How are conidtions in Fat Man's Misery?

[ag23]

I'll be out in Zion next week, and I'm wondering what I should expect in Fat Man's Misery. Is there any flow through the canyon? Will it be safe to exit into the East Fork?

Thanks!

[ratagonia]

I'll be out in Zion next week, and I'm wondering what I should expect in Fat Man's Misery. Is there any flow through the canyon? Will it be safe to exit into the East Fork?

Thanks!

Friends went through a couple days ago. The canyon does not have flow. The collection basin, as you can see on the map, is small, slickrock and of low altitude, so the snow is well gone. Misery Canyon basically only flows when it is raining, and for a few days when the snow melts off the area out there.

The canyon has many pools that are full of very cold water, from that snow melting off.

The East Fork is running in mild flood, but my friends had no trouble briefly floating down to the exit. The non-crossing exit (I hear) is also not so bad. It is a big help if you know where the exit is, because if you go past it, you are unlikely to be able to move UP-stream. It is the first possible-looking place on the right. If you miss that, you can get out anywhere you can stop on that grassy peninsula, then grass-whack to the trail.

So you will want wetsuits for both the canyon and the brief float on the East Fork to get to the exit. Things could change by when you show up - light rain today here in East Zion.

Tom

[noncuratlex]

I went down Fat Man's last week. Lots of water, none of it flowing. East Fork was flowing at 150 cfs and it was a fun float down to the exit. The exit is where the river makes an almost 180 degree bend around what is now a mostly naked point of sand. Most of the vegetation has been stripped off by winter/spring flooding. We could see the Powell plaque clearly from the river due to the lack of vegetation.

[ag23]

Thanks!

I am going with two friends who did it last year, so I will pass that warning about not missing the exit on to them, and make sure they are 100% positive we won't float past it.

-a

[ratagonia]

Thanks!

I am going with two friends who did it last year, so I will pass that warning about not missing the exit on to them, and make sure they are 100% positive we won't float past it.

-a

The peninsula used to have high banks, so getting out was a problem, and there were only one or two places where that was possible. Noncuratlex's report indicates that the exit is both easier to identify and easier to get on to.

By the By, personal pet peeve perhaps, but I like it when people sign their posts with their real-world names. This is not, after all, a pedophile chat room. Noncuratlex just does not roll off the tongue as well as, say, Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix.

OK, off rant.

Tom

[noncuratlex]

By the By, personal pet peeve perhaps, but I like it when people sign their posts with their real-world names. This is not, after all, a pedophile chat room. Noncuratlex just does not roll off the tongue as well as, say, Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix.

My parents thought that giving me a name like noncuratlex would protect me from those vicious rhyming playground taunts....

Tyler

[ag23]

We went through on the 23rd and had a great time. Lots of splashing, but the water wasn't cold and there were only a couple of short swims. We packed in full wetsuits, but certainly would have been fine with Farmer John's.

The river would have been a great float (mostly knee deep to waist deep) but out of an abundance of caution we walked it to ensure we wouldn't miss the exit. As it turned out, it was very easy to find.

-Andre