Results 1 to 20 of 20
Thread: First time through Heaps!
-
09-17-2012, 09:44 AM #1
First time through Heaps!
HEAPS!
Talk about a HUGE and AMAZING canyon! I have been wanting to do a "Big Deal" Canyon for a while. So when a few of my friends agreed that they would do the canyon with me I quickly grabbed a few permits. The closer the date arrived for me to hike this canyon, the more nervous I got. It was a different feeling. Most canyons trip I plan do not include the nervous feeling LOL. But all the canyon beta that I had read pertaining to this canyon instilled a little bit of fear into me. SO... we did it anyway, to prove to ourselves that we could do it!
When it came right down to it, the canyon was in its "Super Fun" and "Easy" mode! It was tip top full of water and all the scary potholes and such were filled. All we had to do was jump in, swim across, and gracefully use our"beached whale" escape technique to get out! IT was A BLAST!
Well.... before I get ahead of myself, lets start the Trip Report from the beginning. We arrived in Zion National Park Thursday Evening. Due my laziness we missed the last shuttle that would take us to the Grotto Trail Head (The start to our round trip hike). After driving around a bit, we ended up talking to a Park Ranger that actually shuttled us from our car to the Trailhead!! We not believe it! That Ranger saved us from maybe getting a parking ticket and/or walking an additional 5 miles! She wouldn't even accept our $20 cash offering to pay for her time. This was a miracle!
The next 4 hours we spent hiking to the top of the West Rim Trail to camp site #4. It was about 6 miles that we had to hike, and we gained over 3000 ft in elevation. It was quite the HIKE! The hike was so worth it though. come boring, it was nice to be able to sleep in a bit and take our time hitting the trial. On the other hand, Sleeping in my hammock with a Bivvy Bag was not one of my best camping experiences. the Bivvy bag kept me warm enough. It did not keep me very comfortable. Josh had a similar experience with his bag as well lol! Oh well, the cool thing is that we survived, and as soon as the sun came up we got warm again and forgot about the cold night.
What we woke up to was incredible. Only a little ways from our camp is the Phantom Valley. It is one of the prettiest places in Zion! Well, one of the prettiest overlooks I have seen in Zion :) What was even cooler was the fact that we got to descend into the Phantom Valley! Hoodoo's and potholes, and other cool geologic features are to be found in that valley. It was fun to find them! We even had to refill our water contaniers with water from potholes in the Phantom Valley. Yes we did bring a filter, and we did look for the cleanest looking pothole, and yes the water did taste a little like dirt after a while, but I can say now, after a few days, that I am not sick from filtering and drinking that water. For that I am very grateful!
Anyway, now I will let the pictures kinda tell the story of our decent into Heaps Canyon!
Lots of Log Jams to jump off and plenty of water to swim in. That was what we go to do all day! It was so much fun!!!
Thought this was kinda funny! This is found right before we enter the 3rd and longest set of narrows. It was also the most difficult section. I guess we were warned!
Ahhhhhh! The dreaded quicksand! We HATED this stuff. Walking through this zaps energy so fast. The canyon was so wet that quicksand was to be found everywhere.
CanyoneeringUtah.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel
"As you journey through life, choose your destination well, but do not hurry there. You will arrive soon enough. Wander the back roads and forgotten path[s] ... Such things are riches for the soul. And if upon arrival, you find that your destination is not exactly as you had dreamed, ... know that the true worth of your travels lies not in where you come to be at journey
-
Post Thanks / Like - 4 Likes
-
09-17-2012 09:44 AM # ADS
-
09-17-2012, 10:08 AM #2
Beautiful! Love the trip report but this picture..... just phenomenal....!
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
09-17-2012, 12:21 PM #3
Thanks! It sure was pretty down there!
CanyoneeringUtah.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel
"As you journey through life, choose your destination well, but do not hurry there. You will arrive soon enough. Wander the back roads and forgotten path[s] ... Such things are riches for the soul. And if upon arrival, you find that your destination is not exactly as you had dreamed, ... know that the true worth of your travels lies not in where you come to be at journey
-
09-17-2012, 01:40 PM #4
Since it was your first time through..... every time the canyon hooked left did you think... Oh Crap!!! not again!
That's what I remember thinking my first time through....
-
09-17-2012, 02:41 PM #5
Great trip report, fun to hear the enthusiasm of a Heaps first-timer!
You'll be happy to know that rope bags are back in stock - or maybe your PARTNER will be glad to know, as it looks like he carried the long ropes all day.
Can be helpful to carry a separate drybag for the long rope, and stuff it in after the second rappel. Seal it up - you only need it again for the last rappel sequence.
