Kinesava via different route.

[Bo_Beck]

I had wanted for a long time to find an alternate approach up Kinesava/West Temple, so yesterday Dave, Jenny, Andy, Jeremy and I set out to find it! Rather than the original (now illegal) Serendipity Lane in Springdale approach, or the Anasazi/Chinle TH (long) approach, we had scoped out the cemetary route from our previous ascent to Johnson Mountain across the canyon. Arriving at the cemetary around 7:30am we began the hike up the wash past the city yard and then made our way to the ridges above the Springdale Layer and then headed south across several deep snowfilled drainages to the last steep scree and talus wooded slope to the ramps leading either to West Temple or further up to Kinesava. Plenty of snow made footing generally secure, but a challenge nonetheless. Once on the Kinesava Plateau (8-10" of snow) we beelined to the saddle separating Kinesava and the lesser peak due north. Some postholing and struggling brought us to the summit of Kinesava. What a beautiful sight. Jeremy took some absolutely stunning pictures that I hope to get my hands on, but here are a couple from the summit I took with my phone. Thanks to a super fun group and beautiful day!

[tanya]

Good work Bo!

[Bo_Beck]

I enjoy Jeremy's photography! Hope you do too!?

[Bo_Beck]

Here are some beautiful shots taken by Dave during our trek!

[ratagonia]

What did you think of the Cemetery approach?

Tom

[Bo_Beck]

What did you think of the Cemetery approach?

Tom

I like it! Granted the uphill starts pretty quick, however it knocks off a few miles RT as opposed to the Anasazi approach.

[John Morrow]

I really loved that route, but I had 75 degree weather with no snow. The key ledge looked a bit more interesting with patchy snow. I wondered if the ancients used that very same ledge to access the upper plateau?
http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?68424-Zion-National-Park-dayhikes-(part-2)-April-12-14-2013
Cool pics, makes me look forward to getting back down there. Thanks for sharing.
John

[Bo_Beck]

I really loved that route, but I had 75 degree weather with no snow. The key ledge looked a bit more interesting with patchy snow. I wondered if the ancients used that very same ledge to access the upper plateau?
http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?68424-Zion-National-Park-dayhikes-(part-2)-April-12-14-2013
Cool pics, makes me look forward to getting back down there. Thanks for sharing.
John

I'm guessing that the Ancients would have used that route? I've only accessed Kinesava one other way on a route dubbed "Cowboy Ridge" and it was much tougher (technically) than this ledge route. I,ve also done this ledge route several times now, and it's pretty straight forward. There might be access elsewhere, but none that I know of. I have hiked the West Temple a couple times as well, and from the saddle between Kinesava and the West Temple ridge it appears that it would be accessible, but definately a fair amout of 5th class climbing? Anyway cheers, and I hope you'll enjoy your next ascent!

[erial]

Would the start point or trailhead for this climb be at the end of S Paradise Rd? Isn't there some sort of bike/hike trail that also has a TH near the cemetery? Would that trail be of any use in getting started towards Kinesava?

[Bo_Beck]

Would the start point or trailhead for this climb be at the end of S Paradise Rd? Isn't there some sort of bike/hike trail that also has a TH near the cemetery? Would that trail be of any use in getting started towards Kinesava?

Yes, it is at the end of Paradise Rd. We parked adjacent to the cemetary and walked across a bridge and then up a faint road towards the wash and then into the wash behind some buildings. I did not see (but wasn't looking for) any other trails? On the way back down we came down a ridge north of the wash until we hit the springdale layer, then dropped steeply toward the wash below, but rather than dropping into the wash stayed on the flats just above the wash, past the buildings and onto a road back to the cemetary. I will be creating an updated map for Tanyas and my website that reflects this route for access to either Kinesava or the West Temple hikes as opposed to my current map.http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-trail-map-mk.htm

[erial]

Bo, thanks for the additional info. jeff

[jman]

Great pics and write-up Bo!