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How to Get Away From It All--- a Descent of Beartrap Canyon
This almost could be posted in the hiking forum, because that's what it mostly is... yet it involves a canyon and a rappel so without further ado, my trip through Beartrap Canyon in Zion! Got out of work at 12:30 on Sunday the 28th, and despite the grogginess from my 4am start to the day drove out to Kolob Canyons and got a permit from the somewhat hesitant rangers. A storm was coming in, thunder rumbling even as I took my first step on the La Verkin Creek Trail, but it kept sliding to the north and just missing the area. Made excellent time even with a heavy pack and eventually having to get out the rain gear... it started raining just after the Hop Valley Trail junction. Made it to campsite sixteen and set up my little home for the next two nights.
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It rained off and on for much of the night. The next morning I put together my gear and headed out early. Every leaf was coated in water, and I couldn't help but wonder how all the moisture would power the monsoon once the sun came out. Made quick time to the mouth of Beartrap, slower time to Willis Creek, and quite slow time through Willis. The trail seemed to disintegrate completely, and it was difficult hiking along the streambed. Despite what several sources said the entirety of Willis was flowing.
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After hiking to the border of the park just so I could say I got in the entire route I returned to a clearing in the forest and started up the brushy slope. Everything pointed to it being a bushwhacking nightmare, and it lived up to its reputation. Of everything I've done only Langston Canyon compares.
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Doesn't look so bad for far off... it leveled off and I breathed a sigh of relief... bad, but not impossible. Looking down a deep canyon beckoned... but I could not see any way down. Everything seemed to be a sheer cliff! After stumbling around for fifteen minutes or so, confused and irritated, I realized that I was, in a pretty rare event, completely turned around! I was on a shoulder of the slope, only halfway up, looking not west into Beartrap but north back into Willis Creek! I sighed and continued up the slope to the true head of the canyon.
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At the head of the canyon I considered the side trip to Chasm Lake... so close, so intriguing... but a glance to the west made me reconsider. Dark clouds were closing in and I began my descent of the canyon as thunder began to rumble.
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Fighting through more brush I descended, the drainage turning into a wash, then turning into a canyon. A number of short scrambles down boulders presented themselves, but nothing significant.
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Finally I hit the main canyon and it leveled off. My information said this would be the dry half, and indeed, except for some puddles and muddy spots it was indeed dry. The brush fell away and the only obstacles were some logjams and small boulders. I made great time.
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Suddenly rounding a corner everything changed. The canyon floor became extremely muddy, and then the entire channel was filled with murky water. I had run into a lake... probably a result of a landslide like Mystery! I couldn't tell how deep, but the mud seemed horrible, and considering how deep I might sink in it could be waist deep or more. I couldn't see how long either. I had no wetsuit or even drybag for the gear... I had anticipated only minor wading around Beartrap Falls. This was a problem!
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More thunder overhead told me I couldn't take too long here at this obstacle. I decided to try and stay dry for now, scrambling through the brush on the left side, which was more open and less steep. But I hadn't made it thirty feet before realizing that it led to a sheer cliff, and I had to back off. The right side was next... much steeper, much brushier, very loose... I clawed my way up the slope, the lake below. Mud caked on the walls suggested this could be much deeper... definitely a swim at times.
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Traversing a hundred feet or so I made it past the lake, where indeed the remains of a landslide filled the canyon. The stream was cutting through it, but slowly enough that it retained a lot of water. Quite the surprise!
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Continuing down the canyon a flow of water started, far earlier than sources suggested. A tributary bearing water, which was supposed to be reliable, came in, but the stream was already flowing strongly. At the confluence it began to rain, a sudden downpour. Nothing much I could now... while the slopes on the side of the steep canyon were obviously not entirely stable they would provide the only safe haven. But as quickly as it came the storm passed. The sun began to peek through the clouds.
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The upper section of Beartrap was amazing... incredibly lush and watery, with absolutely no evidence of human passage. I have no idea how long it's been since the last person has been through... the rangers couldn't think of anyone who had visited this year and thus had no idea idea of the conditions, like the new lake. There were no trails, trash, anchors, or footprints anywhere in the canyon. I had found a hidden corner of Zion that for today I had all to myself.
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The further I went the narrower and deeper the canyon became. I eventually gave up trying to keep my feet dry and started wading. The water was never deeper than my shins, chilly but not cold.
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A small waterfall was bypassed just downcanyon via a controlled slide down a slope to a small drop onto flat ground.
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Immediately after was the top of Beartrap Falls. I remember looking up at this two years ago, wondering what was up there, and now here I stand. A few trees have been knocked into the canyon, and I don't see any anchors at the falls, on the right, or as suggested up on the left. Well I had planned on that.
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A somewhat exposed but short traverse on the right led to a cluster of trees. A decently sized living pine provided the best anchor, and I set a sling around it. Should provide a great pull and a clean line to rappel into shallow water. Glad I brought the webbing and quicklink for a good cause.
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Yours Truly at the bottom of the rappel. The water indeed wasn't deep, which was good because it wasn't that warm in the deep and shaded canyon! The rope pulled clean and the technical section, just begun, was over!
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Beartrap Falls from the bottom. Short but beautiful and secluded.
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It's a short and easy stroll down a pretty canyon to La Verkin Creek. Another easy hike down that creek took me back to my campsite, with lots of time to spare. Had I the energy after the grim hike up the brushy slope I could have hiked out that day. But instead I lounged around camp, soaking in the creek and talking to myself, trees, and wild turkeys. Never saw a single person from the moment I started Sunday to ten minutes before the end of the hike out on Tuesday. No one was even camping at the main sites by the arch.
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The next morning I got an early start, as evidenced by the morning glow on Gregory Butte. Made it to campsite three before the sun caught up with me, and even then it wasn't too hot. Made it out in less than three hours, stopped at the visitor's center, where the backcountry desk was happy to see me alive. It was quite the adventure... not sure how long I'll need before I will hike that slope again... but I'd love to get back and make it to Chasm Lake. Perhaps not during monsoon season! Anyway, if anyone wants to try it, I would suggest good navigational skills, high tolerance for brush, 60ft of rope, webbing in case my anchor isn't there, and perhaps a drybag, neoprene socks, and fleece layers if the weather is cooler and the lake persists.
