Of Fear and Fun...

Hubby and I just got back from a trip to Southern Utah.

It turned out to be much more than a trip...it was an adventure.

An adventure in learning about canyoneering, myself, fear, strength,

and overcoming obstacles...both real and mental.

We fell in love with Zion and Utah years ago and can't seem to stay away. We go as often as we can. That usually turns out to be at least once a year.  This was our second trip for 2013.  We went in March and experienced our first canyoneering adventure.  HERE's a post about that and a POST from the same trip and my "extreme knitting".  We enjoyed canyoneering and have since started buying our own equipment and planning to learn and experience it more.

This trip was planned around a three day canyoneering course.  We've been excited about the class, seeing magnificent canyons, and hoping to learn enough to eventually do this on our own.  The class started in the shop that we'd signed up with.  The instructor went over equipment and various other things.  Then, we loaded everything into the back of his SUV and headed out.  We went to an area called, "Lamb's Knoll".  It might just look like a jumble of rocks but those things were HUGE!

We put our packs on and hiked up a winding path to the rocks.

Once we got to the rocks, there was some steep and tricky hiking/climbing to get up into the area we were going to start descending from.  We didn't get any photos in that section because it required both hands and lots of work to get up there!

To my surprise, I noticed that fear had hitched a ride.  I didn't expect it...not to this level.  It was not a welcome!  To make matters worse, our guide/instructor kept saying and doing things that amplified my fear and made it hard for me to trust him or enjoy the class.  

We'd planned this for a long time, spent a lot of money on equipment and the class, traveled a long way to get there and I didn't want to disappoint my husband or myself by giving up.  So, I pushed through.  It was tough!  So much so that the surroundings that I knew were beautiful suddenly seemed dull, lifeless and even ugly.  That's proof of how uncomfortable this had become.  Nature is usually what keeps me sane and happy.  It's usually relaxing and centering.  But, during this class...especially the first day...it was anything but that.

I truly believe in regularly pushing through my comfort zone and stretching myself.  But, this was like nothing I'd ever faced...other than giving birth to my daughter!  I knew I'd grow from it and I didn't want to give up.  So...onward and downward into the canyon!!!

Here's hubby at our very first rappel.  He went first and enjoyed every second of it.
Lucky for hubby, he was less bothered by heights than he had expected.

My trip down wasn't as good.  I didn't quite understand how I was supposed to maneuver

my feet and feel how gravity would lead me in the directions I needed to move as I descended.

I stepped wrong, took a swing, and hit the rock!  Thank goodness for good equipment that kept me

from falling, hubby who had me on belay as my second line of safety, and my helmet!

Here I am getting ready to hook up and descend the next section.  Hubby helped me a lot on this one as he talked me through each section, helping me understand how my footing should go, how I could feel the gravity pulling on the rope to know which direction to move, etc.  Whew!  Two down!

After that, we had one more rappel.  Then, we worked through a series of down climbing

situations where we learned how to use ropes to safely get down.  And, we learned ways

to use our bodies to put pressure on each of the canyon walls to maneuver across and down.

At the very end of the canyon was the skinniest slot/crack we've ever gone through!

The last section required dropping down into a hole and crawling under a rock.

Hubby was first.   It was a tight squeeze!

My turn!  We barely fit and sometimes had to hold our backpacks 

above or below us to squeeze it through slightly wider spots.

Whew!  One day down!  

An evening of relaxing, the hot tub, and a few glasses of wine were in order!

I wasn't quite as nervous the second day.  

But, I sure wasn't looking forward to another day with our instructor!

Our second day of canyoneering took place on the west side of St. George, in "Yankee Doodle Canyon".  You'd never know the canyon was there by looking out onto the landscape.  The entrance to the canyon is a crack in the earth.  It starts with a free-hanging rappel (nowhere to put our feet,

just hook in and go down).  That's me!... 

 We hiked a little bit and came across the second rappel.  It was the tallest we'd done so far

and was spectacular!  I think it was at least 80 feet!   There goes hubby...

My turn!  I was concentrating to make sure I did everything right!

There I go!  I wasn't about to give our instructor a big smile!  Ugh!  lol

It was a beautiful trip down though!

