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Dwayne27
08-28-2008, 12:18 PM
The technical section of Telephone descends from the West Rim encountering big drops, interesting potholes and challenging downclimbing.

Rating: 3A IV
Time Required: ??
Longest Rappel: ~190 Feet

Permit Information
Permits required and can be obtained at the Zion NP Visitor Center.

Camping/Lodging
There are campgrounds in Zion NP, numerous hotels in nearby Springdale and plenty of primitive camping in the vicinity.

Preferred Season
Spring and Fall are best, summer OK when rain isn’t threatening, but can be hot.

Water Concerns
Possible water filled potholes

Special Challenges
There are a number of long drops through winding narrows in this canyon. Efficient rope handling is essential. The 50 meter angling slot is fairly easy to rappel. A good climber can sequence everyone else down with a rope and then climb down.

Equipment Suggestions
Standard Technical Gear (harness, descending device, helmet, multiple locking carabineers, slings, etc), 2 200’ ropes, ~50’ of webbing, rap rings/links, ascenders

Topographic Maps
USGS 7.5/ Map ‘Temple of Sinawava’

Directions to Trailhead
From the Zion NP Visitor Center take the shuttle to the Grotto parking area. Cross the footbridge over the Virgin River, turn right and begin the long climb toward Angels Landing.

Trailhead UTM Grid Coordinate
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Approach
The trail to Angels Landing climbs steeply up the canyon wall and into the lush and shady Refrigerator Canyon. At Scout Lookout continue up the West Rim trail across slickrock passing west of pt. 6015. The trail continues along the west side of the wide and open lower section of Telephone Canyon climbing past Behunin pass to the west rim at Spring 6710. Head north from here following a good trail along the rim crossing a shallow drainage. Soon you will come to an old burn. Head right down through the burn to the first drop off the rim into Telephone Canyon.

Canyon Entry UTM Grid Coordinate
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Description: Standard Route
The first drop is 60 meters into a set of corkscrew potholes. Continue down more drops past a 50 meter steep, angled slot which can be either rappelled or down-climbed. More rappels bring you to the last drop at a huge rockfall. This area is very loose so be careful.

Exit
After the last drop continue down canyon to where things open up. Stay left of the Telephone drainage and contour across slickrock another half mile or so to the intersection with the Imlay "Sneak" trail. Cross the Telephone drainage south and climb a steep hill back to the West Rim trail where it turns sharply south and crosses a bridge heading up to Behunin pass. Follow the West Rim trail back down past Angels Landing, through Refrigerator Canyon and back to the Grotto.

Canyon Exit UTM Grid Coordinate
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Dwayne27
08-28-2008, 12:19 PM
Reserved for accident reports from this canyon

johnpbraun
07-08-2009, 07:20 PM
I ran Telephone back in late May or early June. Expect to find lots of "interesting" anchors. We rebuilt two or three, and negotiated some other drops with meat anchors and sequencing. (Complete side note: my friend Ane has coined what I believe to be a neologism: "meat pillows" - when you're spotting someone that's a good ways above you.) The semi-recent big rains quite likely could have altered the anchors we used back then. There's lots of natural anchor potential at most or all drops so hopefully it doesn't get bolted up.

tylerhirshfeld
09-27-2009, 06:29 PM
Sorry it took me so long to get these up guys, but here they are. These were some of the better ones I took, so enjoy!

brucefrombryce
09-27-2009, 11:59 PM
Concerning the first rappel shown in the initial photo we discovered it is possible with a 200'(60m) rope to go directly from the tree on the right LDC to the canyon floor i.e. the anchor closest to the photographer.

The tree in the background was used when rappelling from the burned out bush at the canyon rim.

P.S. Not knowing we did both these two rappels to get into the canyon last year.

bruce from bryce

nonot
07-31-2010, 12:52 AM
Descended last Saturday, anchors all in very good shape. It was HOT at 106 until the storms rolled in, sweated a gallon on the way up to the west rim. We did the traverse to the tree and rapped into the canyon in two stages, not as hard as described, but thanks for the beta. Nice clean pulls throughout.