Red Cave Canyon

[flhoodoo]

I've heard a bit about this route and have seen many pictures on the Internet, but am having trouble finding a route description or even where it is. I know it's somewhere east of Zion, likely off of Hwy 89, but I'm only guessing. Anyone out there have any idea? Thanks.

[az-outdoorsman]

Need to have their "circle of friends" membership for all the details.

http://www.climb-utah.com/Zion/redcave.htm

[rcwild]

... or ...

You can get the beta from "Hiking Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks" a Falcon Guide. Listed as Sugar Knoll - Red Cave.

From Orderville, drive south on Hwy 89 to the historic schoolhouse at mile 83.5. Park here and hike north along the highway for 0.2 miles to a dirt road that runs eastward to the river. This road is the beginning of the hike.

Key points (miles):
0.0 Dirt road departs highway
0.2 Road crosses the East Fork of the Virgin River
0.4 Gravel pit. Follow jeep trail to the north
1.1 Jeep trail enters BLM land
1.2 Jeep trail splits. Turn right for Red Cave
1.8 Red Cave

"From the blufftop junction of jeep trails, follow the track that descends steeply into the valley of Sand Wash. As its name implies, the wash is a wide avenue of sand that has been deposited by eons of flash flooding. Traveling is easy as the route follows the wash upward toward its source, an impossibly narrow declivity in the red lower layers of Navajo sandstone. This is the slot canyon called Red Cave, and hikers can penetrate it for only a short distance without vigorous climbing.

"Deep pools of water form in the floor of the cleft, and are always cold -- wear a wetsuit for extended exploration. Whorled walls rise up to block the sky, and the canyon floor is only wide enough to admit travelers in single file. This narrow chasm is a death trap when waters reach flood stage, since hikers have no way to climb upward. Visitors should carefully monitor the weather conditions and enter the slot canyon only if cloudless skies are a certainty."

Topo Map: Mt. Carmel

Best season: March-November
Difficulty: Moderate

Potholes always contain murky water.

[flhoodoo]

Awesome...thanks for the quick response.

[Spatulator]

You can actually drive all the way up to the start of the canyon if you have 4wd. If you don't feel like scrambling up the rappels you can hike up around the slot to the right (looking up canyon) and drop in from a tree as far up canyon as you want.

[shane]

You can get the beta from "Hiking Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks" a Falcon Guide. Listed as Sugar Knoll - Red Cave.

Gosh Rich, I'm surprised you are not more up-to-date on this stuff. :eek:

The route to Red Cave listed in the Falcon Guide crosses private property and is closed to the public. You can access using this route by paying a local guide $87 per person. To access using the Falcon Guide requires climbing two locked gates. If you attempt to access using the Falcon Guide instructions you will probably be arrested for trespassing. The current owner is not happy with folks attempting to access his property.

Climb-Utah.com has secured a Red Cave access route across neighboring private property, the down side is that it requires a 4 wheel drive. Folks sometimes ask what the Circle of Friends membership is used for and this is an excellent example. We were able to secure members and the general public free access to a great slot canyon. We are also currently working with other landowners and the local trails committee along Highway 89 to allow access to several other great destinations. :cool:

PLEASE - do not violate the private property along 89 or you might destroy future access for all. There is an excellent chance that we will soon have good access to nearly everything along the highway.

You can also access Red Cave by use of a BLM 4x4 road where the Virgin cross under 89. This road is very treacherous where it cross State Barn Wash.

Thanks for playing.... :D

Shane Burrows
Climb Utah - Canyoneering & Mountaineering
http://Climb-Utah.com

[rcwild]

Thanks for the post, Shane. You're right, I don't keep up to date on beta. I leave that to you pimps. :D

Quite a few people are still using the Falcon Guide beta. Guess they just don't know how lucky they are not to be arrested.

Anxious to hear more details about your efforts to maintain access with the Circle of Friends membership fees. How much did you have to pay to keep access to Red Cave? To who? The neighboring land owner? Did he accept a one-time fee for unlimited access indefinitely? Or will you be making regular payments to him? Do people crossing his land have to know the secret Circle of Friends password? :D

Let me know if the ACA can help in any way with future fees.

[shane]

Quite a few people are still using the Falcon Guide beta. Guess they just don't know how lucky they are not to be arrested.

I don't know about that. :confused: If true they are crossing locked gates posted no trespassing..... really bad form. It certainly will not help secure future access in the area. Point me to your ACA database and I'll post driving instructions that avoids the private property in question. The route noted in the Falcon Guide was published without perrmission of the land owner.


Anxious to hear more details about your efforts to maintain access with the Circle of Friends.

We have been working with the Kane County Trails Committee, area business, county commissioners and private property owners to establish routes and promote trails and slot canyons along Highway 89. There are several excellent slot canyons and destinations along Highway 89 and the local businesses want to capitalize on the oppertunity. Most of the better access has been closed in the past because of disrespect for the land and land owners.

Currently the routes secured by Climb-Utah.com to Red Cave are free and open to the general public. To access this canyon you must pass through a local resident's front yard and right next to his home. The gentlemen has been kind enough to allow access. Please drive slow and show respect, little children are often playing in the yard and surrounding property. If this request is not strictly adhered to we will lose this access.

What rules, fees, regulations or secret handshakes are required to access other slot canyons along Highway 89 are still being negotiated. Our first choice is that all routes are free and open to the general public and that is what we are asking for.


Let me know if the ACA can help in any way

Currently the best help avaiable from the ACA is to advise it's members of the situation and ask them to respect the rights of private property owners. All of the property along both sides of Highway 89 and the Virgin River in this area is private.

