Yankee Doodle

[taatmk]

After having my original plan of doing a canyon in the Poison Springs area aborted over the weekend, I followed through on a contingency plan of hiking Yankee Doodle Hollow near St. George on Thursday, March 13, 2008. I met my son, a student at Utah State Unversity and several of his cronies who were enjoying Spring break in St George for an afternoon hike in a small, but very nice canyon.

Yankee Doodle allows you to practice a variety of canyoneering skills, including rappelling, dowclimbing, stemming, and using deadman belays (for the less experienced).

Located 7.5 miles off of the Leeds exit on 1-15, Yankee Doodle is easily accessed.

We found the canyon, at this early time of year, full of water. There were a couple of places that required swimming as the water was over our heads. The final pothole was also a swimmer, but only the last person had to do such. There is a place on the left hand side, (LDC) at the last pothole, where with assistance, you can skirt around an exposed angled slab (5.2?) and miss the final pothole. After assisting others around this spot, the last person in our group downclimbed that spot and swam the pothole.

Weather was 75 in St George that day. The canyon was just about as warm, save trying to warm up after the swims. We exited by turning up a canyon joining Yankee Doodle coming in on the left. That canyon was actually larger than YD. We walked unobstructed up the cobbled bottom of that canyon until we estimated where the access road was, and then found a way up to reach the road. The road was then walked back to the putting in point.

The first rappel was about 20 feet, but could be downclimbed and avoided by a 20 foot chimney near the head of the second rappel of 70 feet. I had read about no bolts in Yankee Doodle. There was one at the head of the 70 foot rappel, but no others in the rest of the canyon. The two raps can be combined with one rope.

Fun narrows, lots of downclimbing and stemming opportunities. It took us 2.5 hours to complete, but 1 full hour was spent at the two rappels due to the fact that we had to pass back up some harnesses to some of the college boys who did not have any.

Plans made to head over to the aborted Poison Springs in May.

[taatmk]

Yankee Doodle on March 13, 2008

[tanya]

This looks fun! Some day I am going to get in that canyon too!

Bet that was cold in Jeans once they got wet!

[shagster]

This is a great little canyon. How was the access road? I tried to get there in the middle of Feb, but the road was washed out to the point we could not get passed. Also how was the water temps?

Nice trip report

[taatmk]

The road was in very good shape. While I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee, it could be easily done with a high clearance 2 wheel drive.

The water temps were ice cold. No exaggeration...some of the coldest I have been in. But we also did not have wetsuits. We expected it to be dry from a word of mouth report.

[trackrunner]

We expected it to be dry from a word of mouth report.

When did your word of mouth go? Dry in summertime yes, I did this canyon last November and it held water then, though it was waist/thigh deep. Iceax posted a summertime account with swimming a while back.

[Sombeech]

you must be shooting with a canon powershot? My camera does that same thing when the lens doesn't open all the way. drives me nuts.

[Iceaxe]

We expected it to be dry from a word of mouth report.

When Yankee Doodle was originally uncovered it always had at least one required swim, even in the summer. All the TR's from the first few years recommended wet suits. Then the swimming sections filled up with sand after a big storm and the canyon spent the next two years in a dry condition. From a last few TR's I'm starting to think that perhaps the sand has washed back out of the swimming sections have returned?

It's been over a year since I was last in Yankee Doodle so maybe one of the regulars to that slot can fill us in on it's conditions compared to years past.

[tanya]

The water temps were ice cold. No exaggeration...some of the coldest I have been in. But we also did not have wetsuits. We expected it to be dry from a word of mouth report.

Oh .. no fun!!!!

Lucky there were not girls along, you guys would be in hot water.

[accadacca]

Rockin' good time I bet.

[trackrunner]

Unfortunately there were not hot girls along, you guys would need to post those pics too.

Fixed

[Iceaxe]

Fixed

[tanya]

Unfortunately there were not hot girls along, you guys would need to post those pics too.

Fixed

Men

[tanya]

Bo and I did this canyon on Sunday --- and all I can say is that you boys are totally INSANE!!!! My toes were frozen and I had on neoprene socks and a 5mm wetsuit!!!

That had to be painful!


Here are the photos from Bo and my Sunday trip through.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/ima...m2/index62.htm

[nelsonccc]

Bo and I did this canyon on Sunday --- and all I can say is that you boys are totally INSANE!!!! My toes were frozen and I had on neoprene socks and a 5mm wetsuit!!!

That had to be painful!


Here are the photos from Bo and my Sunday trip through.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/ima...m2/index62.htm

When did Bo start growing a beard? That's a lot of grey. Looks like me when i let my hair grow out.

[Bo_Beck]

Bo and I did this canyon on Sunday --- and all I can say is that you boys are totally INSANE!!!! My toes were frozen and I had on neoprene socks and a 5mm wetsuit!!!

That had to be painful!


Here are the photos from Bo and my Sunday trip through.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/ima...m2/index62.htm

When did Bo start growing a beard? That's a lot of grey. Looks like me when i let my hair grow out.

Yeah...you noticed! Thanks..I think I started my beard maybe 3 years ago to try to take attention away from my bald head But now that you mention it the grey in my 'stash' and beard is sort of taking headlines. Might be time to just shave it all off!!!

[accadacca]

Hey Bo, don't want to hijack, but you have to see this video if you have not.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=0UxVdwadTDY[/youtube]

[accadacca]

If my above post is inappropriate or "fluff," please delete.

[Bo_Beck]

Hey Bo, don't want to hijack, but you have to see this video if you have not.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=0UxVdwadTDY[/youtube]

[tanya]

The group owner needs to go to the trash can! He derailed my thread.



I have Bo's Yankee Doodle Trip Report map, etc... online.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-yankee-doodle.htm