Lost Hikers in Water Canyon

[Iceaxe]

Looks like Tanys might have to take credit for this one because she is the only one I know with a route description posted.... just kidding I don't really have a clue who's beta the group was using.

Hikers found on Canaan Mountain in good condition
TIFFANY DE MASTERS

ST. GEORGE - Salt Lake City locals, Carla Stoddard, 52, and Mike Deraedt, 65, were found Saturday night on Canaan Mountain after being separated from their companion, Ernest Sweat, 41.

The hikers started at Water Canyon and continued into Canaan Mountain. Sweat was separated from the group, but made it back to his car. When the other two hikers didn't show up, he put a call into the Hildale Marshal's Office around 6:30 p.m. Officers contacted Washington County Sheriff's Office and the hikers were off the mountain around midnight. "They were smiling and in good condition," said Dean Cox, director of emergency services for Washington County.

[tanya]

Looks like Tanys might have to take credit for this one because she is the only one I know with a route description posted.... just kidding I don't really have a clue who's beta the group was using.

Hikers found on Canaan Mountain in good condition
TIFFANY DE MASTERS

ST. GEORGE - Salt Lake City locals, Carla Stoddard, 52, and Mike Deraedt, 65, were found Saturday night on Canaan Mountain after being separated from their companion, Ernest Sweat, 41.

The hikers started at Water Canyon and continued into Canaan Mountain. Sweat was separated from the group, but made it back to his car. When the other two hikers didn't show up, he put a call into the Hildale Marshal's Office around 6:30 p.m. Officers contacted Washington County Sheriff's Office and the hikers were off the mountain around midnight. "They were smiling and in good condition," said Dean Cox, director of emergency services for Washington County.

Have you done Water Canyon yet Shane?

[Iceaxe]

Have you done Water Canyon yet Shane?

Not yet.... but its on the to-do list.

[tanya]

Have you done Water Canyon yet Shane?

Not yet.... but its on the to-do list.

Me too, when its warm next summer. Maybe we can go and play together. I want to do the hike from Water Canyon to Rockville too. I might do that this weekend. Not sure yet.

[tanya]

Looks like Tanya might have to take credit for this one because she is the only one I know with a route description posted.... just kidding I don't really have a clue who's beta the group was using.

Oops....I hope not! That would be a me and Dean Kurtz Trail report ... I hope it was the BLM directions.

Canaan Mountain - That's one of my oldest. I really need to redo that one!
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zio...n-mountain.htm

[Alex]

Maybe we can go and play together. I want to do the hike from Water Canyon to Rockville too.

I can tag along and film all the "playing"

[tanya]

Looks like I am going backpacking this weekend. We are starting at Water Canyon (Hilldale) and heading for Eagle Crags (Rockville). I wanted to do a long day hike but I was outvoted. Should be fun though.

Hope we don't get lost like those other guys. Is there any kind of trip report for this out there? I have heard of a few guys doing it but have never seen anything in writing.

[tanya]

Two more hikers almost had SAR called on them this weekend.....

[stefan]

you know tanya ... we're expecting a thorough trip report now, accounting the entire experience....

[Iceaxe]

Yeah... spill it lady

[tanya]

Yeah... spill it lady

Awwww.... that's the first time you called me a lady

[tanya]

you know tanya ... we're expecting a thorough trip report now, accounting the entire experience....

[color=white]Since you asked

We set up a car shuttle with one car at Eagle Crags (Rockville near Zion) and the other at Hilldale (by Colorado City --- for you bikers.. Near Gooseberry Mesa). We took the Smithsonian Butte Backway for the shuttle which is a great drive. We got underway about 9:30 am. Bo knew that Zion Rock was going to be there guiding a canyoneering trip, so we hiked up the steep trail to the head of Water Canyon (which we had to do anyway) to see where they start and asked about the rappels. Travis (who is on the Zion SAR team with Bo) said (I don't remember exactly) that there are about 8 rappels and 160' was the longest.

From there we hiked down the drainage until we found a good spot to climb up toward the hoodoos on top. We headed up the slickrock past lots of beautiful hoodoos. Then we got on the soft, sandy 4WD (that is suppose to be closed to 4WDs now) road and headed to the "Notch" and the "Windlass." Our directions we got from Bo's climbing friend Mikel told us to follow the dirt road and it would end at Sawmill Springs. There are lots of 4WD roads up there now

[Sombeech]

Wow, looks like a beautiful, but difficult hike. Nice pics.

[tanya]

We tried the exit again and made it this time. It was rugged!!!!!!! ~I am exhausted~ The chute we exited down was not too scenic but here is a cool shot from Water Canyon at the start and a rock near the exit. Here is a link to the entire Canaan Mountain album.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/ima...m2/index27.htm

Water Canyon



Canaan Mountain

[Brewhaha]

Beautiful pictures! You certainly have a knack for photography.

-and-

I just visitied the ZNP site. Is it all yours? I am very impressed.

[tanya]

Beautiful pictures! You certainly have a knack for photography.

-and-

I just visitied the ZNP site. Is it all yours? I am very impressed.

Thanks! My hiking partner Bo and I do the trail reports together --- so I think of it as part his too. We share.

[greyhair biker]

I am SO jealous..of the hiking. One of these days I WILL get down there! All I've hiked lately has been in Canyonlands/Moab area, the Uintahs and the Wasatch...although there is some amazing stuff in the Vernal area...entrada sandstone and related stuff...I love it!

[tanya]

I am SO jealous..of the hiking. One of these days I WILL get down there! All I've hiked lately has been in Canyonlands/Moab area, the Uintahs and the Wasatch...although there is some amazing stuff in the Vernal area...entrada sandstone and related stuff...I love it!

Have a favorite hike among those?

[greyhair biker]

It's so hard to choose! The ones I like in Moab I've also biked - mostly. Poison Spider trail to the Rim then to Gold Bar and Amasa Back to Jackson's Hole. I love to hike the Uintahs from Deep Creek to Brownie Lake and Spirit Lake & also around the Highline Trail near Mirror Lake. I used to know the Wasatch trails by heart...the best being Sugerloaf Pass along the peaks to the Pheifferhorn - that's was as far as I ever got....Beautiful!!

[stefan]

the pheifferhorn rocks!!