Archive for September, 2005
Take a date to a cave:
Here is a good date idea if you live in the Utah Valley area. Did you know that there is an easily accessible cave up Rock Canyon? I am not talking about that old mine shaft at the mouth of the canyon that doesn’t go anywhere. It is farther back and is a good place to take a date (girl/boyfriend or spouse) and tell ghost stories. You will have to crouch a bit to get through the entrance but you will never be on your hands and knees. Immediately after the opening, the cave widens and provides enough room to stand. It goes back about 50 feet. I recommend going at night. Once inside turn all of your flashlights off and then tell those scary stories. Just remember to not leave any trash behind.
Directions:
Hike up Rock Canyon about a mile. Eventually you will come to a point that the trail crosses the river on a wooden bridge. At this point do not cross, but stay on the south side of the river. About 30 feet past the bridge follow a south-bound trail that leads you up the gully. Continue up the gully for about 300 feet when you should see the trail veer west. This takes you over a little rise with a big boulder to you right. Walk strait forward until you hit a wall that is known by climbers as “The Zoo.” Turn south and you will see the cave entrance about 50 feet away.
If you have any other good date ideas for the outdoors, let me know (summit@livetheoutdoors.com.) Thanks.
September 30th, 2005
I am trying to look for some good sites that give good information on outdoor fun. Does anyone have any recommendations? It would be nice if the site concentrated on areas in and around Utah but others would be welcomed as well. Just post your idea in the comments below. Thanks.
Summit
September 29th, 2005
At the bottom of this posting are some pictures from a little adventure that Steve Dave and I had on the BYU OAC trip to Moab this weekend. Morning Glory Arch is about two miles up Negro Bill Canyon which is just outside of Moab. Negro Bill Canyon can be found by following Main St. west out of Moab and then turning right just before the Colorado River onto St. Rd. 128. Follow the road for about two miles until you reach the parking for Negro Bill Canyon. The hike isn’t strenuous and I was surprised at the amount of foliage in the Canyon. The arch is big, probably about 200 feet wide, and tucked back into a large alcove. My two friends and I then went around the left side to get to the top of the rim. We tried one approach that looked like an easy scramble but ended in a wall that we couldn’t climb. After that didn’t work I tried another way up that was a little bit more to the left. It was a really easy climb up some rounded sandstone slopes. The sandstone wasn’t steep but was very exposed. It made me pretty nervous since I had no protection and I could have fallen a long way. I definitely wouldn’t recommend doing it. Once to the top I set a nut with a long piece of webbing (50 ft.) to help Steve and Dave past the sketchy part.
After this obstacle, we eventually scrambled up to the rim. There are huge fields of cryptobiotic soil crust. It is a very delicate soil formation that takes a long time to develop. To avoid disturbing the soil, be sure to walk on bare rock or river beds. It is very fragile.
Once to the top we made our way southwest to the canyon that houses the arch. The arch its self is not at the same level as the rim but halfway between the rim and the canyon floor. We reached the arch by rappelling down an alley that was southeast of the arch. We rappelled off of a tree and the alley ran out to the arch. Once on the arch, Steve got on one side and I on the other and we rappelled down simultaneously. My heart started racing when my weight settled in the harness and the rope started to shift quite a bit. It turns out that one side of the arch rounds of quicker than the other. My side was the steep side so I was weighting the rope sooner then Steve–hence the shifting in the rope. Pretty scary since I constantly had the thought in my head that I could possibly pull him over but what a rush! Once we rappelled down I stayed clipped in and then Dave rappelled down Steve’s rope.
Here are some pictures of Morning Glory Arch. Great rappel. Click on the thumbnails to get a closer look.
Morning Glory Arch:
September 26th, 2005
On the same trip as above (Morning Glory Arch, Moab, Ut) once we got back we met up with everyone else and took them to Corona Arch. I have writen about this arch before so if you want directions you can read about Corona Arch here.
September 26th, 2005
Here is a link for Morning Glory Canyon information provided by Alvin Anderson. He also provided the picture. It looks pretty cool. Let me know if there is anyone else that would like to do it with me. (summit@livetheoutdoors.com)
September 22nd, 2005
Remember that we will be going down to Moab this weekend. It is a fun place. Last year, we mostly climbed along Wallstreet. One group went to Arches for hiking. The group that I went with went to Corona Arch and rappelled off the top of it! I think it is about a 160′ rappel. Does anybody have any other adventures in mind for the Moab trip? Let me know and I will post them.
Here is a picture to get you excited. It is aproximately nine miles up Potash Road in Moab. For more information on Corona Arch click here. Notice the person dangling from the top of the arch
September 19th, 2005
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Directions:
