Heaps Canyon
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| | Difficulty:4B V R (v5a2 V) Raps:25, max ↨290ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | |||
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| Condition Reports: | 13 Oct 2024
"Amazing day in Heaps! Heaps is in hard mode. Most potholes can be solved via partner assist. We only pulled out the hook on one of the potholes early |
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37.2819, -112.9862
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Introduction[edit]
This is one of the hardest canyons in Zion. Very long and cold but relatively easy if potholes are full, it can become extremely difficult in adverse conditions.
Tom Jones' preface to Heaps is a must-read for those unfamiliar with its difficulty.
Approach[edit]
Approach from Lava Point for a longer but less strenuous hike (requires a long shuttle) or from the Grotto for a shorter but steeper hike (no shuttle).
Both routes intersect at the same point where you now need to find a way down to Phantom Valley below.
Option A - The Knife's Edge
This is the classic route that most take, as described by Tom Jones:
Work your way down the ridge, carefully following small social trails to avoid the worst of the brush. Progress on the ridge is soon blocked by a short cliff band. A small tree with slings above a dirt and gravel slope provides a possible rappel anchor, but a cleaner rappel can be found by stepping 10ft West, over a rock ridge and slinging a block (may require a long sling). Rappel 65' to the ground. Continue down the ridge, downclimbing on the left side when needed. Delicately climb an exposed, crumbling knife-edge ridge to a large tree on the right. Rap from a tree 210' to the high point of the ground.
Be aware, there are lots of incorrectly placed anchors along this ridge. Some of which will put you in a challenging and less than ideal location to get all the way down to the valley.
Option B - The Bowl
Directly East of the Knife's Edge lies a huge bowl shaped amphitheater providing an interesting alternate option for getting down to Phantom Valley.
Follow KML "bowl approach" over to a large horizontal sandstone pillar that lies over a gap at the edge of a cliff. From this pillar, using ghosting methods, rappel 190' down to a large bench below. This rappel turns free-hanging halfway down.
Directly in front of where you land is a huge tree at the cliff edge. Climb through the center of the tree and rig your rope with a toggle off the front-most limb. Rappel 325' down a clean sloping wall to the floor below.
Follow slick rock down to where it funnels into two cracks dropping into the slot. Rappel 110' off rock pinch DCR into slot (can downclimb most of the way, drops off at the end). May be possible to downclimb entire crack DCL.
Follow slot canyon down and out. At the end you will reach a final 2 stage 60' rappel off a rock pinch that spits you out of the slot into Phantom Valley.
Descent[edit]
See one or more full beta pages (farther below) for more detailed information.
There are three sections of narrows, each about twice as long as the previous one.
Be aware, there is a dead-end hallway that can be confusing near the end the final narrows, the correct route is a crack with a log jam on the right looking toward the dead end:
Final Sequence
At the end of the end of the final hallway, on the RIGHT SIDE ascend the 30' 5.4 freeclimb to the top of the hill. Walk over hill and downclimb into the crack.
Rappel 60' down a slot to an exposed sloped ledge at a large tree. Be careful not to release any of the loose blocks perched in the slot, as there are hikers below visiting the Upper Emerald Pool.
From the large tree, rappel 145' down a wall to a small ledge set back inside a crack, this is the “Bird Perch”. There is some loose rock on this rap too. Do NOT underestimate this rappel: it is vertical to overhanging the entire length.
From the Bird Perch, rappel 280' freehanging to the talus below
Alternate Watercourse Direct Finish
Instead of using the Bird Perch to finish Heaps, you can stay in the watercourse and do a series of three rappels. R1-60ft, plenty of room for the whole group at the bottom. R2-150ft, ends mid-wall and has a larger stance than the bird perch for about 4 people. R3-360ft, starts on the wall and gradually becomes free hanging. You probably want to avoid this one if it is flowing at all.
Exit[edit]
The last rappel ends at Upper Emerald Pools. Hike down the popular trail to the Lodge.
Red tape[edit]
Permits[edit]
Permits are required with a group-size limit of 6 people.
The permit system is complicated and is no longer administered by the park service. However, it is advisable to start at the park's webpage for canyoneering permit information when looking for permits and details about how they are obtained and other regulations and timeframes. Zion NP Canyoneering Permits: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringpermits.htm
Vehicle (Yellow) Passes[edit]
If you are starting Heaps or Imlay from the main Zion Canyon floor and hiking up the West Rim Trail, the park WILL issue you a vehicle pass. This is because these canyons require an early start—well before the in-canyon shuttles begin operating for the day—and you’ll need a permit to drive up Zion Canyon and leave a vehicle at the trailhead.
If you are starting from Lava Point, however, the park WILL NOT issue a vehicle pass. Even though you’ll be relying on the in-canyon shuttle to return at the end of the day, the Park’s reasoning is that since you can reach Lava Point on your own schedule, you should be able to start early enough to complete the canyon and catch the last shuttle without needing to leave a vehicle in Zion Canyon.
It's possible that some rangers better understand the implications of the policy and may be willing to issue vehicle passes for those doing the top-down route. Rangers do have some discretion, but the above information is based on the official policy and email correspondence with the Zion Wilderness Desk.
Beta sites[edit]
BluuGnome.com : Heaps Canyon- CanyoneeringUSA.com : via Phantom; exit watercourse
- Climb-Utah.com : Heaps Canyon
- CanyonChronicles.com : Heaps Canyon
Zion Canyoneering Book by Tom Jones : Heaps via Phantom- ZionCanyoneering.com : Heaps Canyon
- SummitPost.org : Heaps Canyon
Trip reports and media[edit]
- Dennis Turville on Canyon Tales : Heaps Canyon (via Gunsight), September 23-25, 1981
- Dennis Turville on Canyon Tales : Desscent info for Heaps Canyon (via Gunsight), September 23-25, 1981
- Bo Beck on Canyon Tales : A First Trip in Heaps, June 1993 (via Gunsight)
- Ram on Canyon Tales : Escape from Heaps
- Dave Black on Canyon Tales : A Shitty Trip in heaps
- Randi Poer on Canyon Tales : Heaps ... Revisited!
- Luca Chiarabini - Heaps
- Candition.com : Heaps
June 9, 2016: Group of 5 including two pro guides. 13 hours car-to-car from the Grotto. Water levels not full but not super low. Some pothole escape techniques were needed on a couple. Lots of fun stuff inc. pack tosses, pack anchors, floating anchor, guided rappel, etc. The group we passed did not have these skills and likely took over 15 hours and were expending a lot of energy.
September 3, 2016: http://amazingslots.blogspot.com/2016/09/heaps-canyon.html
