I am looking to go down the Upper Black Box, the Lower Black Box (San Rafael) or maybe both if I can fit two days into my schedule. I have read both Steve Allen’s and Kelsey’s descriptions of the canyons, and find them a little vague as to any problems
I am interested in how problematic the water temperature is. I have a drysuit and if the water is really cold I will wear it. Do I need it, or is it doable with out a suit?
How technical are the canyons? The descriptions make them sound like mostly a nice river walk/swim with little or no technical problems.
Thanks for any information you can give me.
Matt
Charly Oliver
Matt, I did Lower a couple of years ago in October. Water level was running at about 95cfs and was very cold. We wore wet suits and pretty much swam the whole thing. There were no real technical obstacles (other that the water). If the water is deep and cold you will definitely want a wet suit. This time of year water levels should be lower and air temps higher (more hiking and wading and less need for a wet suit). Approach beta for Lower If you have 4WD or high clearance drive to the bottom of the box. Cross the river and hike the cattle/hiking trail back to the entrance first, then do the descent. The road in to the entrance is closed to vehicular traffic the last few miles (Wilderness Study Area) and needlessly increases the approach time. Should be good fun. Have a great time. Charly —–Original Message—–
From: Matthew Smith [mailto:mattthew@pop.et.byu.edu]
Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2000 8:17 PM
To: canyons@egroups.com
Subject: [canyons] San Rafael Black Box
I am looking to go down the Upper Black Box, the Lower Black Box (San Rafael) or maybe both if I can fit two days into my schedule. I have read both Steve Allen’s and Kelsey’s descriptions of the canyons, and find them a little vague as to any problems I am interested in how problematic the water temperature is. I have a drysuit and if the water is really cold I will wear it. Do I need it, or is it doable with out a suit? How technical are the canyons? The descriptions make them sound like mostly a nice river walk/swim with little or no technical problems. Thanks for any information you can give me. Matt To unsubscribe from the Canyons Group, send an
email to: canyons-unsubscribe@egroups.com
Eugene Ahn
Matthew,
Upper Black Box was the very first hike I tried since moving to Utah and got me hooked on canyoneering. The description “for the adventurous hiker only” seemed irresistible. Went in July when the temperature was 102 F. First off, if you start with the “cattle trail” entrance described in the Kelsey book, be prepared to descend a rock slide, 5+scramble. Cairns mark the descent down this 400 ft or so cliff wall, and I still don’t understand how cattle would be able to climb or descend this route. It isn’t rock climbing by any long shot, but still an interesting dramatic descent.
The Kelsey description of the hike is misleading because he describes the cattle trail in one sentence, and then the dryfall in the next. That’s a lot of miles of hiking in between those two sentences! The details of what’s in between is a lot of routefinding, bushwacking, opportunities to swim, rock scrambling. Expect to lose a lot of fluids during this leg of the hike. It’s mostly full exposure to the sun.
Be prepared for mosquitos at this time of year, nasty ones, and consider even wearing long pants and long sleeve shirt. One, for the mosquitos. Two, for the bushwacking.
Also, a four wheel drive isn’t mandatory, but I did get stuck when it rained on the dirt road, and I had to build a stone bridge across a mud pit to go through. This was with the most reknown SUV in the industry, the ’95 Camry. Laughable I know, but it’s not a gas guzzler, and makes for more challenge and adventure on the road. Plus, a trip just isn’t a trip, unless your friends and companions are groaning “Oh that’s got to hurt” as you scrape slickrock en route to your canyon.
End result of the hike was heat exhaustion, a major adrenaline rush at the finish, and a new appreciation for the taste of oranges. Drank a few beers (the treatment of choice for heat exhaustion), enjoyed the nirvana (or was it delerium induced by cardiovascular shock?), communion with a starry moonless night, and have always come back for more. Enjoy!
Matthew Smith wrote:
I am looking to go down
the Upper Black Box, the Lower Black Box (San Rafael) or maybe both if I can fit
two days into my schedule. I have read both Steve Allen’s and Kelsey’s
descriptions of the canyons, and find them a little vague as to any
problems
I am interested in how
problematic the water temperature is. I have a drysuit and if the
water is really cold I will wear it. Do I need it, or is it doable with
out a suit?
How technical are the
canyons? The descriptions make them sound like mostly a nice river walk/swim
with little or no technical problems.
Thanks for any
information you can give me.
size=2>Matt
To unsubscribe from the Canyons Group, send an
email to: canyons-unsubscribe@egroups.com
Photos — now, 100 FREE prints!
rosenma@uswest.net>
Dear Matt:
I have done the Upper Black Box twice. Once with my climbing partner to check it out and the next week with 20 teenagers. It is a pleasant and easy walk and wade if the water levels are low. High water could be a whole lot different. We went in July and the water was warm with a couple short swims. A 20 foot rope is needed. I find both books of value (Kelsey’s and Allen’s). In his latest edition Kelsey is very sensitive about some people who blamed him because it was tougher than they thought. He stresses that it is a long day. The first time two of us drove down from SLC in seperate vehicles, checked out the northern section of the Skyline drive, ate breakfast in Huntington, spotted a car at the end of the road (by the gate)and then did the hike. It took us just less than 5 hours to do the hike but we hike fast. The second time it was a long day–it took twice as long to get all those kids through. Allen makes it sound extreme at times and it isn’t–but it could be with more water. Allen is correct when he says that one of Kelsey’s exit routes isn’t appropriate for most people. Some people have gotten hypothermia in the canyon but I didn’t even get chilled either time. The first time I wore a tank top and shorts. The second time I wore long pants and a long shirt because I got sick of getting bitten by the flies. I haven’t tried Kelsey’s shorter option that he talks about in the third paragraph, of page 50 3rd edition but I will next time I do the canyon.
Mark