The Wave is a spectacular and world-renowned site located in the backcountry border of Utah and Arizona. A trip there is a magical experience. Getting everything in order to go there is quite another.

Hiking the Wave requires a permit, obtained through the Arizona Strip BLM at the Kanab Office or at the Paria Ranger Station (summer only). Only twenty hikers may access this resource each day. Ten of the permits are assigned four months in advance through an online lottery. The remaining ten permits are issued through a walk-in lottery the day before the hike. Obtaining a permit is competitive. You may compete against as many as a thousand people in the online lottery, and a hundred in the walk-in drawing. As you can imagine, being a lucky winner is quite a thrill.

To obtain my permit, I entered the next day lottery. Individuals showing up at 9 am for the next day are considered in the drawing. The intensity in the room while your number is drawn from a bingo ball was penetrating. There were 21 names submitted and only 10 names were permitted to enter the Coyote Butte South area to the Wave. The sixth ball drawn, eight individuals and I had still not been chosen. The seventh ball, my heart racing, I began to doubt I would be chosen this time. I had six people on my permit and not all of us would be able to go. As the seventh ball was drawn they called out the lucky number 7 and immediately Dave pipes up, “Can we change our permit number for two people?” Our remaining four would have to try for another time. I chose Dudeman Dan to come along.

The day began 7:00AM at Zion Adventure Company meeting Dudeman and driving the three hours to get to the Wire Pass trailhead. There were two ways to get to the trailhead. We took 89A to get there and the directions were not clear for the turn off. We missed our turn by six miles anticipating the House Rock sign, which was not there. The sign was posted as BLM 1165 and down the road 200 yards read a sign House Rock. The road was a nice dirt road (as far as backroads go) fit for any vehicle. We drove for nine miles until the Wire Pass trailhead. One thing worth mentioning that Dave and I got a good laugh at was the ranger, the day before, mentioned there are footsteps, but it does not mean its the correct way. There are cairns, but they do not mean it is the correct way. There are GPS coordinates, but they do not mean it’s the correct way. My mind was left with breadcrumbs because everything useful was eliminated from the list. At that moment, the ranger pulled out his map for each of us to utilize. It gave accurate pictures and descriptions with waypoints to and from the Wave, a highly useful tool.

We arrived at the trailhead at 10:30 am and began our journey. There were several cars already in the parking lot and people en route before we got there. The walk out there was not a difficult hike. The terrain was an easy walk along a pretty well marked path in the beginning, however after awhile it crossed over to slick rock with no obvious markers. Utilizing the map at that point is critical; watching and matching up the waypoints was really helpful. Once we could see the big crack in the rock, we were able to pinpoint our destination and know the direction we needed to go. We arrived after an hour of hiking, taking pictures, and shedding layers.

At 11:35 there were photographers stationed at every angle, alley, and ledge. The ranger predicted that one as well, reminding us to please be courteous of others when taking pictures. The lighting is best at 12:00 noon and we, the novices, made it just in time, but not to stake out the best spots without interference. Dudeman and I opted to take the places with less people and come back, however, we missed the prime time for photos. Our eyes feasted on the wondrous and awe-inspiring views of Mother Nature. Keeping our eyes wandering in amazement, so many different elements created this majestic view with water, wind, and erosion. Like little kids we explored every nook and cranny snapping photos around every corner.

Dudeman and I continued west down into the Paria Canyon through the wash heading south. We explored the area looking to find any petroglyphs, dinosaur footprints, or spectacular views. We did find small springs and slow seepages, which created an oasis of manzanita, pine trees, and other plants, found where there was water. One of the cliffs has markings of a waterfall from wetter times and many of the cliffs around puzzled us where to find petroglyphs. We were not so lucky. The rocks were masked with wide array of colors and pin stripping in straight lines, swirls, and of course, waves.

After an hour of exploration we returned to the main attraction area and the masses had exited leaving only one foreign couple. We sat and contemplated the immense time and work that was used to create a work of art.

For more information go to the BLM webpage.

Woohoo! Photo: Scott Rollins

Our most recent staff field trip took us east by southeast and over the state line into Arizona where we visited Horseshoe Bend, Upper Antelope Canyon and Upper Water Holes Canyon.

We met at the shop on a beautiful Monday morning, excited to begin this adventure. After some opening words and a short brief from our fearless leader, Dave, we all piled in a large Sprinter Van and got on our way. Good laughs, conversation, and freshly baked cookies consumed our 2-hour drive.

Our first official field trip stop was Horseshoe Bend. Located just 4 miles southwest of Page, AZ, Horseshoe Bend is aptly named for the horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River in this area. The hike to the overlook point is short (less than a mile) and seems like a bargain for the breath-taking view of the canyon. Our group reveled in the incredible view of the river and canyon.

Horseshoe Bend, just down the Colorado River from the Glen Canyon Dam. Photo: Scott Rollins

It’s hard to convey what it feels like looking down hundreds of feet below you, watching boats the size of ants maneuver in the crystal clear river. You begin to wonder how in the world something so magnificent came to be and at the same time try to figure out how standing above this river bend can make you feel so incredibly small and big at the same time.

