The Subway

From ropewiki.com
Jump to: navigation, search
The Subway Canyoneering Canyoning Caving
Also known as: Zion Subway Top-Down; Left Fork of North Creek Top-Down, The Subway Technical Route.
Rating:
Log in to rateLog in to rateLog in to rateLog in to rateLog in to rate 4.3 (194 ratings)

The Subway Banner.jpg

‌
Difficulty:‌3B III (v3a2 III)
Raps:‌4, max ↨30ft
Metric
Overall:5-12h ⟷9.5mi
Approach: ↑380ft
Exit: ↑490ft
Red Tape:‌Permit required
Shuttle:‌Required 20 min
Vehicle:Passenger
Rock type:Sandstone
Start:
Parking:
Shuttle:
Condition Reports:
23 Oct 2024

"That was a canyon, I guess? We intended to combine with Das Boot but got a late start due having a harder time than expected hitching to the top.

(log in to submit report)
Weather:
Best season:
Spring; Summer; Fall
winterspringsummerfall
DecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov
Regions:
Upload new version


Introduction[edit]

This page is for the Top-Down Canyoneering route of the Subway. This requires a permit with your entry point listed as "Wildcat Canyon Trailhead."

The Subway is an extremely popular hike through the left fork of North Creek. The Subway proper--the curved, tunnel-like section of the that gives the subway its name--is a relatively short section. This section is preceded by a long approach down and over slickrock. The exit consists of a lot of boulder hopping through the watercourse, a trail the crosses the river a few times, and a steep hike out of the canyon to the plateau. There is also a bottom-up version which is simply a non-technical hike comprised of the exit only. The bottom-up route is not described on this here but can be found at: https://ropewiki.com/The_Subway_(Bottom_Up)

Although this route is a very easy canyoneering trip, it is long and does require rappelling and canyoneering techniques. A number of teams not fully prepared for these challenges have required rescue, and there have been multiple deaths (via falling and while on rappel)

Getting There[edit]

The Subway Top-Down can be done either with a car shuttle or by hitchhiking. For both options drive north on the Kolob Terrace road to the Left Fork Trailhead. This is the exit trailhead where you will leave a vehicle. From here either hitchhike, or drive a second vehicle up the KTR to the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead--which is where you will either leave a vehicle to recover later or simply get dropped off and begin hiking the approach.

NOTE: If hitchhiking it is advised to do so in the morning because

  • You will be clean and dry and therefore people will be more likely to give you a ride
  • There is little if any traffic on the Kolob Terrace Road later in the day or at night

Approach[edit]

From the trailhead follow the Wildcat Canyon Trail out of the parking lot to the east until you encounter the Connector Trail junction. From here continue east until you very shortly reach the junction with the Northgate Peaks trail on the right (south). The Northgate Peaks trail heads due south and you will follow it briefly--for about 400 feet--until encountering a clear social trail on the left that spurs southeast down the slope and away from the plateau. This social trail is the Left Fork (Subway) Approach route. There may, or may not be signs for some or all of these turns and junctions so be vigilant as many groups have missed these turns in the past.

As you begin the approach trail down the slickrock gully, follow the cairns to an overlook. The area has seen a lot of use/abuse so there my be several paths. Try to stay on the main trail or in dry washes as this helps reduce impact. The GPX track on this page will be your best route option. Find a trail down from the overlook on its southeast side and continue past Russell Gulch and slightly uphill over the slickrock. Continue past the slickrock saddle and follow the cairns down the slickrock and through the brush to another overlook. Descend from this point to the confluence of Russell Gulch and Das Boot which forms the beginning of the technical route.

Descent[edit]

After completing the approach hike you will find yourself in the bottom of the canyon and in the watercourse of the Left Fork of North Creek. Follow the river down stream. From here there won't be any trails as you are now in the technical portion of the route. As you make your way down canyon you will encounter some small up climbs, down climbs, and a few rappels on your way to the Subway proper. Once in sight of the Subway proper section there will be a waterfall and a final rappel off of two bolts on the RDC (Right Down Canyon) side. In the past there was a log at the top off the waterfall that could be crossed; however that log has been gone for over a decade now. While it is possible to jump the gap over the waterfall, it is not advised to do so. People jumping this gap have had close calls and landed with bad footing. If you find beta that says you do not need to rappel or that you can cross on the log then that beta is outdated and no longer applicable.

Rappels[edit]

The Subway Top-Down Route is a technical canyoneering route so expect there to be up to four possible rappels (depending on skill level and water level) but at least one mandatory rappel. All rappels are easy by canyoneering standards; however, by novice or beginner standards they are nothing to take lightly. Even the smallest rappel in the Subway has claimed a life. Don't underestimate the technicality of the Subway.

  • R1: 25 feet - Anchored from bolts on downstream face of large, flat rock center canyon.
  • R2: 10 feet - Anchored from a rock pinch into a constriction with a smooth, nearly-spherical boulder at its base; a likely down-climb for skilled teams.
  • R3 Keyhole Falls: 15 feet - Anchored from bolts RDC. This is the likely site of one death when the rappeler was inverted under the water flow and was unable to free himself.
  • R4: 20 feet - Anchored from two bolts above a small pothole RDC.

