Dead Eye Dick: Zion Backcountry, Canyoneering, and Wonderful Flute Rappels
My niece Rylin was in town. After a brief stint as a PT Intern in South Africa, and before heading to Portland to finish up her edumacation as a Physical Therapist, she scheduled a week in the Utah desert with her MAN (Eric), and a friend from Portland, now doing Residency in Grand Junction, Anne. I'd been meaning to do Dead Eye Dick since Kip's fabulous picture had found its way to my computer screen in the spring. Seemed like a good choice for the day - lots of walking in beautiful fall weather, pretty much dry, not too technical, no permit required. We sallied forth.
The "Team Twilight" effect was still working, so we did not get the earliest of starts, and the car spot took a while. Hit the trail at 10:40, hoping the canyon would not take TOO too long!
The Team - Anne, Rylin and Eric
We made good time across the terrain of Dakota Ridge, taking a different route into the canyon that seemed to work well, and soon found ourselves on the canyon floor. We sashayed around one nuisance rappel, then FiddleSticked a tree for the next.
THEN the canyon got going. I was surprised to find 2 well-placed bolts for the next rap, not remembering them in Kip's writeup, and them not really being Kip's style. We changed out the webbing at both bolt anchors as they was looking rather worn. Rapped down.
Tom starting down Rap 2
Amazing gnats on this day - swarms of them mostly at the bottom of rappels. Take a big breath going in. Un-hook and run AWAY!
Second rap has an amazing tight flute for 70 feet! Then we walked across a log and wandered to the next rap.
Next rap was off a big tree. Nice colors in there today, though not much light.
Another rap, which a couple stages. Then another set of bolts for a slot rappel.
Eric on Rap 5
And soon, we were at the BIG FINISH!
Big rap down another wonderful amazing flute rappel, this one off a big log.
Rylin on the Big Rap
There's a pioneer inscription right there, at the bottom of this rappel.
Then just a little jaunt up the Narrows back to Chamberlain ranch, at by 5:05 we were drinking beer and mashing victory chips into our pie-holes. A fine day out on a fine fall day!
Beta also available at the Canyon Collective.
