Looking for opinions on best over night route in or out of Zion?

[moab mark]

Am looking for an overnight or 2 night canyoneering route for 3 couples, where should we go? Would like to do something in Zion but open for other ideas. Do not want to do the narrows. Want to hang from ropes.

Thanks
Mark

[Bo_Beck]

Am looking for an overnight or 2 night canyoneering route for 3 couples, where should we go? Would like to do something in Zion but open for other ideas. Do not want to do the narrows. Want to hang from ropes.

Thanks
Mark

Hmmm? Might be fun to hike Eagle Crags from Rockville, up Canaan Mountain (Lower Mountain) to Sawmill Spring, then continue to Water Canyon. Not a bunch of rope hanging, but an adventure (hot this time of year though).

Full Imlay camping the crossroads??!!

[moab mark]

Would be in the fall.

[Iceaxe]

I'm not a big fan of technical canyons as overnighters because you have to carry to much gear.... I'd prefer to spend one 15 to 20 hour day.... but I've done both Heaps and Imlay as overnighters and they are good. Kolob and Eye of the Needle (South Fork of Oak) and out the Narrows is a really nice overnighter. I prefer it to exiting the MIA.

The canyon you really need to do is Buckskin Gulch.... the worlds longest slot canyon.... there is really nothing else in the world like it that I know of.... it's also my wife's favorite overnighter and while not technical there is usually enough spice to keep things interesting with downclimbing and water.

You could do Deep Creek by entering through Crystal Canyon and out the narrows, that would be a full 3 days. Only a couple of rappels and visit an area seldom seen.

You could also do Deep Creek by entering through Hogs Heaven and out the Narrows.

You could put some fun things together over in Parunaweap. Say down Fat Man's and up East Fork exiting at one of the side canyons or hiking all the way out the top to highway 89.

[stefan]

Am looking for an overnight or 2 night canyoneering route for 3 couples, where should we go? Would like to do something in Zion but open for other ideas. Do not want to do the narrows. Want to hang from ropes.

Thanks
Mark

2 nights -- right fork of north creek

that was my first tech canyon 10 years ago ... hands down fantastic!! canyon

[ratagonia]

2 nights -- right fork of north creek

that was my first tech canyon 10 years ago ... hands down fantastic!! canyon

:2thumbs: T :moses:

[remoteman45]

I don't remember how many raps there were in Right Fork but plenty to keep it interesting. Are your women good (tough) hikers and canyoneers?

[ratagonia]

I don't remember how many raps there were in Right Fork but plenty to keep it interesting. Are your women good (tough) hikers and canyoneers?

With, I should point out, the Hammerhead entrance and the Direct route... priceless! Yes, the first rap is the biggest, and with the big pack, not so fun. After that...

Does require water in the potholes before the Direct route slots up. Let me know the dates, I'll try to schedule some precip with the big guy upstairs.

T :moses:

[Cirrus2000]

With, I should point out, the Hammerhead entrance and the Direct route... priceless! Yes, the first rap is the biggest, and with the big pack, not so fun. After that...

Does require water in the potholes before the Direct route slots up. Let me know the dates, I'll try to schedule some precip with the big guy upstairs.

T :moses:

Wow, I knew you had clout, Tom, but not that much clout! :haha:

[tanya]

Like what everyone else said. I would not want to overnight a canyoneering route, unless its a simple one like Bull Valley Gorge to Willis Creek. Probably don't even need a rope.

You could hang around in Fat Mans .... Mineral area. Fat Man's is an awesome canyon! A Pweap is fun to explore. You would have to do some route finding.

check these out

http://www.zionnational-park.com/staircase-bull-valley-gorge.htm

http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-east-fork-zion-narrows.htm

http://www.zionnational-park.com/mineral-gulch.htm

[ratagonia]

Wow, I knew you had clout, Tom, but not that much clout! :haha:

Hey hey, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. I said I'd "ask".

Tom

[Scott P]

When you say "fall" are we talking say something early such as September or something late such as November?

Anyway, I too like the Right Fork. IMHO, backpacking is the way to do it. People have done it in a day, but everyone whom does misses time for exploration and for some fantastic side canyons. 3 days is best.

Lower Kolob (haven't come in Boundary-but that would be a good one too) is a good backpack, but you still do the Narrows (but you are trying to avoid those).

Deep Creek itself has the car shuttle from heck and lower Kolob is better anyway (don't know the side canyons of Deep mentioned though).

I haven't done it, but I've wondered if down Fat Man's and out Mineral Gulch might make a good multi-day. Anyone ever tried this?

Outside Zion, Crystal Springs Canyon makes a pretty good and rather remote technical canyon. Aztec Creek is semi-technical and there are many technical side canyons.

If you don't want to take your pack through slots, there are plenty of areas you could backpack into and explore slots from a basecamp. Escalante, Ticaboo, Lake Powell area have lots of that kind of stuff.


With, I should point out, the Hammerhead entrance and the Direct route... priceless! Yes, the first rap is the biggest, and with the big pack, not so fun. After that...

Speaking of which, if I remember right it was you (?) whom gave the route an "R" rating. I haven't done it, but out of curiosity, what obstacles warrant the "R"?

[ratagonia]

When you say "fall" are we talking say something early such as September or something late such as November?

Anyway, I too like the Right Fork. IMHO, backpacking is the way to do it. People have done it in a day, but everyone whom does misses time for exploration and for some fantastic side canyons. 3 days is best.

Lower Kolob (haven't come in Boundary-but that would be a good one too) is a good backpack, but you still do the Narrows (but you are trying to avoid those).

Deep Creek itself has the car shuttle from heck and lower Kolob is better anyway (don't know the side canyons of Deep mentioned though).

I haven't done it, but I've wondered if down Fat Man's and out Mineral Gulch might make a good multi-day. Anyone ever tried this?

Outside Zion, Crystal Springs Canyon makes a pretty good and rather remote technical canyon. Aztec Creek is semi-technical and there are many technical side canyons.

If you don't want to take your pack through slots, there are plenty of areas you could backpack into and explore slots from a basecamp. Escalante, Ticaboo, Lake Powell area have lots of that kind of stuff.



Speaking of which, if I remember right it was you whom gave the route an "R" rating. I haven't done it, but out of curiosity, what obstacles warrant the "R"?

The Right Fork??? I do not find anywhere that I label it an "R". If I did it would be because either: - A. the navigation is 'difficult' (evidence: people get lost); or B. I thought the golden staircase downclimb into the Right Fork was pretty spicy.

Tom :moses:

[Scott P]

The Right Fork??? I do not find anywhere that I label it an "R". If I did it would be because either: - A. the navigation is 'difficult' (evidence: people get lost); or B. I thought the golden staircase downclimb into the Right Fork was pretty spicy.

Sorry Tom.

I made a mistake (I am back in town now and checked). It is actually Kelsey's book that rates the canyon an "R", not yours. My apologies.