winter in zion

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Messages 1 - 4 of total 4 in this topic
Pcutler

climber
Iowa
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 1, 2015 - 07:39am PT
Anybody have recommendations on winter slot canyons in zion? Would like to find something with no snow, a little sun and no water. Something with some narrows, and rappels.

Ben909

Trad climber
toronto
Dec 1, 2015 - 08:51am PT
I cant help you with a specific recommendation, but you will likely find your answers here:

http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/zion/60-canyon-descriptions/zion-national-park-area/?layout=blog

I've done some canyons in november and december, and found cheap drysuits ($50-100) at Zion Adventure Company. They are old rentals, but still very serviceable.
Brian in SLC

Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 1, 2015 - 12:58pm PT
Can be tough sleddin' in the winter in Zion unless you're willing to rent a drysuit (and be darn careful!).

No snow, little sun and no water...hmmm....

Behunin gets done in the cold season a fair bit. I did it in mid Feb this year. Sees enough sun, short bits of wading aren't too bad. There can be a gob of snow at times, so, that'd make a bunch of the slab traverses pretty sketchy.

Telephone might work if there's not much snow.

Spry can be ok in the winter (have done sans wetsuit in December...not smart). Short swim/wade at the end and if its sunny you might not freeze. Maybe.

Have done Boundary Canyon in the winter. Dry as a bone (frozen) and Kolob only a bit of creek flow and a pool or two to swim that were in the sun (but might not be). Glad to have a wetsuit and sun. If no sun, woulda been really chilly. If you weren't afraid of carrying a bit of rope, you could just jug back out rather than get wet.

Have done Imlay in the winter but wouldn't recommend it (drysuit, scary conditions).

If Pine Creek has low water conditions...might be ok, especially with a wet/dry suit.

Usually, Keyhole has only the last hallway that's a swimmer (wading/stemming) and it comes out into the open so the pain of freezing to death would be short lived...but...I'd still wear a thick wetsuit.

Middle Echo accumulates snow and can be super dangerous in the winter/spring (park closes it now, but I'm not sure the timing on it).

Birch Hollow could be ok but also dependent on how deep the snow is. Ditto Englestead (which also can have a ton of hanging ice which could be sketchy). Avoid water by going back upstream (which could be a slog in snowy conditions).

Lodge Canyon if its not too snowy on the hike over from the trailhead. Hidden Canyon same deal.
John Duffield

Mountain climber
New York
Dec 1, 2015 - 01:09pm PT
I liked the Hidden canyon. It was up pretty high. You can see where someone added "major" to scrambing required.






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