This is probably one of my favorite hikes so far - Angel Slot Canyon near the Dirty Devil area. Fairly easy (but may first be intimidating) rappels that are juicy beefy! True slot canyon squeezes that require some technical maneuvering… Oh and hey, it’s not too long! It’s another 3-4 hour, or in our case… 5-6 hour hike that’s less than 3-4 miles round trip.
Fall approaches with rain and cool weather. We found one last hurrah at Dirty Devil - near Hanksville, Utah (and the Robber’s Roost and North Wash canyoneering area).
Our first canyon - Angel Cove! The site is south of Hanksville, off some dirt paths. GPS is greatly helpful out here where dirt roads are king. There are only a few signs and people are fairly scarce in these neck of the… dessert. Here’s a handy route for reference: trimbleoutdoors.com.
Booking a kayaking venture on the day of during Labor Day weekend? Utter fail. Backup plan? Arches National Park!
Post-Canyonlands Needles hike, we were much too tired and hurt to complete the any sort of long hike at Arches. But, we fared pretty well through the short hikes to sight-see most of the highlights through the park.
We first attempted Orderville back in June and July - too much water! However, when we hit it up a couple weeks back - it made for a great hike in the summer heat with some awesome water play.
Check around the web before you attempt this one as the water levels can get quite high. It’ll be good to see what others have experienced and what extra equipment you might need if you can find information from trips just before heading down.
No wet suits, but swimsuits/quick-drying clothing, dry bags and water shoes (with good outdoor adventure socks) are definitely recommended! We also brought rope and a couple of harnesses (plus belay devices and locking biner, of course) for rappelling that we used in a couple of spots: not necessary but helpful.
Coordinate a shuttle or driver as you end up more than 10 miles from the start point - note that the end point is the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop in Zion National Park and the start point is outside the paid park grounds but you will need a backcountry permit, nevertheless.
Yet, another first for the summer: Zion National Park!
A last minute trip that resulted in many injuries, but well worth the pain. Let me start from the beginning before I get too far ahead of myself, however.
Two nights of camping and no showers later, we had one more adventure before heading home. Following a day through U-turn and Negro Bill Canyon, we decided to tackle on a longer canyoneering outing - Rock of Ages (also known as Pool Arch)!
Rock of Ages is down Kane Creek Drive. You’ll find a lot off the street for Kane Creek campground about 4.5 miles down the road from Main Street in Moab, Utah. Park at the lot outside of the fence (remember to pay the small fee, around $3 I want to say) and walk through the grounds along the 4X4 path (Pritchett Canyon Jeep Trail).
After our quick U-turn, we drove along the Colorado River (just east of Moab) to the Negro Bill Canyon trail head. We parked our beast van at the lot across from the trail and had a quick lunch before heading out.
Trailhead
On Utah Scenic Byway 128, three miles east of junction with U.S. 191.
Lisa and Zac hauled me away in their giant Sportsmobile a few weeks ago to take me on my first ever Moab camping trip.
My friend, Holly, invited me to go canyoneering over Memorial Day weekend. It was a first — I was psyched, drunk with excitement and maybe a tad scared for my life (literally as I’m still lacking health insurance… yes, I do ride around on a motorcycle without health insurance…).
I eagerly accepted Holly’s offer and fueled my shopping addiction with trips to Black Diamond and REI. Hey, Memorial Day sales, it was a good time to shop anyway! What can I say? I know, I know… My name is Lansia, and I’m a shopoholic. At least I admit it…
A few (too many) credit card swipes later, I eagerly geared up as much as my bank statement allowed — new Keen H2 sandals (thanks ShoeSteal.com for arriving so quickly and just in time!), Petzl climbing helmet and locking biner. Couple all that with the gear I already had — Black Diamond ATC belay device, REI climbing harness, Camelbak hydration system, clothes and grub. Hot diggity! I was ready and fully amped to go.
