10 Canyons for Noobies

[Iceaxe]

Ten Canyons for Noobies

OK, since I'm always asked about canyoneering routes for novice I thought I would put together a list of 10 recommendations. All of these routes should be safe for fit and experienced outdoor people exercising commonsense. All can be done without technical gear, but having at least one experienced canyoneer or rock climber in your group is considered a nice safety measure to have along. Some require navigational skills, some do not. These are all great routes that I have done more then once.... if others want to post a similar Top Ten list feel free... I put this list together just for giggles....

And for fun..... how many canyons on this list have you all done?

Zion Narrows - Zion National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/narrows.htm

Orderville Gulch - Zion National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/orderville.htm

Subway - Zion National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/subway.htm

Buckskin Gulch - Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness
http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/buckskin.htm

Black Hole of White Canyon - Cedar Mesa
http://climb-utah.com/CM/blackhole.htm

Lower Black Box - San Rafael Swell
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/lbb.htm

Little Wild Horse - San Rafael Swell
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/lwh.htm

The Chute of Muddy Creek - San Rafael Swell
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/thechute.htm

Sulphur Creek - Capitol Reef National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Capitol/sulphur.htm

Moonshine Wash - Robbers Roost
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/moonshine.htm

[DWayne27]

i like this- what about a top 10 list of beginning canyons that are technical, but easy?

[Iceaxe]

Ten noob Technical Canyons

I selected these because they are fun, can all be done with one 200' rope or less, all contain multiple escapes or can be reversed if you run into any major problems. All have several sources of well written beta available... All of these routes should be safe for novice tech canyoneers exercising commonsense.... but having at least one experienced canyoneer or rock climber in your group is considered a nice safety measure to have along. Some require navigational skills, some do not. These are all great routes that I have done more then once....

Baptist Draw - San Rafael Swell
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/baptist.htm

Blarney Canyon Left Fork - North Wash
http://climb-utah.com/Powell/blarney1.htm

Leprechaun Canyon Right Fork - North Wash
http://climb-utah.com/Powell/leprechaun1.htm

Bluejohn Canyon Main Fork - Robbers Roost
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/bluejohn1.htm

Arscenic - Poison Springs
http://climb-utah.com/Powell/arscenic.htm

Dragonfly Canyon - Arches National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Moab/dragonfly.htm

Keyhole Canyon - Zion National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/keyhole.htm

Misery Canyon - Zion National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/misery1.htm

Yankee Doodle - Zion National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/yankee.htm

Das Boot - Zion National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/boot.htm

[rockgremlin]

Baptist Draw might get some folks into trouble if exiting Upper Chute out the "fault line canyon." There are a number of obstacles that could get one into trouble if not anticipating water, and your route finding skills better be reasonably good. A certain broken leg/near death experience in Upper Chute comes to mind here....

[Iceaxe]

Many of the canyons noted see a high number of Search and Rescues.... cause these are the canyons novice gravitate towards....

Been at least one death in Subway and the Black Hole and two deaths in the Lower Black Box... probably a dozen death's in the Zion Narrows over the years.

Flash Flood - Zion


Flash Flood - Black Hole

[abirken]

Is there a certain time of year that flash floods are more prevalent in Utah canyons?

[shaggy125]

Is there a certain time of year that flash floods are more prevalent in Utah canyons?

Yea starting around... now. July and August are the wettest months in Southern Utah, the monsoon season kicks in and it rains just about every afternoon some weeks. The amount of moisture air can hold depends on the air's temperature. In the morning the air is dry, then it gets hot as the afternoon wears on and moisture evaporates into the air, as late afternoon wears on the temps start to drop and suddenly the air can't hold all that moisture it picked up so clouds form and thunder storms develop and the water dumps back on the land and the whole cycle repeats. Monsoon starts at different times each year and is off and on. It will be bad one week and then not so bad another. Rumor has it that it seems to be starting now. Lot's of people still do canyons in the summer, but you have to watch the weather close and keep an eye out for exits if the thunder starts. Early starts are a good idea so you are out of the canyon before the rain starts.

[ratagonia]

Is there a certain time of year that flash floods are more prevalent in Utah canyons?

Well, a little more refined...

The Book, page 51...

The Monsoon is a weather condition that can set up in the summer, and brings daily BIG thunderstorms. Don't go canyoneering then.

The Monsoon mostly occurs in Arizona, only occasionally making it up here to southern Utah. Very unpredictable. Usually not bad. We usually lose a week a couple of times during the summer, July 1 to Oct 1.

Tom

[AJ]

And for fun..... how many canyons on this list have you all done?

Nice lists. Thanks Shane!

Since you asked 8/10 non-tech, 9/10 tech...

[forum8fox]

Damn, I've only done the black hole (and on jan 1st none the less), and leprechaun. Kinda funny. Somehow I mostly just skipped the beginer circuit.

