Big Rattlesnake Canyon and Fiddlesticking, Escalante Canyoneering

Victory in Midget Rattler the day before encouraged us. After the requisite post-party casual breakfast, a gang was rounded up to try the next one.

Anchors, Big rappel, Canyoneering, Capitol Reef, Exploration, Trip ReportTom JonesMay 26, 2013big rattlesnake, big rattlesnake canyon, burr trail, rattlesnake, rattlesnake bench, canyoneering, capital reef canyoneering, fiddlestick

Midget Rattler, Escalante Canyoneering

Another Memorial Day Weekend, another visit to the Saddle in Boulder Utah for a social weekend. But, we were SUPPOSED to actually go out and do canyons too, AND get back in time for Pim’s hour, which might strike as early as 4 pm…

Anchors, Arch Rappel, Canyoneering, Capitol Reef, Exploration, Trip Report, Tom's First VisitTom JonesMay 25, 2013Burr Trail, escalante, Escalante canyoneering, canyoneering, canyons, canyon, capital reef, capital reef canyoneering

Imlay Canyon in the Spring, Zion National Park, UT

Over the last 13 years, I have done Imlay Canyon many times. I believe I have succeeded in doing it every year since, though my record-keeping is non-OCD, so who knows?

Canyoneering, Imlay Canyon, Trip Report, ZionTom JonesMay 15, 2013Steve Ramras, Zion National Park, zion, zion canyoneering, canyoneering, dean brooks, imlay, imlay canyon, imlay sneak

Jolley Gulch Canyon, Zion National Park: Not So Bad

Worthy of faint praise. After a couple years of not quite getting around to the mighty Jolley Gulch, finally did the canyon today with Felicia and it was not nearly as nondescript as I expected.

We rallied at 9 am at the East Rim Trail parking lot, which was packed. Felicia immediately gained massive points by handing me a scone from Deep Creek Coffee Haus, we loaded up ropes and stuff and hiked up the trail. I suggested a shortcut which while definitely short required some 4th class climbing and probably only cost us 15 minutes, and soon-ish or maybe soon enough we were at the head of Jolley Gulch.

Canyoneering, Tom's First Visit, Trip Report, ZionTom JonesMay 10, 2013canyoneering, zion canyoneering, zion, zion national park, jolly gulch

Zion Summit Route and Backcountry Canyon: Lady Mountain and Jacob Canyon

Brian had done it. Kip had done it. Jonathan had done it. Ram had done it, but I hadn't done it. Looking forward to a second edition of the guidebook, I really ought to do it, even though they had made it sound not-so-appealing.

Canyoneering, Trip Report, Zion, Anchors, Tom Jones, Tom's First Visit, Zion Adventure CompanyTom JonesMay 1, 2013Bailey Schofield, Jacob Canyon, jacob, zion, zion canyoneering, canyoneering, zion national park, zac, bailey

Big Canyon, Little Colorado, Grand Canyon Canyoneering

I hurt. For me, hurting and the Grand Canyon go together like ham and cheese. In this case I hurt in many places: bruised feet, stiff quads, funky shoulder, left ankle a bit odd, and the lower back - of course. Unfortunately, this was BEFORE we headed into the Big Ditch, having spent three days with the Unbreakable Ram and Jenny the previous week.

Canyoneering, Grand Canyon, Trip ReportTom JonesMarch 23, 2013big canyon, little colorado, grand canyon, canyoneering in the grand canyon, Grand Canyon, grand canyon national park, Alicia Scotter

Johnson Arch Canyon - An "Urban" Canyoneering Adventure in St George, Utah

Kody invited me over for a lap down Johnson Arch Canyon in St George, and said the magic words: “no need for an early start”. I’m in!

Canyoneering, Trip Report, ZionTom JonesMarch 10, 2013st george, johnson arch, snow canyon, johnson arch canyon, canyoneering

Winter Pine Creek Descent, Zion National Park

Finally, a storm brought moisture upon us, first time since New Years. Not the best timing, however, as Ram was just blowing into town.

Sundance Film Festival 2013

Sundance is divine. Sundance is my chance to see real movies on real screens, in rooms with every seat filled with excited, interested, intelligent people.

SundanceTom JonesJanuary 23, 2013sundance

FreezeFest XI - The Black Hole for New Years!

