Saturday was a dreary day in Zion. I managed to get a quick hop through Keyhole with Southern Canyoneer and a few of his friends before hitting up the Pizza and Noodle to calorie up for Sunday. Hint – Do not accidentally order the calzone 2 when you wanted the calzone 1. It’s not good. Ready to hit the trail early Sunday morning, I met up with Tre-C, Bluu Luke, Jerry (all from Vegas) and Carl from SLC. There were some permit shenanigans that delayed our departure from the VC followed by more shuttle stop shenanigans which delayed us a little bit longer. But it was a beautiful day and we were on our way to the Emerald Pools and then up Lady Mountain before too long.
Lady Mountain is a lot of hard work but extremely rewarding. In fact, if I had not been hauling all of my gear and rope, it would have been a great day just hiking to the top and back. We had amazing views from the summit and could see all the snow that had dumped the night before. We enjoyed a quick but chilly lunch on top before heading down the backside to start our decent.
Not that my resume is huge, but Jacob Canyon is one of the most diverse canyons I have been down. The first section is sort of nasty. It is a combo of boulder hopping and down climbing none of which is terribly enjoyable. The canyon is pretty open and full of vegetation. Before too long, Jacob tightens up and drops off pretty quickly into what is more of a crack than a proper narrows. We enjoyed a few raps down the crack that made for some pretty tight squeezes in places.
Jacob opened up and flattened out for a short bit before dropping into redder sandstone and some more raps. These raps were more wide open, scenic, and pretty big. I do not remember dropping down anything shorter than 100 feet. I appreciated not having to fight another crack as I was able to experiment with the different friction settings on my SQWUREL. Both the CRITTER and SQWUREL were both being used in Jacob on Sunday. Carl even switched between the two. Maybe he will throw his two cents how they compare.
The next section of Jacob once again flattened out, but for a much longer distance this time. The canyon is very beautiful through this section. There is lots of vegetation without any bushwhacking. Unfortunately, as Tom mentioned in one of his TR’s, there is a quite a bit of poison ivy. I get a pretty bad reaction from the stuff and was not excited to be walking through it. I have not broken out yet, but am still in the window to get it. Hopefully the stuff out here is a little less potent than the poison ivy I grew up with back in the midwest.
The long middle section ends with the only spot we got wet. We were all able to work ourselves around the pool so that we were only ever up to our knees. I took of my shoes for a quick jump into the sandy bottomed pool. That definitely paid off. Dry feet = happy feet. It was very entertaining to watch Tre-C work her way around the pool. She is all of 90 pounds soaking wet and not much taller than five feet – and was carrying our 300 foot rope all day.
The last section of Jacob finishes it off with some big raps to include the almost 300 footer at the end. By this time, the sun was getting low and we could see the horse stables at the Court of the Patriarchs stop. The rope sizzled as it passed through my SQWUREL on the way down. There was one more rap into the springs at the end and then a short walk to the bus stop
Twelve hours and 45 minutes after hitting the trail, we were back on the shuttle on our way to Oscar’s. Overall, I would highly recommend Jacob Canyon. The trip up Lady Mountain itself makes the day. And Jacob just keeps getting better as you work your way through it.
Lady Mountain on the right.
Panorama to the south from the top.
Long way down.
Beginning of the crack.
Carl headed down the crack.
Jerry on rap.
SQWUREL!
Jerry at the top.
Jerry at the bottom.
Me at the top.
Luke coming down.
The middle section.
Narrow slot up ahead.
More middle section.
Even more middle section.
Tre-C barefoot and stemming with a 300′ rope.
Wallpaper Wednesday?
View from the second to last rap.
Same place, but looking down.
Jerry rigging the rap.
Looking south.
Final rap.
Luke on his way down.
Can’t think of anything manly to say about this picture.
Sunset.
Canyon on the left is Jacob.
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Carl Bush
I had a fun day out in that canyon. Always great to spend a day with new-to-me people doing a canyon that I have not done before. I have hiked Lady Mtn before so I knew what to expect. It is a tough climb. I have done the crux moves before fully roped in. This time I just climbed right through them with out much thought. We only used the ropes to pull up the packs, not protect the people.
