The Subway

[bcubed]

Hey everyone! I'm new here and just had a question about the subway. I have a fair amount of outdoor experience in hiking, climbing, rappelling, and some canyoneering. I have been "recruited" into going with a group of friends through the subway a canyon that I have never done. Most of them have minimal outdoor experience. As far as rappelling they have all been once or twice.
The hardest canyon I have done is Cable Canyon in the Swell. I feel comfortable doing that canyon and feel comfortable with my own ability to do subway but I am not sure what the skill requirements for the subway actually are. So my question is should I begin trying to weed out the group that is coming so only those who are more outdoorsy come or am I safe bringing people who aren't experienced into the canyon?

[Iceaxe]

I took my kids through Subway when they were 6 and 8 years old... YMMV... one knowledgable person with some descent skills should not have any real problems herding a group of newbies through Subway. Those who can't rappel I would just lower.

FWIW: My kids are good hikers.

YMMV

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

[ratagonia]

Hey everyone! I'm new here and just had a question about the subway. So my question is should I begin trying to weed out the group that is coming so only those who are more outdoorsy come or am I safe bringing people who aren't experienced into the canyon?

The technical part - sounds like you have the skills covered. But it is a LONG, rough hike. During the summer, can be really hot. So, my advice is, don't weed out the weak ones - but prepare carefully. Get an early start (as in, leave the trailhead at 7 am); bring lots of food (double lunch) and keep things moving along. When hot out, we usually take an hour or two siesta at the end of the Subway part, which perks everyone up and makes the hike out faster. Ice cold drinks and salty snacks at the car also add to the pleasure of the experience.

Tom

[Rob L]

The Subway is worth every effort. Better folks than me (as those above) can advise on the dos and don'ts, but it is a little bit of heaven on Earth and worth the trouble to see.






(Photos Jan Richter)

[tanya]

The biggest thing is to dress right for the Subway --- depending on the time of year you are going.

[jman]

haha, I just remembered this. That picture above with the flooded hallway, made a family $5000 richer for their home video footage.

There was a family in my old neighborhood in Kaysville, the Day Family, that hiked the Subway with their sons and their camcorder, and the dad was filming the son walk across the gap and slipped right in. They sent that video in to America's Funniest Home Videos and won 2nd place for $5000.

That was back in 95 or 96.

[bcubed]

The biggest thing is to dress right for the Subway --- depending on the time of year you are going.

What sort of clothing should be worn this time of year for the subway? We are planning on doing it the weekend of May 29th. Are wetsuits necessary?

[jhillock]

A group of us went through the subway yesterday (Sunday May 17th), and we all had full wetsuits, farmer johns and long sleeve jackets, as well as neoprene socks. Some might say you don't need wetsuits but all of us were very glad we had them and it made the canyon very enjoyable. The wetsuits allowed us to enjoy the swims and not hurry through, and allowed us to play around and swim through the underwater arch a few times. Hope this helps. The subway is a blast.

[Seven]

Wow, that's awesome. We hiked the bottom of the Narrows last summer but that was all we had time for. The subway is on my wishlist...

Those 5 10 Canyoneers really made it a cinch. MAJOR thumbs up to the shoes. There were people walking around barefoot and nearly crippled less than a mile inward....