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...

For our trip to Sardinia this year, Cristina managed to find and hook us up with 2 very talented local canyoneers, Guido and Betty. They offered to join us for a couple of days in Dorgali to show off some of the best local canyons. We had already done one in the area (Orbisis) on a previous trip, so were anxious to see some of the others.   First up is Flumineddu and Gorroppu, a full combo of about 10 hours PLUS a 2 hour each way car shuttle. Given the shuttle length, we got a crack...

Smiling Cricket Canyon, also known as Poe Canyon and even L Canyon, was first descended by Mike Bogart and Jenny Hall in 1981 and called Poe Their bold descent went unrepeated and more or less unknown for almost 30 years In 2007, Jason Pease wandered the area looking for canyons and re-found Poe, naming it Smiling Cricket He descended it in the summer of 2008 with Mark Fleck Of the three canyons in the area Happy Dog, Laughing Baboon, and Smiling Cricket, Jason and Mark ended up in the biggest of the three He and M...

The Black Hole is often touted as one of the best canyon adventures around It has amazing beauty, challenging obstacles and is a lot of fun Be warned, however, flash floods have taken lives here Competent leadership is required for a safe and great adventure Several years ago the canyon flash flooded and filled with immense log jams, making it very difficult to descend After several years, these washed out, and the canyon is back to its former self Beware, though, it is a canyon that can change dramatically Many ...

Cowboy Canyon is touted by some to be one of the better slot canyons on Cedar Mesa The narrow section is relatively short, but very nice Coupled with being technically very straightforward, this is a great outing for beginners and seasoned canyoneers alike Be warned, though, it can hold water and be cold in the spring and fall The route described here is a fairly casual 1/2 to 3/4 of a day There are two options for the return The short route, which most do, and a slightly longer exit down Gravel The long exit adds...

Quandary Canyon is one of the San Rafael Swell classic canyons It offers great scenery while giving the adventurous a chance to try their hands at pothole escapes and creative natural anchors A bypass is available to avoid dealing with the keeper potholes, but if you are doing Quandary, the direct section through the potholes is the recommended way It makes the canyon, and is one of the most beautiful sections Because of the potholes, and anchors, a minimum group size of 3 is recommended, as well as having pothole...

If it weren't for the rather lengthy approach, this would be a classic! How can such a great canyon be so far to get to Such is life I suppose Urban Cowboy does have a long approach and exit The exit is somewhat mitigated by being a great hike with an additional rappel The approach Well, I guess it's a case of eating your vegetables before getting desert To the canyon connoisseur, don't be deterred by the approach This is a full day, but a beautiful and rewarding one The canyon is short, but seldom vi...

Pandora's holds a special place in my heart It was one of the first canyons I explored without beta The first time we checked it out, we found no signs of passage, and fixed the first several drops Impressed by what we found, but out of rope and time, we retreated to come back and finish it another day Since then I have done the whole canyon several times, and just the upper section another 3 or 4 times It never fails to impress The canyon was done without the use of bolts Pandora's has a unique character ...

Elephant Butte, at 5653 ft, is the highest point in Arches National Park The route, winding through the maze of entrada fins, requires good route finding or persistence, a rappel, and a bit of lower 5th class climbing to reach some of the best views around Elephant Butte makes a great outing for those canyoneers with a little climbing experience, or climbers It is not very technical, but very rewarding with excellent views Caution: I've had several groups e-mail me recently that Elephant Butte had very challen...

When I first saw pictures of Messin Around Canyon, I was impressed and surprised I had missed it One of Road Trip Ryan's best kept secrets is the camping up off the road to Upper Stair I've spent many a nights camped up there, away from the often hectic and boisterous Sandthrax campsite I've also spent quite a bit of time wandering around the Upper Butler Canyon forks, its one of my favorite places to wander Summer 2015, I finally got a chance to descend the canyon I'll admit to being a bit disappo...