Personal Technical Gear[edit]

For the technical section each member of your group will need the following personal gear:

  • Harness
  • Helmet
  • Descender (an ATC will for for this route)
  • 1-2 locking carabiners
  • gloves
  • good shoes (sandals, flip fops, Chacos, etc. not advised)

Group Technical Gear / Skills[edit]

  • 60 foot rope (this will allow for a double-strand rappel of the longest drop)
  • Webbing for replacing anchors or handlines
  • The ability to rescue a person stuck or inverted when rappelling and in the watercourse
  • All the other general equipment and skills for hiking that a group should possess

Wetsuit / Drysuit[edit]

The Subway is frequently traveled by novices and large groups. The park lets in up to 80 people per day and it typically is full with everyone in canyon about the same time. As a result, there are frequent bottlenecks, traffic jams, and extended wait times at each rappel, down climb, or obstacle. While it is possible to descend the Subway without a wetsuit or drysuit, if you have to wait for an extended period of time at one of these bottlenecks in the water, shade, and/or with an updraft blowing through the canyon you can become very cold, very fast. For this reason it is advisable to wear a wetwuit or drysuit even in the middle of summer. You may think you don't need a one, but if you get stuck waiting for any reason you will quickly change your tune.

While a drysuit can be used in the summer a wetsuit of 3-4mm is usually sufficient. If doing the Subway in cooler, winter, or runoff conditions a drysuit plus a high degree of skill and experience are required as those are not novice or beginner conditions.

Exit[edit]

Following the end of the technical section there are 2.2 miles of strenuous boulder-hopping and river crossing to the the point where you leave the watercourse and hike up a steep rocky switchback trail to the plateau. There is a sign (unless it gets washed out by floods) but this sign can be easily missed--especially if hiking in the dark. Have headlamps with you, a good GPS/mapping system, and the tracks downloaded. Many groups have missed this turn both in the dark and in the daylight.

After following the trail up the steep cliff the plateau, continue on the most prominent trail back to the Left Fork Trailhead parking lot and your exit vehicle.

Red tape[edit]

Permit Availability and Routes[edit]

A permit is required for the Subway and is difficult to get. The permits for the Subway operate differently from most Zion permits in that they are awarded as part of a lottery system rather than just the first-come, first-served calendar. The park issues 80 spots per day, shared between both the Top-Down canyoneering route and the Bottom-Up hiking route. Zion does not separate permits between these routes—it’s all one combined quota.

  • 60 spots are distributed via an advance lottery.
  • Any unclaimed spots roll over to the first-come, first-served calendar.
  • The remaining 20 spots are released via a Last-Minute Drawing held the week of the trip.

When you apply, you must select an entry point, which determines your route:

  • Wildcat Canyon Trailhead - This is the start for the Top-Down Canyoneering route
  • Left Fork (Subway) Trailhead - This is the start for the Bottom-Up Hiking route

If you select the wrong one during the application, you cannot edit it through recreation.gov. However, once your reservation is confirmed and you're ready to print your permit (online or in person), you can change your entry point at that time. The park doesn’t track permits by route—only by total daily user count.

Group Size Limit[edit]

The Subway has a group size limit of 12, which is higher than the standard limit of 6 found in most other technical canyons in Zion. This is a hard limit. Zion defines a “group” as any people with a shared affiliation (e.g., club, friends, coworkers, scouts, family) entering the same canyon on the same day—even if they’re using separate permits. Affiliation matters more than permit paperwork. No matter how many permits are held, the total headcount for an affiliated group cannot exceed 12. https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringregulations.htm

Permit Reservations vs. Actual Permits[edit]

When you successfully apply, what you receive is a permit reservation, not the actual permit. A permit reservation does not guarantee you an actual permit either. The park service may decline to issue you a permit due to weather-related closures or other reasons. The actual permit will not be avialable to obtain or print (paper or digital copy) until a few days before your trip. There are two options for printing or obtaining the actual permit:

  • In person, at the Zion Wilderness Desk
  • Online, through your recreation.gov account (But only if you have a current Zion Wilderness account linked to your recreaction.gov account and 2 you applied for your permit reservation under that account. If you did not, or your ZWR account was not linked or expired you will not be able to transfer the reservation to a ZWR status and will instead have to pick up the permit in person at the Zion Wilderness Desk.)

To print online, your Zion Wilderness account must be set up and linked by park staff. This part of the system is unintuitive and often confuses people. If you don’t have the accounts properly connected, go to the desk in person. More info here: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringpermits.htm

Variations[edit]

Descending Russell Gulch, Das Boot, or Upper Left Fork require a separate permit. If doing these upper routes and exiting out the Subway an additional permit for the Subway is required. Das Boot and Subway permits and availability information are available here. Russell Gulch permits may be obtained at the Zion Backcountry desk.

Beta sites[edit]

Trip reports and media[edit]

Background[edit]

Credits

Information provided by automated processes. KML map by (unknown). Main photo by (unknown). Authors are listed in chronological order.

In all habitats live animals and plants that deserve respect, please minimize impact on the environment and observe the local ethics. Canyoneering, Canyoning, Caving and other activities described in this site are inherently dangerous. Reliance on the information contained on this site is solely at your own risk. There is no warranty as to accuracy, timeliness or completeness of the information provided on this site. The site administrators and all the contributing authors expressly disclaim any and all liability for any loss or injury caused, in whole or in part, by its actions, omissions, or negligence in procuring, compiling or providing information through this site, including without limitation, liability with respect to any use of the information contained herein. If you notice any omission or mistakes, please contribute your knowledge (more information).

Incidents

IncidentCanyoning?SeverityDate
Incident:Fractured jaw and busted teeth in The Subway 2019/09/13YesInjury2019-09-13
Retrieved from "https://ropewiki.com/index.php?title=The_Subway&oldid=295771"