mystery canyon - 3b
november 2021
On a last minute call, I joined a nice couple visiting the USA from Europe for a trip down Mystery Canyon. I was happy to make the drive over to Zion again for a long weekend to do this classic canyon which includes everything from long rappells into deep pools of water to fun downclimbing and at the end, a stunning rappel into the Narrows with a full audience. It was also necessary to have two cars, as the start is up at the top of the mesa way above the gorge. We met early in the morning at the Zion visitor center parking lot where I left my car. We drove their rental up to the East Mesa Trailhead, with signs for Observation point. The roads that are used once you leave the West North Fork Road are on the West Ponderosa Resort, but open to the public.
From the East Mesa Trailhead, we hiked on the well trodden and wide trail west for a couple miles. It gently ascended only 300 feet over the 2ish miles to where we reached the head of Mystery Canyon. At the head, looking due north down the gorge-like canyon was a sight to behold. Here we dropped down the slopes and descended what is known as "Death Gully" but it was nothing more than loose dirt. After descending 100 feet or so we found a faint path and followed it. The entire section of Mystery Canyon that drops in a northerly direction is fairly easy walking however there were a few short rappel spots, some of which I downclimbed. As we approached where the canyon makes a 90 degree dogleg to the left (west) there was a hill of landslide material we hiked on a trail over (gained 150 feet or so, then descended again). This material blocked the entire canyon from end to end, yet somehow water flows through under the debris.
When the canyon makes its dogleg, the real business began. The canyon is quite easy to descend utilizing the ropes since every drop has a double bolt anchor with chains. The first 8 drops range between 10-50 feet and were all dry. Just feed the rope and go. We did not run into any water until the final two rappells. The second to last was a full 35 meters down an exciting drop into a pool of water, which I was happy to have rented the wetsuit in Springdale. After that we waded through waist deep water through a colorful slot until we reached the final 30 meter drop into the Narrows. Plenty of hikers were walking in the deep gorge with the ankle to knee deep water. This is the most popular attraction in Zion with hundreds of people renting the waterproof booties to hike up for a mile or two with their families. As we made the slippery rappel down the cascade of water we had an audience! Once we were all in the Narrows gorge, we turned left and walked downstream to the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop at the end of the paved road (about a mile away). We had to wait for a few shuttles worth of people before we were able to get a ride back to the visitor center for us to reverse our car shuttle. I didn't get back home to Grand Junction until late.
See this page for an extremely good step by step description of Mystery Canyon. This was one of my favorite canyons I have done mainly for the variation and the dramatic walls that surround the canyon.
From the East Mesa Trailhead, we hiked on the well trodden and wide trail west for a couple miles. It gently ascended only 300 feet over the 2ish miles to where we reached the head of Mystery Canyon. At the head, looking due north down the gorge-like canyon was a sight to behold. Here we dropped down the slopes and descended what is known as "Death Gully" but it was nothing more than loose dirt. After descending 100 feet or so we found a faint path and followed it. The entire section of Mystery Canyon that drops in a northerly direction is fairly easy walking however there were a few short rappel spots, some of which I downclimbed. As we approached where the canyon makes a 90 degree dogleg to the left (west) there was a hill of landslide material we hiked on a trail over (gained 150 feet or so, then descended again). This material blocked the entire canyon from end to end, yet somehow water flows through under the debris.
When the canyon makes its dogleg, the real business began. The canyon is quite easy to descend utilizing the ropes since every drop has a double bolt anchor with chains. The first 8 drops range between 10-50 feet and were all dry. Just feed the rope and go. We did not run into any water until the final two rappells. The second to last was a full 35 meters down an exciting drop into a pool of water, which I was happy to have rented the wetsuit in Springdale. After that we waded through waist deep water through a colorful slot until we reached the final 30 meter drop into the Narrows. Plenty of hikers were walking in the deep gorge with the ankle to knee deep water. This is the most popular attraction in Zion with hundreds of people renting the waterproof booties to hike up for a mile or two with their families. As we made the slippery rappel down the cascade of water we had an audience! Once we were all in the Narrows gorge, we turned left and walked downstream to the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop at the end of the paved road (about a mile away). We had to wait for a few shuttles worth of people before we were able to get a ride back to the visitor center for us to reverse our car shuttle. I didn't get back home to Grand Junction until late.
See this page for an extremely good step by step description of Mystery Canyon. This was one of my favorite canyons I have done mainly for the variation and the dramatic walls that surround the canyon.
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