Kolab or Imlay in April?

[AlexGeorge]

I am planning a canyoneering trip April 13-18. I have done most of the classics in Zion. The next on the to do list are Kolab and Imlay. Obviously the average review will recommend the prime canyoneering season, summer or fall, to do the canyon. With the it being too early to predict the weather or the actual flow of Kolab Reservoir. I am curious if anyone has done these canyons at this time in the season and what your experience was. Any advice would be great. Thanks

[ghawk]

Both of these canyons have a high chance of not being available. Kolob because the reservoir will probably be releasing a lot of water, and Imlay because it drops into the narrows and they are often flowing at, what Zion considers, unsafe levels. If you feel like you are really up for canyons like Imlay and Kolob, Heaps is in the same league and will probably be open. All of these don't allow much room for error, so make sure you are well prepared for them. good luck

[Taylor]

FWIW: Kolob creek was really flowing on Sunday. The waterfall next to ktr was impressive! Can't imagine being down stream of that in just two weeks.

[Iceaxe]

My 2 cents is do Kolob whenever the opportunity presents itself as the canyon is not open much compared to the others. Imlay and Heaps are pretty easy to get a permit and date, but not so much for Kolob.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[tcott]

Imlay Sneak April 7 last year. Still had a small trickle of snow run-off which made the canyon full, but very cold.

[Iceaxe]

Imlay Sneak April 7 last year. Still had a small trickle of snow run-off which made the canyon full, but very cold.

Imlay is always cold.

But a full Imlay is much easier then a low Imlay.

Nice video.

[AlexGeorge]

Thanks for the input. And that video is just what i needed to see! We are gonna go for the imlay sneak route this wednesday!

[shummer]

We just did this canyon on April 14th. It was fine. Really full with almost no real keepers. There was a weird, giant overhanging log jam at the beginning of the canyon. But that was the only real obstacle.