Zion NP

Walker Gulch, Zion NP, Utah

On the Ropewiki map for Walker Gulch, there is a skull and crossbones at the head of the canyon, warning people about an overhanging shelf that should be avoided at all costs. Not exactly the normal type of beta for a canyon, but definitely the makings of an interesting day. The beta is located here: Walker Gulch - ropewiki. No permits are required as this canyon is just outside the park. Our hike in started near the 4-wheel-drive parking lot above Orderville Canyon after we exited Birch Hollow. It was early afternoon on a very cold January day and the temperatures were finally warming up above freezing. The sun felt incredible on our faces. We scrambled up some slopes and washes until we reached a mesa with a well-defined trail along an ATV route with fresh tire tracks. We followed the trail for another mile to the head of [...]

By |2025-02-06T21:25:27+00:00January 11, 2025|canyoneer, Utah|0 Comments
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Birch Hollow, Zion NP, Utah

This winter we are having some very unique weather conditions in southern Utah. It has been extremely dry but also very cold, resulting in any water remaining in the canyons being completely frozen, which has made some canyoneering routes unusually accessible for this time of year. A couple of weeks ago, we decided to descend Birch Hollow and explore Walker Gulch in an area adjacent to Zion NP. It was a freezing day, but an amazing experience to see these canyons during the winter! Birch Hollow is one of the most beloved and heavily guided canyons near Zion. Being just outside the park boundary, it does not require a permit and commercial guiding is permitted. Beta can be found here: Birch Hollow - ropewiki. Birch was one of the first canyons that Max and I descended on our own when we were beginning our canyoneering journey. It was our [...]

By |2025-02-05T00:25:40+00:00January 11, 2025|canyoneer, Utah|0 Comments
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Minaret Canyon to Mineral Gulch

Continuing our hikeaneering spree in May, we explored a new route in the remote East Fork of the Virgin River near Zion NP. The goal was to walk down to Mineral Gulch, which is normally accessed via Meadow Creek and is a 16-mile round-trip hike. However, being able to descend Minaret Canyon easily turns this trek into an exciting day trip, well worth the price of admission, which involves a 4WD vehicle with good clearance. We met very early in the morning at the Elephant Cove trailhead, ready for a long day. Our adventure began with a 10-mile drive down a deep-sand and very sketchy OHV road. With each branching, the trail got more narrow and more sandy if possible. After what felt like a very bumpy eternity, but was probably about 30-40 minutes, we descended a large and very sandy hill and found the small parking pullout. Who [...]

By |2024-09-03T23:42:04+00:00May 12, 2024|canyoneer, hikeaneer, Utah|0 Comments
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Fat Man’s Misery, Zion NP, Utah

Fat Man’s Misery is one of the ultimate hikeaneering adventures in Zion NP. Located just outside the park, this route features a grueling but beautiful hike into the Zion backcountry and requires decent navigation skills to get where you’re going and back out. If there was ever a route that could be considered going uphill both ways, this would be it. No permits are required for this canyon aside from the entry fee into Zion. Canyon beta is available here: Canyoneering Misery (Fat Mans) East / West Forks - Zion East Side - Road Trip Ryan It was a balmy day at the end of April when we met up early with our friend Brian Connelly at a pullout near Checkerboard Mesa in Zion NP. The weather was just right – highs around 70, which would mean we could warm up in the sunny stretches between the wet canyon [...]

By |2024-06-28T15:40:25+00:00April 28, 2024|canyoneer, hikeaneer, Utah|0 Comments
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