I fear those canyons will wait till I'm old and decrepid mostly, because besides the beauty I think I'd be a little bored (not to be a dick, just trying to be honest). Hell I'm still a noob, not denying that... I guess I'm just a highly capable noob.

I'm suprised the high spur didn't make the beginer tech canyon top 10 list.

[Iceaxe]

Somehow I mostly just skipped the beginer circuit.

Let me introduce you to my pal Totally Awesome......

My pal woodie and I did a really cool canyon last week called "Gotcha". The canyon was rated 4C R V, but we did it in 4 hours. We only do canyons with a rating of 4R or 4X. Anything less then that is just technical hiking and not really worthy of us. Occasionally we will do a 3R or 3X, but then we put 50 lbs of sand in our packs and only use waterski rope because we are so awesome.

Gotcha was awesome, not pizza awesome, more like two nakid chicks awesome. The pots in the Indian ruins were awesome, until Woodie broke his pot while stuffing it into his backpack. The hanging gardens were awesome, but didn't compare to the waterfall under the natural bridge with pictographs. That was super awesome.

Currently I am in the ER room waiting for the doc to finish sterilizing my partner's butt. He was wearing shorts when he slipped on a mossy rappel. He fell off the steeper section and scrapped his butt as he slid down. I spent 20 minutes with the pliers from the Swiss army knife removing most of the pebbles. We'll stop bye as we drive back. Bye for now,

Your pal
Totally Awesome

He also skipped the beginner curcuit.....

[forum8fox]

Sounds like a fictional character.


It made for a funny read either way. Sure, there may be SOME similarities. So the jokes on me then.

[cachehiker]

Because we have a lot of noob's around here who will be hitting canyons this spring....

Appreciated. I'm now up to a harness and helmet with one canyon behind me. Hoping to triple that level of experience this year.

[Iceaxe]

It made for a funny read either way.

I was just messin' with ya.

Just remember..... Old age and treachery, Always overcomes youth and skill.

[forum8fox]

That's what I was getting at I thought, saving the easiest stuff for when that's all I can do right???

Glad you like messin with me, just like everyone else it seems. I realize it's all in good fun and if you didn't like me you wouldn't bother. I think over the years my skin has thickened and I've learned to take things alot less personally but who know's.

Besides I kinda learned I like to dish it back a little from time to time. Maybe I need to work on the art a little as it seems most of the time I come off as some egotistical, arrogant, self richous, big headed, possibly know it all esque A-hole.

I guess it's kinda hard to sense sarcasm over the internet with out knowing someone personally (and I feel I'm often putting it on pretty thick) . Speaking of which, maybe we ought to meet in person and do some canyons sometime.

[Iceaxe]

I guess it's kinda hard to sense sarcasm over the internet with out knowing someone personally

That's why you need to use lots of smiley faces and stuff.

On some of the older forums without emoticons it can be really hard to project humor or sarcasm. Bogley is a little easier.

Speaking of which, maybe we ought to meet in person and do some canyons sometime.

Love to do some canyons with ya.... soon as the snow clears I have some new canyons we'll be doing. I'll send you an invite...

[Rob L]

I must have missed this thread first time around. As a noob I've done 5/10 of the non-tech list and 2/10 of the techie lot.

Still, that leaves a whole list to do next time!

[forum8fox]

Nice, that sounds great Shane. The more notice the better. I think I will be trying to get out that way most likely mid May to go do some more hard high stemming canyons with the ram clan.

Time and money are the main problem, hence pleanty of notice so I can plan ahead, save, get time off etc. to make it happen.

[MiCanyoneer]

Of the Non Tech and Tech Canyons below which would be tolerable in July.
We will be in Utah and have July 9th to July 13 available before 5 days in Escalante and 5 days in the Grand Canyon.
We have done most of the other canyons and would like to avoid Zion this year.

Black Hole of White Canyon - Cedar Mesa
http://climb-utah.com/CM/blackhole.htm

Lower Black Box - San Rafael Swell
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/lbb.htm

Baptist Draw - San Rafael Swell
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/baptist.htm

Blarney Canyon Left Fork - North Wash
http://climb-utah.com/Powell/blarney1.htm

Leprechaun Canyon Right Fork - North Wash
http://climb-utah.com/Powell/leprechaun1.htm

Bluejohn Canyon Main Fork - Robbers Roost
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/bluejohn1.htm

Arscenic - Poison Springs
http://climb-utah.com/Powell/arscenic.htm

Dragonfly Canyon - Arches National Park
http://climb-utah.com/Moab/dragonfly.htm

The Chute of Muddy Creek - San Rafael Swell
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/thechute.htm

Moonshine Wash - Robbers Roost
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/moonshine.htm

Kevin from Michigan

[stefan]

it depends on what you think is tolerable and how hot it ends up being during your time there. i once did the chute of muddy creek at 113