Sometimes good things come in small packages Daves Not Dead, although a short canyon, provides quite a bit of bang for its buck Combine a short approach and relatively short exit, and this makes the canyon even more appealing Be warned, however, though, the canyon requires very good natural anchor skills and has somewhat tricky starts to the rappels This canyon is recommended for intermediate canyoneers or better Even with competent leadership, beginners will likely not enjoy this one The canyon typically does not ...

Narrow and physical, Inferno packs a lot of punch in its short length This is not a good canyon for beginners Intermediates might feel a little pushed as well! Expect long sections of narrows that most will stem over, requiring some endurance Mid-way through a silo adds to the challenge The silo can be downclimbed into and re-ascended on the down stream side, but it would require a bit of work Difficulties aside, this is a beautiful canyon You start at the top of the canyon on open slickrock and follow it as it bec...

Maple Canyon likely needs no introduction for most climbers If you are not a climber, however, you may have never heard of it Maple Canyon is a large conglomerate canyon near Fountain Green The rock has eroded into a surreal landscape of spires, steep overhanging walls, deep alcoves, narrow fissures, and the occasional arch The climbing here tends to be steep, well bolted sport lines with options for most any ability In addition to the climbing, however, Maple is a rich area for hiking, camping, and off road vehicl...

The Great Gallery is often referred to as the pictograph panel that all others are compared to, and the best preserved Barrier Canyon Style panel in existence today If you are interested in Native American art, this is an absolute must see The Great Gallery is a single panel about 200 feet long with about 20 images, but the hike itself visits several other panels along the way as well, making for a full day with lots to see The panels are believed to be between 1500 to 4000 years old, and were created during the la...

The Leprechaun Canyons are many people's first canyons Easy access, and relatively straight forward, they are a good choice Even a few scenes from the movie 127 Hours were filmed here, just below the confluence of the fork, in a stunning cathedral type section This is one not to miss, and one of my favorites in the area Choose your fork wisely if you are a beginner, the middle fork is tight and harder than the left or right NOTE: Those that are not technical canyoneers can still enjoy the canyon from the bottom The...

Pool Arch Canyon is more of a hike than a technical hardcore canyoneering adventure It provides lovely views and visits two arches en route to the technical section of the canyon Often dry, it is a good choice in cooler times of the year The route gets quite a bit of sun, so is not recommended in the heat of the day during the summer It's short technical section, and easy nature make this a good choice for beginners Beware, the anchors have changed a few times over the years, with pitons and webbing being removed N...

When I first started going to Escalante in the 1990's, I heard about Red Breaks Often described as one of the best canyons around, it wasn't until 2015 when I finally was able to visit What took me so long!!! The canyon is exquisite! This route, the Upper Red Breaks Loop, visits the two most stunning sections of Red Breaks The adventure requires good navigation skills or a gps, technical skills for the single short drop, and some climbing skills to surmount the dozen or so minor up climb challenges getting back to ...

Englestead has one of the most dramatic starts of any canyon in Zion It goes from an open, shallow canyon to a slot in one spectacular 300' drop! I first did the canyon in 2003, and over the years had forgotten the details, except that first rappel When I went back and re-visited it in 2012, the first rappel was indeed as spectacular as I had remembered The rest of the canyon is good as well, and offers two choices of exits: a spectacular, but longer exit out the bottom of Orderville, or a shorter, less good exit u...

This is a short canyon with a bit of spice Each of the Shinob forks Timpie, Na-Gah, and Nighthawk have their own very distinct personality With this one, Nighthawk, the personality is potholes The meat of the canyon is a short section of many potholes leading to a final dramatic rappel into Timpie This is a good team work canyon, offering plenty of opportunities for problem solving and partner assists A Note On Time: This canyon will vary greatly depending on the experience of the team Many of the pothole entrances...

Seldom visited, Sams Mesa Box Canyon makes a great outing for beginners or those looking for a less technical outing in Robbers Roost The canyon is not very technical with two rappels, though most will downclimb the first, and the two slot sections are both short That said, the canyon is beautiful and well worth visiting Two options are presented The short version visits all of the good stuff, and only takes 3-5 hours There is also a slightly longer version that continues down, seeing more of the canyon, and return...