Introduction to Canyoneering
 Contorted
canyons, deep and narrow, have been gnawed into the sandstone skull of the Colorado
Plateau by countless years of erosion. Flash floods rip through these chasms
on a regular basis, moving around boulders, depositing logs and other debris,
and cutting — always cutting — deeper and deeper into the rock.
These canyons, ever-changing corridors
leading to pure adventure, have given rise to the challenging sport called canyoneering.
Explorers who brave the dark depths of these canyons often have to scramble
over rocks, climb up or rappel down dry falls, and swim through pools of dark
water.
The lure of canyoneering is difficult
to describe. It blends together the beauty of red rock canyons and the enthralling
experience of overcoming physical and mental challenges. It combines the beauty
of a delicately carved and polished rock illuminated by a single shaft of sunlight
in a dimly lit crack, the physical challenge of muscling your way over a huge
chokestone, and the emotional workout you experience when you discover you can’t
go back the way you came, that your only hope for survival is to slide off a
rock into chocolate-milk colored water and swim forward into a dark pit.
Jud Eades founded a company called
Adrenalin Sports to encourage participation in canyoneering and other adventure
sports. He has been hiking the canyons of southern Utah and northern Arizona
since he was a toddler. He now specializes in exploring technical slot canyons,
the chasms so narrow you can often touch both walls and so challenging that
you need rock climbing and rappelling skills to get through.
"Some of our best canyons
are in areas so remote that you won’t ever see other people," he said.
"Sometimes when I’m pushing into a side canyon I get a feeling that it
has never been explored."
Jud and his cohorts are so serious
about canyoneering that they had grommets sewn into their backpacks so water
will drain out after they swim potholes. They also had special shoes made combining
sticky rubber soles (similar to climbing shoes) with Neoprene-and-mesh uppers.
Several companies are now introducing canyoneering-type shoes similar to those
Jud developed.
Canyoneering can be as easy or
as difficult as you make it, Jud says. Utah offers many moderate canyon hikes
that are appropriate for beginners and families. Some canyons (particularly
those requiring wading or swimming) can be hiked comfortably during the heat
of summer. Others can be hiked during the dead of winter. He provided the following
list of canyons to help people get started:
"Little Wildhorse Canyon
in the San Rafael Swell is perhaps our best slot for families. It’s a great
little adventure that is not very difficult. There are good facilities close
by at Goblin Valley, " he said. "The Subway in Zion Park, the Black
Hole in White Canyon and Crack Canyon in the Swell make good medium adventures
that don’t require any technical skills or gear."
For extreme adventure he loves
Mystery Canyon in Zion. "My friends will kill me for publicizing it. It’s
a technical one that requires probably 15 rappels. Most average 40 feet. There
are two that are over 100 feet. You start up on top of the East Rim trail, in
the ponderosa pines, and descend into a steep, rocky gully. You think you see
the bottom of the canyon but what you are seeing is the top of the slot — it’s
so narrow.
"You work your way down several
hundred feet to the bottom. Then you work your way past several minor obstacles
that you can negotiate around without having to rappel, before hitting the really
tight section. The slot ranges from 18 inches wide to 4 feet wide. Then you
must do seven rappels one after another. The second-to-last rappel is over 100
feet high. You rappel down into an emerald pool with hanging gardens surrounding
you and water seeping out of the walls.
"At the end of the hike you
actually rappel right into the Zion Narrows. All of the tourists in the Narrows
think it is one of the most marvelous things they have ever seen as you rappel
down a waterfall. The hike is about seven miles long and takes most of one day.
Permits are required; get them at the backcountry desk at the Visitor Center.
by Jud Eades
Host on the Utah Outdoors on KSL Radio Show
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