About us
This is a hiking group for those who enjoy a little challenge off the beaten path and who also like to take some time to breathe, photograph, or meditate and contemplate the various environments we explore--inner and outer. If you are fit enough for a few miles and some cross-country and some scrambling--singles, friends, or couples-- and like to explore, come and join us!
Upcoming events
2
East Zion: Deep Loop
Davis Food and Drug Pharmacy, 495 N State St, La Verkin, UT, USRating: Long, strenuous and tiring. 7 miles with about 2000 feet of vertical rise and fall. Some moderately difficult angled sandstone sections. A couple of bushy and steep rocky sections with moderately dangerous falling hazard.
Altitude: 6000ft.This hike is fairly rough and difficult, so to do it you need to be confident, strong, and agile. Some experience on difficult/dangerous terrain is highly desirable.
Happily tho, 95% of the total distance is easy-to-moderate, with a lot of up and down travel along beaten animal trails or on slickrock.
Check out this hike from past years...
January 27, 2024
December 5, 2021Special Note: Part of the route goes up a narrow canyon where we may be forced to wade in water up to our knees for a few yards. It's quite safe, but it is wet. Ideally you should bring water shoes, but you can just bring a towel and go barefoot with boots hung around your neck.
Additionally there's a longer stretch that can be very shallow and a bit muddy. This is where the water shoes will be most useful.
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Zion backcountry hike limit: 12 hikers.
This hike is in conjunction with Red Rock Hiking and the 12 hiking spots are being split between the two groups.
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Description
This hike is epic. It takes 7 hours and every minute of it is packed with a kind of stuff that makes people rave about Zion. Ridges and canyons, pools and sand traps, enough smooth red sandstone to build a small planet, and more hoodoos than you can shake a hiking pole at.
In short, you will walk all day and you will like it. ;-/
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The route first goes up to easy Separation Pass (500ft climb). Beyond is a paradise of totally pristine redrocks, looming canyons, and bighorn sheep.
Rambling up and down sparsely wooded valleys we go, then we crest the pass and commence over 900 vertical feet of descent, along with a small amount of climbing along the way.
Way down in the middle of it all is a particular deep pair of canyons that help to form a rough loop. The mid-point of the hike is also the low point, and is at the confluence of the two deep canyons, and a particularly beautiful and i's a spot of sublime solitude. There's even a very nice flat sandbar for doing yoga and suchlike. it's great.
Then the route turns upward, traversing some cute little pools (that might need to be waded) and then vast landscapes of smooth creamy sandstone for what seems like miles, at long last cresting over Checkerboard Pass and thus to East Canyon Road. In toto, a 900 foot climb up from the Deep. Good thing it's pretty gradual, oy...
All in all, a great hike that takes all day, in the very best part of Zion. What's not to love?
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Meet: 7:00AM Saturday at the Davis Market in La Verkin. Then we drive to Zion and go up thru the tunnels to East Canyon and the trailhead.
Note that there will be a 1 mile car shuttle along the road to reduce the hiking mileage.
Prep: Three big bottles of water minimum. Stout boots and leather gloves.
Optional water shoes. A towel to dry your feet after wading. Food. And the need for solitude in a beautiful place that very few have ever seen.Pro Tip: Bring light thermal wear for the start and end of the hike. Won't need it much in the middle.
See you there! M+J :)
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Notice: Meetup organizers are not touring guides and are not park rangers. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking and other outdoor activities can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury and possibly death. The organizers of this group and current and former members cannot be held responsible or liable in any way for the actions of any participant - including you - at any event. All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers of this Meetup group.
5 attendees
Gold Butte: Seven Keyhole Slot & Babe's Butte, plus Little Finland
Location not specified yetRating: Semi-easy to moderate, about 4 miles total, with less than 500 feet total climbing. Optional extra mile of hiking to visit nearby Little Finland rock formations after main hike.
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This hike is in conjunction with Red Rock Hikers and Peaks & Trails Baggers.
----This hike is fairly easy for its 4 mile distance and goes to two first class rock art sites with a story to tell, far out in a howling wilderness of sand and desert redrock formations.
These sites are very remote and generally intact, with many dozens of glyphs at six separate locations.
After the hike to the main sites, there will be a second (optional) hike from the same trailhead, but to Little Finland instead, only 0.6 miles away with about 200 feet of climbing. More rock art can be found there and the rock formations are stunning.
Basically, you tramp around in the desert for a few hours, looking at oodles of rock art, and some unearthly landscapes done in vibrant hues. It's great.
See you there! M+J :)
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Prep: Stout boots or shoes, two big bottles of water, a sun hat, and some food to keep us going for a while. Optional gloves and hiking poles.
A hiking pole provides stability on numerous gravelly slopes, and leather gloves will protect the hands from sharp desert stones in case of a slip and fall.
The Drive: We meet at 7:30am near I-15 Exit 2, the Southern Parkway overpass, at the Smith's Market parking lot (SE corner). We'll carpool there, then proceed down Interstate 15 past Mesquite to Rt 170 and the Virgin River bridge (at 7:30am Nevada Time), where we will meetup with those coming from Las Vegas.
Then we'll carpool in the more dirt ready vehicles and head south around Virgin Mountain to Whitney Pockets, some 25 miles on old pavement. Then about 8 miles on dirt roads and sandy/rocky washes to the trailhead.
A good high-clearance SUV is needed, but 4x4's are not usually required (except in very wet conditions) .
Moderate moisture makes the road much easier.Getting rides with group members is generally very easy. Just ask in the comments if you haven't got one and someone will volunteer. :)
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Please Note The Following:
Meetup organizers are not tour guides and are not park rangers. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being.
By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking and other outdoor activities can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury and possibly death. The organizers of this group and current and former members cannot be held responsible or liable in any way for the actions of any participant - including you - at any event.
All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or injury to themselves or their guests.
By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers of this Meetup group.
8 attendees
Past events
211
