Category Archives: The Narrows

Zion Narrows Fall Colors Video

Posted on November 22, 2012 by

Long-time ZAC client Jerry King visits us at least every year, regularly recording his hikes and canyon descents via video and still images. When Jerry gets home, he puts together some nice informational videos about the adventures he goes on. If you are thinking about doing a Zion Narrow Through-Hike, check out Jerry’s movie to learn about the hike and see the Narrows in prime fall color splendor.

Posted in Autumn, Canyoneering, Seasonal, The Narrows, Trip Reports, Videos, Zion | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Virgin River Flash Flood Video

Posted on August 2, 2012 by

Mike and Seth caught some revealing footage of the Virgin River in scary flash flood mode as it carried a huge cottonwood tree down-river like an insignificant Poohstick. See how dark the water is? The color comes from the high load of silt, mud, and rock the river picks up in a flood event. 95% of the erosion in Zion happens in punctuated events like this, where sudden, heavy rains create high-volume, high-velocity river conditions that pick up tons and tons of sediment and move it downstream. Once the momentum gets going, all that debris can scour banks and displace large areas of sediment, replacing ankle-deep shallows with deep pools, and vice-versa. It’s super fun to explore the river after a flood event like this and try to find the best “new” swimming holes the flood has created. The guys filmed this footagee just above the Springdale River Park, where we pick up tubers at the end of their runs. Seems like tubing would be a little extreme with that amount of water and debris in the river, don’t you think? If you want to see a flash flood, I highly recommend a viewing it from a safe place like this, … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History, Safety, Seasonal, Springdale, Summer, The Narrows, Tubing, Weather & Climate, Zion National Park | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Is The Zion Narrows Hike Open? A DIY Guide

Posted on April 2, 2012 by

Every day now, we hear one question more than any other: “Is The Narrows hike open?” We are always happy to answer this question for our store visitors, but we’d also like to help you answer this yourself at home, on the road, or wherever you may be. If you want to see whether The Narrows is open, just check the USGS website. The data you’re looking for is in the areas highlighted in the red boxes below: USGS Narrows Stream Flow Data for the Virgin River Narrows The upper red box (the graph) usually shows continuous cubic feet/second (CFS) data. (For some reason, the data has large gaps over the last few days; this is not normal.) The Narrows is OPEN, if the CFS level has not exceed 150 CFS for the past 24 hours. Even with the gaps in this current graph, we can see the CFS level was around 165 yesterday morning, so The Narrows is closed today. The lower red box indicates the current CFS level. While the data is current listed as “unavailable,” there is typically a CFS number here indicating current conditions. Remember, however, that the current CFS level is less important than the 24-hour … Continue reading →

Posted in Canyoneering, Seasonal, Spring, The Narrows, Zion, Zion National Park | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Zion Narrows Forecast for Spring 2012

Posted on March 29, 2012 by

The Zion Narrows closed last weekend for the first time in 2012; the hike is open again now, but will certainly close a few more times throughout spring. Since we are pretty big Narrows Nerds here at ZAC, I thought it might be fun to provide some “big picture” background info for those  eager to know if The Narrows and other technical canyons will be closed during YOUR visit. Like all things in The Nature, a wide variety of factors influence Spring flooding. But for the most part, spring water volume is determined by three primary factors: Snowpack – The snowpack on the Markagunt Plateau (elevation 8000 ft.) north of Zion feeds the Virgin River as it melts, contributing significant water volume to the North Fork watershed each spring. One year ago today, the snowpack was 112″, while today, the snowpack is only 54″. That’s a big difference. Drive up to Cedar Breaks along Highway 14, and you can see the snowpack for yourself. Daily High Temperatures – When temperatures are really warm, you can almost SEE the snow pack shriveling on the Plateau. Moderate temperatures, however, melt snow slowly, causing a slower, more gradual melt. If you watch the … Continue reading →

Posted in Canyoneering, Seasonal, Spring, The Narrows, Zion National Park | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Zion Narrows Hike Limit Raised to 150 CFS

Posted on March 16, 2012 by

Shelley called the Park this morning and confirmed a rumor that the Bottom-Up Hiking limit for the Zion Narrows has been raised to 150 CFS. Woohoo! That’s a big deal! But what does that mean, exactly? Until the early 2000s, The Narrows was ALWAYS open, making it a do-at-your-own-risk activity: You looked at the river, maybe you got some advice from the rangers, and then you decided to hike or not. About ten years ago, however, the Park’s lawyers decided the liability of this policy was too great, and ZNP should take measures to protect unwitting Narrows hikers. The Park implemented a system that uses Virgin River water volume (measured in cubic feet per second (CFS)) to determine whether the Zion Narrows is open to hiking or not. The Park set the Top-Down limit at 120 CFS, and the Bottom-Down limit at 140 CFS; if the current CFS is ABOVE the limit any time in the last 24 hours, the hikes are closed accordingly. The upside of this closure system is very few people enter The Narrows when it is unsafe. The downside, however, is The Narrows is closed at levels where athletic hikers could have a lot of fun enjoying … Continue reading →

Posted in Canyoneering, In the News, Safety, Seasonal, Spring, The Narrows, Zion, Zion National Park | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