After much photo taking we walked back to the van and continued on our adventure. Photography Tip: Folks who want to capture the entire bend in a photo will need a very wide-angle lens.

Our next stop on the field trip was Upper Antelope Canyon, located near Page, AZ on Navajo Land. Upper Antelope is the most visited and most photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest due to its gorgeous natural features and easy accessibility.

After purchasing the necessary Upper Antelope Canyon permits our group met up with Navajo Guide, Bonnie. She gave us a short, but informative briefing on the canyon, and then directed us to pile into the back of a pick up truck, modified with open-air seating and a roof for shade. Everyone enjoyed the slightly bumpy, breezy ride to the canyon.

As we entered Upper Antelope Canyon our group was once again wow-ed by the beauty of nature. Watching the sunlight reach down and touch the sloping, smooth, red-orange-purple canyon walls is an awe-inducing experience. As we journeyed slowly through the slot Bonnie shared with us the history of Upper Antelope and coached us to photo-taking brilliance. Our group of ZAC staff members, who have seen so many beautiful canyons, were blown away by the splendor of this canyon. Upper Antelope is a must see canyon! Photography Tip: Play around with the exposure settings on your camera for the best photo…better yet, ask your guide to help you select an appropriate camera setting, remember they guide thousands of photo-taking visitors through this canyon every year!

I feel as though I am becoming a bit long-winded in the telling of this adventurous day, so please allow me to sum up Upper Water Holes Canyon in a few brief sentences. Visiting Upper Water Holes, located on Navajo land, requires a permit. This canyon, while not as overwhelmingly beautiful as Upper Antelope, provides a more physically engaging experience. Our group traveled easily in the canyon, at times providing partner-assists and spotting for each other through the trickier sections. Remember, don’t go up anything you won’t be able to safely descend at the end of the day. Photography Tip: Avoid getting sand in your camera.

Overall the ZAC staff had a great time and learned a lot on this field trip to Arizona. We encourage you to get out and experience some of the same stunning areas that we did, especially considering they are only a short drive from Zion. Happy exploring!

When FiveTen and Dean Potter went to work making a shoe to crank twenty pitches a day in, they came up with the Anasazi Hi-Top. A stiffer, more plush climbing shoe meant to soothe your aching feet as you stuff them deep into whatever crack system you are scaling in Yosemite. Fortunately, climbing shoes designed for granite are awesome in sandstone as well.

The Anasazi Hi-Top from FiveTen

The Anasazi Hi-Top fits the bill for an all-around desert shoe. It’s stiff, sticky, comfortable, and sized correctly, based on a last Chris McNamara calls his “cheating shoe.” But most importantly, it covers your ankles. Anyone at Indian Creek, Zion, or Red Rocks will tell you ankles bones are only to make you suffer more as you stuff your feet as deeply as possible into whatever crack you are ascending. That only sightly protuberant part of your ankle is constantly grinding into the lip of the crack. It’s not fun, you get a bloody spot that eventually scabs over only be cracked and ground bloody again and again. Hi-tops are an obvious solution to this problem.Most people will tell you you need to rush out and buy a pair of TC Pros from La Sportiva, almost universally held up as the “greatest trad shoe ever.” Now competitors – FiveTen’s Anasazi Hi-Top and Evolv’s Astroman – are trying to take the throne from the TC Pro.

I decided to try the FiveTens for a variety of reasons, but it really came down to ease of use and stickiness of rubber. I know Tommy Caldwell can take a pair of bowling shoes and send my project without breaking a sweat. However, I struggle very much with only being a mediocre climber who really enjoys trad in the 5.10-5.11 range and only infrequently gets to send 5.12 on gear, let alone 5.14. Quite frankly, I need and attempt to gather every advantage I can amass for when I get on the sharp end. The Stealth C4 rubber is so sticky. I have had shoes with just about everything, but my hardest climbs have always had C4 on the sole of my shoe. I am hardly a brand loyalist, and if I had to be honest sometimes the last on FiveTen shoes leave a lot to be desired for my foot. The rubber, however, is not the problem.

The other reason the Ansazi Hi-top seemed like the shoe for me is the velcro closure. It’s fast and easy, and with three straps, it gets tight in there. Also, cracks chew through laces like a pit bull through rawhide. Although you can you can always just replace them, the straps on my Hi-Tops are burly urathane backed leather and are not going anywhere. The upper material is similarly durable, thick suede leather with a plush lining to add some padding to the toes. However, the blunt toe box, coupled with the thick C4 sole and stiff midsole, make it difficult in thin cracks to really stuff your toes in and gain good purchase. It’s really only in Ringlocks, around the red Alien or purple Camalot size, that things get tricky and another thin crack style shoe may be preferable. If you don’t mind having two pairs of crack shoes, then this is not a problem and the Hi-Top will propel you upward flawlessly on thin hands to off-width, leaving your ankles fully armored against all those cracks that want to grind you down.

