Suggestions on new canyons to explore in So. Utah.

[bretonnia]

Love Zion, but have done most of the canyons worth doing and am looking to branch out a bit since the only canyon outside of Zion I've done is Neon. Any suggestions? There will be 3 guys, all of whom are pretty proficient canyoneers, heading out this Friday and Saturday. I'm looking for a shorter canyon on Friday, and a longer one on Saturday. Don't really have any preferences as to location, just somewhere in So. Utah.

TIA.

[Iceaxe]

The season makes a big difference in which canyons are good. This time of year I'm looking for canyons with a lot of water (like Zion).

With that being said.... the Black Hole is awesome in hot weather. The upper and lower Black Box should also currently be "in season".

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[ActionPacker]

Black hole is in great shape right now. Went through yesterday. Definitely a different flavor than the canyons in Zion but very charming. Not highly technical however if that is something you are looking for.

Zero Gravity is a shorter canyon with fun chimneys and some water. It could be done on Friday on your way to Cedar Masa.

[Scott P]

In addition to the above canyons mentioned:

Sulfur Creek is a real classic on a hot summer day, but isn't technical. Same with the Fremont River.

Music Canyon is OK if you start early in the morning and if there's water in Muddy Creek (the flies could be bad though). Upper Iron Wash is good this time of year.

Crescent Creek is a good this time of year.

Pleiadis Canyon is a good one, but it may be too early? It may be in. Professor Creek is good in summer as well, but get an early start on the approach.

The White Canyon area has some OK early summer canyons. Cheesebox or Gravel (technical section) are usually OK this time of year. Short Canyon should be good too.

Death Hollow is usually good now, but bring long pants or the flies will eat you alive once you hit the Escalante River.

Boulder Creek and its side slot are some of the best summer canyons on the Plateau, easily as good in summer as anything in Zion.

Avoid anything dry or with long dry approaches this time of year.

[2065toyota]

Love Zion, but have done most of the canyons worth doing and am looking to branch out a bit since the only canyon outside of Zion I've done is Neon. Any suggestions? There will be 3 guys, all of whom are pretty proficient canyoneers, heading out this Friday and Saturday. I'm looking for a shorter canyon on Friday, and a longer one on Saturday. Don't really have any preferences as to location, just somewhere in So. Utah.

TIA.

There are very few that have done most canyons in Zion. Just because it isn't on the online list doesn't mean anything

[SRG]

Zero Gravity is a shorter canyon with fun...

Hey Actionpacker, I think our groups bumped into each other in Zero G over the weekend? We had just done the black hole. Was that you guys? If so, how'd you like Zero G? How was the jumping pool that you inquired about?

Pleiadis Canyon is a good one, but it may be too early? It may be in.

I went through yesterday and there was still a lot of water flowing through, it was real loud and powerful. We all had full wetsuits and booties but were still pretty darn cold by the end.

[ratagonia]

Love Zion, but have done most of the canyons worth doing and ...

Icebox North Pass
Icebox Slickrock Pass
S Taylor
M Taylor
N Taylor
Bear
Beartrap N
Beartrap S
Hurricane
Volcano
Leech Lake
Kolob
Boundary
Goose
Gosling
Trespass
Left Fork Full/Das/Russel/Regular
Right Fork Full/Hammerhead
Corral Hollow
Imlay Full/Sneak
The Narrows
Dead Eye Dick
N Bullock
Main Bullock
Checkerboard
Not Imlay
Telephone
Behunin
Spearhead
Heaps
Gunsight
Isaac
Walker
Squeeze Play
Esplin
Low Fridge
The Wedge
Spry
Lodge
Mystery
Mountain of Mystery Canyon
Echo
Lemon Springs
Engelstead
Birch Creek
Second Notch
Jacob
Pine Creek
Keyhole
Hidden from the Top
Lower Hidden
Hidden Plus One
Observation Point Canyon
Pipe Spring Canyon
Orderville
Family Guy
Jolley Gulch
Shelf Canyon

- since you have done MOST of these canyons, I'd be interested in your ratings of difficulty and quality. (admittedly, a few are outside the boundary of the Park). There are also a few more worthwhile canyons, but information has not been published for them as far as I know. I did not include a few canyons that don't have much in the way of "worthwhile".

[Iceaxe]

- since you have done MOST of these canyons, I'd be interested in your ratings of difficulty and quality.

He said canyons "worth doing".... there are many on that list I would put on my "I did it so you don't have to" list....

