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Introduction:
Fall 2012 I visited Zion National Park for the first time. I road the bus to the Temple of Sinawava and encountered a man decked out in a wetsuit, armor, and full technical gear. My mind immediately jumped to “YES!!!!! That will be me”. I returned to Zion in February and took a canyoneering class, again in Spring for a week trip with friends, the following September, the May, June, and September to various ares in Southern Utah again…and again…and again… (you get the idea).
In 2013 my canyon partner and I made the decision to commit to Imlay in full water conditions, returning six months later to battle the canyon in epically low water conditions. I remember be honored both times (and again when we descended Heaps) to have reached the level to be seriously considering such an intense, noteworthy canyon no matter the outcome of the day.
This September we returned to Southern Utah for two weeks of canyoneering. We visited Red Rocks, Zion, The Swell, Cedar Mesa, Lake Powell, Ticaboo Mesa, Halls Creek, Capitol Reef, The Navajo Nation, and Escalante. (Full trip report to come) We drove over 2000 miles in an epic canyoneering (by day) and road trip (by night) adventure. Towards the end of the trip we had intended to bust out something big. Poe was on the radar.
Unfortunately this objective was pushed towards the end of the trip due to other circumstances and was jeopardized by deteriorating weather conditions. When the final word came down it appeared as if we had a ONE DAY weather window to make it happen. We contacted one of our friends and the ZAC to round out our team. (party of three) She was, as always, both feet in and head in the game! People like that are THE BEST!
The Business:
Without access to a boat, we backpacked in to Halls Creek starting in the brutal mid day heat…despite ominous thunder heads all around. Arriving 4 hours later after some serious sketchy downclimbing in the Halls Creek Area we were greeted with FANTASTIC views of “The Kingdom” (an area of Halls Creek hosting Smiling Cricket, Happy Dog, Laughing Baboon canyons)
Here’s a Spherical Panorama I shot of the Kingdom that evening:
We were pleased to find clear, cold(ish) flowing water in Miller Creek where it joined the muddy, tepid Halls Creek but more importantly by nightfall our weather window had appeared to reach us and skies were now entirely clear!!!
Awoke at 4:30am to starry skies, departed shortly thereafter and began to navigate the broken, convoluted, almost tortured landscape of “The Kingdom”. Thanks to Luke G. (Blue Gnome) for the excellent waypoints! After again evaluating the weather once more before we entered (not a cloud in the sky) we dropped into the big dance. Over the next 10 hours we encountered obstacle, after keeper pothole, after obstacle. We had expected VERY full water conditions given all the recent rain, however, It was clear that water levels were at least a few feet below high water mark it not more. Several hours in I heard from ahead: “Dang…that’s a burly keeper”. Sure enough, It was the infamous Pit of Despair. It probably had 15 feet of water in it, but it still was incredibly formidable.
Food…drink…Naive talk of how we would stage people to get the coolest possible photographs. ….Two hours later… we were fatiguing. The throws were not going as well as planned. Only one potshot (out of five) had actually cleared the massive patio on the far side of The Pit. We sent our lightest person into the keeper only to watch all of the potshots pull across the patio back towards the keeper and Amanda fall back into the water. We re-threw all 5 potshots (Twice) and again only one actually reached the target constriction. Ultimately we threw additional objects (rope bags full of rocks) to achieve enough weight on the patio to counterbalance the weight of our lightest person and then pulled them snugly against a pill of rubble. We even tied talons onto a potshot like a medusa in hopes of snagging something. (As recommended by a friend). Victory at last after two hours of battling The Pit!!!
We cleaned the massive gear explosion/tangled ropes/sandbags and shortly thereafter encountered ANOTHER serious keeper, and another, and another. This is what I came for!!! Welcome to the big dance.
Ultimately we were 12.5hrs (camp to camp). We used almost every trick up our sleeves: rapped the Ibis hook, the sandtrap, fiddle-stick, a deadman, meat anchors, potshots, pack-toss, partner assists. You name it, we did it. Poe is a SERIOUS SERIOUS place but what an adventure!
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