Canyoneering - Diana's Throne 11/12/22

Beautiful classic. Fun for the whole fam!

Itinerary:

Friday (optional overnight stay) - stay in an Orderville AirBnB or primitive camp nearby trailhead

Saturday -

Carpooling - 4:30 am Lehi and 5:00 am Springville (4.25 hr drive)

Trailhead - 9:30 am and 10:30 am (2 groups)

Canyoneering - 9:30 am - 2:30 pm and 10:30 am - 3:30 pm

Dinner - Orderville 5:00 pm (optional drive west through Zion NP)

Home - 10:00 pm

Directions: 9 min (7.5 mi) south of Orderville and 45 min (27 mi) east of Zions visitor center. Dirt pullout on north side of I-89. Elkhart Cliffs Slot Canyon Trailhead

Elkheart Cliffs Slot Canyon Trailhead

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MrSTDCRh6KytSMVL7

Activity: Canyoneering Diana's Throne (Elkhart Cliffs) - 2.3 mile loop - do counter clockwise. Took 3-5 hr. 10 rappels. Two pools up to knees in November. Hike into Canyon (30 min 0.95 mi approach - very easy to get lost - take a GPS map app like Gaia or Alltrails) - Park at pullout and walk north on dirt/sandy road about 5 min and turn rt on 4 wheeler road. In 10 min turn left onto sandy pedestrian trail just after 4 wheel road meets from rt. In 5 min, at intersection go straight. In one more minute, turn rt. In 2 more min, turn left. In 4 min turn rt and drop down into riverbed. Follow west to your first obstacle.

Canyon - First obstacle is a 8 ft downclimb. Continue west down the canyon. In about 8 min, another 5 ft scramble drop and then first rappel.

First Rappel - 12 ft with 2 bolts/webbing/quick link (can hike around), dry. 5 ft to second rappel.

Second Rappel - 25 ft with 2 bolts/webbing/quick link, thigh deep water about 5 ft long (can hike around to the rt). 5 min walk to a 10 ft slide with a 4 ft jump into sand. 6min to a 5 ft scramble. 4 min to third rappel.

Third Rappel - 35 ft slope with 2 bolts/webbing/quick link, ankle deep water about 6 ft long (can hike around rt). 5-10 min to fourth rappel.

Fourth Rappel - 2 sets of bolts/webbing/quick link. Left anchor is a 50 ft sloping rappel with a 10 ft walk and then another 30 ft rappel (tricky pull). Rt anchor under juniper is an 80 ft straight cliff with easy pull. 5 min to fifth rappel.

Fifth Rappel - 10 ft with 2 bolts/webbing/quick link, dry. 3 min walk to sixth rappel.

Sixth Rappel - 15 ft with 2 bolts/webbing/quick link, dry. Followed by a 10 ft slide. 6 min walk to seventh rappel.

Seventh Rappel/Handline- 15 ft with a logjam, dry. Can scramble down if you go belly down. There is a small rock you can step on but is not visible from above. We did a handline with webbing doubled up and then untied the water knot after to pull webbing. 5 min to Eighth rappel.

Eighth Rappel - 20 ft with bolts/webbing/quick link, dry. 1 min to a 10 ft chimney down. 3 min to a 6 ft chimney. 3 min to ninth rappel.

Ninth Rappel - 15 ft with bolts/webbing/quick link, dry.

Tenth Rappel - 10 ft with bolts/webbing/quick link, dry. End of Slot Canyon.

Hike out to car - (15-20 min, 0.5 mi) walk west down river bed about 5 min, then turn left up sandy embankment onto dirt trail. About a 5 min hike up to the top of a sandy steep hill, then 10 min hike on moderate slope sandy trail. At dirt 4 wheel intersection, go straight, then left. Will reach car in about 5 min.

*Note for winter - We had a couple storms come through before we went in and so there were partially frozen ponds at about 1/2 the rappells. Recommend dry suit farmer johns with neoprene boots and socks if you wish to do all rappells. We skipped the first 3. You can also rappel off a juniper just down canyon of the 4th rappel rt anchors and skip the small pool there. 2nd and 10th rappels had waist deep pools.

Gear: harness (can rent), helmet (can rent), canyoneering rappel device (ATS/Critter/Prana/Sqwurel), locking carabiner, thin liner long sleeve shirt, hiking pants or dry suit pants, fleece jacket, rain/windproof jacket, light puffy coat (winter), neoprene boots/socks - if in the fall/winter with recent storms, headlamp, 2 L water, 4-6 snacks + packed lunch, handwarmers, first aid kit with small knife, sunscreen, sunglasses, light winter hat (winter), leather gloves, winter or neoprene gloves (if fall or winter)

Rentals:

Harness: $5/day (BYU Outdoors Unltd); $17 (BYU Outdoors Unltd)

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

Dry Suit Pants w Neoprene Boots and Socks (Zions Guru)