High Than Normal Water In Narrows Predicted Through January

Posted on November 12, 2011 by

Over the past week and a half, Narrows hikers have been experiencing higher-than-normal water flows. This has been a result of both snow melt from recent storms, as well as a water release from the nearby Kolob Reservoir. On Tuesday, November 2nd, 2011 the Washington County Water Conservancy District began releasing 35cfs from Kolob Reservoir to increase holding capacity and ensure there will be enough room for next year’s spring runoff. According to the Zion National Park Morning Report, this 35cfs water-release is predicted to last through the end of January 2012. What does this mean for those interested in hiking the Narrows in the next few months? Hikers will need to plan for not just cold water, but also for slightly faster and chest deep water in places. This week, Narrows hikers have indicated that they have adjusted their hike length due to particularly high flows and deep sections. Although the water may be swift, the Narrows is still appropriate for adult hikers looking for an adventurous experience. Staying flexible and preparing prior to the trip will help hikers stay safe and enjoy this hike during the release period. Kolob Creek, a technical slot canyon in the park is … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Seasonal, Seasons, The Narrows, Trip Reports, Weather & Climate, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fall Updates and New Shop Hours

Posted on November 4, 2011 by

With the turning of the leaves and our first snow storm of the year… New Shop Hours Beginning Monday, October 31st, our new shop hours will be 8 am – noon and 4 pm – 7 pm daily, with extended hours during Thanksgiving Weekend.* This allows us to outfit customers in the morning and return gear in the evening. Evening gear pick-ups may or may not be available, depending on availability of specific items. Our shop hours December – February will be 9 am – noon and 4 pm – 7 pm. *Thanksgiving weekend hours: Thursday 11/24: 8 am- noon only Friday: 11/25 – Sunday 11/27: 8 am – 7 pm Gear Reservations For those interested in renting equipment, please note we require reservations during the winter months. We have been unusually busy this fall and have been selling out of certain dry suit sizes, especially on the weekends. To make a gear reservation, please contact us with the following information: Date(s): Number in Party: Full Name: Phone: Email: Address: Name, height, weight, and shoe size for each group member: Winter Outfitting The Narrows Narrows hikers in the winter find icicles, snow, and near-silence as rewards for their adventurous visit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Gear, Hiking, In the News, Seasonal, Seasons, The Narrows, Weather & Climate, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Narrows Hike Featured in Utah Valley’s Daily Herald

Posted on September 28, 2011 by

We have helped SO MANY people hike The Narrows on SO MANY days, and yet our visitors’ first impressions of The Narrows still delight us. Seems like anybody who hikes The Narrows for their first time is blown away by its majesty. Just to prove it, here’s another great example from the Daily Herald… Zion’s Narrows hike offers thrills, inspiration September 23, 2011 By Ron Hellstern, for The Herald Journal  Seventeen miles, and three potential swims. If those two descriptors aren’t deterrents, great scenery awaits those who hike the Zion Narrows from the top down into the main canyon. If you run marathons, bike the LOTOJA, or simply marvel at nature’s artistic masterpieces, there is nothing intimidating about this adventure. However, if you are a professional arm-chair quarterback, you had better get some miles under your feet before attempting this adventure, especially if you want to complete it in one day. I’ve been to Zion at least a hundred times, but nearly always been hobbled a bit with students, or little ones. But after seeing the inspirational film “The Bucket List,” I decided it was time to do this classic hike. Along with good luck, and good sense, the key … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Articles, Canyoneering, The Narrows, Zion, Zion National Park | Leave a comment

Celebrating 15 Years

Posted on September 26, 2011 by

I created this video, which debuted at our big celebration on September 15th, to commemorate ZAC’s big 15th Anniversary this month. It’s my attempt to capture the scope and magic of the people and adventures ZAC has encompassed over the last decade and a half, which is really a lot to boil down into a nine-minute video. I really enjoyed assembling the movie for everyone; I got to learn so much about our history and our staff. So many amazing people walk in that door… some work for us, but of course most do not. EVERYONE, however, is responsible for making this thing called “Zion Adventure Company” work. Thank you for your love and support, and cheers to many years to come! Anna

Posted in Canyoneering, Gear, Guided Events, Hiking, Hiring, Human History, Lake Powell, Local Events, Mountain Biking, Mountainbiking, Outdoor Leadership, Reflections, Rock Climbing, Seasons, Springdale, The Narrows, Videos, ZAC Events, Zion, Zion National Park | 1 Comment

Advice for Hiking The Narrows During Your Period

Posted on September 22, 2011 by

Hiking in water isn’t regular practice for most people, so most of us don’t exactly know how to prepare for it. At Zion Adventure Company, we have developed extreme expertise in helping average people prepare themselves for hiking in a river all day. But despite all our efforts, there are a few special cases we don’t prepare folks well for. One of these is having your period whilst wading in waist-deep water. Several times a year, while I am outfitting a group, a woman will approach me and shyly divulge that she is currently on her period. This is very personal and can be scary, but I really respect and appreciate these women who are brave enough to ask for help. I usually don’t have the time and privacy to offer a fully detailed response, so I thought I would offer advice here, in hopes it will help the ladies out there. A Woman’s Options Here are the options for women hiking the Narrows (or other waist deep water hikes) while on their period: 1. Wear a pad. It will get wet and bloated with water, but it may still absorb when you are walking in water that is lower. You … Continue reading →

Posted in Canyoneering, Hiking, Techniques, The Narrows, Zion | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments