chris54 Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Hello Me and a buddy are thinking about going on a guided canyoneering trip this spring or summer. I was looking for suggestion on an area or guide service that any one has used or preferred. Looking at a three to four day trip. Thanks for any info Quote
ScaredSilly Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 Your best bet would be to head to Zion National Park area. Lots of good stuff to keep you entertained. I have never used a guide for canyoneering as I have managed to keep the nonsense level high enough. That said send Tom a note: http://www.canyoneeringusa.com He can point you in the right direction. Though be advised that there is no guiding within ZIon National Park proper. However, there are a few canyons inside the park like the Subway, Key Hole, and Pine Creek that can be done guideless without dying though that has not stopped many. Quote
genepires Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 +1 to zion. very user friendly (means lots of bolt anchors) if you must be guided, maybe tom can point you to places/companies that are worthwhile. Escalante has slots. (canyons) I think there are slots that are outside of the park proper that can be guided as well. ask the local guide outfit outside of the zion park. are you looking for a canyon that will take 3 days? That is a long time to spend in a canyon. When I have gone, it is always with a hustle "get the frack outta here" mentality. flash floods are real. a four days forecast is sketchy. Quote
matt_warfield Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Think about Lake Powell. It's warm and has a huge number of canyons. Do some research because it is a big area. One of my favorite outdoor experiences was to kayak in to what turned out to be a little wider than a kayak slot, then hike into the biggest cave I have ever seen. The locals will know but the 4 Corners area is awesome as is Zion. You just have to know what your goal is: slot canyon, little bigger, even bigger, or as big as the Grand. I Edited January 21, 2013 by matt_warfield Quote
Rad Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 Look at typical forecasts before you go. We were contemplating a family trip to Zion next summer and saw that July is the month with lots of thunderstorms and flash floods. You can have blue skies overhead, but if it rained in the mountains upstream you can be hosed, literally. Quote
mattp Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 I'm not entirely sure that what you mean by canyoneering. The note above about the danger or upstream thunderstorms is correct, but there are a lot of exciting trips in the canyons of southern Utah and nearby Arizona that may or may not invoke that hazard and weather forecasts are not to be ignored. Rad is right: flash floods are not to be underestimated. But these are spectacular areas and I bet you will enjoy your trips down there, hiking below the rim and into the canyons. Quote
matt_warfield Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) If you want a true slot canyon, do Paria river. But with slots, expect scrambling, wading, and a fair amount of other adventure. Zion is going to be more open, not as dangerous as in being confined. Google Aron Ralston. But as discussed above, you do not want to be in these canyons when there is rain. Flash flood in a slot is bad. I agree with mattp, we are not sure about what you mean by canyoneering. Edited January 21, 2013 by matt_warfield Quote
OlympicMtnBoy Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 I had a great 3 day loop trip in the Robbers Roost area last year with a bunch of short rappels and scrambling but no swimming (exposed up climb on the exit). I took a canyon newbie and we had a great time but I'm not sure of any guides there. Are you looking to don a dry suit and dry bags and do a technical overnight trip? Some backpacking with some slot scrambling? A series of day trips from a base camp? Quote
Farrgo Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) My buddy has been doing canyoneering/rock climbing guiding from Zion the past two-years and will do it this year also. PM me if interested... Edited January 22, 2013 by Farrgo Quote
luvshaker Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) As stated....Day trips with lots of rappelling and swimming, go to Zion. You can get updated forecasts from the ranger. Longer, more secluded trips think about the Escalante River area. Incredible place. Should be able to find guides for both areas. Search "Little Death Hollow" for fun. Definatly a DIY Edited January 23, 2013 by luvshaker Quote
tvashtarkatena Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 Zion's Subway (long day or 2 day) and Keyhole (1/2 day) are great first canyoneering trips. Water temps are around 50 - be prepared for that. Guided trips with a lot of swimming supply drysuits. Orderville Canyon is a cool long day, low tech day. It dumps out into the Virgin River, though - lots of wade and swim the last 2 miles or so. July's fine - just watch the wetter. Buckskin Gulch is another area fave - 13 miles or so, one escape hatch midway. Non technical. Be ready for 100+ temps up top. Lake Powell is a huge toilet bowl, complete with floaters. Its really, really disgusting, particularly in summer. Half burned car batteries in fire rings 5 feet apart - the white trash power boating community has really redecorated the place up nice. They should definitely drain that shithole. Quote
matt_warfield Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 thumbs up on Escalante. I sort of agree on Lake Powell but the tourons are on the middle of the lake. Lots of canyons on the sides with nobody. But imagine that place before the damn dam. Quote
tvashtarkatena Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 I kayaked on Powell for 10 days. The slickrock shore is covered in several inches of grey, stinking slime. Two of the arms were closed due to fecal contamination. I bumped a grogon with my paddle - a first in any body of water for me. Every beach was a garbage pile save one - way up the Escalante, inaccessible to motor craft due to a logjam. The lake has shrunk to a fraction of its original size - making water quality problems even worse. That was my experience, anyway. It probably looked a lot better when Charlie Heston swam away from his spacecraft in Planet of the Apes. Quote
tvashtarkatena Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 I did meet a cool lady in a 1960's motor boat who said she'd been boating on the lake since the damn was built. It took about a decade to fill, during which time she and her family started plying its waters, watching cliff after cliff collapse into the water due to undercutting. There are countless petroglyphs and other remains down there. Quote
matt_warfield Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 My kayak trip at Powell was 35 yrs. ago and was more pleasant. But any reservoir just accumulates problems. Quote
matt_warfield Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 I did meet a cool lady in a 1960's motor boat who said she'd been boating on the lake since the damn was built. It took about a decade to fill, during which time she and her family started plying its waters, watching cliff after cliff collapse into the water due to undercutting. There are countless petroglyphs and other remains down there. It is a travesty of nature and one of the biggest abominations in the western U.S. The east has New Jersey. Quote
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