Here's a video I took when I reached the bottom.
Nature is amazing and beautiful!

The rest of the day was spent learning how to down climb and get past 

big and sometimes tall obstacles/drop offs.

It involved a lot of learning, problem solving and team work.

Hubby and I make a great team!  He's so sweet, patient, strong and brave!

Some sections were very challenging!

Luckily, there were only two spots with water that day.

We were able to skirt around one of them and only had about four steps through another.

A few days and rain storms later and word was that you had to wear a wet suit and swim!

The exit from the canyon was beautiful with lots of interesting and colorful rocks.

And, it was very challenging and steep.  I didn't get a picture of that section.

But, here's a beautiful and interesting rock wall we saw on our way out...

We finished just in time!  A storm was moving in!

See the wall of rain to the left...we started feeling drops at the end of the ascent.

Then, once we got to the road, it started raining pretty hard as we hurried to the car.

Because of the storm, we had to postpone our third day from Thursday to Monday.  We felt we had gained enough knowledge and felt comfortable enough to go out on our own over the weekend.  So, we did!  We headed back to Lamb's Knoll, the area we went on the first day. 

I was pretty nervous on the first rappel because of what had happened the first day.  I literally cried with relief when I reached the bottom!  The rest of the trip down was actually fun!  What an awesome hubby I have!  He makes me feel so safe and at ease!   The day was much more relaxed with just the two of us.  It really helped our confidence and comfort level for the final big day.

Our third and final day of class was to take place in an area called "Birch Hollow".  It was going to be a long day with a lot of hiking and really tall rappels.  The scenery was said to be spectacular and the fall colors "on fire".  Unfortunately, the rains that week made the dirt roads impassable even with a 4x4.  So, we headed back to the shop and changed plans.  We ended up heading back to Lamb's Knoll.  This time, we took a different route and we learned more skills.

Some of the rappels were more technical.

And, they were quite tall!

This one was a tight squeeze to get through the rocks to drop down...

So skinny that we removed our backpacks to get out and hung them below us as we rappelled down.
In this photo, I'm getting ready to drop my backpack off and step backwards over the edge...

We were surprised at how many more things we were able to learn that day, at the same place we'd started.  We even learned what to do if one of our ropes were to fall down into the canyon.  As we were figuring out the height of one rappel and a plan to get down, our instructor took over and tossed the rope over the edge!  That wasn't very nice!  lol  I guess we had surprised looks on our faces but didn't panic too much because we thought he had another rope with him (although, he came unprepared that day and forgot his harness and rappel device!!!).  He taught us what to do if we did lose a rope.  It all worked out fine!  We got down safely and that was the end of our three day class.

Whew!  We did it!

The hike back down to the car was getting prettier and prettier as I became less stressed each time.

 And, the Fall colors were changing quickly and becoming more intense each time we went there.

Gorgeous!!!

The course and canyoneering experience on this trip was not what I'd hoped or expected.  But, we learned a lot more than I'd expected and reached a comfort level to do it on our own which I wasn't sure we'd achieve on this trip.  I thought it would take much longer.  I'm still processing the experience, what we did, what we learned, what we conquered.  As crazy as it seems (even to me), I want to do this again.  I want to go to bigger and more spectacular canyons.  We feel comfortable doing these smaller ones on our own but want an expert who is experienced and knows the canyons well to go in the bigger ones.  We're just not quite sure what company we'll go with next time.  That seems to be a bit tricky.  

The one we went with in March, Zion Adventure Company, was awesome.  The business seems impressively run and it's the most popular one near Zion.  The guide tailored the day to us and made it relaxed and fun.  However, they're a bit more expensive and not flexible as far as weather goes.  The one we went with this time, Zion Mountain School, is supposedly the only one with certified guides, they're flexible with weather (which worked out well on this trip), and it's cheaper.  But, since we're not only paying for expertise and learning but also for FUN we'll probably go with the more expensive option next time.  As far as the flexibility with weather...we just may have to buy vacation insurance!    

Canyon Adventure

Years ago, on our very first visit to Zion National Park, we visited Zion Adventure Company in the little town of Springdale, Utah, just outside of the park entrance.  We were immediately impressed with all they had to offer...classes, adventure days, equipment rentals, supplies, and expertise of the area to make the most of your trip to Zion.  We've seen them featured on some travel and outdoor shows since then and that made us want to go on an adventure day with them even more.  This year, we finally did it!  

