Pine Creek Canyon

April 18th, 2016

Another early day today, this time for a much “wetter” canyon. Abby’s friend Gordy would be our guide for the day, and we went through a similar routine as yesterday for Yankee Doodle. Up early, breakfast, and out the door to ZAC (Zion Adventure Company) for our gear. Though a little less of a mad house since we knew our sizes for gear and where to find it. Also, the canyon was actually in the park. Because this wasn’t an official guided tour, just friends going out! We also needed a permit to do this canyon which we had retrieved the previous day.

Packed, we took two cars, my car was left at the end of the canyon at a switchback pull off, and we took Abby’s to the trail head. Out of the car and gearing up we’re all about ready to go when Abby announces that she forgot her helmet, back at the shop. Max, Gordy and I decided to hang in the parking lot and save her parking spot so we don’t have to hunt for it when she returns. Unfortunately, it’s about an hour round trip out of the park and back.

We simply laid down and chatted for a bit, occasionally asked by other cars what we were doing, and getting menacing looks upon our response. Soon Abby returned, and we were off down the road, and under the bridge to the canyon head. Not 50 feet in, and we already have a two stage rap to do into a floating bottom. Max goes first for rope length check, and I follow. Our dry suits help our heads stay just barely above the water, as our hands dip below the near freezing water to take ourselves off the rope.

The water is too deep to find a foot, though it could have been inches below, we’ll never know. Max leads the way through the dark, brown water to the dry ground not far off. Abby and Gordy soon follow. We regroup, pack the rope and set off. We go in and out of small pools, may no deeper than our waist as we weave through the canyon.

The light shines down in small slivers. Looking up, the far reaches of the canyon walls looms over a hundred feet above, the blue sky in stark contrast to the dark walls only and arm’s length wide on either side of me. Going neck deep into some pools, I look ahead to see Max, unintentionally posing in the perfect shot of human and canyon. The golds above slowly meld into the dark blues and purples and eventual dead blacks on the floor. Some spots allow the light to shine all the way down to the ground, illuminating the bright red sand that gives us brief reprieve from the full body ponds we’re dipping in and out of.

We come upon another long rappel into a float. A deep dark cave with a large pool at the bottom. I go first in order to swim out and crawl on the rock on the other side for photos. But the water is cold, and my hands hurt to move. I fight through it to get the shot and be safe scrambling around on the water smoothed sand stone. Once everyone is down, I pack up, and scramble to keep up, careful not to lag too far behind and slow down the group.

But we make haste again, as Abby sets a fierce pace, and soon we exit the slot canyon into one of the massive open canyons that pour into the main Zion Canyon. Scrambling along we run into multiple other teams also going through, and each setting up a rappel for the final 120 ft drop to the canyon floor. We work our way past them to a further rappel so we don’t kill too much time waiting. The final rappel is fully free hanging and possibly one of the most fun rappels of the past two days. Slowly descending this time not into darkness, but out of it.

The landing a partial beach, with white sand descending into the small pool created by the trickle of a water fall not 10 feet away. Max is on fireman belay, as Abby and Gordy descend as well. I’m running around taking pictures, trying for action shots that aren’t all butts.

We pull the rope, and pack it up for a quick scramble into the warm afternoon sun. There, Max and I strip off the top halves of our suits; the warm sun is nearly 30 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the cold waters in the slot canyon. Abby and Gordy, seasoned vets, take off their entire uniform, pack it up, and we set off for the hour long hike out to the cars. Just as we set out, I remember I left my car key in Abby’s car at the start, the one thing I wasn’t supposed to forget. We groan for a minute at my absent mindedness, when Gordy tells Max of an easier trail to take, so he can hitch hike back to the car ahead of us. Max runs off, and the three of us trudge on.

The river slowly winds its way down canyon, while we alternate walking near it and through it. Sliding down rocks, stomping through sand, and high stepping up ridges. After a long hour, we finally make it up to the road, and not 5 minutes after hopping over the wall onto pavement, Max shows up with the car. We pack up and head out back to the shop to clean gear again.

Getting back to the shop, we find that the water is out….for the whole town. So cleaning is on hold for now, and we go back to the house to rest and recoup, but not use the bathroom. Max and I venture up to the market for food, and find their water is working fine, score! We go back to the house to cook, relax and watch a movie to rest before our last big busy day in Zion.