If the ACA really wants to help we might request your assistance in constructing and marking access trails, perhaps as one of your service projects. :)

Shane Burrows
Climb Utah - Canyoneering & Mountaineering
http://Climb-Utah.com

[rcwild]

If the ACA really wants to help we might request your assistance in constructing and marking access trails, perhaps as one of your service projects.

Sounds good. Let me know what you need and when you need it and we'll put something together.

[~tanya]

Its a great slot canyon and a fun adventure located on the east side of Zion in Mount Carmel Junction ----where no permits are needed. The 4WD route is part of the fun. (As Shane mentioned Mr. Sorenson and Mr. Tait do not want people crossing their property any more to get to the trail, so take the 4WD route, but go slowly since you will be in someones front yard right before driving through the east fork of the virgin.

Shane's climb-utah.com site has some good beta on how to get there.

I have some photo albums of the hike but have not wrote the trail description yet.

Lower Red Cave with Dean Kurtz and Bo Beck
http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/albums/index31.htm

Lower and Upper Red Cave with Shane Burrows, Tom and Eric (I think its Eric)
http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/albums/index4.htm

I have some great shots of the Upper Slot when I went with Bo a few weeks ago but I have not got those on the net yet.

:rolleyes:

[rcwild]

Lower Red Cave with Dean Kurtz and Bo Beck
http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/albums/index31.htm

Who's the guy in the burgandy shirt? Looks a bit like Dean Kurtz, but he's holding neither a beer or a cigarette, so it can't be him. :p

[~tanya]

:p I believe that's rootbeer

[rcwild]

I think you might have misread my post, Tanya ...

... he's holding neither a beer or a cigarette, so it can't be him.

I know Dean. He feels totally naked without one or the other in his hand at all times. :D

[~tanya]

I just assumed that most people would think Dean would have one or the other in his hand and I had to defend him of course. :eek: yep.... You are right that's Dean with out one or the other. :o

[dkurtz]

Mmmmm......beeeerrrrrr........

[mdd]

Point me to your ACA database and I'll post driving instructions that avoids the private property in question. The route noted in the Falcon Guide was published without perrmission of the land owner.


Hi Shane, I think the db is back up again, but I don't think Red Cave is in there anywhere... just an FYI.

http://www.canyoneering.net/content/index.php?categoryid=39


M

[~tanya]

Here is Bo's trail report for Red Cave. Note that there is a small window during the hunt, when Red Cave is off limits, and dangerous with the hunters everywhere with guns in hand. :cool:

http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-red-cave.htm

[rcwild]

Hi Tanya,

On your web page at:

http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-red-cave.htm

May I suggest the following text:

"Locate the dirt track across the river, just north of the home, and either drive (4WD only) or walk to the other side of the river. Stay on this main road. It turns into a steep and rocky climb until it levels out on the top, dips, then comes to a "T". Turn left, following the powerline to the east ..."

I'm sure everyone really appreciates your brother's willingness to allow access across his land. Tell him thank you for all of us. I hope everyone will be considerate and not abuse the privilege.

[~tanya]

Done and there is even a map there now ;)

Zion National Park (http://www.zionnational-park.com)

Red Cave (http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-red-cave.htm)

[rcwild]

Wow! Now, that's fast service.

[bobeck]

I went into Lower Sand Wash Slot aka Red Cave with Tanya and Dean and Mark last winter, and there was a rather tattered rope dangling from a "bolt" I suppose? Dean and Mark batmanned up as Tanya and I went out and climbed up the slope on the right of the mouth (LUC) and then entered the slot further up stream. We walked back down stream and Dean and Mark were stopped by a 25' Dryfall. There wasnt an anchor constructed nor did we have rope at the time but I've heard that someone on this forum has rappeled this 25' drop. Did you build a natural anchor or was there a bolt anchor? Thanks....Bo
http://www.zionnational-park.com

[~tanya]

Here is a photo of Dean climbing the tattered rope so everyone can get a visual. Hi Dean :eek:

Dean Photo (http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/albums/pages/b-red-cave-zion_jpg.htm)

Zion Canyoneering (http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-national-park-canyoneering.htm)

[coinbird]

You're talking about upcanyon, kinda a 70 degree angle with a narrow trench? When I was there late July, there was a length of canyon pro fixed with a figure 8 to some bolts on canyon left directly above it.

We rappelled off canyon left a few hundred yards upcanyon into the drainage, and did end up using that rope after much brow-furrowing and tongue clucking. I remember the narrow trench, because it forced your feet to be right next to each other throughout the rappel. All the fellas in the group were very displeased with that rappel. :( That trench earned the canyon a crude nickname :)

[~tanya]

"You're talking about upcanyon, kinda a 70 degree angle with a narrow trench?"

Hi Coinbird. I am lost, but this is nothing new for me. :p

There is only one place where anyone would rappel in Red Cave that I know of and its right at the start of the lower fork of Red Cave. (If you rappelled it that means you hiked around it and then came back down the slot from the top so it was at the end.) Look through that album (the photos are in order) with Dean and let me know if thats what you are talking about. The album links from the trail description page.

Red Cave (http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-red-cave.htm)

Zion National Park (http://www.zionnational-park.com)

[coinbird]

Yes, we hiked around and came back (downcanyon) Two problems requiring rope, a 25 foot or so rappel (which you describe as sometimes having a ladder) and the other one, you have Dean batmanning. We rappelled both of those, on bolts.

[~tanya]

New shots of Upper Red Cave that turned out nice.

Red Cave Photos (http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/albums/index97.htm) :o

Zion National Park (http://www.zionnational-park.com)