Zion Conditions

Got back from Zion yesterday evening and wow! There is a lot of water flowing out of all those canyons currently.

This is just what I noticed from the road:

Behunin Canyon - has a small. 1-3 CFS flow at last rap

Heaps - has a 5-8 CFS rate at the last rap.

Keyhole - has a 2-3 CFS flow coming out of it.

Echo - flowing easily between 5-10cfs. Most likely will have deep (and dangerous?) snow piles until June.

Pine Creek - couldn’t tell, due to the closure.

Spry - flowing 1-3 CFS at last rap

Narrows - closed for the forseable future (at least
until late May) due to the Virgin being above 150 CFS.

Subway - 1-2ft of snow at trailhead. Have to hike about a mile to the Wildcat trailhead due roads not being plowed.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ce732fcf08.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a273a6c0f4.jpg

The pics attached are approx a mile away from Subway trailhead.

Left fork trailhead is snow free, although at about that elevation is where you will start to see patches of snow.


Edit: added a few more pics

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...757d36560d.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...47917af455.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2e07706464.jpg
The last rap out of Behunin has a minor waterfall currently. Would be kinda fun to rap that.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...03faecd497.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...fde8babc63.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a9b10c7ccf.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for posting the pictures/conditions. Especially information about the higher plateau towards the Wildcat TH and the road. Anyone have advice on what conditions one might expect in the Subway in about 2 weeks? With all this snowmelt @ the higher elevations, would the CFS be too high to consider going down in there besides the obviously frigid temps of the water?

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Originally Posted by jman

Got back from Zion yesterday evening and wow! There is a lot of water flowing out of all those canyons currently.

This is just what I noticed from the road:

Behunin Canyon - has a small. 1-3 CFS flow at last rap

Heaps - has a 5-8 CFS rate at the last rap.

Keyhole - has a 2-3 CFS flow coming out of it.

Pine Creek - couldn’t tell, due to the closure.

Spry - flowing 1-3 CFS at last rap

Narrows - closed for the forseable future (at least
until late May) due to the Virgin being above 150 CFS.

Subway - 1-2ft of snow at trailhead. Have to hike about a mile to the Wildcat trailhead due roads not being plowed.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ce732fcf08.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a273a6c0f4.jpg

The pics attached are approx a mile away from Subway trailhead.

Left fork trailhead is snow free, although at about that elevation is where you will start to see patches of snow.


Edit: added a few more pics

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...757d36560d.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...47917af455.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2e07706464.jpg
The last rap out of Behunin has a minor waterfall currently. Would be kinda fun to rap that.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...03faecd497.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...fde8babc63.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a9b10c7ccf.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by spyderjosh

Thanks for posting the pictures/conditions. Especially information about the higher plateau towards the Wildcat TH and the road. Anyone have advice on what conditions one might expect in the Subway in about 2 weeks? With all this snowmelt @ the higher elevations, would the CFS be too high to consider going down in there besides the obviously frigid temps of the water?

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I’m going in two weeks on Saturday. And I’m taking a guy named Josh (married to Rachael) with me too. Are you him?? Small world if it is.

Raging conditions will be set in April when it gets much warmer and starts melting everything up there. My guess in two weeks it will range between 1/2 to 3/4 of raging conditions in two weeks.

Plan on bringing bivy gear, and a few sources to start a fire with. Bring the heavy neoprene or drysuit too.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There may be 2 sections around keyhole falls and bowling alley that may have to be bypassed. Be careful at the undewater arch section. That is where I broke my leg during high water and had to bivy up in the caves.

Cool shots but I'm waiting for those secret drone shots from Zions :haha:

Part of the problem with The Subway is that there really is no way to tell what conditions (ie, flood conditions) are like except by hiking in and looking at it. Of course, at that point you are invested, and subject to being foolish, even if you KNOW The Subway.

The flood conditions vary day to day, largely based on whether it freezes overnight in the basin above the Subway. And because this basin for the Subway is lower than the Narrows basin, the flow rate in The Narrows does not really correlate with what is happening in The Subway.

Tom

Update March 12, 2019

Zion-Mount Carmel Highway Opens, no Oversized Vehicles

SPRINGDALE, UT – The Zion- Mount Carmel Highway, the Route 9 connector road through Zion National Park, was closed the evening of March 2, 2019, after heavy rains undercut the road. One lane of the road will temporarily reopen at 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 12, 2019. However, due to safety concerns, buses and RV’s are still prohibited.

The road will be a single lane around the damaged area and will be managed by a traffic signal. Visitors should obey traffic signals and expect delays. Vehicles sized 7’10’’ in width or 11’4’’ in height, or larger, will not be allowed on the road between Canyon Junction and the park’s East Entrance. As road repairs progress, the entire road may close periodically.

For oversized vehicles (buses and RV’s), alternate east and west driving routes are available via Highway 59 from Hurricane, Utah to Fredonia, Arizona and Highway 14 from Cedar City, Utah to Long Valley Junction and Highway 89. People coming from Interstate 15 to the Park may access the Park as usual by traveling east on State Route 9 through Springdale.

All canyoneering routes on the east side will remain accessible for permitted activities. However, permits will not be issued when road closures are required.

“Visitors need to reduce their speed throughout the switchbacks, drive with care, and be alert for falling rocks,” said park spokesman Aly Baltrus. “We are going to try to keep the road open as much as we can, but it is a tight space and we will need to get construction vehicles and materials in and out too. There is also additional precipitation in the forecast.”

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Originally Posted by ratagonia

Vehicles sized 7’10’’ in width or 11’4’’ in height, or larger, will not be allowed on the road between Canyon Junction and the park’s East Entrance.

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I'm curious, has anybody witnessed a vehicle that was too large for the tunnel that had to turn around? Did it create a big mess?

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Originally Posted by Sombeech

I'm curious, has anybody witnessed a vehicle that was too large for the tunnel that had to turn around? Did it create a big mess?

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The vehicles don't turn around, they usually smash in the top corner of their rig on the top of the rounded tunnel because they drove to close to one side. Yes I've seen it happen, yes it creates a mess.

http://www.bogley.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1552494192

Ah, this is excellent. I wish more folks would apply this principle to relationships. I've worked for many people who've recently divorced and they'll rant and rave about the ex for months or even a couple years. Just bail and move on already.

Sorry...newbie here. Anyone know why Heaps, Imlay and others are listed as closed on the Zion Wilderness Reservations site for Canyoneering Day Trips resource area (red background)? I was going to try to get reservations for June tomorrow. Thanks.

Heaps, Behunin and Spearhead are closed because the Upper and Middle Emerald Pool Trails are closed. Yes, you could bushwhack around the destroyed parts of the trails, but the Park has chosen to consider the damage this would cause unacceptable.

Imlay is perhaps closed because the Narrows is closed... if the Narrows is closed. I am surprised they do not accept reservations in the future, however... though it may be too soon.

A lot of closed trails in Zion right now. The Wilderness Desk is just staffing up for the season and might be lagging behind on the tasks such as updating the website... then again, I think that portion of the website is handled by a contractor, and the contractor may be behind.

If you want to do Heaps, you could do Heaps/Isaac... the Phantom Valley Portion of Heaps, then exiting out Isaac Canyon. Bring a map to the desk so you can explain that you do not need to go through a closed area to get there.

If looking for early season burliness, take a look at Jacob Canyon. A fine outing, deserves more respect, though not suitable for high summer.

Tom