Water Canyon Today

[trackrunner]

OK, I just assumed with a name like Water Canyon that there would be year round stream flow... and I've seen pictures with a lot of water flowing in that canyon... so what's the deal? Looks like you guys only had a trickle?

Nice pictures

There is always water at the bottom, but not so much on top. Winter it flows like crazy!

Winter Shotshttp://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index27.htm

I think it was dry this time. Remember this rapple Tanya.

You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay
dry. How could I forget.

No not that one. I believe this is of rap #5.

After this (170ft) drop-off there is a nice section of extreme narrows where you may need to squeeze through sideways. Then the streamcourse opens up and you arrive at the top of a large swimming pool. This can be avoided by rapping off a tree to the left and then bypassing the pool using the ridge on canyon left. Alternatively it can be tackled directly by first climbing down into a streamcourse slot immediately above the pool and then rappelling down the rest of the slot for about 20ft using a webbing anchor around logs. This ends in a swimming disconnect. The swimming pool is immediately followed by a 15ft dry rappel from a low tree in the right center

[ratagonia]

You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay
dry. How could I forget.

No not that one. I believe this is of rap #5.

Ah, "The Chute"...

The winter brought many things to Zion. In Water Canyon, it washed down a lot of sand that filled in most of the low spots. So what were swims last year, became less... and less... and now, water only at the bottom.

The (2nd to) last rappel is very, very good and should not be missed, assuming it is warm enough out that the swim is "fun".

Tom

[tanya]

You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay
dry. How could I forget.

No not that one. I believe this is of rap #5.

Ah, "The Chute"...

The winter brought many things to Zion. In Water Canyon, it washed down a lot of sand that filled in most of the low spots. So what were swims last year, became less... and less... and now, water only at the bottom.

The (2nd to) last rappel is very, very good and should not be missed, assuming it is warm enough out that the swim is "fun".

Tom

You must know by now that even if I wanted to swim I am going to let some nice man take care of me and keep me dry.

That would have made my day!!!!

[trackrunner]

The (2nd to) last rappel is very, very good and should not be missed, assuming it is warm enough out that the swim is "fun".

Tom

Tom it was a hot day & cold water. It felt so nice that I floated in the water for several minutes to cool off.

[ratagonia]

You mean the one where that very handsome and very nice man from Zion Adventure Company let me ride his zip line down to stay
dry. How could I forget.

No not that one. I believe this is of rap #5.

Ah, "The Chute"...

The winter brought many things to Zion. In Water Canyon, it washed down a lot of sand that filled in most of the low spots. So what were swims last year, became less... and less... and now, water only at the bottom.

The (2nd to) last rappel is very, very good and should not be missed, assuming it is warm enough out that the swim is "fun".

Tom

You must know by now that even if I wanted to swim I am going to let some nice man take care of me and keep me dry.

Of that, I am completely certain! Oh, that it would have been ME offering the chivalrous ride above the water, that day in Water Canyon...

Tom

[Bo_Beck]

Oh, lucky you! I would love to do that again - it kicked (or tried to, anyway) our asses, and we made the huuuuuge mistake of ignoring sound advice from Sally and listening to some other backpackers there and drank the water at Toltec...its bad taste was a foreshadowing of things to come .

We did the namby-pamby thing and followed the "official" route, I guess, where all the ropes are tied in by the 20' area.

Did you follow RA creek all the way to Elves, then? That's sweet! There are some dicey downclimbs just above Elves Chasm; I climbed up a bit and one of my partners went further up. There has been at least one death (and hopefully that's the only one) from a fall in that area.

D'oh - didn't mean to hijack Tanya's thread! Sorry!SJ

We were dropped off on the rim above the Colorado River to the east of Royal Arch Creek almost immediately above Elves Chasm. The Tonto Trail was a mere 100 yards south of us, so we hiked to the Tonto and followed it south until we could drop into Royal Arch Creek (without rope). We then followed Royal Arch Creek north to "Royal Arch". About 100 yards north of Royal Arch the bottom drops out of the canyon. We then built an anchor and dropped 170' into the creek bottom. Shortly downstream there was another waterfall. We built another anchor and dropped another 145' and continued downstream. There were numerous downclimbs within the watercourse as well as some very sketchy traverse downclimbs around various waterfalls. The actual distance from Royal Arch to Elves Chasm and the river is quite short (maybe .5 miles) but plenty of drops in between. It is very lush with an almost tropical feel in the wash between Royal Arch and the river. The GC Helicopter then came and set down on a boulder next to the river at the mouth of Royal Arch Creek/ Elves Chasm and picked us up! "Lazy Mans/Womans Hiking"

[trackrunner]

Finally got around to posting my pics from the trip. I'm not allowed to post close up pics of Tanya anymore. These far enough away for you Tanya.

[Pubalz]

Those are cool pic's I'm going to have to do that canyon this year. how tall is that tall rap?

[tanya]

Wonderful photos !

[dandyj]

Where is this canyon?

[trackrunner]

Those are cool pic's I'm going to have to do that canyon this year. how tall is that tall rap?

Assuming you talking about Water and not Bo's SAR at Royal Arch in the Grand Canyon. A 200ft had room to spare. I'd say 175ft ish for the big rap. Nothing else was over 100ft.

[trackrunner]

Where is this canyon?

Did you read the thread.

Which one? Bo's picks are from a SAR in the Grand Canyon. All others are about the subject, Water Canyon. Read Tanya's beta off her site. Links on the first page.