Hidden Canyon & North Guardian Angel

[cp0915]

Finally took a trip down Hidden Canyon on Saturday. A nice canyon with some interesting downclimbs and a few short rappels. The upper canyon was dirty, loose and generally unpleasant. Fortunately, it soon became rather nice.

On Sunday, DB and I joined up with Ram and Aaron and took a stroll up North Guardian Angel. As usual, NGA was classic.

Here's a link to a couple short write-ups and a few pictures I took from the weekend:

http://www.backcountry-explorer.com/

(Click on Zion National Park under 'Topics' on the right side of the page)

CP

[AJ]

Sweet! Glad you are still getting out. I just did Hidden this week as well. Friday I think. (The days are running together.) Will get a conditions post out soon, and a trip report out hopefully not too far down the road.

How did you like Hidden? Different character than most Zion canyons. Some spicy downclimbs though! Was able to do it without a rope; which made me a little disapponted for carrying a 140' with pull, but better safe than sorry... Especially when solo.

You do the car shuttle, or hike from the bottom? LONG hike in the heat of the day, for sure... (Not sure what the Many Pools approach is...) I can attest that the hike from the Echo trail to East Rim is a slog...


Later,
A.J.

Finally took a trip down Hidden Canyon on Saturday. A nice canyon with some interesting downclimbs and a few short rappels. The upper canyon was dirty, loose and generally unpleasant. Fortunately, it soon became rather nice.

On Sunday, DB and I joined up with Ram and Aaron and took a stroll up North Guardian Angel. As usual, NGA was classic.

Here's a link to a couple short write-ups and a few pictures I took from the weekend:

http://www.backcountry-explorer.com/

(Click on Zion National Park under 'Topics' on the right side of the page)

CP

[tanya]

I am jealous! One of these days I will get out there. Loved the trail reports guys. CP.. that photo of you and DB is adorable!

So how does this route compare to other canyons in Zion?

[cp0915]

Sweet! Glad you are still getting out. I just did Hidden this week as well. Friday I think. (The days are running together.) Will get a conditions post out soon, and a trip report out hopefully not too far down the road.

How did you like Hidden? Different character than most Zion canyons. Some spicy downclimbs though! Was able to do it without a rope; which made me a little disapponted for carrying a 140' with pull, but better safe than sorry... Especially when solo.

You do the car shuttle, or hike from the bottom? LONG hike in the heat of the day, for sure... (Not sure what the Many Pools approach is...) I can attest that the hike from the Echo trail to East Rim is a slog...


Later,
A.J.

Finally took a trip down Hidden Canyon on Saturday. A nice canyon with some interesting downclimbs and a few short rappels. The upper canyon was dirty, loose and generally unpleasant. Fortunately, it soon became rather nice.

On Sunday, DB and I joined up with Ram and Aaron and took a stroll up North Guardian Angel. As usual, NGA was classic.

Here's a link to a couple short write-ups and a few pictures I took from the weekend:

http://www.backcountry-explorer.com/

(Click on Zion National Park under 'Topics' on the right side of the page)

CP

Well, initially I thought the canyon sucked. Very loose and dirty up high, but eventually it became nice and mostly clean. I thought it was a fairly pretty canyon, with just enough spice to make it interesting. Not a bad canyon, and with the short approach via Many Pools, I'd do it again.

[Many Pools, by the way, approaches from UT-9. About 3 miles from the pavement to the head of the canyon. Good stuff.]

Good job downclimbing the whole canyon. Beefy, for sure.

Tanya, the canyon does not rank among the better canyons in Zion, but again, with the short approach from Many Pools (or the South Buttress of Deertrap Mtn.), I'd do it again. Definitely had wilderness quality to it.

CP