Spry canyon 8/18/07

[Jaxx]

Me, Chabadiah and our wives headed down to Zion for some canyon fun. We made it to the visitors center in Zion from Orem in 4 hours. We had known that Pinecreek was out of permits so we decided Spry would be a good one. None of us had done Spry before.
We picked up a Keyhole permit for that night just in case. We hadn't had dinner but we decided to hit keyhole anyway. We started from the pull-off toward Keyhole at about 8:30 PM. It was a ton of fun in the dark. We finished up at 10:30 PM and headed to mosquito cove. Hung up our wet gear and went to bed.

We woke up at about 6 am to some sprinkles so we through all our stuff in the car and pulled a tarp over us and went back to sleep. We were worried about the forecast of 40% chance of rain. We woke up at about 7:30 and the clouds were moving pretty fast and didn't look to bad so we thought we would try it out and if it looked scary we could bail.
It took us a couple of hours to get breakfast and put all our gear back together and we were at the Spry trailhead at about 10 am.
I couldn't figure out the terrain from my topo map. I am not very good at reading them in the first place but usually I can make sense of it. This time we hiked up some steep slickrock for about 45 minutes thanks to my superior map reading skills. We ended at a cliff and after some discussion we realized that the river bed at the bottom of the cliff was actually Pine Creek. We had gone up the wrong drainage. I hate to admit it but we did. We hike back down looking for somewhere to make our way into Pine creek. We eventually made it back down to our car and started on the right path at 11 AM. Adding almost a mile to our trip. Note: Just for reference, when pine creek goes under the road the tunnel is big enough to walk through that is how you know you are on the right track. The drainage just up the road to the East has two pipes that drain under the road, that is the wrong one. The guy at ZAC said that there are some owls up that drainage but we saw none.
Our path http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1245379

So now we are sure we are on the right path and everyone is pissed that we just wasted an hour. In all the Beta and guidebooks we read it doesn't mention the difficulty of the climb in, except for one website (climb-utah.com) that mentions 4th class pitches. So I am telling anyone who tries this canyon. Get an early start the 4th class pitches last for about 2 1/2 hours. My wife told me that she would rather do the entry hike to Mystery from weeping rock than do that again. I would disagree with that but that puts the difficulty into perspective.
The hike in the creek bed was shaded and nice. The route up on the slick rock was pretty obvious to us. After we found it we noticed a cairn and were happy that we were on the right track.
I didn't take any pictures of this part of the hike because I was too dillusional from the mass amounts of elevation gain to remember to take a picture for reference. We did not find the petroglyphs.
We got to the top and started our bushwack down into the mouth of Spry. A few clouds started to move in that looked a little hairy but we didn't think they would be a problem. We ate lunch at the first rap and watched the clouds. We felt good about it so I set up the first "rap" with our two 60 m ropes.
The first rappel is more like a walk down a slight slope to a stanky pothole then a small rappel to the bottom into a big stinky pothole. The canyon at this point is pretty wide so we weren't worried about the rain.
We made it to the second rappel and the water looked really gross. Chabadiah and I decided to check out the trail around the pothole. We could see how awesome the small section of narrows was after the rappels so we decided to tell the girls that we couldn't hike around and we had to go in.
The second rap was into a deep and long pothole that ended at a log jam where you set up the third rappel into a cool, almost subway section of very short narrows. The third rap was pretty tricky and required a flip upside down to get over a stuck log.
The fourth rap was kindof weird. The bolts were set up on the opposite wall from where you stand and you have to lean over a drop. I would estimate the drop at about 35 feet. So you have to start the rap on the wall across from you then turn around because that wall ends shortly then it turns to an overhang. It was a fun rappel.
The fifth rap was a really cool one from three bolts into a really dark slot.
The sixth rap was almost immediately after the fifth one. It was from a chokestone into a deep pool then over the edge to another pool. Our 60m rope reached all the way.
The seventh rap was a shorter double rap as well. Down to a knee deep pool then over into another pool.
The Eighth rap was into the stinkiest pool in the whole canyon. I think Chabadia said he got pictures of green bubbles from that pothole. To make it worse it smelled like dead fish. This rap was also a double. Down and then into a narrow spot. Swim to the end of that one and there were anchors for the ninth rap.
The 9th was a cool rappel with a little water running down because of people in the pothole behind you.
At the bottom of the 9th rap there is a large pothole that is very shallow, like ankle deep. I walked to the end of it and noticed a bunch of rope burns over the side. I could not find any anchors. At first I thought to tie the two 60m ropes we had. I didn't think that would be a good pull though. There is a large chunk of rock that was sticking out on the left side that I could see a rope burn on. I was going to set up some webbing for an anchor there but when I climbed to the top of the ledge on the left I notice there was already an anchor about 15 feet to the south on two trees.
The 10th rap puts you into the boulder field. Walking down we made it to the last rap after what felt like an hour. It wasn't really that long until we made it to the 11th and final rap.
We were worried about the time because we rented some wetsuits for the girls and I rented some 5.10's from the Zion Adventure Center. So it made the last little bit of the canyon a semi rush.
The 11th rap was a really fun one. It is an overhang from almost the start. I may west bunnied my backpack and it made a world of difference from other free-hanging raps I have done.
We made it to the road in about 45 minutes and I heard Iceaxe talk about making a sign for hitchhiking. I got my brand new laminated "Next Trailhead" sign out and the first car to pass us stopped.
Chabadiah hitched a ride with the two gypsy girls and brought our car back down. We raced back to the ZAC and made it at about 8:57. We were worried that they wouldn't let us return the stuff since we were supposed to have it back by 8 pm. They were awesome and stayed a little later for us so we didn't have to drive back from Cedar City in the morning, where we had reservations for a hotel. We were too late to play in the pool or hot tub but everyone was happy to have a warm shower and comfy bed that night.
Since renting the 5.10's from ZAC I have decided they are a must have. Can't wait to get me a pair!
Spry was an awesome canyon and worth the entry hike in my opinion. It has a few technical spots that keep you thinking and enough rappels to keep your attention. 10 out of 10 in my book.

