Countdown to Zion Closing

[jaredbelch1]

Still curious about this one?

Looks like it.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politic...ngers.html.csp

[mferl]

Curious if anyone has tried to drive on Rt 9 through Zion NP. I know they are closing the park, but did they close Rt 9 down too?

Headed there next week from Las Vegas. Gonna be a bitch if we have to drive all the way around just to get to the east side of Zion.

[jaredbelch1]

Curious if anyone has tried to drive on Rt 9 through Zion NP. I know they are closing the park, but did they close Rt 9 down too?

Headed there next week from Las Vegas. Gonna be a bitch if we have to drive all the way around just to get to the east side of Zion.

The link I posted above is a news story about the park shutdown. It says Route 9 is open to regular traffic, but the tunnel is closed to vehicles requiring an escort.

No personal first hand knowledge, just what the news reported.

[mzamp]

The budget is redone each year...

Bahahahahaha When was the last time a budget was passed?

At least we should see a decline in the rescues and deaths from Zion canyoneering.

[jaredbelch1]

Bahahahahaha When was the last time a budget was passed?

At least we should see a decline in the rescues and deaths from Zion canyoneering.

Good point I should have said supposed to

[mferl]

..

[mferl]

The link I posted above is a news story about the park shutdown. It says Route 9 is open to regular traffic, but the tunnel is closed to vehicles requiring an escort.

No personal first hand knowledge, just what the news reported.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Brit Beermonster]

Probably a bit like, how long is a piece of string but any ideas when the finance issue will be sorted? A few of us are heading out from the UK on 13 Oct and have 3 days of permits for Zion, hotel and hire car booked: Is the closing down a regular occurrence? Do these things drag on? Any other canyons we can use, suitable for inexperienced? Thanks

[deagol]

Probably a bit like, how long is a piece of string but any ideas when the finance issue will be sorted? A few of us are heading out from the UK on 13 Oct and have 3 days of permits for Zion, hotel and hire car booked: Is the closing down a regular occurrence? Do these things drag on? Any other canyons we can use, suitable for inexperienced? Thanks

I feel for you. This is a bummer for sure. I don't think anyone knows when this ridiculousness will end.

[Sandstone Addiction]

Probably a bit like, how long is a piece of string but any ideas when the finance issue will be sorted? A few of us are heading out from the UK on 13 Oct and have 3 days of permits for Zion, hotel and hire car booked: Is the closing down a regular occurrence? Do these things drag on? Any other canyons we can use, suitable for inexperienced? Thanks

If I were in your situation, I would definitely have a back up plan just in case. Plenty of other options that "we the people" have not been locked out of. Check climb-utah.com and the other beta sites.

Neither side seems to want to budge and this fiasco could drag on for weeks.

[Brit Beermonster]

Thanks Dave, I've found Arrow Canyon north of Vegas, Yankee Doodle, Red Caves and Fat Man's Misery which look ok and appear to be open. I'll check out climb-utah.com

Matt

[Michael_WB]

Matt,

Don't forget Water Canyon behind Hildale, which is a great day out. A stiff hike all the way to the top with some big rappels (up to 175ft) and some cool narrows and downclimbing sections too. Not a 'beginner' canyon, but not too difficult either: manageable with some thought and reflection as to device friction, rope pulls and maybe providing spots/belays for some of the trickier parts.

I've just returned from 10 days in Zion/Escalante, where we descended Echo, Keyhole, Behunin, Spry, Pine Creek, Water Canyon, Mystery, Egypt 1 and Neon. Only the last two were firsts for us (e.g. it was my 4th time in
Mystery and 6th in Pine Creek), but I am mighty glad our trip didn't coincide with this shutdown business... my canyoneering buddy Maarten is still out there for 10 days yet, but I hope is finding solutions to this odd situation.

Also I hope the weather holds out for you; some years I've been in mid October and it has been pretty cold and a big change from the 2 weeks before. Other years it has stayed mild until the beginning of November.

Cheers,

Michael
(a Brit in Switzerland)

[Brit Beermonster]

Thanks Michael,
My son is along for the first time so I want to stick to the smaller raps, I think 175' might spook him, hey it'd spook me!! He's done a course but I don't want to put him off, mind you he's 18 so I'm sure he'll cope.
Matt.

[Bshelton]

The 175'r is fairly tame and due to the wide open space it's in and the large ledge for the rap station it really doesn't have the potential intimidation factor one might expect. Your on the wall the entire time, no free hanging sections. If he can repel Pine Creek he should have no problems in Water Canyon.

[russellben]

So with no permits being distributed anyone up for Paria Canyon assuming there is no one standing at the trailhead to stop us from entering

[erial]

Probably a bit like, how long is a piece of string but any ideas when the finance issue will be sorted? A few of us are heading out from the UK on 13 Oct and have 3 days of permits for Zion, hotel and hire car booked: Is the closing down a regular occurrencn?e? Do these things drag o Any other canyons we can use, suitable for inexperienced? Thanks

Also near Vegas: Anniversary Narrows

North of Zion: Kanarra Creek

[Brit Beermonster]

Thanks again all, we're going to be busy! Who needs Zion - that's a joke btw!

[rick t]

It would be hard to believe that no canyons were done in Zion over the weekend. 9 is still open through the park. If the road up the canyon past the junction is closed at the junction, that still leaves a few possibilities. You could come down the Kolob Res road from cedar, do they have law enforcement rangers guarding the wildcat and left fork trailheads? what about Kolob, and Boundary, and out the MIA? why couldn't you do a drop off and then later a drive by pickup for Keyhole and Pine Creek, to avoid leaving a car parked along the side of the road? I don't think the tea party having their heads up their asses, and holding congress and the country hostage has to mean that we have to sit home for the duration and just piss and moan.

[flatiron]

It would be hard to believe that no canyons were done in Zion over the weekend. 9 is still open through the park. If the road up the canyon past the junction is closed at the junction, that still leaves a few possibilities. You could come down the Kolob Res road from cedar, do they have law enforcement rangers guarding the wildcat and left fork trailheads? what about Kolob, and Boundary, and out the MIA? why couldn't you do a drop off and then later a drive by pickup for Keyhole and Pine Creek, to avoid leaving a car parked along the side of the road? I don't think the tea party having their heads up their asses, and holding congress and the country hostage has to mean that we have to sit home for the duration and just piss and moan.

[Iceaxe]