I like doing canyons without using beta. Just go explore and experience it as we go along. Jerry had done it before so we knew what to bring along.
I used the CRITTER and SQWUREL. The first 2 raps were on the critter and the rest on the SQWUREL. I bought the critter the day before and was getting used to it. Cannot tell much more until I use it more. The SQWUREL was interesting. I could add and subtract friction easily. Usually I guess at the top (piranha, atc with extra biners) and suffer during the rap. I also saw how rope dependent the device was. One rope had a zero setting and the other I used the 3rd to get down.
I have only done 1 other canyon in Zion so it was an interesting experience. I have mostly done trips in North Wash, Moab and Capital reef. I am used to narrower slots and no vegetation. Nice to see a variety of terrain. Like Tim said, it kept changing.
An avid non-bolt person (the way he sounds) asked me about my photos and the anchors. Yes there were bolts in the canyon. Most seemed new. Don’t go hack them out because you do not like bolts. We used trees and such were we could. Deep in the slots there were no other option.
ratagonia
When there is a bolt staring you in the face, it is hard to see other options.
My dispute is not with the old bolts, but with new ones placed that are entirely unnecessary.
Tom
Brian in SLC
The whole damn sport of canyoneering is pretty “unnecessary”…ha ha. What is also “unnecessary” is construction of unnatural anchors instead of a nicely bolted fixed anchor…so…its hard to “see” other options sometimes in both directions.
I think Jacob was initially descended after a climb by Jeff Lowe and partner. Hence the old bolts and some of the piton anchors.
If you got pictures of “new” bolted anchors….I’d be curious to see them. Post ’em up!
Tim Dowling
Luke takes pictures of anchors when he collects beta. Not sure when he’ll put up the beta for Jacob, but when he does, you can see them all.
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Ram
I enjoyed this canyon years back. It is dirty and dry, but it just feels nice being off the beaten track. The climb up Lady is just classic and worth it all by itself. But what really got my blood a boil was the initial downclimb of the top 150 feet of that 500 foot final wall. Class 3 and 4 sure FEELS different with that much air below you. Fun, fun, fun! Thanks to Kip and Brian for the info a decade back. Bucky and I appreciated it. The way they do it now from the real top sure seems better.
Rapterman
Awesome trip report!
delenius
Cool! How was the climb up Lady Mountain? Did you use belays?
Tim Dowling
The climb definitely got my heart pounding in a few spots. In all, I think we dropped and then passed up packs in three spots. I am not a skilled climber and did not feel a belay was required. We did put on our helmets, though. What surprised me most about the climb was all the left over hardware from when it was a “normal tourist” route like Angel’s Landing. Even with the chains, it would have been a challenging climb.
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Brian in SLC
Maybe I was havin’ an off day, but, I thought that climb up the second crux was hard enough to think about a rope. At least in approach shoes. Seems like it was easier if one looked around a hit an iron nub or pocket or some such. Its short, but…I dunno…heck, I solo a fair bit of 5.6 and didn’t feel that comfy on it.
Great hike and nice photo’s!
Hard to believe it was once a standard tourist trail… Its also amazing how much beta is available online for it now. Used to be a seldom done gig by those “in the know”. Almost surprised more folks don’t get in trouble on it…
Cheers!
Ram
Yeah it is hard even with the iron nub which is in the wrong spot to maximize, but AAHHHH….just as you hint. Several inches deeper on the ledge at collarbone height, almost always hidden by pine needles is that “JUST RIGHT” hold. Find it, brush the needles aside and you are a happy camper….ah, I mean climber
The irony is….A few feet over in the corner is one VERY easy downclimb….and a terrible way up.
delenius
Interesting. It’s supposed to be a 5.6. That’s usually not solo’d by “not climbers”
2065toyota
We just put a group together last night to go do this same trip next Sunday. Looks like a good time.
Kuenn
You obviously have power of persuasion that is unequaled among most of us…please do let me in on your secret…off-line.
Beautiful pictures and report!
Scott Chandler
Looks darn pretty and fun. It’s been added to the list. Although… that Lady Mountain hike might fry my nerves pretty bad.