Echo Canyon (Middle)
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| | Difficulty:3B II (v2a2 II) Raps:4-7, max ↨22ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 26 Sep 2024
"We did a leisurely run through of Middle Echo. After finishing Middle we hike down canyon to the trail closure and relaxed in the shade and coolness o |
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| Best season: | Late Spring to Autumn;BEST in Jun;Jul;Aug;Sep
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37.2778, -112.9206
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Introduction[edit]
What doesn't this canyon have? An awesome 3 room echo chamber, one of the best narrows sections in Zion, jumps, a keeper pothole, log soup, log-jambs, fun down-climbs, quick sand and an easy downhill exit to boot. One canyoneer once saw predatory red worms in these waters the likes he has never seen anywhere else on this planet. Our team did not encounter these but we went the day after a major flash flood. ✖
Approach[edit]
There are three options for the approach. The recommended approach is described first. The sneak approach drops you in right above the echo chamber and makes for a 3CI route. The Top-Down approach won't save time, but it will save on hiking an uphill approach.
Note that below Middle Echo is Lower Echo Canyon, which you will see on your left on the way up the approach. This route must be done caving style by leaving all ropes and ascending out, after coming down the 300 foot free-hang into Weeping Rock itself, presumably because the Park Service wants to preserve this park landmark as much as possible and prevent too many canyoneers' footprints from altering or destroying the moss and probably to prevent rock fall onto the many tourists who hike up to the bench underneath this massive ramada.
Recommended Approach--Closed due to the 2019 rock slide[edit]
From the Zion Visitor Center take the Shuttle to Weeping Rock. Hike up the Weeping Rock Trail, stay right at the bottom and go up the switchbacks, not left which takes you to the bench underneath the large ramada that is called Weeping Rock. Stay left where the Hidden Canyon trail goes off to the right. After crossing the drainage, stay right and do not go up to Observation Point Trail that heads up left. After hiking up 2.85 miles from Weeping Rock to a trail junction there is a sign. Go right and down here towards "Deer Trail" and "East Entrance." If you follow Bluegnome's beta it will be confusing because the sign does not say "East Rim Trail." It is on hard sandstone and hardly visible. Follow cairns. The drop-in is 1/2 mile from this trail junction and is at an elevation of 5,594 feet, 3.4 miles from Weeping Rock, 1 1/2 hours.
Sneak Approach--Closed due to the 2019 rock slide[edit]
From the Zion Visitor Center take the Shuttle to Weeping Rock. Hike up the Weeping Rock Trail, stay right at the bottom and go up the switchbacks, not left which takes you to the bench underneath the large ramada that is called Weeping Rock. Stay left where the Hidden Canyon trail goes off to the right. After crossing the drainage, stay right and do not go up to Observation Point Trail that heads up left. About 1/2 mile further up the trail head right down a gulley and find a blue anchor around a stout Pine. This is a 40 foot rappel to enter the canyon.
Top-Down Approach--Closed due to the 2019 rock slide[edit]
This route requires a shuttle and will not save time. Spot a car at the Zion Visitor Center for the exit. Drive back up to the East Entrance to the park and exit the park. Less than two miles make a left heading to North Fork and make your way to Stave Spring TH on dirt roads. You will be at the headwaters at an elevation of about 6,400 feet. Alternatively, take the approach to Jolley Gulch and continue along dirt roads, using GPS or a topo map, to get to the trailhead for Echo Canyon Pack Trail. Follow this pack trail down to the watercourse.
Top-Loop Approach[edit]
This route requires about 1,300' of elevation gain for the exit. Drive up to the East Entrance to the park and exit the park. Less than two miles make a left heading to North Fork and make your way to Stave Spring TH on dirt roads. You will be at the headwaters at an elevation of about 6,400 feet. Alternatively, take the approach to Jolley Gulch and continue along dirt roads, using GPS or a topo map, to get to the trailhead for Echo Canyon Pack Trail. Follow this pack trail down to the watercourse.
AS OF SEPT 2019 the section of the East Rim trail the runs from the Weeping Rock trail head up through Echo Canyon has been closed indefinitely. The ONLY access is the TOP-LOOP APPROACH.
Descent[edit]
If you dropped in by the recommended approach, there are several interesting down-climbs that can be done by meat-anchoring all but LAMAR and then giving LAMAR a partner assist. The day after a major flash, there was a massive, thick log-jam soup at the top. After entering about 1/4 of the way, it was thick enough to get on top and crawl across. You may need to set up a hand line to assist. There was another log-jamb soup, not as long. And a massive log-jamb that could collapse at any time with weight on it.
- R1: 10 ft. - Anchored from a downed tree or a pinch anchor.
If you dropped in by the Sneak Route, you missed a lot of excitement and did not advance your skills at log-soup swimming or down-climbing, but you are clean and probably happy for that. You are 50 feet from the first rappel.
The echo chamber consists of 3 short rappels and a jump to get past 4 big potholes that may be full of water. The rappels are almost exactly the same length, 20 feet, so no need to bag the rope in between.
- R2: 20 ft. - Anchored from a chock stone into a keeper pothole. Swim across a keeper pothole, partner assist likely needed
- R3: 15 ft. - Anchored from bolts canyon left or a chock stone.
- J1: Jump into a big swimmer pothole
- R4: 20 ft. - Anchored from a choke stone RDC or possibly some bolts, canyon right.
- R5: 15 ft. - Anchored from bolted hangers LDC and drops to a pool (sometimes dry).
- R6: 12 ft. - Anchored from bolted hangers RDC and drops to a pool.
- R7: 15 ft. - Anchored from bolted hangers RDC and drops to a pool.
Exit[edit]
After exiting from the echo chamber, continue down the creek through a phenomenal narrows section, likely encountering quicksand if there has been recent rain. After about 30 minutes you will see the trail about 50 feet away and about 20 above you on the right in an open slickrock area. This is a wide open, sunny area and ideal for changing out of wetsuits and drying off before heading back down the trail you came up on.
You may also continue down another hundred yards until you actually meet the trail, but this is a dark and narrow spot, not ideal for a changing area.
Red tape[edit]
Entry to this area may be restricted; check for information regarding permits before attempting this trip
Beta sites[edit]
BluuGnome.com : Echo Canyon (middle)- RoadTripRyan.com : Middle Echo Canyon
- CanyoneeringUSA.com : Echo
- Climb-Utah.com : Echo Canyon
- HikeArizona.com : Middle Echo
Zion Canyoneering Book by Tom Jones : Echo Canyon - Middle- CanyonCollective.com : Echo Canyon - Middle Section
- ZionCanyoneering.com : Middle Echo Canyon
- SummitPost.org : Echo Canyon
- ZionCanyoneering.com : Echo Canyon (Middle)
Trip reports and media[edit]
- https://www.facebook.com/pat.winstanley.7/media_set?set=a.601799446545423.1073741865.100001461198708&type=3
- Candition.com : Echo
