Wow, a brand new canyon on the schedule to descend. Brad and I were scheduled to do Icebox. It was quite amazing as usually we tend to go down some of the more used canyons. I would say max about a dozen parties a year go through Icebox. Rich, who works at Kolob was supposed to go with us, but he ended up having to work the desk. Brad and I instead went on the trip alone. We both read up on the route descriptions so we knew we were supposed to start on the La Verkin Creek trail. We hit the drainage and started to go up. We stuck to the drainage for about as long as we could and honestly, just that hike would have been worth it. We saw a skunk scampering through the bushes and were sure to steer clear of that guy. When we got to a big pour-off we went up and
around to the right until we found a way to get onto the slope that lead to the drop into Icebox. I was a bit ahead of Brad when I came through the bushes to find another skunk. It was a steep, brushy area but this skunk started charging after me. There was nothing that could ruin a day of backcountry more than being sprayed by a skunk, so I went with a swift jog to get away from that thing. It led us to a more treacherous area to ascend, but eventually we gained th
e ridge again which we followed up in the hot sun. We were up high at the start of the c
anyon by 11am, which was looking good for our long day. Now we had our semi big wall descent to go through. Some of the bolts were seriously old school in this canyon with homemade hangers. That was what the first one looked like. We were going to use it until I went down a little ways and found the next one in an easy to get to place. That began 
our descent of rappelling very slowly because the wall was just steep enough to need a rope, but not steep enough to allow our ropes to fall smoothly down. It was okay to go slow because throughout the descent we had to look all around us for bolts and anchors. We took turns going down. Rich warned us that the last rappel was a big free hanging deal. It turned out to be just an easy walk down the wall. It took a little over two hours from the time we started to the time we hit canyon bottom on the series of rappels. It was neat for me because I had to clip in my daisy to be able to work on the wall before I took the rope from my ATC. The canyon was beautiful and it did not seem to have much ice in it at all. In fact, it did not have much water either. There was a slow stream of water percolating through th
e canyon bottom, but nothing too difficult and it did not even require a wetsuit. There were only three rappels once we were in the canyon and the only thing that was difficult about them was actually getting to them as they were poised out on some steep benches. We had to do just a small bit of swim
ming on the second rappel, but we stayed dry for much of the day. Right after the third and last rap in the canyon bottom, we were able to check out a huge pool that to me could even pass for a lake. It would be fun to wander up the canyon to swim there during the summer. After the technical section there was still some steep down climbing around the huge waterfalls.
The waterfalls were mostly dry, but it might be rather neat to see them in the spring when this canyon is shedding its winter snow. We were back to the La Verkin Creek trail by 5pm and made it to the car a little after 7pm. We were happy to get out before dark even though it was a twelve hour day. I am not sure that it can be done too much more efficiently for a first trip through. We really had no hang-ups, at most we wasted about fifteen minutes trying to avoid a pool after the technical section. I had a great time and I only wished that Zion had more excellent canyons such as Icebox to descend.
around to the right until we found a way to get onto the slope that lead to the drop into Icebox. I was a bit ahead of Brad when I came through the bushes to find another skunk. It was a steep, brushy area but this skunk started charging after me. There was nothing that could ruin a day of backcountry more than being sprayed by a skunk, so I went with a swift jog to get away from that thing. It led us to a more treacherous area to ascend, but eventually we gained th
e ridge again which we followed up in the hot sun. We were up high at the start of the c
anyon by 11am, which was looking good for our long day. Now we had our semi big wall descent to go through. Some of the bolts were seriously old school in this canyon with homemade hangers. That was what the first one looked like. We were going to use it until I went down a little ways and found the next one in an easy to get to place. That began 
our descent of rappelling very slowly because the wall was just steep enough to need a rope, but not steep enough to allow our ropes to fall smoothly down. It was okay to go slow because throughout the descent we had to look all around us for bolts and anchors. We took turns going down. Rich warned us that the last rappel was a big free hanging deal. It turned out to be just an easy walk down the wall. It took a little over two hours from the time we started to the time we hit canyon bottom on the series of rappels. It was neat for me because I had to clip in my daisy to be able to work on the wall before I took the rope from my ATC. The canyon was beautiful and it did not seem to have much ice in it at all. In fact, it did not have much water either. There was a slow stream of water percolating through th
e canyon bottom, but nothing too difficult and it did not even require a wetsuit. There were only three rappels once we were in the canyon and the only thing that was difficult about them was actually getting to them as they were poised out on some steep benches. We had to do just a small bit of swim
ming on the second rappel, but we stayed dry for much of the day. Right after the third and last rap in the canyon bottom, we were able to check out a huge pool that to me could even pass for a lake. It would be fun to wander up the canyon to swim there during the summer. After the technical section there was still some steep down climbing around the huge waterfalls.
The waterfalls were mostly dry, but it might be rather neat to see them in the spring when this canyon is shedding its winter snow. We were back to the La Verkin Creek trail by 5pm and made it to the car a little after 7pm. We were happy to get out before dark even though it was a twelve hour day. I am not sure that it can be done too much more efficiently for a first trip through. We really had no hang-ups, at most we wasted about fifteen minutes trying to avoid a pool after the technical section. I had a great time and I only wished that Zion had more excellent canyons such as Icebox to descend. 
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