Freezefest is an annual gathering of hearty (ie, foolish) canyoneers for canyoneering at the turn of the year. Camping out in single-digit temperatures may not seem like it would be fun, but with proper preparation, plus lots of firewood, fine spirits and good friends, it works out to be one of the funnest events of the year.

Canyoneering, Freeze Fest, North Wash, Tom Jones, Trip ReportTom JonesJanuary 1, 2013freezefest, freeze fest, canyoneering, new years, Black Hole canyoneering, Black Hole of White Canyon, Black Hole

Paradiso on Ticaboo Mesa - Utah Canyoneering at its finest

Our annual INSANE canyoneering festival called FreezeFest is held in North Wash for a good reason - there are a LOT of good canyons within easy reach. For this day, we chose Paradiso out on Ticaboo Mesa, one of the Dante Canyons, possibly the funnest of the Dante Canyons.

Canyoneering, Ticaboo Mesa, Trip Report, Winter, Tom Jones, North Wash, Freeze FestTom JonesDecember 30, 2012paradiso, dantes, canyoneering, freezefest, ticaboo mesa

The Subway, Zion National Park - A Christmas Canyoneering Decent

The last couple years, Ramoo has put together a wondrous start to Freezefest doing a BIG canyon on Christmas Day - our contribution to the War on Christmas, I suppose. 2010 was Choprock, which I missed, being sick as a dog.

Canyoneering, The Subway, Tom Jones, Trip Report, ZionTom JonesDecember 26, 2012canyoneering, winter, zion, zion canyoneering

Southeast Ridge Bee Hive Peak, Zion National Park

Dirty, loose, scary, confusing. Rotting fixed ropes festoon the route. "I've never been so scared on 5.5!"

Edited description:

Canyoneering, Mountaineering, Trip Report, Zion, Hiking, Peak BaggingTom JonesNovember 5, 2012zion, peaks, summit, summits, mountains, beehive peak, backcountry

The Stinger Canyon! Second Descent in the Heart of Zion National Park

Mike casually mentioned he had his eye on a certain canyon, a painfully obvious one, in the heart of Zion. "No way", I said. "I've been looking at that for 5 years!"

Anchors, Big rappel, Canyoneering, Exploration, Tom Jones, Trip Report, Zion, Tom's First VisitTom JonesNovember 4, 2012zion, canyoneering, zion canyoneering, the stinger, the stinger canyon, second descent, zion national park

Pandora's Box Canyon, BEST Canyon in Capitol Reef

Though Utah's Capitol Reef National Park has a big handful of good canyoneering, Pandora's Box is clearly the BESTest! I hooked up with Ram and Brendan Busch (plus Jonathan Zambella, and Dirk and Nancy Tyler) for a few days out there

Canyoneering, Capitol Reef, Tom Jones, Trip Report, Steve RamrasTom JonesOctober 23, 2012Pandoras Box Capitol Reef, pandoras box, canyoneering Pandoras Box, capital reef

Anchor Work in The Subway, Zion National Park

Zion's Subway is a wonderful, beautiful canyon, enjoyed by many people in several different ways. I made a run through on a recent weekend to re-locate the first anchor, bolted this spring but not in the best place (from my point of view).

Anchors, Canyoneering, The Subway, Tom Jones, Trip Report, ZionTom JonesSeptember 29, 2012Subway Canyon, subway, the subway, the subway zion

The Squeeze & Quandary Canyons, San Rafael Swell, Utah

Some good canyons can be found at the south end of the San Rafael Swell. They are especially good, especially fun when full of water - as we expected to find them, thanks to storms tracking across Utah these last two months.

Canyoneering, San Rafael Swell, Tom Jones, Trip ReportTom JonesSeptember 24, 2012the swell, Quandary Canyon, san rafael swell, Utah canyoneering, canyoneering, the squeeze, Quandary Direct, Quandary Direct Canyon

An Anchor Survey in The Squeeze Canyon, San Rafael Swell, Utah

The Squeeze is an excellent canyoneering adventure down in Utah's San Rafael Swell. I was down at Hidden Splendor for the SUWA Roundup. The frequent storms the last few weeks suggested the canyons on the south end of the Reef would be in Splasher mode

Anchors, Canyoneering, San Rafael Swell, Tom Jones, Trip ReportTom JonesSeptember 24, 2012anchors, the swell, san rafael swell, canyoneering, achors, the squeeze canyon, the squeeze

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