Das Boot 3B

[rcwild]

NOTE: If you have corrections, additions or current conditions for this canyon, please post as a reply to this thread. If you have a trip report for this canyon, please post it in the Blogs section.

Rating: 3B III
Time Required: 7-10 hours
Longest Rappel: 60 feet (20M)

Preferred Season
summer, fall

Water Concerns
wetsuits advisable

Special Challenges
long exposure to cold water

USGS Topo Maps

Directions to Trailhead

Trailhead UTM Grid Coordinate

Approach

Canyon Entry UTM Grid Coordinate

Exit

Canyon Exit UTM Grid Coordinate

[rcwild]

Reserved for accident reports from this canyon

[oldno7]

The longest rappel is if you enter the canyon below the traditional entrance by several hundred feet. The rap is a little over 40' off a sling around a tree. Seems like a better entrance than walking down.
3-4 mandatory swims and much waist to chest deep wading.
Lots of downclimbs either off logjams or ckockstones or potholes.
Very scenic canyon with lots of photo opps.
Had a 4/3 wetsuit on July 18th and felt very comfortable.
Tom Jones rates this canyon a 4 on his website, we studied the canyon hard and cannnot see the change that would require this rating. At the levels we experienced it was a low end 3B.

[david_mcnay]

We did this as part of the last Zion Rondy, late September 2008, and the water level was way down. We could see the high water line way above our heads, so most swims were wades. I think it was easier than we expected because of the low water. Wetsuits still reccommended. The last rappel above the Subway has an interesting start. We had some trouble finding the entrance, so watch your beta better on that.

[deputc26]

Just did Das Boot last weekend, yes finding the entrance was a little tricky and took some trial and error. The official entrance is in the second LARGE gulch after departing the trail to the right over the slickrock. Great Canyon and could actually be done without a rope as there are multiple possible entrance downclimbs and both significant raps can be cliff jumped. lots of chest deep wading and 4-5 swims, brought wetsuits but didn't need them (was a little chilly but nothing serious).

Weird Note: In one shallow 7'x3' pool we found several very strange creatures, they were dirty white, as thin/thinner than string and about 10" long we scooped one up on a stick and it had the strength in it's body curl around the snick several more times like a snake. They were so thin we couldn't tell if they had a head but it didn't look like it, making me think they were worms. There was also a huge dead King Snake in the canyon stinking up a part of it. Exit up Wildcat was a decent hike.

[nonot]

The dead elk has a smell radius of 200 ft. Currently only a 2/10 on the vomit scale...the human waste up on Scout lookout is worse. I'd agree that this is not a 4 in the summer and 3B is appropriate. I think tom's experiences and ratings are based upon cold winter descents or in spring w/high flow? He said 4C!

We avoided the 40 ft rappel into Das boot by a fairly easy traverse east along the canyon rim to a walk in entrance. Once exposed class 2/3 move that looks worse than it is.

[mountain man]

FYI. got a phone call this morning. A family member could not receive a permit for a canyon in the Left Fork drainage because of a wildfire.

[degbert]

So is the dead elk in the water? Can you stem over it? I hate it when I get maggots stuck to my wetsuit. :eek:

[mountain man]

last I heard the elk is not a problem anymore. it's been stripped well from decomposing and flash floods. bones are still there.

[mountain man]

fire update

http://www.nps.gov/zion/subway-fire-in-zion-national-park.htm

also check out the subway fire from here
http://www.utahfireinfo.gov/

it appears they are going to burn the northern side of mesa and then let the rest of the fire in the south burn out. may not open for a few days, weeks, . . .