Undercover, MMI, Winter Camp and Repeat Jr.

[Kuya]

This weekend (Saturday, October 27th, 2012) 3 of us headed on a awesome adventure to the far reaches of Arches National Park.


For a few weeks I had been researching slot canyons in the area that we could hike. We were interested in slots that could be done in cold weather, yet provide some fun adventure. What I found was 4 canyons in the North Eastern section of Arches National Park. All trailheads for these canyons were within 3 miles of each other, and all were doable under 3-4 hours.

1) Undercover Canyon
2) MMI Canyon
3) Winter Camp Canyon
4) Repeat Jr. Canyon


I was super HOPEFUL to be able to do all these canyons in one day, however I hadn't heard of anyone else doing that. The beta about the canyons talked about doing some of them together in order to combine for a day adventure, but none of the beta showed the canyons being so close to each other as they were. So even though I was hopeful for accomplish this goal of doing all 4, I realized that I could probably accomplish hiking 2 canyons, maybe 3, but probably not all 4. Maybe it would be possible in the summer when I have 14 hours of daylight, but certainly not at the end of October, when I have less than 12

Well, WE DID IT! We hike all 4 canyons in the 10 hours and 40 minutes of daylight that we had! I COULD not be more pleased! We first hiked Undercover Canyon and MMI Canyon. Those canyons shared the same trailhead. After those we headed over to Winter Camp Slot Canyon Repeat Jr. Canyon. We started the day at sunrise and ended the day with a BEAUTIFUL sunset. It was a perfect day of Canyoneering

[Mountaineer]

Nice job! I think you may be the first to knock them all out in a day.

I did two in a day with my then 6 year old, and felt lucky. Taking breaks to draw in the sand on the way back helped...;-)

I missed Repeat Jr. last time. Is that cow still smellin'?

[Kuya]

Nice job! I think you may be the first to knock them all out in a day.

I did two in a day with my then 6 year old, and felt lucky. Taking breaks to draw in the sand on the way back helped...;-)

I missed Repeat Jr. last time. Is that cow still smellin'?

Thanks Mountaineer! It was a blast.

Unfortunately that dead cow is still in the canyon. I landed right on the blasted thing!

It is awesome that you get to take your 6 year old canyoneering! I hope to be that kind of dad when that time comes!

[yetigonecrazy]

Nice trip report! That is a heck of a lot of effort there.

I've never been in Undercover; that's way high on my hit list, especially after seeing your pics!

Winter Camp is fun, and despite it's length I think it is a bit of an unheralded little gem. The rap is fun, and that room at the bottom can be DARK! You nailed it- dropping out of the bowl down into the bottomless void! Lots of good side slots begging to be explored too.

Bummer about the cow. I posted here and on candition on 9/22 that it was still there. Was back on 10/20 and same thing, I should have posted then too. My bad. I think its going to be there for a while yet.

The only downside of the quadruple crown is you missed a sweet little mini slot that is right next door to Repeat, on the east side of the hill you climb back up out of. We called it "Fun Size" for lack of a better name, it's a short, narrow, but exciting little gem that is good stemming practice. It's never deep but it's tight and is loads of fun.

Thanks again for posting! And some fantastic photographs in there too. Makes me want to go right now!

[Kuya]

Nice trip report! That is a heck of a lot of effort there.

I've never been in Undercover; that's way high on my hit list, especially after seeing your pics!

Winter Camp is fun, and despite it's length I think it is a bit of an unheralded little gem. The rap is fun, and that room at the bottom can be DARK! You nailed it- dropping out of the bowl down into the bottomless void! Lots of good side slots begging to be explored too.

Bummer about the cow. I posted here and on candition on 9/22 that it was still there. Was back on 10/20 and same thing, I should have posted then too. My bad. I think its going to be there for a while yet.

The only downside of the quadruple crown is you missed a sweet little mini slot that is right next door to Repeat, on the east side of the hill you climb back up out of. We called it "Fun Size" for lack of a better name, it's a short, narrow, but exciting little gem that is good stemming practice. It's never deep but it's tight and is loads of fun.

Thanks again for posting! And some fantastic photographs in there too. Makes me want to go right now!

Thank You Yetigonecrazy! (nice avatar pic! looks like Winter camp slot)

It was a a good day. The funny thing is that we didn't feel like we were cruising through the canyons. I definitely took time to shoot some video and take some pictures. I still want to visit the Covert Arch that is in the area, and that Fun Size canyon sounds like a blast!

I think Undercover and Wintercamp were my two favorite canyons that day. Winter Camp was so cool to look at from the top! That is some pretty awesome country down there.

Do you know a good way to get out of Repeat Jr? We didn't and it was a pain to get out.

[yetigonecrazy]

Sorry to hear that, as you hike down Repeat, the walls will drop significantly and after a short bit you will join up with another canyon joining from the right. this is the mini slot we call "fun size". From here turn back around and twenty feeet back up Repeat there is a trail up the hill on your now left. this goes all the way back to car, provided you find your own way throug the cliff bands. still, looks like you had plenty of fun!

[canyondevil]

Sorry to hear that, as you hike down Repeat, the walls will drop significantly and after a short bit you will join up with another canyon joining from the right. this is the mini slot we call "fun size". From here turn back around and twenty feeet back up Repeat there is a trail up the hill on your now left. this goes all the way back to car, provided you find your own way throug the cliff bands. still, looks like you had plenty of fun!

That little slot is fun to do from the top of where it slots up. You have to stem up and over the skinny part unless you are really, really thin, but that makes it even more fun. More fun than Repeat Jr itself, IMO.

[yetigonecrazy]

That little slot is fun to do from the top of where it slots up. You have to stem up and over the skinny part unless you are really, really thin, but that makes it even more fun. More fun than Repeat Jr itself, IMO.

Agreed. I dropped in and just stemmed the entire thing. it wasnt epic or very long, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. kinda like a fun sized candy bar: all of the flavor and fun but a tiny portion of the size. if i go back it will probably be for that and undercover and not repeat.

[Kuya]

Video TR's of our trip a few weeks ago.

Undercover Slot Canyon (1st Canyon)


MMI Slot Canyon (2nd Canyon)


Winter Camp Slot Canyon (3rd Canyon)


Repeat Jr. Slot Canyon (4th and Last Canyon of the Day)

[Eric Holden]

You guys are certainly kicking the asses of many-o-canyons!

[Kuya]

You guys are certainly kicking the asses of many-o-canyons!

Nah, those were from the trip we took two weeks ago. I really am not that fast at doing canyons. For canyons like Heaps and Seagers Hole, we had to bivy both times cuz I didn't have the stamina to do the whole canyons in one day.

[Eric Holden]

Human after all eh?