chandlerwest
Member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2015
- Messages
- 533
There is a natural barrier that blocks the views and access to the southern border country of Zion National Park. No formal trails venture into the area. Most of the section is mysteriously locked away as a "Research Area", thus access is prohibited. Considering its has a mystical name "Parunuweap" it just screams to be peeked at.
Most people become familiar with the area by canyoneering down Fat Man's Misery. In June 2015 I ventured past Cockeyed Falls then up through the pass near Lost Peak. Then down the incredible Crawford Wash drainage to what was literally just a window view into Parunuweap Canyon. From researching this trip there was an overlook mentioned that jutted out into the canyon but the access to it was a steep climb/scramble up a chute that could be described as "pitchy". So I put that into my back pocket for another day.
With @Scott Chandler being home last week this was my opportunity. I told him that I needed his route finding skills and off we went with @Jeffrey Chandler to hopefully witness the full grandeur of Parunuweap Canyon.
When we reached this view into Crawford Wash I pointed out the chute that we needed to navigate. Just beyond the shaded cliff.
We needed to drop down then...go up. @Scott Chandler had a similar reaction to mine. "That's pitchy." We inspected the ridgeline directly to the south and decided to check that access. We figured that we would cliff out at some point since the beta said we needed to go up that blasted chute.
Split open geode-like rock.
First view of the end of the ridgeline....our goal. Yonder point on right.
We never cliffed out. We could always figure someway around/over/down.
A foot tall Juniper that figured that this crack would work.....just fine.
A good view of the ridgeline going out to the overlook.
These Bighorn rams reacted in quite a weary yet intrigued manner to us. I don't think they see many people.
We made a pretty strong climb/push to get here and went "oh crap we ain't there yet. How do we get off of here?"
Eventually we reached the end of the ridge and this forbidden canyon fell open to us in 360 degrees of splendor. I couldn't get the smile off my face!
Looking North to the main section of Zion National Park
Lost Peak is the white "peak" peeking out on the left.
My boys!
Just another day in east........south Zion National Park.
Most people become familiar with the area by canyoneering down Fat Man's Misery. In June 2015 I ventured past Cockeyed Falls then up through the pass near Lost Peak. Then down the incredible Crawford Wash drainage to what was literally just a window view into Parunuweap Canyon. From researching this trip there was an overlook mentioned that jutted out into the canyon but the access to it was a steep climb/scramble up a chute that could be described as "pitchy". So I put that into my back pocket for another day.
With @Scott Chandler being home last week this was my opportunity. I told him that I needed his route finding skills and off we went with @Jeffrey Chandler to hopefully witness the full grandeur of Parunuweap Canyon.
When we reached this view into Crawford Wash I pointed out the chute that we needed to navigate. Just beyond the shaded cliff.
We needed to drop down then...go up. @Scott Chandler had a similar reaction to mine. "That's pitchy." We inspected the ridgeline directly to the south and decided to check that access. We figured that we would cliff out at some point since the beta said we needed to go up that blasted chute.
Split open geode-like rock.
First view of the end of the ridgeline....our goal. Yonder point on right.
We never cliffed out. We could always figure someway around/over/down.
A foot tall Juniper that figured that this crack would work.....just fine.
A good view of the ridgeline going out to the overlook.
These Bighorn rams reacted in quite a weary yet intrigued manner to us. I don't think they see many people.
We made a pretty strong climb/push to get here and went "oh crap we ain't there yet. How do we get off of here?"
Eventually we reached the end of the ridge and this forbidden canyon fell open to us in 360 degrees of splendor. I couldn't get the smile off my face!
Looking North to the main section of Zion National Park
Lost Peak is the white "peak" peeking out on the left.
My boys!
Just another day in east........south Zion National Park.
