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Canyoneering - Birch Hollow, Mt Carmel Junction 10/18/25

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Itinerary:

Friday (overnight camping - optional at Archers Overlook East Zion dispersed camping (Free) or Zions Ponderosa ($60+):


Saturday:

Carpool - 5:00 am -9:30 am

Trailhead - 9:30 am

Set up Shuttle - 930-1030 am (It takes about 1 hour to set up the shuttle and 2-3 HIGH (9 in+) clearance 4WD vehicles)

Run Canyon - 10:30 am - 4:30 pm

Shuttle Back to Trailhead - 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Dinner - 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm (Thunderbird Restaurant)

Drive Home - 7:00 pm -11:30 pm


Directions: 



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 (120 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 35 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. WARN new rappellers that the overhang is significant and they may need to do a sit start if on the left facing up canyon - need to jump out (had someone get hurt in the group behind us and get heli-evac)

    • Rappel 3, 4 and 5 are about 15-20 ft and pretty straight forward off chains.

    • Rappel 6 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 - we used courtesy rigging).

    • The final rappels come in quick succession.

    • Rappels 7 and 8 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 if you are doing the shuttle version.

    • If not doing the shuttle take the Wild Wind Hollow Exit (noted in Road Trip Ryan - takes about 1 hr).

    • 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 8s, locking carabiners, totem


Rentals:

Harness: ($6/day BYU Outdoors)

Helmet: ($4/day BYU Outdoors; $6/day UVU Outdoor Adventure Center)


Approach


Rappel 1


Rappel 2


Rappel 3


Rappel 4


Rappel 5


Rappel 6


Rappel 7


Rappel 8


Rappel 9


Rappel 10


Exit

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