Now for the pictures.
Sorry I didn't get any of the 10th or 11th rap. My battery died. Hopefully Chabadiah will have some.

muddy river by misquito cove


view of Pincreek canyon from top of hike


View of Spry from top


Clouds over Spry


Steph on first rap


cool cliff after first rap


Em in pool after second rap


Steph and Em in subway part after 3rd rap


Chad on weird 4th rap


View from the 4th rap


Balancing rock


group at bottom of 5th rap


6th rap anchor


Steph on the first part of 6th rap


Chad starting second part of 7th rap


Steph on 9th rap

[Jaxx]

I forgot to put that Chabadiah and I didn't wear wetsuits and the girls wore farmer jons with jackets. It got alittle chilly when the sun went down but other than that I was fine.

[AFI]

Nice! Looks fun

[Scott Card]

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

[oldno7]

nice TR

I got this one booked for Oct.

[Jaxx]

nice TR

I got this one booked for Oct.

I'm jealous I want to go back already.

[chabidiah]

This trip was definitely a good one and now that I have gotten home and rested I would agree that I am ready to return.

[accadacca]

That looks like a fun canyon. Nice fotos!

[ratagonia]

So now we are sure we are on the right path and everyone is pissed that we just wasted an hour. In all the Beta and guidebooks we read it doesn't mention the difficulty of the climb in, except for one website (climb-utah.com) that mentions 4th class pitches. So I am telling anyone who tries this canyon. Get an early start the 4th class pitches last for about 2 1/2 hours. My wife told me that she would rather do the entry hike to Mystery from weeping rock than do that again. I would disagree with that but that puts the difficulty into perspective.

Uh? Huh? "Exit the bed of the canyon left up a 4th class slickrock watercourse..." "Climb the center of the bowl (4th class)..." (page 173, Zion:Canyoneering). The climb to the pass usually takes about 1 hour. Which way did YOU go? Perhaps you'd like to buy a guidebook.

Finding cairns does not mean you are on the right path. People who are lost also build cairns.

Tom

[Iceaxe]

The climb to the pass usually takes about 1 hour. Which way did YOU go?

Jaxx posted his GPS bread crumbs here
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1245379

Which I think is pretty cool.... easy to see where they lost 1.5 hours.

We always joke when we see a cairn.... "Oh look, somebody else is also lost".

[Jaxx]

Uh? Huh? "Exit the bed of the canyon left up a 4th class slickrock watercourse..." "Climb the center of the bowl (4th class)..." (page 173, Zion:Canyoneering). The climb to the pass usually takes about 1 hour. Which way did YOU go? Perhaps you'd like to buy a guidebook.

