Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Zion Narrows Hike Limit Raised to 150 CFS

  1. #1

    Zion Narrows Hike Limit Raised to 150 CFS

    From Zion Adventures
    http://www.zionadventures.com/ZBlog/...ed-to-150-cfs/

    Zion Narrows Hike Limit Raised to 150 CFS
    Posted on March 16, 2012

    Shelley called the Park this morning and confirmed a rumor that the Bottom-Up Hiking limit for the Zion Narrows has been raised to 150 CFS. Woohoo! That’s a big deal! But what does that mean, exactly?

    Until the early 2000s, The Narrows was ALWAYS open, making it a do-at-your-own-risk activity: You looked at the river, maybe you got some advice from the rangers, and then you decided to hike or not. About ten years ago, however, the Park’s lawyers decided the liability of this policy was too great, and ZNP should take measures to protect unwitting Narrows hikers. The Park implemented a system that uses Virgin River water volume (measured in cubic feet per second (CFS)) to determine whether the Zion Narrows is open to hiking or not. The Park set the Top-Down limit at 120 CFS, and the Bottom-Down limit at 140 CFS; if the current CFS is ABOVE the limit any time in the last 24 hours, the hikes are closed accordingly.

    The upside of this closure system is very few people enter The Narrows when it is unsafe. The downside, however, is The Narrows is closed at levels where athletic hikers could have a lot of fun enjoying more challenging water levels. Also, when The Narrows is closed, it means all technical canyons flowing into The Narrows – Mystery, Imlay, Englestead, and Orderville – are also effectively closed to canyoneering descents.

    Although most people can probably agree The Narrows should probably be closed at some level, there has been much debate and disagreement over years regarding whether 140 CFS is the *right* level. It’s great to see the Park display some flexibility here, raising the CFS bar to 150 after many years without high-water-related Narrows hiking incidents. Could the limit go up another 10 CFS in ten years, if incidents remain as low? Maybe, but for now we’ll just be thankful for the recent change. It literally means 100 – 5,000 people each year (depending on conditions) get to see The Narrows, which is a beautiful thing.

    Virgin River volume sits at 107 CFS at this moment, but last night it spiked to around 140 CFS, and the river is on the rise as snow melts off the Markagunt Plateau, flowing into the Virgin River. If temperatures stay warm, snowmelt will likely close Narrows hiking this weekend, and the River will remain closed until snowmelt dissipates later this spring. Sometimes The Narrows is only closed for a few weeks, while other years it’s closed for months. It looks like a GOOD year this year, however, so watch the CFS levels and plan your Narrows hike accordingly this spring.

  2. # ADS
    Circuit advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many
     

  3. #2
    Damn, I wish I knew this before I put in for the Narrow's opening date lottery!

    Ken

  4. #3
    Can anyone verify the 150 cfs? All the 2012 Zion park literature I can find still lists 120 cfs as the limit.


  5. #4
    Content Provider Emeritus ratagonia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Quiet and charming: Mount Carmel
    Posts
    7,158
    Quote Originally Posted by Iceaxe View Post
    Can anyone verify the 150 cfs? All the 2012 Zion park literature I can find still lists 120 cfs as the limit.

    I have asked the Backcountry Desk for a press release, or at least verification. Nothing yet.

    Tom

  6. #5
    Interesting, I had been thinking today that it might be a good year to plan a hike down the Narrows. I'm presuming the snowfall in that area has been relatively light like it has been up here, so the runoff should be relatively light.

  7. #6
    Content Provider Emeritus ratagonia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Quiet and charming: Mount Carmel
    Posts
    7,158
    Quote Originally Posted by Candace66 View Post
    Interesting, I had been thinking today that it might be a good year to plan a hike down the Narrows. I'm presuming the snowfall in that area has been relatively light like it has been up here, so the runoff should be relatively light.
    In a relative sense, yes. But, there is still a couple feet of snow up on the high plateau.

    T

  8. #7
    Bogley BigShot
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Just a few miles from Zion National Park
    Posts
    8,456
    Bo should post on it soon. He verified the info so we could get it into the book. I believe he said the new limit is just if you are starting in Zion Canyon and hiking upstream.

  9. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by tanya View Post
    Bo should post on it soon. He verified the info so we could get it into the book. I believe he said the new limit is just if you are starting in Zion Canyon and hiking upstream.
    According to ZNP: If the CFS of the Gauge reading is less than 150cfs for a 24 hr. period, hikers can hike (or try) from the end of Riverside Walk up into The Narrows. Hikers also may be permitted to hike Imlay Canyon, Mystery Canyon and Orderville Canyon at this new less than 150cfs level. The thru hike of The Narrows from Chamberlain Ranch is still permitted only once the reading has been less than 120cfs over the last 24 hrs.

Similar Threads

  1. [News] Two drowned in Zion Narrows
    By Iceaxe in forum Canyoneering
    Replies: 27
    Last Post: 05-03-2010, 06:34 AM
  2. [Trip Report] Zion Narrows
    By Bo_Beck in forum Boating, Rafting, Kayak and Canoe
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 05-21-2008, 07:29 AM
  3. Zion Narrows.
    By Bo_Beck in forum Boating, Rafting, Kayak and Canoe
    Replies: 59
    Last Post: 05-18-2008, 05:52 AM
  4. [Trip Report] Zion Narrows
    By tanya in forum Hiking, Scrambling & Peak Bagging
    Replies: 49
    Last Post: 07-03-2007, 08:33 AM
  5. Zion Narrows
    By Sombeech in forum Backpacking & Camping
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 06-08-2005, 03:57 PM

Visitors found this page by searching for:

http:www.bogley.comforumshowthread.php62523-Zion-Narrows-Hike-Limit-Raised-to-150-CFS

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •