Rotary Dial Canyon
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| | Difficulty:4B IV (v4a2 IV) Raps:12+, max ↨50ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 8 May 2025
"Time is car to car, overland hike in (alternate approach; not from post). We took our time on the way in and out and enjoyed the beautiful views. The |
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| Best season: | Spring-Autumn, hot in summer
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37.7543, -110.9767
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Introduction[edit]
Rotary Dial Canyon is a long and challenging canyon on the Waterpocket Fold near the Lower Muley Twists. It has stemming problems, anchor problems, partner captures and several pothole problems including difficult potholes. This canyon is usually ghosted. Both water and sand levels are highly variable.
The lower canyon can be a romp in full water conditions, with few challenges encountered, or a beast with constant pothole escapes in lower water. It is easily one of the best in the region.
Warning: The final pothole is a potential killer when water levels get low. It is overhanging and incredibly deep, requiring a packraft for a successful escape in some conditions.
Approach[edit]
Park at the Post Parking area, which is the trailhead for Lower Muley Twist Canyon at 37.82620, -110.97833. From the Post, there is a well developed trail all the way until the point where you leave the trail and head up the slickrock. Hike about 5 miles South just on the Grand Gulch Trail, just past Muley Mist Canyon Trail. The trail is mostly flat, which makes the miles go quickly. Then head up the slickrock, or head into the canyon exit to setup a fixed line for the Death Pothole (below).
There is also parking at 37.7722,-110.9447 for an alternate approach. However this is not recommended because it saves little time (assuming you already know exactly where to cut through the massive red rock headwall) and adds some horrendous elevation gain in at the the end of the day which likely will be roasting in full Sun.
Descent[edit]
Before your team heads up and tackles all the fun from the top down, you may want to hike up the canyon exit, climb up the last 20 foot 50 degree slab, around 2 pothole obstacles and setup a fixed line into the Death Pothole (final keeper pothole going down). The 50 degree slab can be free climbed by someone with good rock climbing skill, proper shoes, and maybe take a cleaning brush to clean the scum and sand off the holds. Or using a partner stack, you can get one light person up. Send up 2 people because there is a tricky pothole to get around on the way up before reaching the Death Pothole. Bring a potshot bag and 25 feet of rope to leave at the Death Pothole.
This canyon contains many challenging obstacles, and zero man made anything left behind. Normally, there are not enough rocks for rock cairn anchors should you decide to build one. Come prepared for keeper pothole escapes, rappels from retrievable anchors, and high stemming, like LOTS of high stemming! Multiple potshot bags, a sandtrap, a waterpocket anchor, and or possibly a packraft (if you have not preset a fixed line for the Death Pothole) may be required. The Death Pothole is huge, 10 feet deep (on the exit side) and has a big dead vertical then overhanging lip. In low water conditions, it may require advanced pothole escape techniques. In higher water a packraft may provide the easiest escape. From an area dubbed the Patio at 37.76239, -110.97176 it is very easy to exit the canyon back to the approach ridge and slickrock slabs which means you are not committed to the last section with the Death Pothole if you want to bypass it. As such, you can rigged about 200 feet of rope down the multi-stages of potholes to the Death Pothole and try out your escape technique(s) if you have not pre-rigged it and are not sure about escaping it, and still have a rope back up canyon to the Patio.
Regardless of methods -> Bring the A Team.
Exit[edit]
Follow the well developed trail 5 miles back to the Post Parking Area.
Red tape[edit]
Permits[edit]
A permit is required for any and all canyoneering within the boundaries of Capitol Reef National Park. Permits have a group-size limit that varies depending on the canyon or route. A separate permit is required for each canyoneering route. Currently, there is no quota limit nor permit cost, though that is likely to change at some point in the future. Permits can be obtained onsite through a self-serve kiosk located just outside of the visitor center or by sending and email to [email protected] using the following format:
Subject: Name of canyoneering route and date you will be canyoneering.
Email Body: Date of visit (single day only): Canyoneering route (single route only): Number of people: Vehicle location: Number of motorized vehicles: Vehicle description(s):
If you plan to camp overnight as part of a canyoneering trip, you are required to obtain a free backcountry permit, available at the visitor center.
Additional Access Information:[edit]
- CRNP canyoneering permit information webpage: https://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/canyoneering.htm
- Other: http://www.americancanyoneers.org/access-capitol-reef/
Group-Size Limit:[edit]
Canyoneering groups are limited to a maximum of 8 people for this Canyon.
Groups larger than 8 or 12 sharing the same affiliation (school, church, club, scout group, family, friends, etc., or combination thereof) may divide into groups smaller than 8 or 12, provided they do not occupy the same canyon, drainage, general area or the same route on the same day.
Park Entrance Fee:[edit]
The Scenic drive is the only area of Capitol Reef where an entry fee or park pass is required. Passes can be attained at the visitor center or at a self-pay kiosk at the start of the scenic drive. Fees are good for seven days and can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/fees.htm
Beta sites[edit]
SummitPost.org : Rotary Dial- Super Amazing Map : Rotary Dial
Trip reports and media[edit]
- Candition.com : Rotary Dial
Background[edit]
Source of Names and early descents information:
A. Steve Allen lists the name "Lizard Canyon" in Utah's Canyon Country Place Names, 2012, volume 2, page 516 (entry is Muley Tanks) with no attribution in the book. (in correspondence 10-25-2020 with Stefan Folias: "Lizard Canyon was named by Fred Goodsell, the first backcountry ranger at Capitol Reef NP. As I remember the story, Fred saw a lizard there that is usually found only in the Sonoran desert. Of course that is an OLD memory.")
B. "Mostly Harmless" was the name used by the first modern descent team Brendan Busch, Mike Schasch, Matt Brejcha, John Diener and Steve Ramras (with scouting by Jenny West) - April 20, 2014.
C. "Rotary Dial" was the name selected by the Jason of third team, June 1, 2014 - Scott Patterson, Kessler Patterson, Charlie Evens & Jason Pease; and the first name under which the canyon was published.
D. "Culebra" is "Snake" in Spanish - named by the second team and just days before the third team (no members noted).