Dark Canyon

[Mudcat]

Anyone done Dark Canyon yet this year and have beta? Anything I should be concerned about going next week? Never done it before. Is 60 cfs likely to be a problem with the East Fork exit? (I do see the escape route at the Parunuweap/EFVR junction from Shane's site.)

[Iceaxe]

Dark Canyon

You mean Rock Canyon?

[trackrunner]

Dark Canyon

You mean Rock Canyon?

QFE please provide beta on this mystery Dark Canyon so I can hit it

[oldno7]

I'm a little confused--Isn't EFVR the same as Parunaweap? Other than ones water and ones a canyon?
Lots a stuff out there is dark.(well not lots)
More info please

[Jaxx]

I stumbled upon this while searching for something else.

http://bogley.com/forum/viewtopic.ph...t=camping+zion

[trackrunner]

I'm a little confused--Isn't EFVR the same as Parunaweap? Other than ones water and ones a canyon?
Lots a stuff out there is dark.(well not lots)
More info please

Yes EFVR is Parunaweap but Parunaweap is closed through the park. Now my turn to ask a question. Is it closed at the park boundry or at Labyrinth Falls? Because I've heard both.

[Iceaxe]

Is it closed at the park boundry or at Labyrinth Falls? Because I've heard both.

Officially it's closed at the Park Boundary....

Unofficially it's closed at the Falls.

Which means you can visit the falls from the top and probably never have a problem....

[trackrunner]

Is it closed at the park boundry or at Labyrinth Falls? Because I've heard both.

Officially it's closed at the Park Boundary....

Unofficially it's closed at the Falls.

Which means you can visit the falls from the top and probably never have a problem....

Thanks. I'll just say I missed the exit out and am now back tracking to the exit.

[Iceaxe]

There is a Dark Canyon and it's really an awesome canyon. The problem is that Dark Canyon (the same one mentioned in the thread) is located where the Colorado empties into Lake Powell and is no where near Zion.

We used to access with our boats and hike up Dark Canyon from the lake, but no way in hell you could get a boat near there right now.

[Mudcat]

Uh, check that on DARK Canyon, which is very pleasant this time of year. But I meant to say ROCK canyon. I wish I could fire my editor.

[Mudcat]

And yes, that's the EFVR/Rock Canyon junction. Sorry for the confusion. So, now that we've got that cleared up, and I've supplied enough evidence to convict me of terminal idiocy, sounds like Rock will probably be OK?

And yeah, totally agree on Dark Canyon. Beautiful place, nice pools, but the talus hike in/out on the Sundance Trail is pretty brutal. But that's another subject ... er, canyon.

[Iceaxe]

Not sure what gauge you are using.... but a true 60cfs through Parunuweap should not be a problem. I think you could pretty much do the canyon at double that but haven't tried. The only real danger in Parunuweap is a constriction that sometimes becomes a strainer. The constriction/strainer is located below French Canyon and above Misery. Parunuweap doesn't really start to get tight until you hit the confluence with Misery.

Photo of constriction that sometimes becomes a strainer.

[marc olivares]

watch for the ichy plant life going out French...

[nelsonccc]

Anyone done Dark Canyon yet this year and have beta? Anything I should be concerned about going next week? Never done it before. Is 60 cfs likely to be a problem with the East Fork exit? (I do see the escape route at the Parunuweap/EFVR junction from Shane's site.)

Make sure you've got 4WD. We did it last year in late May and it was pretty balls to the wall. Lots of sections where you'd go in at 40 mph and exit at 5 mph. Scraped up the sides of my ford f150 in a couple of tight spots.

I also echo the sentiment to watch out for poisen ivy in french. There's a ton of it.

[Mudcat]

Using USGS for EFVR (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/uv?09404900) which shows flows hovering around 61 for the past week. I'm assuming neo isn't necessary, except maybe on the feet. If I'm wrong, someone please let me know.

Thanks for the warning on the poison ivy. I hate that stuff!

[trackrunner]

Using USGS for EFVR (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/uv?09404900) which shows flows hovering around 61 for the past week. I'm assuming neo isn't necessary, except maybe on the feet. If I'm wrong, someone please let me know.

Thanks for the warning on the poison ivy. I hate that stuff!

Actualy someone posted a TR on another site (yahoo) from this last Saturday. They said a full wetsuit was not needed but a shorty was nice, waist deep water. Also the person said there was ratty fixed webbing (whatever that is ) on every drop, bring some webbing.

Also the gauge you have is the East Fork of Virgin at Springdale. As Tom Jones pointed out since you'll be up canyon the flow will be less than what is on the website.

[Mudcat]

Thanks Trackrunner. I did try to search it before I asked, but wasn't successful. Could you be referring to the Fat Man's Misery TR? Good point--that beta is applicable once in the East Fork. I'm guessing Rock itself is not too wet?

We'll bring pack capacity to clean the old webbing.

[tanya]

watch for the ichy plant life going out French...

Yeah.. the worst part is that it's at chest level!!! The first time through the guys I was with were holding it back with a stick... dang!!!

All I can say is that those chlorine and baking soda (think that is what it was) baths help.

The other times through I found it was simply better to just bend back at your knees and lean way back.

There is lots of that itchy plant life along the banks of Pweap it looks like but I have walked through that before I noticed and had no affects?

[Iceaxe]

Could you be referring to the Fat Man's Misery TR? Good point--that beta is applicable once in the East Fork. I'm guessing Rock itself is not too wet?

If you can do Misery safely you can do Rock. The section of P-weap between Misery and the horseshoe exit is tighter then anything between Rock and French.

From locals I'm told the road out to Rock isn't to bad in the spring, but turns to soft deep sand by mid summer. For some reason they say it always firms up some over the winter. YMMV... I say a 4x4 and shovel are mandatory equipment.

[oldno7]

Could you be referring to the Fat Man's Misery TR? Good point--that beta is applicable once in the East Fork. I'm guessing Rock itself is not too wet?

If you can do Misery safely you can do Rock. The section of P-weap between Misery and the horseshoe exit is tighter then anything between Rock and French.

From locals I'm told the road out to Rock isn't to bad in the spring, but turns to soft deep sand by mid summer. For some reason they say it always firms up some over the winter. YMMV... I say a 4x4 and shovel are mandatory equipment.

Very true---(rock)
I think the best exit is on the left ridge(ldc) as you exit the bottom of the canyon. Slight scrambling up to the end of a good 4x4 trail. Then hike the trail back to your vehichle. Saw very fresh and very large cougar track in there last year.(on trail out)
And for the anti ATV crowd--2 atv's work very well as a shuttle out of this canyon. Or so I've been told