 Hubby and I thought that a canyon adventure day was the perfect way to celebrate our 50'th birthdays (mine last year and his this month).  I called Zion Adventure Company in February and had no problem making a reservation for March because it's not during their high season.  It turned out that we were the only ones registered that day (aside from a large group).  So, our adventure was just us and our guide.

How awesome is that?!  

We got up early the morning of our adventure and stopped at Cafe Soleil Zion in Springdale to get breakfast and coffee.  I joke that coffee is my "bravery juice".  When I have some before skiing, I always do so much better.  So, I thought it might be a good idea for our adventure day too.  I ordered a soy, vanilla latte and it turned out to be the best coffee I've ever had!  No beany taste in the soy.  No bitterness in the coffee.  Just the most unique, smooth and delicious coffee ever.  The beans were from a roaster in Utah (Cafe Isis, I think).  We ended up going back every morning after that.  Now, I'm spoiled and can't stand the chain (SB) coffee.  So, I'm trying harder now to seek out the independent coffee shops.  The breakfast wraps we got at Cafe Soleil were really yummy too!

Our adventure began by meeting our guide, Bill, at 7:30 in the morning.  He started out by asking what we were hoping to do and experience that day.  He wanted to customize the day to what we wanted.

We went into the shop to get our canyoneering shoes, neoprene socks, and any other necessities beyond the basics that he'd already prepared.  Then, we hopped into a four wheel drive SUV and headed out across dirt roads to where our adventure was going to begin.

When we got close to our starting point, Bill pointed out Water Canyon high up on a rock mountain and told us that it was the canyon we were going to.  At that moment, I felt a slight twinge in my stomach and a little nervous.  We parked the car, strapped on our  backpacks, and started hiking.  I think it was at that point that something rather magical happened...the chatty,busy part of my brain got quiet,

strapped itself in, and sat down for the ride.  Ahhh!  For the rest of the day, 

I was always in the moment with no internal chatter.  It was wonderful!

The backpack I carried weighed between 20 to 30 pounds (I think) and made me feel a bit top heavy and awkward at first because I wasn't used to it.  With my now quiet mind, everything seemed to go in slow motion and I drank in every moment and I just focused on one step at a time.  I think my hubby was doing the same as he was a bit quieter than usual that day.  

We started out with a two mile hike, leading up into the canyon.

We sometimes crossed over or through water...

The canyon walls rose high above us on both sides.  The arch at the top of this wall is actually wide enough for quads to drive across.  I don't think I would or could do that!  But, knowing that helps give perspective as to how tall this rock wall really is...

Much of the trail was quite steep and we climbed over 1,000 feet in elevation.

The trail was often narrow with the edge dropping down to the river/creek below.
You can see the ledge/trail in the center of the photo and to the left...

The sights were amazing everywhere we looked.  Bill was very knowledgeable about the area, geology and history of the area.  He shared interesting information and stories with us throughout the day.

The large rock in the foreground fell from above several years ago and sat on the ledge of the huge rock behind and above it.  A couple of years ago, nature and water exercised it's power and moved the rock to it's present location.  It's about the size of a car. Incredible!...

The canyon was carved by water as is the Zion area.

This part of Water Canyon is an interesting example.  Check out the rounded rock walls.
It may look narrow but notice the tree trunk laying at the bottom...

The elevation gain and the heavy pack I carried made for quite a workout.
But, check out the reward...look at this view!

Where we started was in the distance, near the center of this picture,
at the end of the orange canyon wall on the left, where it becomes small...   Whew!

At this point, we pulled the dry suits from our backpacks and put them on over our hiking clothes.

There were snug bands of rubber at the wrists, ankles and a wet suit like band at the neck.  They're water tight and were going to keep us dry when we crossed through water.

Bill pointed out how they looked like Star Trek suits and suggested a Vulcan greeting...lol

The dry suits are quite expensive and since we'd be climbing around on sandstone we needed something to protect them.  So, we covered them in these attractive (NOT) coveralls.  Suddenly, I looked like a mechanic and hubby looked like an escaped convict.  The helmets, harnesses,
climbing gear, and backpacks helped to change that a bit...

