Neon, and more specifically the Golden Cathedral, may be one of the most photographed spots in Escalante The last rap into the cathedral is amazing, but the canyon above is equally beautiful Neon Canyon is one not to miss Hikers without technical canyoneering skills can hike up the bottom of Neon to visit the Golden Cathedral and return the same way Though this makes a long hike, I recommend it as the area is stunning and the Cathedral a unique and awe-inspiring place Warning!!! Neon contains keeper potholes! Go ...

The Wasatch is steeped in climbing history Start in the 1960s; climbers have pioneered and enjoyed almost countless routes on the granite cliffs in Little Cottonwood Canyon I started climbing in the mid-1990s, and the routes up Little Cottonwood were where I learned traditional climbing With names like Split Pants, Schoolroom, Chicken Chickenhead, and Satans Corner, the routes always held adventure The climbing in LCC, for me, is memorable and a highlight of the climbing I have done The other highlight simply bein...

Pasture is a classic White Roost Canyon The canyon is quite beginner friendly, having relatively short rappels, and moderate downclimbs that can be well spotted Although the technical slot section is somewhat short, it offers some great scenery The standard exit is an improbable route that winds sinuously up from the canyon floor using several sets of cowboy moki steps Classic! Pasture Canyon is not to be missed if you are looking for a beginner friendly canyon or are just out for a casual day Looking for a bit of...

Oink, oink, oink, the Hogs!! The 4 Hog Canyons are some of my favorites in North Wash When I first visited them in about 2004, I was surprised at their beauty, and their difficulty They offer a small notch up from many of the North Wash Canyons, and serve as a great intermediate playground The 4 forks all have different characters, and are short enough a motivated group can easily do 2 or 3 in a day A very motivated group might be able to do all 4, but I have heard of few who have actually done them all in a day T...

U-Turn, perched high above Park Avenue provides a great adventure in Arches The canyon in well suited to beginners, and provides unparalleled views of the park This is a great route year around, but best done in the evenings during the hottest times of the year The approach gully goes into the shade several hours before sunset, making evening approaches pleasant in the summer

Upper Three Fingers is a great little canyon, in an easy to access, yet remote feeling part of the SwellIt's short nature make it a good beginner canyon Although it does have keeper potholes, beginners with teamwork should be able to overcome them The views where the canyon drops behind the reef are second to none Couple this one with Upper Greasewood or [my:linkToObject type="trip" id="471" text="Hyde Draw&q...

Ah Clearwater Canyon! My first trip through in 2003 was one of the biggest canyoneering trips I had done up till then We, not knowing anything about the canyon, descended it loaded for bear with about 700+ feet of rope, bolt kit, wetsuits, etc The canyon turned out to be a more or less casual romp deep in the backcountry Over the years I had wanted to get back to it, but the opportunity never arose Finally, in 2015 with Diane, I made another trip through and found the canyon much prettier than I had remembered Cle...

Swett and Woodruff canyons, although neighbors, have very different characters Woodruff, at least the lower half, is riparian with large cottonwoods, willows, small waterfalls, and an intermittent stream, The scenery in Woodruff tends to be open, with low canyon walls and short narrow sections Canyon walls here are generally Wingate sandstone, and take the shape of large domes and rounded top walls Swett, in contrast, starts out with shallow Navajo narrows, then opens into a lovely valley with nice views of the L...

If it weren't for its final obstacle, I am convinced the North Fork of Iron Wash would be deemed a Swell classic The canyon offers a short approach, short exit, and very nice narrow section The upper section, in particular, has many beautifully sculpted pools and small drops A rarity in the Swell, the canyon also tends to have crystal clear, clean water This canyon is a gem! The downside The end of the canyon has a serious obstacle to overcome, a 5 m deep keeper pothole It HAS been conquered via several pack t...

Tom Jones named Ho Hum Canyon after our descent of the canyon in December 2004 The name is harsher than it probably deserves, and I found the canyon had more charm than Tom did Compared to the nearby canyons such as White Roost, Chambers, and North Fork of Robbers Roost, Ho Hum is not as dramatic Ho Hum is short, but does have some downclimb and other challenges that make it interesting It also drops into the upper reaches of the North Fork of Robbers Roost, which I think is a delightful and beautiful section of c...