Blue John Canyon, Robbers Roost, UT

Saturday, a trip through Lower Squeeze was delightful and uneventful. Sunday was a day for Blue John Canyon. Ram gave us the beta and we headed over, starting at an incredibly crapped-out cowboy camp just off the Hans Flat road.

(Blue John Canyon)

We followed GPS points onto a ridge, then across a grassy plain, and found the East Fork of Blue John Canyon, at this point a gentle V canyon in the Navajo sandstone. The first drop required moving a log into place for an anchor. Here Alicia helps Hank recover from dragging that tremendous log into place. A fifty foot rappel, easily avoided, but why?

Sorry, taking pictures through a ziploc to protect the camera did not work too well. (Bluejohn Canyon)

The narrows gave way to a wide sandy wash in a nice walled canyon. (Bluejohn Canyon)

We worked hard to avoid getting our feet wet, but eventually had to do some wading. The East Fork of Blue John Canyon is delightful - many interesting narrows, one 30' rappel from a single old bolt, a few climbing problems, and quite a bit of sculptured sandstone walls. Neat! It definitely does not need another bolt for an easy, downclimbable drop like Mr. Kelsey suggests.

After an hour of slogging, we came to the junction with the main fork, and turned left, upcanyon. After another hour of slogging, we started wondering if this was ever going to end when *BANG* we get to some really cool narrows. A veritable cathedral in the desert. Big soaring walls pinching above.

Hank Moon, man of the canyons. (Bluejohn)

The cathedral section was tremendous, and included some obstacles to climb up, including some interesting 5.8ish crack and chimney stuff, with very little exposure. It made a great way to complete the canyon loop.

More, more, more. (Bluejohn)

And eventually we climbed out of the cathedral and back into a shallow wash. A few dry falls added some spice, especially the one with the rattlesnake at the climb out!!!!