA creek all the way to Elves, then? That's sweet! There are some dicey downclimbs just above Elves Chasm; I climbed up a bit and one of my partners went further up. There has been at least one death (and hopefully that's the only one) from a fall in that area.

D'oh - didn't mean to hijack Tanya's thread! :spankme: Sorry!

SJ

I never have any problem with hi-jacked threads at all :)

[trackrunner]

OK, I just assumed with a name like Water Canyon that there would be year round stream flow... and I've seen pictures with a lot of water flowing in that canyon... so what's the deal? Looks like you guys only had a trickle?

Nice pictures :2thumbs:


There is always water at the bottom, but not so much on top. Winter it flows like crazy!

Winter Shotshttp://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index27.htm

I think it was dry this time. Remember this rapple Tanya. I heard this was a floating disconect. It was bone dry for us.

http://www.dankat.com/swhikes/slides/photos/phwate.JPG

[tanya]

OK, I just assumed with a name like Water Canyon that there would be year round stream flow... and I've seen pictures with a lot of water flowing in that canyon... so what's the deal? Looks like you guys only had a trickle?

Nice pictures :2thumbs:


There is always water at the bottom, but not so much on top. Winter it flows like crazy!

Winter Shotshttp://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index27.htm

I think it was dry this time. Remember this rapple Tanya.
http://www.dankat.com/swhikes/slides/photos/phwate.JPG


You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay dry. How could I forget. :five:

[trackrunner]

OK, I just assumed with a name like Water Canyon that there would be year round stream flow... and I've seen pictures with a lot of water flowing in that canyon... so what's the deal? Looks like you guys only had a trickle?

Nice pictures :2thumbs:


There is always water at the bottom, but not so much on top. Winter it flows like crazy!

Winter Shotshttp://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index27.htm

I think it was dry this time. Remember this rapple Tanya.
http://www.dankat.com/swhikes/slides/photos/phwate.JPG


You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay
dry. How could I forget. :five:

No not that one. I believe this is of rap #5.


After this (170ft) drop-off there is a nice section of extreme narrows where you may need to squeeze through sideways. Then the streamcourse opens up and you arrive at the top of a large swimming pool. This can be avoided by rapping off a tree to the left and then bypassing the pool using the ridge on canyon left. Alternatively it can be tackled directly by first climbing down into a streamcourse slot immediately above the pool and then rappelling down the rest of the slot for about 20ft using a webbing anchor around logs. This ends in a swimming disconnect. The swimming pool is immediately followed by a 15ft dry rappel from a low tree in the right center

[ratagonia]

You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay
dry. How could I forget. :five:

No not that one. I believe this is of rap #5.

Ah, "The Chute"...

The winter brought many things to Zion. In Water Canyon, it washed down a lot of sand that filled in most of the low spots. So what were swims last year, became less... and less... and now, water only at the bottom.

The (2nd to) last rappel is very, very good and should not be missed, assuming it is warm enough out that the swim is "fun".

Tom

[tanya]

You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay
dry. How could I forget. :five:

No not that one. I believe this is of rap #5.

Ah, "The Chute"...

The winter brought many things to Zion. In Water Canyon, it washed down a lot of sand that filled in most of the low spots. So what were swims last year, became less... and less... and now, water only at the bottom.

The (2nd to) last rappel is very, very good and should not be missed, assuming it is warm enough out that the swim is "fun".

Tom


You must know by now that even if I wanted to swim I am going to let some nice man take care of me and keep me dry. :lol8:

That would have made my day!!!! :naughty:

[trackrunner]

The (2nd to) last rappel is very, very good and should not be missed, assuming it is warm enough out that the swim is "fun".

Tom

:nod: Tom it was a hot day & cold water. It felt so nice that I floated in the water for several minutes to cool off.

[ratagonia]

You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay
dry. How could I forget. :five:

No not that one. I believe this is of rap #5.

Ah, "The Chute"...

The winter brought many things to Zion. In Water Canyon, it washed down a lot of sand that filled in most of the low spots. So what were swims last year, became less... and less... and now, water only at the bottom.

The (2nd to) last rappel is very, very good and should not be missed, assuming it is warm enough out that the swim is "fun".

Tom


You must know by now that even if I wanted to swim I am going to let some nice man take care of me and keep me dry. :lol8:

Of that, I am completely certain! Oh, that it would have been ME offering the chivalrous ride above the water, that day in Water Canyon... :ride:

Tom

[Bo_Beck]

Oh, lucky you! I would love to do that again - it kicked (or tried to, anyway) our asses, and we made the huuuuuge mistake of ignoring sound advice from Sally and listening to some other backpackers there and drank the water at Toltec...its bad taste was a foreshadowing of things to come :eek2: .

We did the namby-pamby thing and followed the "official" route, I guess, where all the ropes are tied in by the 20' area.

Did you follow RA creek all the way to Elves, then? That's sweet! There are some dicey downclimbs just above Elves Chasm; I climbed up a bit and one of my partners went further up. There has been at least one death (and hopefully that's the only one) from a fall in that area.

D'oh - didn't mean to hijack Tanya's thread! :spankme: Sorry!SJ

We were dropped off on the rim above the Colorado River to the east of Royal Arch Creek almost immediately above Elves Chasm. The Tonto Trail was a mere 100 yards south of us, so we hiked to the Tonto and followed it south until we could drop into Royal Arch Creek (without rope). We then followed Royal Arch Creek north to "Royal Arch". About 100 yards north of Royal Arch the bottom drops out of the canyon. We then built an anchor and dropped 170' into the creek bottom. Shortly downstream there was another waterfall. We built another anchor and dropped another 145' and continued downstream. There were numerous downclimbs within the watercourse as well as some very sketchy traverse downclimbs around various waterfalls. The actual distance from Royal Arch to Elves Chasm and the river is quite short (maybe .5 miles) but plenty of drops in between. It is very lush with an almost tropical feel in the wash between Royal Arch and the river. The GC Helicopter then came and set down on a boulder next to the river at the mouth of Royal Arch Creek/ Elves Chasm and picked us up! "Lazy Mans/Womans Hiking" :haha:

[trackrunner]

Finally got around to posting my pics from the trip. I'm not allowed to post close up pics of Tanya anymore. These far enough away for you Tanya. :haha:

[Pubalz]

Those are cool pic's :mrgreen: I'm going to have to do that canyon this year. how tall is that tall rap?

[tanya]

Wonderful photos !

[dandyj]

Where is this canyon?

[trackrunner]

Those are cool pic's :mrgreen: I'm going to have to do that canyon this year. how tall is that tall rap?

Assuming you talking about Water and not Bo's SAR at Royal Arch in the Grand Canyon. A 200ft had room to spare. I'd say 175ft ish for the big rap. Nothing else was over 100ft.

[trackrunner]

Where is this canyon?
:haha: Did you read the thread.

Which one? Bo's picks are from a SAR in the Grand Canyon. All others are about the subject, Water Canyon. Read Tanya's beta off her site. Links on the first page.