In one instance we were able to set up a kairn anchor A sandtrap wasn't at all required but would have made this little problem easier and cleaner On another we slung a flake in the wall I didn't really trust it because it sounded hollow so we backed it up with a very very solid 2 person body belay up canyon as we sent the heaviest person down first The back-up body belay anchor was kept until the last and lightest person rapped without it A pull cord was used to retrieve the webbing and allow someone else to enjoy...

"There is an exquisite charm in our ride to-day down this beautiful canyon It gradually grows deeper with every mile of travel; the walls are symmetrically curved and grandly arched, of a beautiful color, and reflected in the quiet waters in many places so as almost to deceive the eye and suggest to the beholder the thought that he is looking into profound depths" -John Wesley Powell, Canyons of the Colorado I can think of no better introduction to Labyrinth Canyon than the imagery Powell conjures up in his descrip...

Between the Henry Mountains and Fremont River lays a barren landscape of Mancos shale The grey scenery is reminiscent of a lunar landscape As water tumbles down from the Henries through the badlands, it cuts through a Ferrone Sandstone layer The white sandstone is hard and erodes into very sculpted walls When Diane, Ruby and I headed out to check out the one small canyon in that area, I was intrigued at what we might find The canyon is short, but interestingly sculpted I would have really enjoyed it except for one ...

Counting Panel is one of the more unique panels I have seen in the area The panel is actually a couple of panels One is a large and weathered petroglyph panel, the other is a much more intricate pictograph panel with many red and black lines The striking pictograph, to me, seemed like a spot that was used for counting Maybe red signified one item and black another I suspect native peoples passed through the area during spring and fall while hunting on the transitional zone between the badlands below and the Henry M...

Passing through the area, we could not help but stop at a small spur road that had nice views to the north of Factory Butte It seemed the perfect place for a snack break and to take in the view We were not the first to find the views irresistible! At an outcropping overlooking Town Wash below and Factory Butte in the distance we found the Riding Desert Sheep Panel It is easy to understand why early people might have been drawn to the spot to create artwork The site is made up of a couple of different panels that ap...

Table Mountain on the northern end of the Henry Mountains has always intrigued me, its craggy slopes are studded with pillars and towers that look quite dramatic from a distance When I finally visited Table Mountain via Lost Springs, I wasn't disappointed The spires and towers are even more dramatic up close, and the views from the area of the badlands to the north and Capitol Reef National Park to the west are quite dramatic The higher elevation of this hike makes it a great one to do in the summer, when trying to...

Tucked up near the northern Henry Mountains, along the transition zone between the mountain and desert environments, is the Rock Corral This natural feature creates a rock "corral" that ranchers used and closed with a log fence to contain animals Long before ranchers, however, Native Americans also used the area Signs of their time at the site are found in petroglyphs they left behind, as well as one of the largest concentration of grinding areas I have seen I assume the ancient peoples collected grasses and seeds ...

2022-02-05 Our first rappel was on the far corner of the left side of the beginning of the canyon It ended up being a 100 ft rappel with a large part of it being free-hang I first flaked out about 50 ft of rope thinking that it was the same as the beginning we could see But since the edge curved more gradually there, we couldn't see the bottom from the anchor I then tossed the bag and it went bonk bonk bonk bonk bonk My other group leader and I looked at each other and thought that's MUCH farther than 50 ft I got o...

Have been down this canyon on three trips, once via MIA and twice exiting via Zion Narrows , hiking the full length of Kolob Creek The latter way was much more pleasant for me, albeit longer and requiring an overnight in the canyon Marvelous, marvelous canyon with breathtaking rappels and wonderful swims Best to follow canyoning techniques for class C canyons, which are very different from rope toss and go techniques for drier canyons, and make sure no high water in the canyon and no releases from Kolob reservoir a...

A relatively short hike from the trailhead, this is a good family friendly leg-stretching hike that will give a good, albeit brief, introduction to the Ruby Mountains Though relatively short, the hike offers big views of Lamoille Canyon and has several smaller lakes to pass en route This is a popular destination for fisherman, so be sure to bring your rod and reel if you are inclined This also makes a great short overnighter for families