Conditions for Misery, Behunin or Spry

[peakbaggers]

Was wondering if anyone has some conditions info on Misery, Behunin or Spry since the mid-September rains & flood in Behunin. Planning on visiting this Saturday - Monday if the storm clears out in time & would like to do one of those. We're aware of the major storm brewing there right now and the colder temps predicted so we're figuring Behunin might be the best bet but some info on how much water there is in there would be helpful. We've done Pine, Keyhole, Hidden from the top, Birch, Yankee Doodle & Boltergeist before so would like to work up to the next notch of canyons. Would also welcome a reasonably experienced individual to join us. (There are 3 of us.) We're thinking Monday may be the best day. Sat & Sun we may do some Zion peaks to let things dry out some & warm back up. May cancel at the last minute however, if it doesn't look like the weather will be improved & clearing by Sat.

[ratagonia]

Was wondering if anyone has some conditions info on Misery, Behunin or Spry since the mid-September rains & flood in Behunin. Planning on visiting this Saturday - Monday if the storm clears out in time & would like to do one of those. We're aware of the major storm brewing there right now and the colder temps predicted so we're figuring Behunin might be the best bet but some info on how much water there is in there would be helpful. We've done Pine, Keyhole, Hidden from the top, Birch, Yankee Doodle & Boltergeist before so would like to work up to the next notch of canyons. Would also welcome a reasonably experienced individual to join us. (There are 3 of us.) We're thinking Monday may be the best day. Sat & Sun we may do some Zion peaks to let things dry out some & warm back up. May cancel at the last minute however, if it doesn't look like the weather will be improved & clearing by Sat.

Yup, lots of rain = full, thus:

Spry: best with wetsuits, which allows doing all the best parts of the canyon - the "second rappel tunnel-arch" area, and the under the flat rock area. Both of these will have swims, in addition to the downclimb-into-a-swim spot near the end. You would have one swim for sure, even going around when possible.

Behunin: might be good with wetsuits if it is not hot out. Most swims can be avoided, but after rain, there will be waist-deep wading in a couple of spots at least. The two-stage rappel near the end usually ends in a waist-deep wade at least - CAN be avoided with some clever rappelling and careful, small-holds climbing.

Misery: is more on the technical level of the canyons you have done. After rain, it has many spots that hold water and I would use a wetsuit right now. You will probably have only 1 or 2 actual swims, but 4-5 waist-deep wades. Tends to be slower when wet, so be sure your headlamp has fresh batteries.

Careful on those Zion peaks. The sandstone becomes weak when wet - holds break, ledges give way.

Tom

[peakbaggers]

Thanks for the summary, Tom. Yep - that wet sandstone can be tricky & deceptive when wet. Hyperextended my knee last Nov while heading down Lodge canyon to climb Mtn. of the Sun. Didn't look wet but it was. Also tore some cartiledge that resulted in an arthroscopy in March. One of the hazards of redrock country.

[ratagonia]

Thanks for the summary, Tom. Yep - that wet sandstone can be tricky & deceptive when wet. Hyperextended my knee last Nov while heading down Lodge canyon to climb Mtn. of the Sun. Didn't look wet but it was. Also tore some cartiledge that resulted in an arthroscopy in March. One of the hazards of redrock country.

Ouch!!!!!

[peakbaggers]

Completed Behunin on 10/10/11. Posted a condition report on Candition.com. Basically still wet in Behunin most of the way (very low flow in many spots) with brief swimmers at the 6th & 7th rappels. Deep water can easily be avoided at the 5th. We used wetsuits. Never done this canyon before so don't know what it would be like if "dry."