Canyoneering and Rock Climbing Near Zion National Park
Prior to this trip I had gone rappelling and indoor climbing a handful of times, but I had always wanted to climb outside, so I hired a guide through Zion Mountaineering School. I booked a 1/2 day of canyoneering and a 1/2 day of rock climbing. I was really nervous. This was the first time I had gone through a private guide service by myself, so I wasn’t too sure what to expect. I was a little sore from hiking the Narrows the day before, so I was worried I wouldn’t be in good enough shape for this adventure. Nevertheless, I walked out of the Driftwood Lodge to the Zion Mountaineering School and met my guide.
Canyoneering
We started hiking through the canyons, setting up the ropes and rappelled into some narrow slotted areas. This was a lot of fun. It was really tight in some places and we got to slide down some natural tunnels. I felt like a kid again! We basically hiked up, setup the rope, and rappelled down numerous times.
Usually the most difficult part of rappelling is stepping yourself backwards over the ledge to go down. It’s purely a mental thing. For some reason though, I don’t have a lot of fear when it comes to things like that. I remember sky diving my first time I wasn’t even nervous. Actually, I was the only volunteer to go out the plane first. Maybe I should be a little worried though because having no fear can’t be a good thing! 😂
I’m really glad I got to experience this. However, next time I would probably do a full day climbing trip. I like rappelling, but I enjoy climbing more.
Climbing
Okay, so this was the nerve wrecking part for me. I had climbed indoor, but outdoor is different. Yes, you can use the techniques you learn in the gym, but there are no bright colored rocks with perfect hand holds. Climbing on slab and learning how to use friction was challenging. My guide setup the top rope and then it was all me. There were different routes that had all different features. Actually, that was the first time I had climbed a crack using a hand jam. That’s where you put your hand through the crack, fold your thumb in your palm, twist your wrist to leverage the crack and use that to climb up. During the climb you are focused on what’s in front of you while thinking about which natural features you are going to use to climb up the easiest way possible so that you don’t burn out your muscles. It’s a mental game that I love. When you get to the top, it feels accomplishing and the view is breathtaking. Even on routes I can’t finish, I never feel defeated… I feel challenged. It always makes me wanting more. After this experience, even though my arms and legs were wiped out, I knew I had fallen in love with a new sport.
For those that want to try the sport, the guide fees usually include the rental of all gear. I had my own, so I didn’t need to rent. One important thing I learned was to have a couple different pairs of climbing shoes. The ones I had brought with me were way too advanced and technical. Those are pointy at the top, so wearing them for longer periods really sucks. Now I have an “all day” pair that is more rounded where the toes are. Since climbing for me is a fun hobby, I wear the comfy ones almost all the time.