The ZAC crew at Toroweap, Grand Canyon

Living in the shadows of Zion National Park, sometimes it’s hard to understand that there can be beauty anywhere else. Two weeks ago, several staff members took a day trip to check out Toroweap and the Grand Canyon. So after a quick stop at Deep Creek Coffee in Springdale, the ZAC staff drove the four and a half hours to check out the canyon. The drive begins with crossing through something familiar, and occasionally routine for me, Zion National Park. On our drive, bighorn sheep and mule deer greeted us as we drove through the east side. Since we left early in the morning, we were lucky enough to catch some of the sunrise on our drive. Between the majestic colors and good conversation, the drive went by quickly. The town of Fredonia is a small Arizona border town. And no road trip through a border town is complete without a stop for Lottery, Guns, Ammo, and Beer! So after a brief stop filling up our coffee cups and Landcruiser at Judd’s Auto, we moved on.

Looking down into the Grand Canyon from Toroweap Campground

We eventually turned onto a dirt road for beautiful views of desert plains and distant mountains for 60 long, rutted miles. At this point, there isn’t much to do except listen to music and marvel at how your vehicle dust travels for miles in the wind. On the drive out, we stopped at the ranger station to meet Marjorie and learn some information about the area. I highly recommend always stopping in to at least say hello. The two Tweep area rangers live in a desert home that makes most hermits look like city folk. However, that isn’t a negative by far! Views of Trumbull Mountain and the Vulcan’s Throne would make any morning wake-up call special. And just a short drive away, they have a relatively convenient 3,000-foot drop to the Colorado River!

The campground was once described to me as having the world’s most scenic outhouse. And believe you-me, it’s no lie! The campground is situated on a beautiful rise that overlooks Saddle Horse Canyon and the Grand Canyon. Several day-hikes in the area give a greater overview of what exactly our little slice of desert in the southwest is like. From Toroweap Overlook, you’re also able to see Lava Falls, which is considered by some as one of the most difficult rapid on the Colorado. If you’re lucky, like we were, you’ll get the experience of watching one of lucky permitted trips float down through.

If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, patience for driving long dirt roads, and the desire to view a secluded area of the Grand Canyon then Toroweap is a great destination to roll into a Zion-area visit. So check the weather for a sunny week, free up your schedule, and take a trip out to Tuweep. Spend an evening enjoying the silence of vastness of the Grand Canyon, go exploring on hikes, enjoy a sunrise and sunset, and I promise you’ll be amazed and humbled by the experience! And don’t forget to stop in and say hi to Marjorie!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Our very own Ben Rhinesmith was recently profiled in Filson’s “In the Field” section of their website. In the video, Ben guides the Filson crew down Battle Creek, a high country canyon southeast of Kolob Reservoir, while talking a little bit about his guiding approach and philosophy.

Our 2012 season has been rewarding in many ways. We have had enjoyable experiences with thousands of new visitors. Our staff has been the happiest, healthiest, and most cohesive of my eight seasons at ZAC. We head into December celebrating the largest winter staff in our history, as eleven staff will continue work in some capacity. Winter is a time of reflection, relaxation, rejuvenation, improvement, creativity, and innovation. We look for ways to improve ourselves and the way we do things.

One such initiative is the Staff Winter Grand Circle Field Trips. With enthusiasm, we are eagerly visiting places visitors often ask about, or even tell us stories about. Our goal is to broaden our skill level as information givers by becoming familiar with more of the Southwest, its places, and context. We journey to destinations few, sometimes none of us have visited, putting staff in charge of planning the trip who have never been. (We love adventure, too.)

In the coming weeks, you will see ZAC blog articles of our exploits and the potentially hilarious hijinks that ensue. We aim to travel to Toroweap, Escalante, Antelope Canyon, and more. Our aim is to use these field trip experiences to further pursue our mission of helping each other learn, grow, explore, relate and reconnect.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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.

Went through Full Imlay Canyon with Steve Brezovec and Kelly Birdwell – to enjoy the canyon, of course, and to work on the anchors. Found some interesting things.

We started the canyon from Potato Hollow, from the very tip-top there, a few hundred yards higher than I had before. We used a retrievable anchor off a tree in order to not leave a sling visible to the public.

Downcanyon a ways, we found a tied off rock for the third stage of a rappel that can be done as a three-stage rap. This rock as cleverly wedged in a slot, but was tied off with some cord which was quite pretty, but had a core of paper (indicating that this cord was never intended for any purpose requiring strength).

Further down, we found an anchor tied with a non-knot (versus a Water Knot)… but I guess it held for whomever tied it.

Short drop off a log jam anchor, Imlay Canyon

Quite a few anchors in the canyon were tied with the Minnesota-clip style of equalization – especially scary since on a lot of these two-bolt anchors, one bolt is an ancient eroded stud-type bolt (very unreliable). We re-rigged 4 or 5 anchors usually with fresh webbing.

The upper section of the canyon was not especially full, and water quality was exceptionally poor. Between the Sneak Route entrance(s) and the bivy Alcove was a 20′ tall wood jam (in one section) and a section of dense log stew. The long two-stage rap, though, was free of debris. Water from the pool at the Alcove was murky, but we were able to filter and purify.

