[TR] Zion - Sand Dune Summits 11/3/2014

[dberdinka]

Trip: Zion - Sand Dune Summits

 

Date: 11/3/2014

 

Trip Report:

Over the years I've made a habit of quick trips to Zion to knock off one more obscure wall or another. I doubt there is a corporation more openly hostile to its customers than Allegiant Airlines. However, living in Bellingham, they are supremely convenient. You can work a full day and still make it to Zion by midnight. Spend a couple days adventuring then make it home in time for lunch.

 

Last year I scored in early November with perfect weather and a completely deserted park. This year I went for a repeat. Of course as the day approached the forecast deteriorated as the first "major" winter storm coincided exactly with my itinerary. Climbing was out so I chose to instead explore an area I've become increasingly enamored by, The Great West Canyons of North Creek.

 

This exceedingly rugged area occupies a large portion of the park but with the exception of the famous Subway is rarely visited. Almost alpine in nature there are numerous named and unnamed summits, many of which have yet to be climbed. I settled on repeating the high point of the Bishopric. This prominent sandstone pyramid may have only received it's first ascent in 2007. Cross bedding allows for typically easy scrambling on what appear to be steep blank slabs.

 

Between rainstorms, thunder, hail and flash floods I managed to stumble into the area and climb the peak as well a handful of other obscure domes. While the hardest climbing I did was a 20' slab of 5.0 the trip was as every bit as amazing as well every other trip I've ever made to Zion. Can't wait to go back.

 

Good weather in 2013

 

 

 

On the Approach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the Storm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bishopric

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Guardian Angel

 

 

 

 

Mighty Mount Ivins

 

 

 

 

Desert Alpine

 

 

Approach Notes:

Follow the Elk Tracks

[Trent]

Great pictures Darin; looks like a fun trip. I recently been went canyoneering at Zion and have been subsequently hooked. It is an amazing place.

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Looks like fun, I need to get back to that place! Did you get up Ivins?

[dougd]

Enjoyed the pics. On a motorcycle trip a couple years ago, rode through Zion. It was June. Lots of people. I thought, man I gotta get back here some day and do some exploring...

 

This TR reminds me there is unfinished business down there. It will fester now until I get it done.

 

d

[curtveld]

Awesome - Tuolumne in technicolor! And I had no idea the SW produced elk in those numbers.

[wayne]

Nice report! I have always been fascinated with the white capstone there. Probably a fatal attraction on my part, would not be the first. Is it as bad as they say?

[ivan]

sure wish zion was closer...

[stevetimetravlr]

Beautiful photography. Never been, but it looks spectacular.

[Matt_Alford]

Aliens?...Desert Sasquatch?

 

Looks Rad D...way to get after it.

 

M

[JasonG]

Indeed. Thanks for the reminder that there are a lot more options than most of us realize.

[dberdinka]

Wayne - the cap rock is climbable but highly variable and appears to generally get more weathered and friable as the angle increases. There are a handful of good routes that all tend to be very slabby or follow blocky ridges. As the angle increases I think you would be looking at bottoming rounded cracks with a friable and sandy skin and the real potential to rip entire pitches. The unclimbed summits out there are are unclimbed for good reason.

 

In the area I was in I would highly recommend the South Guardian Angel. It's got to be one of the most classic summit experiences in North America. Seriously, it's that good.

 

Heard good things about the west ridge of East Temple which is probably the hardest of the cap rock "trade" routes. Over the years people have done some pretty astounding traverses with hard climbing on bad rock and huge adventurous descents.

[JasonG]

Thanks for the SGA recommendation, I had never heard of it before. Amazing looking though! Care to share any others of the same ilk?

[lunger]

yeah great pics, esp appreciated the sunset burst after the storm. agree that the whole set makes me want to get back to Zion again soon--spectacular place. thanks for the reminder.