We trusted Bill's expertise and experience and appreciated that he made sure we were comfortable and ready for each part of our adventure.  Before the first rappel, we learned how to hook up our gear and did a little practicing on a smaller rock.  I paid careful attention to everything he said...

Practice time...

Time for a bigger and much more exciting rappel...
A rounded out section of rock with a small waterfall that went down about 30 feet.

Hubby went first...

Woo hoo...down past and through the small waterfall...

And, into a pool of water below...

My turn!

Part way down, I stopped and gasped with excitement!

I wanted to stay in that one spot for a while and soak it in.

It was amazing!  Bill said that I looked like an excited nine year old!

But, there was much more fun ahead and I had to keep going down.

Once I got to the bottom and dropped into the water I started to panic a bit.

I didn't think to let slack out in my rope and it kept pulling me to the back wall.

I couldn't touch the bottom, had no idea how deep it was, and the water was VERY cold!

Once I let some slack out, I was able to start swimming toward hubby. 

Then, he was able to throw me a rope and pull me out.  Whew!

I couldn't believe how freezing cold I felt after just a minute or two.

This patch of  ice we'd seen just above the waterfalls should have been a clue that the water would be very cold!  I bet the water couldn't have been much warmer than 39 or 40!

It sure was pretty though.

The second waterfall was just below the first and a bit taller.
I have no idea how tall it was...maybe 50 feet...

I'm so amazed at how water can carve rock!

Look at that carved out section where Bill is standing and the water is falling.

It's like a big "U".  Amazing!  I wonder how many thousands of years it took to do that?!

Hubby went first on this one too...

Then, it was my turn...

The next challenge was this narrow flow of water.

We had no idea how deep it was and if we'd have to swim through.

Luckily, there was a narrow ledge that ran along most of the left side.

We went slowly and carefully.  Hubby slipped off at one point and couldn't touch the bottom!

Another example of nature and the power of water was lodged between the rocks and above our heads.

See the big tree and the root bottom above us?...

Our next challenge was a small waterfall.

Bill gave us the choice of going down it with or without a rope.

We chose to have a rope for security but realized, once we got to the bottom,

that we probably didn't need it.  But, I was glad it was there...just in case.

After that, we hiked down a bit to sit, eat some lunch, rest, and warm up.

Next, we needed to decide if we wanted to do a few more rappels.

I had realllllly wanted to do more that day.  However,  I was still very cold from the water. Plus, the steep hike up and the heavy backpack made my legs a little noodly and tired and we still had to hike back to the car.  So, sadly, we decided to call it a day and hike back.

Even though we missed out on a few more rappels, we had a full day.  The time had flown by so fast and it was already about 3:30 in the afternoon.  By the time we got back to Springdale, unloaded and back to camp, it was close to 5:00.  The whole day seemed like just a couple of hours.  Amazing!
I guess that's a sign that we had a really good time!

Here we are back in Springdale.  We had to get a photo of us and our great guide, Bill.
He was awesome!  He customized the day just for us, made us feel like comfortable and safe.  We never felt rushed.  We learned a lot about canyoneering, equipment, techniques and the area.
 And, he was like a friend.  We enjoyed his company very much.  Thanks, Bill!

We had a day that's hard to describe in just a few words except that it was amazing and SO MUCH fun!

It took me a few days to process it...in fact, I think I still am.

My brain stayed peaceful and quiet for a couple of days before the chatter started to return.

We already knew that we love slot canyons and that they have a magic quality to us.  But, canyoneering takes it to a whole new level.  It's like a drug and we feel addicted!  We can't wait to go again!!!

Many of the photos were taken by Bill.  His pictures, combined with the few we took with our camera provided plenty of pictures to remember our wonderful adventure.   He took photos of us throughout the day and gave us a memory stick with all of them on it before we left.  It's part of the package...along with all the necessary equipment, transportation...everything!  There were no extra or hidden fees.  Isn't that great?!  We would HIGHLY recommend Zion Adventure Company to any and everyone.  They rock!

Come back soon for a part of this adventure that I left out and that deserves a post all it's own!