Canyon Name: Spry Canyon
Class: 4 B III
Gear: WCCM layers Some exposure to water, Rope: 1 – 165′, 2 – 120′, 50′ webbing, 4 rappel rings, dry bags, headlamp, self-rescue gear. Permits from the Zion N.P. Visitors Center. Please note the longest rappel in bold below and the rope lengths mentioned above serve as the WCCM rule of thumb of bringing 3 times the longest rappel of rope into any canyon route.
Expected Time Commitment: For a solid team of 6, car to car 5-7 hours (Not including car shuttle)
Technical Obstacles: Several long rappels, Stuck rope on worn groves in the sandstone, route finding in canyon towards the end.
Non Technical Obstacles: Heat on the approach cold in the canyon, Car shuttle, Some route finding to the start. USE A MAP! From time to time parties Spry canyon and enter into Lodge canyon and or get lost. If you are not sure… go back!
Recommended Time of Year: Spring, Summer (early start) or Fall. Never during Flash Flood threats.
Finding the Trailhead: Drive east on Hwy 9 from the main canyon junction. Drop your first car where the road crosses Pine Creek (first bridge you come to), Continue with second car up the switch backs towards the tunnel, There will be plenty of spots for you to pull over, look North and locate the exit boulder field and even spot the final 100′ rappel. This size up will help you with your time management. Continue through the tunnel then drive .3 miles to where Pine Creek crosses under Hwy 9.
The Approach: Hike up Pine Creek proper, You will know this creek bed by its wide sandy wash which runs North. Walk the creek bed for 15 minutes until the wall start to close in some. Look Left for a steep 4th class way to safely climb the slickrock waterway. Head up and right until you reach a large bench (not the kind you sit on) follow the bench Northwest until you reach a large slickrock bowl located beneath Deertrap Mountain. Route find your way up the center of the bowl up then right to the top of a pass. From the top of the pass look West, then avert the eyes up and Left. Now you will need to identify several peaks starting Left and then counting to the right. Left most peak is East Temple peak, then the upper bowl of Spry Canyon, the Twin Brothers, a notch between the Twin Brothers, then on the far right a ridge leading up to Deertrap Mountain. Remember this sequence is looking left to right. Once you establish West, look left then count the features listed above heading right (North). From this high point in the pass go down and slightly right towards the large slot pass mentioned above, you will see the beginning of a narrow slot which cuts across the slope below. Find a way to get into that slot trying to avoid the bushy sections, this slot will empty you out into the main bowl of Spry Canyon. At this point think, “what would the water do”?
The Canyon Descent: Work down canyon until you reach an obvious bowl, down climb partway into the bowl staying canyon left to a set of bolts. Rappel 1: 165, continue down canyon. There will numerous rappels and down climbs. Of particular interest will be a set of bolts canyon Left where the rope pulls from previous parties have scored the rock badly. You will need to find a good place to rig your ropes and conduct a test pull before you commit or you’ll be re-ascending to rework the system. Follow a dark sandy hallway to the next drop. a fallen slab of rock is the anchor, if you drop into this section there will be a deep pool you will need to navigate then climb out of and continue through a tight notch to its base. Of you get into that pool and pull the ropes you will have very limited (if any) anchor options. A test pull is recommended here as well. The alternative will be to up climb a super sandy slab to a large pine tree, rappel from this tree down a crazy loose dirty notch to the base of the next room. Test pull this station as well. a few more drops will lead you to the final area where route finding can be tricky. Basically, go where the water would go and you’ll be good. The alternative is to traverse out Right on a simi-sloping ledge, locate a sketchy anchor (2007) and rap from there. Follow the creek bed down through the large rock piles until you realize you are on the South facing slope you sized up from the swithback road below the tunnel. Take you time downclimbing and route finding until you pop out on top the last 100′ rappel. A solid tree will be the anchor. From there work down slope and right until you hit Pine Creek.
The Egress:Follow Pine Creek back to the Masonry bridge where the 1st car is parked.
