NEW PRODUCT: Heaps Special "Seco" Rope Bag for 300 foot rope

Our regular rope bags are designed to maximize their functionality as rope bags. They float, are fairly easy to stuff, have straps and all, have decent drainage, all that. The new “SECO” line is for doing canyons where flotation is not required but a lighter weight and bulk would be desirable.

Big rappel, Canyoneering, Gear, Heaps CanyonTom JonesMarch 1, 2019new product, product, store, rope bag, ropes, drybag, review, imlay canyon gear, heaps canyon, heaps

Heaps Canyon with the Direct Exit, Zion National Park, UT

Canyoneering with a crack team is a great pleasure. Two guides from France, Guillaume Coquin and Francois, plus Locomotive Lynn and Cassy Brown from ZAC (and me) make one darn fine team. A test run in Mystery the day before was a bit later, hotter and longer than I prefer before a Heaps, but we did hook up with visiting Australian photographer Mark Watson, who generously offered to hike the 600 foot rope to the Emerald Pools for us...

Canyoneering, Foreign Visitors, Heaps Canyon, Trip Report, Zion, Zion Adventure Company, Big rappelTom JonesSeptember 8, 2015heaps, Heaps Canyon, zion, zion canyoneering, canyoneering

Not Imlay Canyon: Downclimbing, Long Rappels, and the Narrows. Zion National Park, UT

Yes. Again! I've come to really like Not-Imlay. No fight for a permit. A scenic tour. Nice long raps. A short exit. A shortish day. Bailey was looking for a new canyon (for her) and despite the heat, seemed like a good idea. The bad news is that it starts and ends in the Main Canyon - thus one has to ride the bus to get there and back, which costs time...

Canyoneering, Downclimbing, Trip Report, Zion, Big rappelTom JonesAugust 1, 2015not imlay, not imlay canyon, canyoneering, zion, zion canyoneering

Lodge Canyon and New Anchors, Zion National Park, UT

Working on the 2nd Edition of my Zion Canyoneering Guidebook, one of the 'benefits' of due diligence is that I 'get' to do all the canyons again at least once, to see how they are doing. Lodge Canyon was never a favorite, but, after two trips this spring, it is not so bad, really...

Canyoneering, Trip Report, Zion, Anchors, Big rappelTom JonesMarch 29, 2015lodge canyon, zion, zion canyoneering, anchors, anchor rigging, anchor maintenance, natural anchors, canyoneering anchors

Big Rattlesnake Canyon and Fiddlesticking, Escalante Canyoneering

Victory in Midget Rattler the day before encouraged us. After the requisite post-party casual breakfast, a gang was rounded up to try the next one.

Anchors, Big rappel, Canyoneering, Capitol Reef, Exploration, Trip ReportTom JonesMay 26, 2013big rattlesnake, big rattlesnake canyon, burr trail, rattlesnake, rattlesnake bench, canyoneering, capital reef canyoneering, fiddlestick

The Stinger Canyon! Second Descent in the Heart of Zion National Park

Mike casually mentioned he had his eye on a certain canyon, a painfully obvious one, in the heart of Zion. "No way", I said. "I've been looking at that for 5 years!"

Anchors, Big rappel, Canyoneering, Exploration, Tom Jones, Trip Report, Zion, Tom's First VisitTom JonesNovember 4, 2012zion, canyoneering, zion canyoneering, the stinger, the stinger canyon, second descent, zion national park

Eyedropper Canyon, a First Descent in the San Rafael Swell, Utah

Canyoneering first descents are always cherished - we found a nice one down in the Swell, near Hidden Splendor. At last year's SUWA Roundup, I hiked up and scouted this little canyon with Bill Wolverton, thinking it might make a nice, easy, technical canyon for beginners.

Big rappel, Canyoneering, Exploration, San Rafael Swell, Tom Jones, Trip ReportTom JonesSeptember 23, 2012first descent, eyedropper canyon, san Rafael swell, the swell, canyoneering

Rappelling Incident in Cascade Creek, Ouray, CO

I have a tendency to make things more complex than they really need to be. Sometimes this gets people in trouble, like in this case. Fortunately, BIG trouble was avoided.

Accidents, Big rappel, Canyoneering, Mistakes, Ouray, Tom Jones, Trip ReportTom JonesAugust 20, 2012cascade, ouray, cascade creek, incident

Echo Canyon Zion - the BIG start - June 2011

Bill Westerhoff made the big move from Phoenix up to the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort a couple years ago. Well, not to the resort, to the subdivision/gated community out there on Fir Lane, where he built a cabin and settled in. Bill is now a canyoneering guide

Big rappel, Canyoneering, Tom Jones, Trip Report, ZionTom JonesJune 26, 2011Bill Westerhoff, Echo Canyon, Zion

Marinus Arch Adventure, North Wash, March 2011

Scott Patterson discovered a large and frightening arch in Marinus canyon, scouting it in April 2010 and, due to lack of time and suitable companions, judiciously traversed downcanyon and rapped in lower down, leaving the difficulties of the arch itself to... us!