Log jams in the next section were present, but less of a problem than I had expected. Going into the first Extreme Narrows, we passed a group of 5 from Arizona who were wrapping a tweaked ankle from hitting a rock on a downclimb. Water quality was good and water level high for the rest of the canyon. We added a 1/2″ x 3-3/4″ to two anchors that did not have at least one bolt in the upper Narrows, including the rap into Big Bertha.

Pressed by time, we did passed on re-bolting in the lower Narrows, but no anchors were at the same level of “scary” as the two in the upper Narrows we reinforced. At the second-to-last rappel, someone had added a bolt to the dangling chain/hanger Jonathan had left earlier in the year, so it was now up to snuff. I brought a bar to torque out the bolts from the cut-through aluminum hangers, and with the bar they came out easily. I added a steel hanger and put one of them back in, but was out of rapid links, so it is not tied into the chain.

Several of the pothole anchors in the lower section were of the Minnesota-clip style mentioned above, and we re-rigged cordalette-style with fresh webbing.

At the final rappel, Steve and Kelly took off to catch their plane while I stayed and added a bolt to the anchor. In this case, the two-bolt anchor is in a precarious position, and a convenient safety line runs between the good two-bolt anchor and the old two-bolt anchor on the wall before that. The two ancient bolts are of the eroded rawl-stud variety which in my book are very suspect. I placed a 1/2″ x 3-3/4″ bolt in this position to supply a secure starting point for the safety line.

The third party in Imlay that day caught me up just as I was finishing the ‘work’, and generously carried my ropes out the Zion Narrows – my pack being conveniently full before adding the 235 feet of rope from the last rap. Thank you Evan, Susie and crew from S.G.

Great canyon, as always. My thanks to Steve and Kelly for the patience to allow for some anchor maintenance work.

Tom

American Canyoneers, a non-profit canyoneering organization promoting canyon access, environmental protection, and safety, transitioned from its initial Interim Board of Directors to its first regular Board of Directors after its the membership voted in July. You can meet the new American Canyoneers Board of Directors on their website… or maybe you’ll bump into one of them in a canyon somewhere.

Thanks to the outgoing interim Board for their initiative and leadership over the last nine months. It is incredibly difficult to get a non-profit going starting with zero budget or staff, but this group made it happen, and they seem to be doing it the right way with 501c3 status, good transparency, and member support. Joining American Canyoneers is a great way to support canyoneering, and it only costs $5! If you’re interested, join American Canyoneers and get involved.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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, versus the in-canyon flash flood viewing a couple of our staff caught a couple weeks ago.

Hidden Canyon Trail, covered in rubble. NPS photo.

A teenager recently asked me, “Do big rocks fall ever fall down here?” Looking around most anyplace in Zion, and you can see that MANY big rocks have fallen from the canyon walls over time. Because we seldom see rockfall, however, it’s easy to forget where all the boulders on the ground came from. When the Hidden Canyon slide happened last week, it was a great reminder that geology happens all the time… even on actively used trails, in the middle of the day. Thankfully, nobody was hurt. Thanks to Zion’s rangers for helping the stranded hikers out, and for the inevitable work that will need to be done to restore the Hidden Canyon Trail. Until then… it’s a good thing there are lots of other 5-star trail to hike around here. Here’s the news release from the Park Service:

Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth announced today that the Hidden Canyon Trail is currently closed due to a rockslide that occurred on Wednesday evening, July 25 at 5:30 p.m. The rockslide covered a narrow section of the trail with debris trapping 11 park visitors behind it for approximately three hours. Once the debris movement settled down, park rangers set up a rope line and provided the stranded visitors with helmets and helped them out of the canyon. There were no injuries due to the rockslide or rescue efforts.

The rockslide was active again overnight, depositing nearly six feet of debris on a narrow and steep section of the trail, which made it impassable, prompting the closure of the trail. Work to remove the debris will begin early next week assuming the area has completely stabilized. The Hidden Canyon Trail will remain closed until further notice.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Flash flood videos can’t do justice to the real thing, but this video from Spry Canyon last Monday (7/11) offers an educative perspective. The narrators’ emotions perhaps say more about the danger than the actual video… these two guys are clearly scared, excited, and riveted by the crashing, dynamic conditions. They literally have no idea what might happen, how high the water might rise, what debris might come crashing down to them. A scary situation.

Were these guys in danger? It’s really difficult to say. Obviously, the water came up quite a bit while they were there, and they seem trapped in the alcove they are in by the middle of the video. But they seem to feel safe in their perch, amazed and lucky they weren’t stuck in a worse position in the canyon. As they point out, their next anchor is 1-2 feet under water by mid-video, and even as the waterfall slows toward the end, they point out how the overall depth just keeps rising. The parting shot shows the red webbing anchor filled with debris, hinting at the surge that receded only minutes before.

The weather forecast on this date was not obvious: 40% chance of rain in the AM, 30% chance in the PM. It is easy to think, “If it doesn’t rain in the morning, we’ll okay to go in the afternoon.” Yet this sort of thinking is completely illogical. This flood started around 5 PM and dumped one inch of rain in an hour’s time. So the important take-away lesson is the weather forecast doesn’t matter much. If you are going into a canyon with questionable, cloud-scattered skies overhead, you’d best be in a canyon where escape is frequently possible. Even in Spry, where escaping the drainage IS often possible, you can get into deep trouble if you are caught in the wrong spot.

