The album is done
http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index42.htm <http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index42.htm>
Bo updated his trail report too. This report does Pweap without going through Fat Man’s Misery … so its great for those that don’t want to do a technical slot canyon.
http://www.zionnational-park.com/parunuweap-hike.htm <http://www.zionnational-park.com/parunuweap-hike.htm>
Labyrinth Falls
hank moon
looks like it’s time to call the BCD – here’s the number – 435 772 0170
hank
Wade Christensen
adkramoo wrote: > Based on the info, it is legal > to visit the top of the falls
I’ve heard otherwise from the Backcountry Desk, which is why I asked the question.
Christopher Reeves
Well I’m not one to organize the whole event but if one ever gets organized count me in. I would love to participate in a clean up group, especially through that awesome canyon.
gbrandthart
A clean up trip is a great idea and perhaps since picking up trash may not be thought as “receational” in the eye of the park service maybe they would let a group (ZCC?) go all the way thru. Doubtful for sure, but maybe. Tires could gathered up and flown out, written off as training time, I know Glen Canyon NRA has flown out trash from its backcountry numerous times.
Down here on the San Juan River we have a lot of trash as well. With a watershed of something like 36,000 square miles above Mexican Hat it’s far more trash than any staff of rangers could ever pick up. We have a large volunteer group that does a spring and a fall trip every season. They average about two dump truck loads of trash per trip. My last patrol I had a full size fridge on my boat and two more await me plus a vehicle.
I recall the first time I went through the Upper Black Box, there in an eddy circled 100s of plastic drink bottles, litter from our highways.
Brandt
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Christopher Reeves” wrote:
Has anybody ever thought of organizing a group to go down and help > clean it up. Tires would be difficult cleaning out, but what about the > smaller trash? >
dkurtz@xpressweb.com
> Sigh. Scott is correct here. The trash has been making its way > through the canyon for decades. I think it was Dean (?) who told me > that the dump was moved and we are only seeing old trash now. We can > expect to see it for decades to come, I suspect. Oh, oh, the damage > done.< It may or may not have been me, but yes, the dump is no longer on the banks of the river. The other issue, however, is that just a few miles upstream there are several accesses to the river that are available to 4WD's and ATV's, and they see quite a bit of traffic year-round, but particularly during the deer hunt. I have enjoyed these accesses myself, but unfortunately not all users are as concerned as I about where their trash ends up and I have no doubt that some of the trash is a direct result of this. Dean
adkramoo
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Tom Jones” wrote: >> So, as long as you are still in the Navajo Sandstone, you are > legal. Labyrinth Falls is probably the bottom of the Navajo, start > of the Kayenta. > Tom
Thanx for digging up the regulations. Based on the info, it is legal to visit the top of the falls, but illegal to visit the bottom, at least by the old route. If a direct route existed to the bottom, then it would be a tricky question, but the non tech route to the bottom involves a traverse on the left, LDC, a couple of tenths of a mile, until a talus field descent, where one hikes back, up stream, to the base of the falls. A direct rap to the base might be feasable, if one can bypass the usually substantial hydraulics. R
Christopher Reeves
Has anybody ever thought of organizing a group to go down and help clean it up. Tires would be difficult cleaning out, but what about the smaller trash?
Christopher Reeves
Oh I would say I had a very exciting time, (sarcasm of course) It was a very educational event and let’s just say I wont be going alone anymore.
adkramoo
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, scott patterson wrote:
The main reason for that isn’t because of canyoneers though. Some of the upriver towns had (or have?) their city dumps near the banks of the river and whenever there is a big flood, some of that is washed downstream. Hence all the old tires and such. > Christopher Reeves wrote: All I can say on the subject is that I went down Fat Man’s on Memorial > Day and along with Parunuweap being very beautiful, it was full of > trash!!
Sigh. Scott is correct here. The trash has been making its way through the canyon for decades. I think it was Dean (?) who told me that the dump was moved and we are only seeing old trash now. We can expect to see it for decades to come, I suspect. Oh, oh, the damage done. R
Christian
Heard you had an eventful hike out. Hee, Hee.
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Christopher Reeves” wrote:
All I can say on the subject is that I went down Fat Man’s on Memorial > Day and along with Parunuweap being very beautiful, it was full of > trash!! There were old tires and then there were two sections just > below some waterfalls behind rocks where peoples gatorade bottles and > beer cans and other miscellaneous junk had piled up. I wouldn’t doubt > it if that was a major contributor to shutting down canyons, but that’s > just my opinion. >
Christopher Reeves
Beautiful photos! I also posted many photos from my recent hike through Fat Man’s and Parunuweap in the photo section of this group, if you are interested. Very beautiful canyon, especially the bottom section of Fat Man’s and of course Parunuweap. I recommend not wearing cotton t’s and cotton socks and levi’s like the group just behind me though. How miserable, but who am I to say anything, cause the hike out of Fat Man’s for me was extremely miserable!!
