Icebox Canyon 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 IV
Time Required: 8-12 hours
Longest Rappel: 165 feet (50M)

Preferred Season
summer, fall

Water Concerns
wetsuits advisable in cold weather

Special Challenges
none

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

[perfectoval]

Beta for the South Pass entrance to Icebox Canyon (Kolob Fingers area of Zion National Park):

Overview: The hike in to this will be in the sun unless you start early. Advisable to get an early start. In the canyon, there are few spots in the actual slot where you actually have to swim about 15 meters (ie, 2 places total during July, for our party of 2), so you can decide whether or not you think you will want a wetsuit for them or not (we did not).

Approach: Start by hiking the trail at the Lee's Pass trailhead. You will follow the trail to the junction where the trail crosses the first major wash (ie, the canyon that is just South of Beatty Point on the Zion map). You will then head up the wash to the East, mostly following the wash and crossing sides multiple times. Eventually, it will be easiest to work your way to the north side of this canyon, which will allow you to hike up to the pass mostly on slickrock. When you are nearing the top of the pass, you can choose either the North pass or the South pass. The South pass leads to three 50m (or slightly less) rappels all with hanging belays, that gets you down into the canyon.

Entry: Follow the slickrock bowl to the South pass. Descend the gully using some slickrock friction in a couple spots. Continue following the slot until it opens up to Icebox Canyon. The first rappel station is positioned right on the edge of the canyon and unfortunately has a spicy down-climb. There is a one-bolt anchor to set up a rappel (recommended) to get you to the first rappel station. Please consider backing up this one-bolt rappel line if you have the time and know-how. Descend each of the three rappels (all of which range from 40m to 50m in length), each of which becomes increasingly more steep (not steep enough to be free-hanging, however). The third and final rappel station consists of 2 angled pins (mildly shallow) and one bolt (the hanger is slightly loose). Again, if you have the hardware knowledge, consider upgrading this anchor station. This last rappel will get you to the canyon floor.

Canyon: Follow the canyon downstream. The water flows year-round here, so bring a pump! There are several short rappels/down-climbs along the way. Two of the short rappels are single bolt. It is my opinion that it would be better to use natural anchors instead of using the bolts to bypass the water, but your mileage may vary. If you do plan to descend the waterway in its entirity instead of bypassing it on single bolt rappels, expect to spend more time swimming! The final section of the canyon is a large, open, 2-stage waterfall. Trees could easily be slung to rappel the first waterfall with enough webbing (30 feet?). The second waterfall is close to the same. The "standard" route descends on the left side of the waterfalls, in a gully to the left of a small ridge. From here, hike out the canyon until you hit the trail.

*note* Do not accidentally bypass the cut-off trail to the side canyon that Kolob arch is in.

Enjoy your 7 mile hike back to the car.

[nickdiy]

We descended Icebox by the South Pass route as well - Saturday 7/18/09. The anchors on the big wall station, I agree, were a bit shoddy - especially the last one. We wished we had brought a bolt kit with us. Once in the canyon we wondered why so many of the raps were set up to avoid the water - I've always enjoyed canyoneering by following the watercourse. Next time through I would definitely bring a wetsuit and descend the watercourse.

As for the final rap off a single sketchy bolt, which avoids what would be a very nice two-tiered drop into a beautiful emerald pool, again I would look for something natural a few steps back before using this bolt. It would be a cooler rap and much safer.

The two stage waterfall at the end of the technical section would easily be the two most scenic and cool rappels in the canyon. Again, we wondered why the description in the guidebook avoided these and opting for a rather un-enjoyable bushwack down the left side of the canyon. We could not see what anchors would be available for the second waterfall, so we took the trail. Looking back up-canyon both of those waterfalls could easily be descended anchoring off trees (as the last poster described above).

Nice canyon in a wilderness setting. We camped out on the La Verkin Creek trail (in a pretty scenic site) which made for a shadier and cooler 7 miles hump back up to Lees Pass early the next morning.