Please have fun, and be safe out there!

Went by, but not IN, Boundary Canyon Zion yesterday. No flow. No flow from the spring down to the head of the canyon. Likely dry from there except a few puddles. Drought conditions have returned.

If the Kolob Reservoir does an extended period of significant water releases, the spring at the head of Boundary could perk up, but it seems unlikely.

Tom

A few weeks ago, I posted an appeal for new members from American Canyoneers, a fairly new organization founded to take positive, progressie action on access and education issues in the U.S. canyoneering sphere. Just as American Canyoneers issued their membership appeal, however, their PayPal payment gateway stopped working, turning away many folks excited to join. I’m pleased to say the payment gateway problems have been resolved, and anybody interested can now join American Canyoneers via their Membership Page. At $5 for the first year, can you really go wrong? And by joining in this first, formative year, you’ll have the opportunity to shape and hone the organization’s mission and initiatives, an important and difficult task for this all-volunteer organization.

Thanks to the interim board at American Canyoneers for persevering through the early organizational processes and bringing about the first Board Election this summer. The canyoneering community owes is in your debt.

Rapping into the head of The Hammerhead, Zion National Park

After taking a year off in 2011, Tom Jones has reinitiated his popular canyoneering blog The Latest Rave in a beautiful, updated format, making high-quality, illustrated trip reports even more accessible to canyoneers searching for canyon beta, pictures, and stories. The Latest Rave is a “canyoneering diary,” featuring accounts of recent canyon descents and trips throughout the canyoneering world, but primarily focused on Colorado Plateau canyons. Tom has expanded the Rave a bit, inviting long-time canyoneering partner Steve “Ram” Ramras as a regular Raver, as well as publishing well-written and illustrated canyoneering stories from other canyoneer/authors in his Guest Rave section.

Fortunately, quite a few Rave trip reports are about Zion canyons, which are, of course, our favorite. Mark Duttweiler published a particularly nice trip report last week on his party’s descent of the Right Fork of North Creek, a less-travelled canyon deep in the Zion Backcountry. Mark and his crew descend the “Hammerhead” variation of the Right Fork route, adding a great, technical start and a number of rappels to the package. The meat of the Right Fork, however, is the Direct Variation, a formidable section of slot that, though relatively short and not particularly difficult, threatens inexperienced canyoneers with shadows of Imlay-esque challenges – large potholes, very cold water, and dark, sustained narrows. Mark does a nice job of highlighting the grandeur, mystery, and emotional roller-coasters of a Right Fork trip, which will whet the appetite of anyone thinking about making the 2-3 day journey.

Canon has been running their National Parks promotion for six years now, and they are finally coming to Zion! From June 24th to July 9th, you can borrow a Canon SLR, point-and-shoot, or video camera to shoot gorgeous Zion scenery… AND you can receive free instruction on how to do it. Yes, it’s an unabashed marketing promotion on Canon’s part, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to a) try out top-of-the-line technology for free, and b) get expert advice from Canon photography teachers/mentors. Here’s the meat of the press release from Canon:

The Canon Photography in the Parks Program offers participants the opportunity to learn about photography or hone their skills through free professional instruction as they take part in a guided walking photo tour of some of the most scenic national park areas. Participants can bring their own equipment or borrow, at no charge, Canon equipment from a selection of EOS DSLR cameras and EF lenses, PowerShot point-and-shoot cameras, or VIXIA camcorders. Equipment is available for photographers at every skill level. Following the tour, participants have the opportunity to print their work on site, and to download their image collection later from the Program website. Visitors of all ages and experience levels are welcome to participate.

New to this year’s program are Canon video workshop sessions. Visitors can experience and learn about shooting video using VIXIA camcorders or EOS digital SLR cameras and participate in a hands-on videography demonstration with experts.

Those interested in the workshops should show up 15-30 minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. Instructors are experts at putting artistic and technical concepts into language that participants of all ages will understand and help unleash their creativity.

After wrapping up three weeks in the Grand Canyon, Photography in the Parks will be coming to Springdale, UT for the first time, from June 24th until July 9th. Instructors will lead photo and video workshops three times daily at 8:30, 12:30 and 4:30 pm from the pedestrian entrance of Zion National Park located in the Zion Canyon Giant Screen Theatre complex. We recommend and encourage participants to take the Springdale shuttle which will drop off passengers next to the park entrance where the Photography in the Parks registration is also located.

Browse the full Zion workshop schedule on Canon’s Photography in the Parks page.

