Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Bill, also a canyoneering virgin, gets his first taste of slot action.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Bill, also a canyoneering virgin, gets his first taste of slot action.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Kevin's turn to demonstrate how the pros do it.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Kevin's turn to demonstrate how the pros do it.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy, Josh & Kevin eagerly head down canyon to see what's next.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy, Josh & Kevin eagerly head down canyon to see what's next.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Time to practice one of the cornerstones of canyoneering technique: stemming. Some mud and water are easily avoided.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Time to practice one of the cornerstones of canyoneering technique: stemming. Some mud and water are easily avoided.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy learns the elevator technique. After a quick demo and some pointers he pulls it off with ease on his first try. Impressive!
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy learns the elevator technique. After a quick demo and some pointers he pulls it off with ease on his first try. Impressive!
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Dirty, icky water makes Andy unhappy?
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Dirty, icky water makes Andy unhappy?
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Kevin, Josh & Bill work their way down a shoot with chockstones. Somewhere near this section we climbed down something that is typically rappelled. Way to go noobs!!! According to the route description we're using that means they must be "experienced climbers".
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Kevin, Josh & Bill work their way down a shoot with chockstones. Somewhere near this section we climbed down something that is typically rappelled. Way to go noobs!!! According to the route description we're using that means they must be "experienced climbers".
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy stems over a puddle deep in Blue John. Despite recents rains the canyon is mostly dry.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy stems over a puddle deep in Blue John. Despite recents rains the canyon is mostly dry.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy in the spectacular, deep, dark narrows. Wow!
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy in the spectacular, deep, dark narrows. Wow!
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
After descending upper Blue John Canyon most parties make their exit and return to their vehicles at the head of the canyon. We have taken the time to set up a lengthy car shuttle that will allow us to descend the entire canyon. Here Dominic is entering the slot section of lower Blue John.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
After descending upper Blue John Canyon most parties make their exit and return to their vehicles at the head of the canyon. We have taken the time to set up a lengthy car shuttle that will allow us to descend the entire canyon. Here Dominic is entering the slot section of lower Blue John.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Josh negotiates a slightly intimidating downclimb into the slot as Andy, Bill & Kevin await their turn.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Josh negotiates a slightly intimidating downclimb into the slot as Andy, Bill & Kevin await their turn.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Dominic spots Andy for the downclimb.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Dominic spots Andy for the downclimb.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Kevin dropping in to lower Blue John.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Kevin dropping in to lower Blue John.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Bill squeezes through some beautifully lit narrows.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Bill squeezes through some beautifully lit narrows.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
It looks like we're headed into the light...
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
It looks like we're headed into the light...
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
... but we're not! It got so dark we had to get our headlamps out.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
... but we're not! It got so dark we had to get our headlamps out.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Josh does some tricky footwork to avoid some water as Bill contemplates getting wet. This is not far from where Aron Ralston was trapped during his famous 127 hour ordeal.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Josh does some tricky footwork to avoid some water as Bill contemplates getting wet. This is not far from where Aron Ralston was trapped during his famous 127 hour ordeal.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy heading for the light at the end of the tunnel.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy heading for the light at the end of the tunnel.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Time to exit the slot portion of lower Blue John.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Time to exit the slot portion of lower Blue John.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Kevin & Andy atop the exit rappel.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Kevin & Andy atop the exit rappel.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy on the exit rappel.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Andy on the exit rappel.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Once we're done with the slot fun we walk for many miles, joining up with wide Horseshoe Canyon and following it toward the Horseshoe Canyon Trailhead in Canyonlands National Park.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Once we're done with the slot fun we walk for many miles, joining up with wide Horseshoe Canyon and following it toward the Horseshoe Canyon Trailhead in Canyonlands National Park.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Pictographs at the Great Gallery. This is supposedly one of the finest pictograph displays in the world!
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Pictographs at the Great Gallery. This is supposedly one of the finest pictograph displays in the world!
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
The Great Gallery.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
The Great Gallery.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Looking down Horseshoe Canyon as we finally begin the climb up toward the rim and our vehicle.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Looking down Horseshoe Canyon as we finally begin the climb up toward the rim and our vehicle.
Blue John Canyon - Complete Main Fork
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Josh & Kevin relax after a good day's adventure.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
Josh & Kevin relax after a good day's adventure.
[Exit via Horseshoe Canyon]
Robbers Roost / Canyonlands National Park
May 21, 2011
The beginning of the main fork of Blue John Canyon is an easy stroll. After a couple of miles it slots up and the fun begins. Time to drop in! Josh, a canyoneering virgin, oozes on down while Andy & Dominic watch.