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Archive for category Canyons

The Young and the Restless

Jan 24

Posted by libcrellin in Canyons, Climbing | No Comments

I said goodbye to my teenage years this month and decided that I should cross some things off of my to-do list before I get too old!

Round one: Ice-climbing.

We had two guys come into ONB a few weeks back who were prepping for an upcoming ice-climbing adventure up the Stairway (Provo Canyon). I mentioned that I’ve wanted to try that for years and they invited my roommate and I along. We rented some crampons, boots, and axes from Hansen Mountaineering (Orem) and enjoyed a late afternoon of sunset ice-climbing.

Stairway Climbing

Stairway Climbing II

I was fortunate enough to meet some guys who are pretty experienced climbers but for those of you interested in taking an introductory course, check out 12 Finger Adventure. We ran into the owner, Dan C., while we were up there. Nice guy, great climber, give him a call!

Round Two: Escalante

Myself and some friends took a trip down to Buckskin Gulch (right outside of Kanab) last weekend. As expected, it was muddy, cold and…awesome. The hike was beautiful (Buckskin Gulch is 44 miles long!) but cut short by some deep pools of freezing water. Lesson I took from the weekend: don’t wear 3+ layers in a zero degree bag….

BG

Freeze

I’m now ready to take on the adventures that 20 will bring!

Happy adventuring…

Circle cliffs Fun!

Dec 1

Posted by Jonathan in Backpacking, Camping, Canyons, Gear, General Outdoor, Hiking | No Comments

Recently me and my nephew, and consummate backpacking buddy, Nicholas went on a quick trip to southern Utah.  We were in Wolverine canyon in the Circle Cliffs area of the Grand Staircase.  The days went from 10 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit so we got to use all of the gear that we packed… always look on the bright side right?  We traveled through the canyons and to the top of mesas and back down again in a about a thirty mile loop.  We used the Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead two-man tent (my favorite) and it was superb even with a light snow load.  Good times and fun were had by all.  Could have done without the sugary snow drifts, though, they made for slow going.

Escalante Friends and Family Trip

Oct 22

Posted by OUTNBACKMAN in Camping, Canyons | No Comments

October 15th we took the crew and a lot of friends down to Escalante to do some hiking, canyons, camping, and socializing. We stayed at the Escalante State Park campground just outside of Escalante. I love this place if you do not want to rough it. Flushing toilets, showers, and the group areas have concrete pads and awning. Complete with lights!

Thursday a few of us went down the “hole in the rock” road to the Egypt canyons and did Egypt 1. They have had a ton of rain lately ( the BLM said 4″ in 4 days) and it was obvious. The roads are pretty tore up and it was fun getting out there. You don’t really need a 4wd but high clearance is necessary.  Not really any water in the canyon but the mud is slick and abundant. We had a great time with the challenges that the mud made.

Friday most of the crew showed up and we had to split into smaller groups to make the BLM happy and to expedite the trips. Our group chose a fun little canyon (we won’t mention where) and had a great time first finding it, and then navigating it with a larger group. We did get to demo a lot of new product including the Black Diamond half dome helmet, the Black Diamond ATC XP, and the new Bluewater Canyonator rope. All of which worked great. We also were able to sample some of the new Black Diamond trekking poles and packs that will be out next spring. Stay tuned for reviews.

Saturday my group went back to the Egypt canyons and did Egypt 2. One of my favorite canyons if for no other reason than it has a 285 foot rappell to start the canyon. Everyone I take out there says that the first time they see it, it looks more like 600 feet. Beautiful day and fun people made this trip great. Mud, sand, and slogging added a new challenge and made it all the more enjoyable. We did look like we had rolled around in the mud by the time we got back to the truck.

Sunday was spent exploring new areas, demoing more product, and I rigged Egypt 2 again for those who did not get a chance on Saturday.

If you havent been to Escalante then you are missing out. If you have then you know that you probably havent scratched the surface of the fun you can have in this area.

Things of importance to me and to make your trip all the more memorable include

Escalante Outfitters best calzones after a day in the canyons. Showers and last minute gear you left home. They rent small cabins and have camp sites too.

If you would like a Canyoneering adventure then Excursions of Escalante is the best! Rick and Amie run a first rate guide service and all I can say is bring a camera because you do not want to forget any of this trip. At least stop by and get a coffee or some great ice cream.

Escalante State Park is easy, close, and far from roughing it.

Stop by the new information center on the west side of town. Pretty spiffy place.

Buckskin Odyssey

Apr 12

Posted by Kelly in Camping, Canyons, General Outdoor, Hiking | No Comments

This past weekend a group of us from the shop headed down to Kanab with some buds to explore the famous Buckskin Gulch. We had heard a lot (I mean A LOT) of hype about the conditions in the slot for this time of year, and with the wet spring we’ve had in Utah we anticipated a very wet, very cold, overnight adventure. Well, as it turns out, BLM Rangers are not immune to exaggerating, though to their credit they erred on the side of caution. Happily, the weather was perfect the entire weekend. The most narrow sections of the canyon floor were muddy, but the deepest water we found barely reached hip height.

The one thing nobody overstates is the length of the hike. It is every inch as long as they say it is, and it will take you all day if you are carrying gear for camping overnight. Good conditioning is a must for this canyon, there is no way out but through. Pro tip: Neoprene socks and shoes that drain well are required to keep your feet happy in Buckskin Gulch, especially on Day Two as you trudge upstream in the Paria river.

So, why do people do this hike? The spectacular beauty of this canyon cannot be described in this space and the photos you find on the internet do not do it justice. You really do have to see it to appreciate it, especially the campsite just above the Paria river confluence. There are only a few places like this in the world, it’s like a waking dream.

If you really want to see photos from our trip come on down to Out N Back and beg Kory to post some. I know he took a few choice shots and if we all ask nice maybe he’ll share. He might even hook you up with a deal on some gear for your own adventure!

Springtime in Zion

Mar 31

Posted by Kelly in Canyons, General Outdoor, Hiking | No Comments

Whether you pronounce it like Neo & Morpheus or Bob Marley & the Wailers there are few places in Utah, or the world for that matter, as beautiful as Zion National Park. Early spring is the perfect time to hit the park. There might be a dusting of snow on the mountains, but the temps are nice, the crowds are still in hibernation and the roads are open all the way through the park which means no shuttle, yay!

This time we had our two year old and the baby, who is four months, so we picked something fairly easy. The Emerald Pools loop is perfect for an afternoon with kids. The hike itself is very similar to the Stewart Cascade trail, for all you Utah Valley folks. It takes about 2.5 hours at the pace of a two year old boy scrambling over rocks like a miniature Bear Grylls. The payoff is a fantastic series of waterfalls and pools. We felt hot starting out, but in the shadow of the canyon, standing near the falls it was quite cool, hence the jacket zipped over the baby.

Upper Emerald Pool Falls

At Upper Emerald Pools Water Fall

So, now’s the time. Bust out those shorts (or come get some at ONB *wink*) and get some sun on your pale self. Winter is over, long live Spring!