It’s not canyoneering, and it’s not in Zion, but exploring long-lost caves and ancient paintings in France is pretty cool. If you’re in Springdale this evening looking for something to do, check out the free Z-Arts! presentation of Cave of Forgotten Dreams, an excellent documentary from Werner Herzog. If you’re interested, just drop by the Canyon Community Center (126 Lion Boulevard, just up the street from Zion Adventure Company) a few minutes before the film starts at 7 PM. Here’s the official even release from Z-Arts!:

June 15, 2012, Friday
Z-Arts! Film Presentation
7:00 pm – Canyon Community Center, Springdale
Free

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011)
A Film by Werner Herzog
Run Time:  90 minutes

Cave Of Forgotten Dreams, a breathtaking new documentary from the incomparable Werner Herzog (Encounters at the End of the World, Grizzly Man), follows an exclusive expedition into the nearly inaccessible Chauvet Cave in France, home to the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man. One of the most successful documentaries of all time, Cave Of Forgotten Dreams is an unforgettable cinematic experience that provides a unique glimpse of pristine artwork dating back to human hands over 30,000 years ago — almost twice as old as any previous discovery.

For more information see http://www.caveofforgottendreams.co.uk/ 

Dan Ransom’s 22-minute documentary, “Last of the Great Unknown,” is receiving great reviews on the adventure film documentary circuit this summer. The Aspen Times wrote a nice review in anticipation of the 5Point Film Festival (April 26 – 29) and Outside Magazine picked “Last of the Great Unknown” as one of it’s Top Ten Documentaries from the Mountainfilm Festival (Memorial Day weekend) in Telluride. The acclaimed Banff Mountain Film Festival (Oct 27 – Nov 4) has yet to make final film selections, but will announce them on their website at the end of July. Here’s hoping Ransom and canyoneering get to show their stuff in that great annual showcase of fine outdoor films.

Clouds at Cow Camp

Al enjoying Upper Brimstone Canyon

Went down to Escalante for a little Neon action. It being June and all, and a hot year to boot, and knowing Neon was dry dry dry; for this trip Mike Schasch and I convinced our guests that running daytrips out of a car-camp would be a much better plan than backpacking down (and back up!) in this kinda heat. (Some pictures by ME, some pics by Mike Schasch.)

This was the third and final spring Neon trip for Zion Adventure Company Mike and I ran, and each trip was very, very different. Some were inspired by the Neon Trip Jonathan and I did with Greg Aiello and Motion TV. And some were just inspired by the beauty of the Golden Cathedral, and signed on up… like Gary, Al and Dennis from the Portland Area, who are experienced mountaineers (or, at least, golfers) and therefore used to suffering (or, in Dennis’s case, frustration).

First day, I reached 10 years into my past and remembered a delightful day in March I spent in upper Brimstone and upper Spooky with Larry Halford. It did not click with me that: A. I have a terrible memory; and B. March and June do not have the same weather. So we wandered around in the sun and it was very hot. Finally found a good section of Upper Brimstone that was quite narrow for a wonderfully long time. We enjoyed the cool of it, with some downclimbs, some squeezin’s and some snakes! Then we wandered around in the hot sun again to get back to the car. It was… kinda like fun, only different.

The crew in the glow of the Golden Cathedral

Back to camp for a glorious sunset, and vigorous attempts to refill the depleted reservoirs of precious bodily fluids. I had no problem convincing folks that an early start was a good idea for Neon. With light packs, it took us exactly 2 hours to get to the mouth of Neon, where we took a long break. Then back into the sun, up and along the rim to the “More Fun” entrance – one hour and 15 minutes in the sun was tolerated, barely. Another bit of lunch and a brief siesta in the cool of the canyon, and then we were off downcanyon with some downclimbs, the occasional rappel, and of course the keeper pothole that people find so intimidating – Mike almost climbed it without assistance. We were up and out fairly quickly, and the pool afterwards was wonderfully cool, if only waist deep. We lingered for a bit.

Then back into the sun, past the sport entrance, down the downclimb, another rappel, then to the main Keeper, now with the wishbone in place, and the BIG EVENT, big finish.

We pumped water and lingered in the holy space of the Cathedral, but eventually, the sun had to be braved and we hiked out via Fence. A few clouds really helped with the exit hike, and we cleared the summit before dark. A long day, but very satisfying… thanks to all for a great day out in the wilderness.

Wolf Schuster, founder of American Canyoneers

I first met Wolfgang Schuster when he brought his family to Zion for a canyoneering course in 2007. An ex-fighter pilot with laser focus and a wry humor, Wolf calls it like he sees it and loves to get straight to the point. Wolf quickly became hooked on canyons, and over the years, we have gotten together for some great canyoneering trips. This last winter, Wolf stunned me by sticking his neck out and leading the charge in establishing a new not-for-profit canyoneering organization, American Canyoneers, dedicated to improving access problems and relationships between land managers and the public in the canyoneering world. Wolf and a cadre of other dedicated volunteers have impressed me with their professional approach to setting up the organization, outlining their mission, gaining 501c3 status, and creating a board representing a wide swath of the canyoneering community. Kudos to everyone involved.

Taking a professional approach to founding American Canyoneers also meant it took some time, so AC was waited until now to formally organize a membership drive. The time has come, however, so please take a moment to look into the organization. If the “ACES” mission fits with your own, please consider joining to help play a role in evolving this new and promising group.

Thanks for getting the ball rolling, Wolf!

