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Itinerary:
Friday (overnight camping - optional at Archers Overlook East Zion dispersed camping (Free) or Zions Ponderosa ($60+):
Saturday:
Carpool - 6:00 am - 10:30 am
Trailhead - 10:30 am
Set up Shuttle - 1030-1130 am (It takes about 1 hour to set up the shuttle and 2-3 HIGH (9 in+) clearance 4WD vehicles)
Run Canyon - 11:30 am - 5:30 pm
Shuttle Back to Trailhead - 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Dinner & Drive Home - 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Directions:
Entrance - Birch Hollow Trailhead
Camping - Archers Overlook dispersed camping (free)
Activity: Canyoneering Birch Hollow -
Approach - From the trailhead, follow the somewhat obvious and well traveled trail in the gully (sometimes heads up to the right). In about 30-45 minutes, you'll reach a dryfall, which you can rappel.
Canyon
Rappel 1 - There is a large (60 ft?) rappel in the middle which is popular but has significant rockfall. We like going to the right about 50 ft to a large tree with a sling anchor and do a 30 ft rappel. You can bypass the first rappel via a trail to the left of the canyon edge as well but it's very sketchy and not recommended.
From there, the canyon will begin to deepen and narrow.
Rappel 2 is about 60 ft and is an overhang with some water earlier in the year. The pull on this rappel is VERY tricky as the anchor is a large fallen tree about 20 ft from the edge. Set up courtesy rigging if you can. The pull requires you to stand far back on a steep rocky slope.
Rappel 3 and 4 are about 30 ft and pretty straight forward off chains.
Rappel 5 is about 105 ft and is the biggest in the canyon. The anchor is off a tree to the left with a sharp edge and flat fluted rappel. There are significant rope grooves at the edge and there is a risk of getting your rope stuck on the pull. (Bring at least another full rope if this gets stuck)
The final rappels come in quick succession.
Rappels 6 and 7 are both about 30 ft and bolted.
Rappels 8 and 9 are about 60 ft with a small cove between the two. Rappel 8 is the best rappels for photos with an epic flute.
The bottom of rappel 9 is about a 5 min walk to the confluence of Orderville and Birch.
Exit -
Out of the canyon, turn right and follow the trails back up to North Fork Road and the exit trailhead.
Use your Gaia/Road Trip Ryan or other GPS map as the trail is easy to miss when it starts up to the right and out of the gully.
Once on top of the plateau it is a sandy trail east and mostly flat to the parking lot.
Download a map (we like Gaia or Road Trip Ryan) to help you navigate back to the shuttles. Road Trip Ryan Trip Report
Gear: harness (can rent), helmet (can rent), rappel device (ATS, Squirrl, Critter, etc), locking carabiners, (NO COTTON) thin liner T-shirt, hiking pants, fleece jacket, rain/windproof jacket, hiking boots or grippy shoes, headlamp, backpack, 2 L water, 6-8 snacks, first aid kit, small knife, sunscreen, sunglasses, 3 65-70 m 8-9mm static ropes w rope bags, repeads, webbing, Figure 8
Rentals:
Harness: $5/day (BYU Outdoors Unltd)
Helmet: $4/day (BYU Outdoors Unltd); $6/day (UVU Outdoor Adventure Center)
Approach
Rappel 1
Rappel 2
Rappel 3 and 4
Rappel 5
Rappel 6 and 7
Rappels 8 and 9
Exit
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