Echo Canyon

Another day, another adventure. Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to try canyoneering inside Zion National Park, which is fast becoming one of my favorite places. A friend with some gear obtained a permit to explore Echo Canyon and invited myself and two other Backroads leaders to tag along. After renting a harness, a wetsuit (the pools of the canyon are quite chilly even in August), and some booties, we hiked up from Weeping Rock to our insertion point to the canyon. An extraordinary afternoon followed as we descended the slot canyon, managing some awesome short rappels, chilly swims in the recent snowmelt pools, and booming shouts into the amphitheater-like acoustics of the bigger chambers.


Near the mouth of the canyon


The ascent


Just before gearing up, all grins


Between a rock and well, another rock


Rappelling into a mysterious chamber


Different planet, #1


Different planet, #2


Different planet, #3


Holding apart the canyon walls


The team


Our leader, Dave


Myself, neck deep in the muck of the canyon mouth, which we named "Diaper Canyon"


Our photographer, Kate (all photos courtesy of her)


Liv, the stylish one of the group



Emerging from the muck, all smiles again :)