American Canyoneers Appeal for Membership 

Canyoneering is experiencing rapid growth in the United States. With it, the effects of increased demands and impacts on canyon resources are providing glimpses of what the future of canyoneering could be like, including limitations on access.

Some of the areas currently regulated or closed include:

•• Deer Creek, a popular gem of the Grand Canyon, has been closed to canyoneering.

•  Many of the canyons on the Navajo nation are closed or require a permit and/or a guide.

•• Canyons on Apache Tribal Lands require a permit and/or a guide.

•• Zion National Park has closed access to several canyons, some due to sensitive resources and private land access issues. Any technical canyoneering requires purchase of a permit.

•• Arches National Park is currently developing a Climbing and Canyoneering Management Plan. Canyoneering in the Fiery Furnace requires a permit.

•• Snow Canyon State Park has two established routes. One has seasonal closures for falcon nesting, and both require that canyoneers attain a permit.

•• Upon learning a canyoneering route had been established in 2011, Goblin Valley State Park immediately responded by closing the resource until they could establish their regulatory system for canyoneering. The resourse is now open, but requires a permit.

Just a few areas of concern for potential future closures include:

• Death Valley is considering regulating canyoneering access by using a permit system similar to that of Zion National Park. This could pose serious problems for canyoneers due to logistical issues related to long canyon days, great distances of canyons from the visitor center, and lack of internet (or even cell phone) access throughout most of the park.

•• Grand Canyon is in the process of finalizing regulations for canyoneering, which is complicated by logistical challenges, including land and river travel limitations.

•* Zion/BLM: Birch Hollow canyon is growing in popularity and a permit may be required for descent in the future.

Many problems related to increased demands and impact can be prevented, mitigated, or overcome. Communication and cooperation among the canyoneering community, and the people and agencies that manage the resources we cherish, will be fundamental to protecting canyoneering resources for use, enjoyment, and environmental quality. The mission of the American Canyoneers is to facilitate this process by working for ACES: Access, Communication, Education, and Safety.

We need your help! Join the American Canyoneers in our work on ACES. Become a founding member, and help us start this important movement for just $5.00 for your first year, or $25 for your first two years’ membership. You’ll receive voting privileges, as well as the knowledge you are supporting future canyoneering access, plus more benefits to come. Join by June 23 to be eligible to vote on the first board of directors (anyone who has already donated is already a member).

Ready to became a member? The best way to become a member is to join via the PayPal portal on Membership Page.

Thanks for your support!

American Canyoneers Interim Board of Directors
Bo Beck
Sonny Lawrence
Malia McIlvenna
Rich Rudow
Wolfgang Schuster

Yesterday while descending Water Canyon with a small CAD I learned a little something about quicksand. Over the past several years I have experienced quicksand, quickmud, and various other mires, but NOTHING like what I experienced in Water Canyon on 4/18.

After descending into Middle Water Canyon, we got past the first three raps and started heading down the long hallway into Lower Water Canyon. About half way through this section, we experienced a couple of sloppy, sucking sand areas, but nothing above the knees, which made extraction casual. Moments later, however, I stepped off of a rock in the middle of the watercourse and INSTANTLY sank to my crotch into thin, watery sand. It was somewhat entertaining initially, and I took 10 seconds or so to have the moment captured photographically for all to see. Within those 10 seconds, the sand solidified around my legs and developed the consistency of concrete. I was unable to move any muscle below my waist, so I started digging and scooping water and sand to attempt to free myself from the sucky obstacle. After 10 minutes of digging, damming up the flow to better remove sand and water from the area, and attempting to lay flat, I was still unable to free myself. Enlisting help from the others, we were still unable to make headway with the extraction, as all attempts to dig out were thwarted by sand filling back into the hole. I also realized that no matter what force was used, there was NO WAY that I would be able to be “pulled free” without separating all of my joints below the waist. Reassessing the dilemma, we began to approach the problem more seriously…

First, we built platforms for people to lie on so they wouldn’t be pulled into the quicksand. We used tools (stones, helmets, sticks) to improve our digging abilities. We had multiple people digging to better stay ahead of the refilling of sand… all this seemed to have little-to-no effect. This went on for 40 minutes before I began to feel some physical pain from the constriction. One of my clients, Adam, and I discussed the fact I was quickly becoming a victim of compression or “crush” syndrome. As the sand kept refilling the cavity around me it becamenoticeably tighter and eventually was hindering blood flow in my legs, causing minor amounts of ischemia;  after 40 minutes, this was creating severe and uncontrollable lower leg cramps that I could not remedy, as it was impossible to move my legs. Yikes.

Adam and I digging frantically to try to make progress

Adam and I dug in again, this time at a faster pace, agitating the sand and then quickly digging it out. Eventually, we freed my right leg. Amber, another client, climbed into the mix to help excavate and extract. She worked VERY quickly digging (not unlike a dog digging a hole) and was able to reach my foot, which made it possible to pull the left leg out. Whew! A close call I never could have imagined from my prior experiences. As we continued down-canyon, I noticed many more areas of the canyon which had potential to hold this sort of quicksand and should be crossed with care.

