2012.05.29 - Europe goes 4 Middle Echo Canyon

[maarten.1975]

Michael_WB and myself (both from Europe; one originating from Britain, living in Switserland, the other one being Dutch) have spent a week and a half in Zion last weeks, and just returned to good old normal life. I noticed his feedback on a topic about Middle Echo Canyon, which more or less is a short trip report. And since Iīm still into sorting my pictures before writing TRīs, I added some of my picture to his report.

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On arrival in Zion two weeks ago, we had Echo permits for Friday May 25th but the canyon was still closed. It did indeed open on that very day, with reports of "8ft of snow" but as there were still a couple of walk-in Mystery permits for that day left, we pounced on those instead!

We finally did Echo last Tuesday, (the day before our departure), and the water was indeed very cold (appreciably colder than in Das Boot the week before.) But not that high in my opinion; I needed a partner assist to exit one pothole, and there was no more than a few feet of swimming here and there, mostly wading.

As for the reported snow, on the walk-out after the technical section, there were two chunks of snow/ice which had slid down into the canyon from the mesa above: about 8ft high and 12-15ft long and barely a foot wide.

We had rented neoprene jackets to go over our 4/3 wetsuits, but neither of us bothered unpacking them from the rucksacks. With hindsight I would have liked better gloves and thicker socks, as fingers and toes did get a bit cold for a while during the technical part, but nothing unduly unpleasant.

Anyway, a beautiful canyon and well worth that trudge in the sun up from Weeping Rock.

Cheers,

Michael.

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During the way up... a creative mind had built this cairn...




The little pothole




images from Echo








Michael next to the big dirty ice-cube















Sadly the canyons ends....




And I must admit this is one of my favorite canyons....

[ghawk]

I love Echo! Always been a fun one. Great TR.

[WorkBad]

Awesome pics!

I am pretty sure I met you guys or your doppelgängers. I talked with a British and Dutch guy in line at the backcountry permit office. I think you were picking up a permit for Spry or Behunin. We talked about the conditions of Pine Creek and the dead animal.

I will put this one on my list, Thanks for the TR.

[oldno7]

Fantastic report

[Sandstone Addiction]

I enjoyed your TR very much. Echo might just be our families first Zion canyon, looks awesome! Thanks.

[Scott Card]

[Byron]

Excellent. I been through many canyons in Zion, but never that one. Perhaps I'll hit it during the Bogleyfest? I always make that left turn into Mystery...

[ilipichicuma]

I enjoyed your TR very much. Echo might just be our families first Zion canyon, looks awesome! Thanks.

If you get wetsuits for your whole family it would be perfect! Echo is one of my favorites, too! Great report!

[Michael_WB]

Awesome pics!

I am pretty sure I met you guys or your doppelgängers. I talked with a British and Dutch guy in line at the backcountry permit office. I think you were picking up a permit for Spry or Behunin. We talked about the conditions of Pine Creek and the dead animal.

Those two suave and debonair individuals were most likely us, picking up our Behunin permit further to an 'enthusiastic' convoy drive back from Das Boot/Subway. We arrived at the Left Fork TH just after 5pm, the VC closed at 6pm and we wanted the option of an early start for Behunin. Going back for the other car at the Wildcat TH added precious minutes to our journey, such that I had to sprint from the car park to the building to be sure of getting in before they closed the doors.

As for pictures of the dead deer in Pine Creek, I believe Maarten will be providing those at some point in the near future, perhaps both May 22nd and May 30th vintages showing the intervening decomposition(?)

A good darned thing that internet photos are odourless...

[Slot Machine]

Nice TR!

[WorkBad]

Humm... "two suave and debonair individuals"
Yea that was you two! Now I remember, I did the subway minus das boot the same day as you. We too barely made it back to pick up the next days permit. Man one person in front of me and it took 30 minutes! Picking the permits up in the morning always runs the risk of standing there for an hour or so. Cheers.

[maarten.1975]

As for pictures of the dead deer in Pine Creek, I believe Maarten will be providing those at some point in the near future, perhaps both May 22nd and May 30th vintages showing the intervening decomposition(?)

I'm still wondering whether to do it or not... are people interested, do these pictures give added value to Bogley?
I couldn't resist the urge to take the pictures.... It is quite difficult to recognize the deer though.
But at least you know what you've been smelling when you passed there.....

(or is my mind strange in this context?)

[DesertDuke]

Maarten

How known is canyoneering or even the red rock areas to Europeans? My son lives there and told me that there was a recent article in a Dutch newspaper about Zion. I seem to run into more and more Europeans when I hit the desert but am not sure where they get their beta. Those I have met in canyon areas seem to know exactly where they are going and are in no need of suggestions. Are they all on Bogley, Shane's, Tanya's, and Tom's websites?

[maarten.1975]

How known is canyoneering or even the red rock areas to Europeans? My son lives there and told me that there was a recent article in a Dutch newspaper about Zion. I seem to run into more and more Europeans when I hit the desert but am not sure where they get their beta. Those I have met in canyon areas seem to know exactly where they are going and are in no need of suggestions. Are they all on Bogley, Shane's, Tanya's, and Tom's websites?

Well, in the Netherlands, we don't have canyons. Our country is almost completely flat. As a result from that, canyoneering (in Europe mostly the term canyoning is used, and I have no idea why hehehe) is not something many Dutch people know of, apart from the guided 'adventure day'-like things. Some people have done that in countries like i.e. Switzerland, France or Spain. I think in those countries canyoneering will be known much better.

Quite some people I know have travelled the South West of the States for holiday however. Visiting Vegas and LA or SF, and hiking in the National Parks. And possibly as a next step experiencing the other hidden treasures in the desert. (That is how I started as well.) I have no idea where they get their beta, apart from speculating that the top-15 Google-results will be the first and main sites visited. That is how I stared as well... and I ended up here

I still have to discover Europe on canyoneering possiblities, however so far Zion (and other NP's) kept calling me back...