blueskies
08-19-2012, 07:45 PM
Icebox Canyon is not on the standard Zion NP list of canyons that can be reserved online, so Dean had to drive to the Kolob station to obtain our permit. The ranger commented that she hadn't issued a permit for Icebox in quite a while. Maybe that was because this is monsoon season and forecast temps were 100+
PICTURES - http://www.meetup.com/AZ-TECH-CANYONEERING/photos/10238242/
Four of us started our adventure at 700 am at the Lee Pass trailhead and meandered down the trail, up the wash and then .5 mile up the steep brushy slope to the slickrock entrance of Icebox Canyon. We were in the shade all the way to the top.
Although I had been through Icebox 3 times before, this was the first approach using the southern/slickrock entrance, and this is definitely the more 'interesting' entrance because you get an extra upper elevation slot section and a 3-station-hanging-on-the-wall rappel down one big long wall. Since we had four people we needed extra ropes and it still was a 'rope management' challenge to get us all down the wall. Plus we had a temporarily stuck rope that slowed us down when attempting to pull the rope from station 1 down to station 2. SASteve and Maria had to hang at station 3 for about 45 minutes waiting for us to get ropes down to them.
And then we were in the main canyon.
Perhaps it was the angle of the sunlight or the time of day or the clear blue skies, but for some reason the colors of the canyon seemed vibrant and dramatic - more so than previous trips. This gave us the feeling we all look for in these canyons - where you get a better experience than you expected and you start to think 'this is one of the best canyoneering experiences I have had'.....
We worked through heavy foliage (but not really brushwacking) for a while, and worked around several potholes of water. Eventually we reached a pothole/slot that required swimming for about 50 feet. Actually turned out to be great timing on a hot day to get into some cool water (no suits). However the bolts at the entry point are old and corroded. Every time I have reached this point in my 4 trips through Icebox everyone is appalled and scared to use these points to drop into the water. Someone needs to invite Tom and his bolting kit to do a trip down Icebox to fix this spot.
After the swim we encountered several colorful alcove sections which got larger and more colorful. Finally we passed the arch and started the 6 mile slog back to the parking area.
Since this is August, we had clear hot skies all day long, and dreaded the hike out. We prayed for a late afternoon shower - almost a storm, but not quite. 2 miles into the return we got exactly what we wanted - storm clouds with thunder and sudden cool breezes. The last mile uphill it was raining gently, and it stopped just as we reached our vehicle. Then the Sun comes out and there was a massive rainbow to highlight one last view of the Kolob finger section of Zion. Oh yeah.
As we rode home looking forward to a shower and beverage (not nec. in that order) we had that great feeling of hard-earned accomplishment, and are just starting to plan our next adventure......
PICTURES - http://www.meetup.com/AZ-TECH-CANYONEERING/photos/10238242/
Four of us started our adventure at 700 am at the Lee Pass trailhead and meandered down the trail, up the wash and then .5 mile up the steep brushy slope to the slickrock entrance of Icebox Canyon. We were in the shade all the way to the top.
Although I had been through Icebox 3 times before, this was the first approach using the southern/slickrock entrance, and this is definitely the more 'interesting' entrance because you get an extra upper elevation slot section and a 3-station-hanging-on-the-wall rappel down one big long wall. Since we had four people we needed extra ropes and it still was a 'rope management' challenge to get us all down the wall. Plus we had a temporarily stuck rope that slowed us down when attempting to pull the rope from station 1 down to station 2. SASteve and Maria had to hang at station 3 for about 45 minutes waiting for us to get ropes down to them.
And then we were in the main canyon.
Perhaps it was the angle of the sunlight or the time of day or the clear blue skies, but for some reason the colors of the canyon seemed vibrant and dramatic - more so than previous trips. This gave us the feeling we all look for in these canyons - where you get a better experience than you expected and you start to think 'this is one of the best canyoneering experiences I have had'.....
We worked through heavy foliage (but not really brushwacking) for a while, and worked around several potholes of water. Eventually we reached a pothole/slot that required swimming for about 50 feet. Actually turned out to be great timing on a hot day to get into some cool water (no suits). However the bolts at the entry point are old and corroded. Every time I have reached this point in my 4 trips through Icebox everyone is appalled and scared to use these points to drop into the water. Someone needs to invite Tom and his bolting kit to do a trip down Icebox to fix this spot.
After the swim we encountered several colorful alcove sections which got larger and more colorful. Finally we passed the arch and started the 6 mile slog back to the parking area.
Since this is August, we had clear hot skies all day long, and dreaded the hike out. We prayed for a late afternoon shower - almost a storm, but not quite. 2 miles into the return we got exactly what we wanted - storm clouds with thunder and sudden cool breezes. The last mile uphill it was raining gently, and it stopped just as we reached our vehicle. Then the Sun comes out and there was a massive rainbow to highlight one last view of the Kolob finger section of Zion. Oh yeah.
As we rode home looking forward to a shower and beverage (not nec. in that order) we had that great feeling of hard-earned accomplishment, and are just starting to plan our next adventure......