Quicksand lessons learned:

1. If you sink into quicksand, even a slight amount, work very quickly to pull yourself from it (preferably in a flat or lying position). Don’t stop moving! Immediately start, and don’t stop working your way out.

2. No matter how entertaining it may be, don’t take 5-10 seconds to take a picture, as this is all the time it can take for the sand to solidify.

3. Dig VERY QUICKLY while agitating the sand to better free yourself. Think you’re digging quickly enough? No, you’re not!

4. Ask for help. In certain positions, it is virtually impossible to quickly dig yourself out if the angle is awkward.

5. If the sand continues to fill it could potentially get tighter causing much more severe issues.

6. Maintain good communication with anyone buried in quicksand, as claustrophobia can easily take hold.

Great to learn lessons like this. Painful, but a worthy lesson in an area I thought I had mastered in my past.

May 2012 issue of St. George Magazine

St. George Magazine did a story on “adventure in Southern Utah” for their May issue, and we made the cover! Well, one of our clients made the cover, and one of our guides was on the other side of the lens (we still aren’t sure who). Writer Lisa Larson interviewed Shelley Buckingham, our outfitting manager, for the piece, and they have a slimmed-down version of the article online. It’s much better to see all the great pictures though, so check out the virtual magazine for the best viewing experience.

5 Local Tours to Enjoy in Our Backyard
By Lisa Larson

Living in the red rock beauty of Southern Utah, it’s easy to take the nearness of these natural wonders for granted. While there are countless tourists from around the world that descend on national parks like Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon, recreation spots such as Lake Powell and a variety of slot canyons, it’s remarkable the number of locals who have yet to experience all that Southern Utah has to offer.   For those who are unsure where to begin, there are a variety of guided and self-guided tours available, whether you’re looking for adventure, history or serenity.

Living in the red rock beauty of Southern Utah, it’s easy to take the nearness of these natural wonders for granted. While there are countless tourists from around the world that descend on national parks like Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon, recreation spots such as Lake Powell and a variety of slot canyons, it’s remarkable the number of locals who have yet to experience all that Southern Utah has to offer. Read the Entire Article

For those of you who have visited the ZAC store recently, you may have noticed a few new changes to our building. In addition to our new Fuzo Overland vehicle parked out front, you’ll also see our newly landscaped area as well!

On April 3rd, a handful of our staff members pulled together and put on a Planting Day to improve the area in front of our building. We planted desert, water-wise plants such as Yucca and Penstemon to create a xeri-scaped rock garden from our parking lot out to SR-9.

Aside from planting, we have since been working on laying down weed-barrier, a drip irrigation system, and decorative gravel. Stop by and check it out!

As I jogged along the Pa’rus Trail this week I thought to myself, “Wow, Pa’rus sure isn’t like Angel’s Landing or Observation Point, but I really like this trail.” Here are my favorite things about the under-rated and under-appreciated Pa’rus Trail:

1. At 3.5 miles round-trip, it is the perfect running distance for anyone who wants to get a quick jog in before they start the day, or maybe just before dinner.

2. Minimal elevation change on this trail (50ft) means that walking, running, or biking here will not need maximal physical exertion, unlike many of Zion’s steep, craggy trails. In fact, the Pa’rus is a great place for a causal sunset or moonlit stroll with a loved one, where conversation is more important than accomplishment.

3. This is the only trail in the park that is puppy and bicycle friendly, so if your little furry friend is getting tired of being cooped up at your campsite, help him get some energy out by walking him on the Pa’rus.

4. The wide paved trail allows for many people to share the trail all at once without any bottle-necking like you might find on top of Angel’s Landing. Great for families who want to walk two or three-abreast, or folks who want to stop along the trail to look at birds or flowers for a while.

5. The Pa’ Rus Trail is easily accessible from the Park’s Visitors Center and via the South Campground. When we’re traveling with family and friends, it can really help to steal away for an hour for some personal time, and the length and proximity of the Pa’ Rus is just right.

6. Beautiful water, graceful bridges, and soaring cliff scenery provides perfect photo opportunities for the budding or seasoned photographer, with no jockeying for position or crowds to get in your way.

7. There are many access points for taking a dip in the Virgin River, which makes this a great place to cool off in the middle of a scorching summer day.

8. Kids and adults alike will be interested in the many trail-side exhibits which offer insightful facts on the surrounding area.

So, go lace up your walking/running shoes or grab your bike, bring the puppy, your swimsuit, sunscreen and water, and head to the Pa’rus Trail. It may not be glamorous or famous, but Pa’ Rus provides a great every-day walk that has something for everybody and is every bit as beautiful as the hikes that make you huff and puff.

Bill Westerhoff explains why Zion is so awesome

ABC’s Los Angeles affiliate Channel 7 recently visited Southern Utah for their “Eye on LA” show. Host Tina Malave joined ZAC guide Bill Westerhoff for a rappelling excursion up in Cave Valley, one of the gorgeous plateau valleys you’ll find on the way up the Kolob Terrace Road. I wasn’t able to post the video here, but you can check it out on the ABC 7 site.