Heaps Canyon
| Rating: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||
| | Difficulty:4B V R (v5a2 V) Raps:25, max ↨290ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | |||
| Location: | ||||
| Condition Reports: | 17 Sep 2023
"Started at Lava Point at 4am, made it to the first rappel just after sunrise. The second rappel was a bit further down the ridge than we were expectin |
|||
| Best season: | ||||
| Regions: | ||||
37.2819, -112.9862
Search nearby locations
Weather forecast
Waterflow
Nearby photos
Introduction
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
Descent
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. Two of the trickiest parts seem to be near the end. First, there is a dead-end hallway that can be confusing; the correct route is a crack with a log jam on the right looking toward the dead end:
Second, to begin the final rappel sequence, climb up canyon right and then over the hill to the first rappel station at a tree. Do NOT descend into the crack on canyon left. The bluugnome beta below has a good image for this.
Exit
The last rappel ends at Upper Emerald Pools. Hike down the popular trail to the Lodge.
Red tape
Permits are required and are generally limited to two groups of 6 per day.
Beta sites
-
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
- https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.482830091102.284071.669366102&type=1&l=9f00790280
- 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