At the first rappel, there is a cleaner rappel over the ridge to the right... cleaner rap, cleaner pull. about 65' so a 120' rope needs a little bit of help.
Tom
-
09-17-2012, 02:57 PM #6
Tom,
yeah, we so wished we had two more rope bags. (We couldn't find them anywhere in Utah Valley). I had a 220' rope in my bag, and carried the working 200' rope most of they way. It was unfortunate that my partner had to carry the 300' and the other 90' working rope the way he did. It became a lot bigger problem when we were sloggin' through the "log soup".
Additionally, thanks for the tips! and thanks for the good beta (you too Shane)! We can't wait to do this canyon again!CanyoneeringUtah.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel
"As you journey through life, choose your destination well, but do not hurry there. You will arrive soon enough. Wander the back roads and forgotten path[s] ... Such things are riches for the soul. And if upon arrival, you find that your destination is not exactly as you had dreamed, ... know that the true worth of your travels lies not in where you come to be at journey
-
09-17-2012, 03:13 PM #7
Amazing pictures dude. That looked like a blast. Been wanting to do this one for a while but unfortunately I don't think I'm gonna make it this year. Oh well always next year.
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
09-17-2012, 04:51 PM #8
Thanks for posting this trip report with the great pics and narrative. One of the best I've seen! Looks like you guys had a total blast. Can't wait to do this canyon someday.
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
09-24-2012, 08:03 PM #9
Nice report. On my "someday" list.
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
09-25-2012, 09:26 AM #10
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
09-25-2012, 09:51 AM #11
Excellent report. It brings back a lot of memories of my first time through. What a great canyon.
Life is Good
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
05-21-2013, 02:58 PM #12
This weekend I am headed back through Heaps again (for the second time) :D It is bad that I am still terrified of that final 500' descent?!
CanyoneeringUtah.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel
"As you journey through life, choose your destination well, but do not hurry there. You will arrive soon enough. Wander the back roads and forgotten path[s] ... Such things are riches for the soul. And if upon arrival, you find that your destination is not exactly as you had dreamed, ... know that the true worth of your travels lies not in where you come to be at journey
-
05-21-2013, 03:05 PM #13
Jealous......
Life is Good
-
05-21-2013, 03:35 PM #14
Lucky! I got to get in on a Heaps trip this year... GOT TO! Wonder if my work would question taking a few sick days due to Canyon Fever.
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
05-21-2013, 03:52 PM #15
-
05-21-2013, 04:50 PM #16
We take radios to sequence that last set of raps to avoid too much waiting at each rap station. It worked great until my partner dropped one of them. Then we only had two. I gotta say, a 500 foot drop left no pieces that we could find. Musta turned the radio to dust. We looked and looked to clean up the trash and couldn't find anything.
Life is Good
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 Likesratagonia liked this post
-
05-21-2013, 08:46 PM #17
the pics of the Phantom Valley look like Yosemite made out of sandstone.
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
05-21-2013, 08:47 PM #18
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
05-21-2013, 09:51 PM #19
I hate that final rappel. You are so far away from the wall there is nothing for your eyes to focus on and that really messes with my head.
I've done a number of 300' rappels and I can tell you they are not all created equal.
Tap'n on my Galaxy G3
-
Post Thanks / Like - 1 LikesKuya liked this post
-
05-22-2013, 05:26 PM #20
Sometime, I'd really like to do Heaps Canyon.
I've had it planned twice, but both times fell through. The first time, the most experienced person dropped out and I was the only one left who had ever done a big rappel. The second time the NPS closed the canyon the day we were going to do it.
Maybe some day.Utah is a very special and unique place. There is no where else like it on earth. Please take care of it and keep the remaining wild areas in pristine condition. The world will be a better place if you do.
Similar Threads
-
A Time Machine for Old-Time Beta
By Brewhaha in forum General DiscussionReplies: 1Last Post: 09-29-2010, 09:23 AM -
Heaps
By Mojave Silence in forum CanyoneeringReplies: 15Last Post: 06-05-2010, 12:32 PM -
Long time lurker first time poster.
By Lizzard in forum General DiscussionReplies: 11Last Post: 01-31-2009, 07:10 AM -
[Trip Report] Heaps
By Anonymous in forum CanyoneeringReplies: 18Last Post: 08-01-2006, 09:38 AM -
TR: Heaps
By rock_ski_cowboy in forum CanyoneeringReplies: 1Last Post: 05-18-2006, 09:34 PM
Visitors found this page by searching for:
Outdoor Forum