With all the awesome low hanging fruit on the Colorado Plateau why bust your ass for a so-so or worse canyon.... just sayin'.

Your Milage May Vary.

[Iceaxe]

The Black Hole




The Upper Black Box




Zero Gravity

[ratagonia]

He said canyons "worth doing".... there are many on that list I would put on my "I did it so you don't have to" list....

With all the awesome low hanging fruit on the Colorado Plateau why bust your ass for a so-so or worse canyon.... just sayin'.

Your Milage May Vary.

One's bar for "worth doing" is a matter of personal taste. Perhaps my bar is lower than yours. Certainly my drive is shorter.

Tom

[Scott P]

One's bar for "worth doing" is a matter of personal taste. Perhaps my bar is lower than yours.

Probably just different taste rather than a lower bar.

Of course as you know, you are very much Zion-centric. I remember before that you commented that there isn't many worthwhile canyons in the Swell, for example, except for Squeeze and Quandary direct. Others think that there are several worthwhile canyons in the Swell.

With Zion, bushwhacking turns many people off to at least some on your list, but as you point out there are still many, many canyons in Zion worth doing.

S Taylor
M Taylor
N Taylor

Do you mean from the top? How did you approach the heads of those? Were you able to get all the way up any of those forks from the bottom?

[ratagonia]

Probably just different taste rather than a lower bar.

Of course as you know, you are very much Zion-centric. I remember before that you commented that there isn't many worthwhile canyons in the Swell, for example, except for Squeeze and Quandary direct. Others think that there are several worthwhile canyons in the Swell.

Yes. I am also very North-Wash-centric, and Lake-Powell-centric. I used to be Swell-centric, but I moved on.

With Zion, bushwhacking turns many people off to at least some on your list, but as you point out there are still many, many canyons in Zion worth doing.

Do you mean from the top? How did you approach the heads of those? Were you able to get all the way up any of those forks from the bottom?

Yes, there are projects to do in Zion, but many involve quite long approaches.

I have not done the Taylors from the top. Not sure they are worthwhile. Not sure how to get to the top, but there is an old trail up Horse Ranch Mountain that could be used.

Tom

[mzamp]

There are also a few more worthwhile canyons, but information has not been published for them as far as I know.

Oh the wonderfully mysterious "secret" canyon list.

[2065toyota]

Oh the wonderfully mysterious "secret" canyon list.

It's funny how everyone wants access to the 'secret' list, when most havn't done more than 25% of the published list

[Iceaxe]

Oh the wonderfully mysterious "secret" canyon list.

I promise to get back to work and make shambles of the "secret list" this fall....




Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[SRG]

It's funny how everyone wants access to the 'secret' list, when most havn't done more than 25% of the published list

Agreed.

When heading off to poke around in an unbeta'd canyon, I talk to people and search the internet for signs that the canyon isn't on anyone's radar.
What is the intrigue of putting all the planning and studying and effort into descending an unpublished canyon that you know has been done before and is bound to piss someone off?

[ratagonia]

Agreed.

What is the intrigue of putting all the planning and studying and effort into descending an unpublished canyon that you know has been done before and is bound to piss someone off?

Just to be clear: The piss off is in Broad-Banding a previously descended, not-yet-published canyon, not in the descending of it.

Tom

[ratagonia]

When heading off to poke around in an unbeta'd canyon, I talk to people and search the internet for signs that the canyon isn't on anyone's radar.

What is the intrigue of putting all the planning and studying and effort into descending an unpublished canyon that you know has been done before and is bound to piss someone off?

The title of this thread: Suggestions on new canyons to explore in So. Utah.

would seem to be about just that.

The answer is like the old baseball adage - "hit em where they ain't".

T

[qedcook]

Perhaps my bar is lower than yours.

Definitely!

[Iceaxe]

Just to be clear: The piss off is in Broad-Banding a previously descended, not-yet-published canyon, not in the descending of it.

Just to be clear.... only a very small minority are pissed off with broad banding.... while the vast majority of the canyoneering community is thrilled to have another canyon they can dream about descending one day.

If you guys haven't figured it out yet the major objective of this no broad band campaign is to keep most of you out. It is designed and orchestrated by The Great Ones (tm) to peer pressure you into stifling the flow of information. Yes you might be allowed the occasional peak inside the magic kingdom and think you are in, but make no mistake, you are not entering the castle. The easiest way in is to storm the gates.

You can be a wolf or a sheep, the choice is yours.



Tap'n on my Galaxy G3