Long Canyon-Gravel Canyon loop

[wyboy]

[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]I was wondering about the conditions on the LongCanyon-Gravel Canyon loop. Is the water deep enough to require an inner tube?We are adding quite a bit of additional hiking on this trip and I don

[kokopelli60]

I have done this loop 3 times, once solo and there is definitely no need for an innertube. There can be a few short swims but when backpacking I have not taken a wetsuit. I have also done just the Gravel slot a couple of times with a wetsuit which does increase the comfort level but again not necessary. You will get wet in Long Canyon but in my experience it is not swimming but wading in a narrow slot. There will be a mandatory swim in the Gravel slot but this slot can be bypassed. There will also be a mandatory swim near the end of Gravel just before getting back to White Canyon.

[wyboy]

Thanks for the info. I am an experienced mountaineer but not so much in canyons and I have a dumb question. If you have to swim through a canyon, how do you carry your pack without a tube?

[Scott P]

Your stuff is in drybags and you just swim through pushing, dragging, or wearing your pack, depending on how narrow the canyon is and how big your pack is.

[Byron]

Personally, I never use drybags for stuff like this. I put everything I want to keep dry into a trash compactor bag in my pack. Those things are bomber and weight next to nothing.