Swell Conditions

[dappelha]

Two friends and I are heading out to Utah from Denver to do some canyoneering from Thurs-Sunday. We are all experienced mountaineers with rock climbing, caving, and rappelling skills. Currently I am planning to try Forgotten Canyon and Lower Eagle canyon on one day. I am most concerned about water (hypothermia) in the canyons, since I am the only one with a shorty wetsuit. We will camp in the area and are looking for advice on whether this canyon is doable this time of year, and if there is another canyon for a second day. It is not set in sandstone that we go to the Swell either, if it is absolutely not a winter area. Is north wash the ideal winter destination? If so what are two days of recommended canyoneering that won't involve swimming?

Thanks,
David A

[Jaxx]

You're lucky they just recently changed the name from UUtah to Bogley our you wouldn't be able to get help here

Seriously someone with more canyons under their belt will post what they think about canyons to do, but I do want to say that the weather report is calling for rain/snow mixed this weekend starting Thursday.

Blue John is a fun canyon that doesn't hold much in the main fork until you get down to where ralston cut his arm off then it can get kneeish deep.

[Iceaxe]

I'd say you should head for the Roost or North Wash. This is the time of year that North Wash is prime. The canyons you listed are all high in the Swell and will most likely see rain or maybe snow this weekend. Stay lower this time of year.

[Sombeech]

Welcome to the forum.

[Scott Card]

since I am the only one with a shorty wetsuit.

I think this time of year (and maybe any time of year) Shorty wet suit = no wet suit. As to location, I agree with Ice. Stay low and head to the north wash or known dry canyons. If you go into the Roost, Larry is fun but may not give you enough bang if you feel you are experienced. The roost roads and any dirt road in that area for that matter can get dicey in the rain/snow. I wish I knew your experience in canyons so as to recommend from the handful that I have done in the North Wash area. There are a lot of half to 3/4 day hikes within a few miles of Sandthrax campsite (and I use the term "campsite" loosely). My vote this time of year would be the North Wash. And welcome.

[ratagonia]

It is not set in sandstone that we go to the Swell either, if it is absolutely not a winter area. Is north wash the ideal winter destination? If so what are two days of recommended canyoneering that won't involve swimming?

Thanks,
David A

Forgotten is up really high. Might have snow on it.

Yes, North Wash is the ideal winter destination. Longer drive, but less mucking around when you get there. May I suggest doing the East and West Forks of Leprechaun on the first day, and the Main Fork on the second day. Should be dry (if it does not rain). Might be a nice campfire and people to visit with at the Sandthrax campsite. (Colorado Beer appreciated by many).

Bring helmets, and you'll be OK.

Tom

[shaggy125]

I'll Fourth or Fifth every ones suggestions, Eagle will probably have snow, the top of the swell is higher elevation than other areas, temps are colder and snow lingers longer. North Wash is the absolutely perfect place to go this time of year, especially without wetsuits, and many of the canyons are really good! If you want longer days, just do two or three together.

[dappelha]

Well I had already planned things out in the swell a week ago, but now I agree that north wash would be better. We don't have canyon experience (yet), but we have plenty of natural anchor skills and rock climbing skills. We are looking for canyons that are certainly beyond a day hike but that aren't wet hypothermia waiting to happen. I think I'll look more into Leprechaun. What about shenanigans? I'd love to come socialize around the campfire, so if I see a campfire I'll presume it's friendly.

[ratagonia]

Well I had already planned things out in the swell a week ago, but now I agree that north wash would be better. We don't have canyon experience (yet), but we have plenty of natural anchor skills and rock climbing skills. We are looking for canyons that are certainly beyond a day hike but that aren't wet hypothermia waiting to happen. I think I'll look more into Leprechaun. What about shenanigans? I'd love to come socialize around the campfire, so if I see a campfire I'll presume it's friendly.

I think you will be highly entertained, and challenged, by the East and West, then Main Forks of Lep. To give you an idea of the quality of the Main fork, I have done it approx 25 times in the last 5 years.

Shillelagh and Blarney are good places to bring beginners who have not rappelled before, or an a second day if you are not really up for anything, but have to do SOMETHING to maintain honor.

The West Forks of Butler are something to do AFTER you have done a couple canyons. Shenanigans, in particular, is a great canyon, but would be somewhat foolish with a bunch of noob canyoneers.

Though you may be an "experienced outdoorsman", you are not an experienced canyoneer. It's the "experienced outdoorsman" who seem to make the papers, and not in a good way.

So say us all.

Tom

[shaggy125]

The Leprechauns are all three very fun and scenic canyons. I have done them multiple times too and never get tired of them. West Blarney is really nice too and can be added if you zoom through the others and want more. I think Leprechaun was my first canyon outside Zion, I was pretty wowed by it. mmmmm... good!

[dappelha]

Alright we are going to do the East and West, then Main Forks of Lep. I think this should be great thanks for the advice. If it turns out that we feel up to something harder after the first day, we'll evaluate whether we want to do shenanigans. Thanks again for the help, we'll be at the sandthrax campground driving a big white truck.

[dappelha]

We ended up doing middle fork the first day and shenanigans the second day because we found middle fork to be no problem. Shenanigans itself was fine too but we got a late start and finding the exit in the dark was long. Here is a description I wrote of our experiences:

Well the middle fork was pretty easy the day before, and it took us less time than predicted by Tom's guide to do it. So we decided to pack our packs much lighter (less spare clothes, no emergency rock climbing gear, etc) for Shenanigans and also go later in the day so we would not need the extra jackets. We ended up getting to four ways at about 11:30 and finishing Shenanigans as dusk was approaching. It was dusk by the time we were reached the kelsey fourth class exit which did not look realistic in the dark. The three of us had headlamps and are pretty good rockclimbers but for one we were not sure that what we were looking at was indeed the kelsey exit, and two it looked difficult to find the right line in the dark. So we continued down canyon for what must have been about 5 miles. The description seemed to indicate another hiking exit but we only saw high cliff walls all down canyon. Eventually it started to look like it was going to slot up again but we found a spot we could climb to the rim. We knew four-way was north-northwest of our position so we continued that way sometimes being blocked by canyons (leprechaun maybe?) and eventually possibly monkey business. We were crossing lots of sandstone bowls and coming up against impassible canyons but we continued to head in the north-west direction. We finally crossed what we hoped would be the last canyon and headed north on a flat section. We thought that this finally matched up with Tom's topo of the monkey business area and our compass reading of the direction of this flat section seemed to fit so we traveled north along it till we reached the road that heads south from four way. We followed this road straight to my vehicle (12:30 pm). Looking back we should have treated more water while we were in the main canyon (we used iodine on 1 nalgene) and gotten an earlier start. We got back to the truck tired and thirsty, but all in all it was not too much of an ordeal, just about 10 more miles in the dark than we were expecting. The canyon was straightforward; the exit in the dark was a pain and tiring but we were calm and clear headed.