Tom Jones
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “hank moon” wrote:
my understanding of the reason Pweep is now “illegal”: > Complaints from the Springdale fruit orchard owner concerning hikers > crossing his property. > Anyone got more info? > There are several factors involved, but I think the main one (and a sufficient one, by itself) is the East Virgin Anasazi ruin sites in Pweep Canyon. They are too valuable to leave unattended, and the Park does not have the resources to process them at this time. Not likely to be opened any time soon.
Tom
Tom Jones
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Wade Christensen” wrote:
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “~tanya” wrote:
Labyrinth Falls
I just gotta ask. Does promoting a trip to Labyrinth Falls mean > hiking Parunuweap within Park boundaries is no longer illegal? > The Official Word: from: http://tinyurl.com/2urloq
(a)(2)(ii) Research Natural Areas (RNAs) are closed to all recreational use. They include the following areas: Kolob Mesas: Mesa tops of Timber Top Mountain and Nagunt Mesa overlooking the Kolob Canyons. Also includes the canyon draining west from Timber Top Mountain.
Shune’s Creek: Shune’s Creek Canyon below the Navajo Sandstone cliffs along the southern boundary of the park, excluding the administrative zone around the water right diversion.
Hanging Garden: Five hanging gardens in Zion and Parunuweap Canyons. Includes the immediate vicinities of Grotto Spring, Weeping Rock, Sinawava Hanging Garden, and two unnamed springs in Parunuweap Canyon.
Isolated Mesa Tops: Isolated mesa tops that are surrounded by high cliffs of Navajo Sandstone. These include Burnt Mountain (south of La Verkin Creek), Greatheart Mesa, Inclined Temple, four unnamed high mesas west of Horse Pasture Plateau, and two closely associated unnamed mesas north of Wynopits Mountain.
Goose Creek: The sandstone slot canyons of Goose Creek, which drains east from Lava Point and Horse Pasture Plateau. A five-mile long tributary of the North Fork of the Virgin River with deep narrow canyons and perennial stream flow in the lower reaches.
Crazy Quilt Mesa: The top of Crazy Quilt Mesa and adjacent slopes, east of Checkerboard Mesa
Slickrock: An area of slickrock buttes, slopes and traverses, south of Clear Creek, east of Gifford Canyon and around the head of Crawford Wash.
Southeast Pinyon Juniper: An area of relatively deep sandy soils supporting relict pinyon-juniper forests in the southeastern most corner of the park.
Parunuweap: Includes Parunuweap and most of Shune’s Creek Canyons below the Navajo Sandstone, and Transview Mountain above the Navajo Sandstone.
Justification: In concurrence with the approved General Management Plan, the above areas are closed to recreational use. These RNAs are field ecological areas designated primarily for research and education and/or to maintain biological diversity. Baseline inventory and long-term ecological observations will be emphasized in these areas, with the primary purpose of creating an ecological/environmental benchmark over time.
(close quote)
So, as long as you are still in the Navajo Sandstone, you are legal. Labyrinth Falls is probably the bottom of the Navajo, start of the Kayenta.
Tom
scott patterson
The main reason for that isn’t because of canyoneers though. Some of the upriver towns had (or have?) their city dumps near the banks of the river and whenever there is a big flood, some of that is washed downstream. Hence all the old tires and such.
Christopher Reeves supercj.reeves@gmail.com> wrote: All I can say on the subject is that I went down Fat Man’s on Memorial Day and along with Parunuweap being very beautiful, it was full of trash!!
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scott patterson
That was part of it. I believe at one time, the owners were trying to sell the land to the National Park at a high price and were denied, so made it harder to get permission. There was an alternate route out of Parunaweap though, so it wasn’t the entire reason.
Another reason is that the largest indian ruin in ZIon was located in Parunaweap and the NPS didn’t want people poking around there.
There may be other reasons as well.
hank moon onkaluna@gmail.com> wrote: my understanding of the reason Pweep is now “illegal”: Complaints from the Springdale fruit orchard owner concerning hikers crossing his property. Anyone got more info?
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Christopher Reeves
All I can say on the subject is that I went down Fat Man’s on Memorial Day and along with Parunuweap being very beautiful, it was full of trash!! There were old tires and then there were two sections just below some waterfalls behind rocks where peoples gatorade bottles and beer cans and other miscellaneous junk had piled up. I wouldn’t doubt it if that was a major contributor to shutting down canyons, but that’s just my opinion.
Christian
I thought the canyon was open to labriynth falls but closed beyond that.
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “hank moon” wrote:
my understanding of the reason Pweep is now “illegal”: > Complaints from the Springdale fruit orchard owner concerning hikers > crossing his property. > Anyone got more info? >
hank moon
my understanding of the reason Pweep is now “illegal”: Complaints from the Springdale fruit orchard owner concerning hikers crossing his property. Anyone got more info?
Wade Christensen
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “~tanya” wrote: >