Newbie Canyons

[Chanobelli]

My friends and I are thinking about doing a canyon or two in Zion this July and just wanted to get all your Expert feedback on what canyons would be the best bang for your buck. Everyone one going is in good physical shape, ranging in canyoneering skills from good to 100% newbie. Any advice is greatly appreciated. A few options would be great sense we will be trying for the last minute lottery.

[Scott P]

My friends and I are thinking about doing a canyon or two in Zion this July and just wanted to get all your Expert feedback on what canyons would be the best bang for your buck.

I don't know what skills "ranging in good" means, but the classic technical and semi-technical beginner canyons are as follows (did I miss any?); arranged somewhat by technical difficulty.

Easiest in a technical sense, while still being technical/semi technical:

Subway
Orderville
Lower Kolob (overnight)

A little harder technically than the above:

Echo
Keyhole
Misery (might not be the best for July though)

A little technically harder than those:

Pine
Mystery (actually the traverse to Mystery Springs rappel can be intimidating)
Birch Hollow

Canyons such as Right Fork North Creek aren't that technical, but are quite strenuous, require route finding, and are best as 2-3 day trips.

[Chanobelli]

I don't know what skills "ranging in good" means, but the classic technical and semi-technical beginner canyons are as follows (did I miss any?); arranged somewhat by technical difficulty.

Easiest in a technical sense, while still being technical/semi technical:

Subway
Orderville
Lower Kolob (overnight)

A little harder technically than the above:

Echo
Keyhole
Misery (might not be the best for July though)

A little technically harder than those:

Pine
Mystery (actually the traverse to Mystery Springs rappel can be intimidating)
Birch Hollow

Canyons such as Right Fork North Creek aren't that technical, but are quite strenuous, require route finding, and are best as 2-3 day trips.

Thanks for the info. From what I have read mystery sounds like the one we are leaning towards. with permits being an issue we are thinking of having everyone put in for the same canyon/ canyons and hoping one of us will draw out, we should have 4-5 people. Any other advise as far as getting a permit goes?

[Scott P]

From what I have read mystery sounds like the one we are leaning towards.

Don't underestimate it though. The lower end might be at least a little tricky for someone who hasn't done a canyon before. Subway may be a better choice, and I actually think it is even more beautiful, but this is only a matter of opinion and others may and do vary.


Any other advise as far as getting a permit goes?

Apply for permits way in advance. You may pull a lottery permit, but the chances are not in your favor if it is a weekend. Your chances of getting a cancellation space may be better than the lottery, but maybe not. Last weekend, we were able to pull a Subway permit (check the morning before and of your trip) and some other canyons had open spots from cancellations (Echo and Pine at least).

[Iceaxe]

From what I have read mystery sounds like the one we are leaning towards.

FWIW: Mystery is probably the most difficult permit of all to obtain.

IMHO: Orderville is one of the easiest permits to obtain and one of the best newbie routes in the Park.

Orderville Gulch Route Information (http://climb-utah.com/Zion/orderville.htm)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpPNnLifc7o

[Chanobelli]

FWIW: Mystery is probably the most difficult permit of all to obtain.

IMHO: Orderville is one of the easiest permits to obtain and one of the best newbie routes in the Park.

Orderville Gulch Route Information (http://climb-utah.com/Zion/orderville.htm)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpPNnLifc7o


Thanks for the info. Does anyone know if one person can apply for more than one of the last minuet permits? I've never had to be the one dealing with the permits I usually the one getting the last minuet invites.

[Scott P]

Does anyone know if one person can apply for more than one of the last minuet permits?

If you mean for different canyons, apparently it is allowed as I did it last weekend. Still I had to pay $5 each time and didn't get any permits.

I don't know if one person can enter the lottery twice for the same canyon on the same date.

Anyway, as Shane says Mystery is probably the most difficult permit to obtain. Subway, Orderville, Keyhole and Pine are more popular, but they allow 80 through a day (Pine may be 50?). Mystery only allows 12 and thus is harder to get a permit to.

[Canyonater]

Apply for permits way in advance. You may pull a lottery permit, but the chances are not in your favor if it is a weekend. Your chances of getting a cancellation space may be better than the lottery, but maybe not. Last weekend, we were able to pull a Subway permit (check the morning before and of your trip) and some other canyons had open spots from cancellations (Echo and Pine at least).


I agree....I checked the site every 2 hours yesterday and sure enough someone cancelled 5 spots for Mystery Canyon so I scooped em up promptly......no lottery required....

[MeetAnchor]

I just did Mystery and while the narrows and last part once u reach the spring ate great, the cool parts are way too short. That ledge on the 2nd to last rap is going to intimidate a newbie too and if u have never rappelled before, u might not do well on the algae slick last rap. U may want to think about a canyon that does not even require a permit such as Birch or Middle Water Canyon rather than get frustrated trying to coordinate a group in the permit system. While Water Canyon has guided groups going thru, there is a reason - i think u can bypass any of the raps if someone isn't comfortable. Given the varied skill levels this may be a good option so everyone is comfortable and has a good time. It's still a beautiful canyon and there's no death march in or out.