Big days are fun! Ok, perhaps not everyone shares my view, but there is something very satisfying to completing a big day in the desert Upper Iron Wash fits the definition of big day On my first trip with Kent, Penny, and Tom, we walked the approach, did the canyon, and walked the exit in a thigh burning 125 hour day I remember the canyon being beautiful, and the exit as a gradual and seemingly never-ending uphill death march Oh, and there will always be a special place in my heart for the ice cream Kent had at cam...

I am often asked what I think the "best" canyon is that I have done It depends on how you determine "best" There are narrow canyons, canyons with big rappels, climbing canyons, pothole canyons, etc I will admit though, when pressed, Deer Creek is usually my pick for best canyon I have done It is a stunning section of canyon tucked at the bottom of the overwhelmingly immense and beautiful Grand Canyon Deer Creek left a smile on my face that lasted way beyond the actual canyon day Had we not been pressed for time, I ...

Tucked a few miles down a rough jeep road, Herdina Park feels a world away from the pavement and crowds of the main area of Arches NP Due to the rough jeep road, this area of the park is not visited very heavily Those that do visit generally just visit Eye of the Whale Arch and return If you are wanting to wander, however, opportunities for solitude and beauty abound I've visited the area many times over the years and have never seen anyone else and rarely even seen footprints For the experienced climber, canyoneer...

Most do Happy Dog after doing Smiling Cricket All of the groups I had talked to had recommended Happy Dog over Laughing Baboon Even so, our group opted for Laughing Baboon after doing Smiling Cricket, partly due to energy levels, partly due to gear issues I was definitely not disappointed! Laughing Baboon Canyon is quite straightforward and easy, but also diverse with some excellent sections and some so-so sections, and in my opinion makes for an overall fun day Maybe the low expectations others had put on the cany...

A great little canyon close to Moab, Fins & Things Canyon sees quite a bit of traffic This is a fun and not very technical outing with several short drops that can be downclimbed or rappelled Many groups will only do one 5 m rappel, though beginning groups may do up to three rappels to 5 m There are two options for the exit If you have one vehicle, the short route option is great, though requires some moderate route finding through sandstone fins If you are not great at route finding, this can turn the route into F...

Baptist draw is often touted as one of the best beginner friendly canyons in the San Rafael Swell A short approach, coupled with great narrows, easy downclimbs, and straight forward rappels make this a winner It doesn't hurt that it has some of the deepest, darkest narrows in the Swell I would agree it is beginner friendly, it was my first technical canyon in Southern Utah in the 90's, and I've been through several times since That being said, Baptist Draw has seen far more than its share of accidents, epics, and n...

Named the Little Grand Canyon, the San Rafael River carves an impressive gorge as it flows about 18 miles from Fuller Bottom in the west to the San Rafael bridge This impressive canyon can be easily viewed from the Wedge Overlook, but to fully experience its grandeur and scale, it is best to spend a day or two traversing it from top to bottom There are several options for making the 18-mile journey The easiest is to float the river; however, this option is only available for 2-3 weeks every spring when the spring r...

The Golden Cathedral is THE iconic photo of the Grand Staircase-Escalante area This is the place you've seen in books, calendars, and posters It is a stunning natural bridge in lower Neon Canyon that will take your breath away! For canyoneers, see the Neon Canyon for doing the canyon as a technical canyoneering adventure Hikers will find this a lovely amble from Egypt Bench, down to the Escalante River, and then a short hike up Neon Canyon to the Golden Cathedral prope...

Ferguson Canyon is one of the lesser visited canyons along the Wasatch Front Make no mistake, it is popular, but not nearly as trafficked as many of the trails in Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, or Millcreek canyons The canyon, just south of Big Cottonwood Canyon, is a steep granite-walled canyon with a small stream bubbling down from Twin Peaks and Storm Mountain high above It is a lovely, shaded canyon to hike in and was one of my favorite places to rock climb back in the day Hiking from the trailhead about 07...

Arch Canyon has to be one of the best beginner friendly canyoneering adventures in the Saint George area Good anchors, relatively short, with some impressive rappels and nice though short narrow sections, this is a good one I highly recommend The rappels start small and get bigger, culminating in a 60 m rappel near Johnson Arch Expect to have an audience for the final rappel on any busy weekend! The canyon is in the Snow Canyon State Park, and requires a permit To protect nesting birds, it is closed from March 15th...