Finding cairns does not mean you are on the right path. People who are lost also build cairns.

Tom

I should mention that we only had one guidebook and it wasn't yours or Shane's. Sorry, I didn't mean to be negative toward your book, indirectly. We did buy your book when we picked up permits but we didn't really read it in detail. I had already had another book and we read a bunch of beta so we figured we kindof knew. Mostly it was online stuff that I was referring to and I'm not sure why but we didn't read on canyoneering usa, now I know why we went wrong, we didnt read any of your stuff.

Mabey we are just slow hikers. It would be appreciated if you check out our path and let me know where we went wrong. Here is the link http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1245379
I definitely want to do this canyon again, and if we took the wrong way I would love to be corrected.

Thanks

[Jaxx]

after looking at the map on canyoneeringusa.com and climb-utah.com I have decided that we started up the slick rock sooner than normal. We had hiked for about 20 minutes in the wash so we figured it must be the spot. We were probably walking a little slower than normal since we had already been up the wrong drainage.
Well atleast we built some extra character that trip. On top of taking the wrong drainage we started up the rock too soon, I need to take a map reading class

[Brian in SLC]

The climb to the pass usually takes about 1 hour. Which way did YOU go?

Jaxx posted his GPS bread crumbs here
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1245379
Which I think is pretty cool.... easy to see where they lost 1.5 hours.

Wow, holy technology batman, that IS really cool.

From my hazy memory (and notes posted below from when Tom, downtown Mel Brown and I did this rig back in December 2000), you mighta coulda gone a tech more north (and just slightly west). Seems like we ended up descending right below Twin Bro, and down climbed into a slot that ran right into the canyon and to the first rap.

-Brian in SLC

From my TR:

After passing through the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel, we parked the car at a small pull out just east of the bridge over Pine Creek on Route 9. At 10:00am, we followed a faint trail on the east side of the Pine Creek drainage and dropped off the side of the bridge into the sandy stream course. Looking back downstream, we marveled at the old bridge, an intact, beautiful span of hewn sandstone blocks. We followed the Pine Creek drainage, due north, for 20 minutes until a sandstone ramp appeared on the left (west). Just upstream, the drainage looked blocked and scratchy and this sandstone ramp, guarded by a large pine tree with three flat rocks at its base, appears as the easiest escape option to the pass at the head of our intended descent. This ramp is steep enough to require light fingertips for balance but is mostly steep hiking. We took care to ensure we had good footing on this exposed ramp.

Hiking and scrambling up fun, slickrock bowls and ramps, we arrived at the pass at the head of the descent canyon at 11:00am. From this location, the canyon below runs due east between the Twin Brothers and the East Temple. We hiked around to the right to near the head of a small slot coming in from the north. Finding an easy down climb, we descended into the small slot and followed it to the flat, sandy head of the main canyon. Hiking a short distance down stream, we arrived at the first long, low angle rappel at 11:30am.

[Scott Card]

People who are lost also build cairns.

Tom

Ain't that the truth. Oh, and the guide book is great.

[chabidiah]

Maybe in the guide books where it reads "4th class slick rock", it should have a side note that says(4th class slick rock aka: "Backside of Hell") All in all the beta we had was good, we just didn't expect to be climbing that slick rock in the hottest part of the day. Which I'm sure made a big difference in the amount of time it took us to get to the ridge. But I bought Tom's book at ZAC and read it all the way home. I thought it was interesting how he had accident reports in the back of the book. It's crazy what a danger inexperience can be in the canyons.
We are talking about taking a trip down Kolob Creek next year, looks awesome. I would love to read some TR's if anyone has the energy to send me the links, I'm really lazy....

[chabidiah]

Just a few more pics

[chabidiah]

I posted those bass ackwards but you get the jist

[Jaxx]

here is a video of Chabadia and I jumping in on of the potholes. I have the red shirt on

[oldno7]

So your car to car time was about 9hrs?

[Jaxx]

yep 9 hrs. Others have said that we could have shaved off an hour on the approach if we went the right way. There are some semi technical double raps in there that took a little extra time. there are also 11 or so raps and 3 or 4 of them are doubles.
Also, we hiked up to the upper parking lot at the end, not down to the pinecreek TH one to hitch our ride.