After sitting in the car being radio relay on a SAR last summer where some people got stuck in Shelf Canyon thinking it was the route to Spry Canyon and hearing how cool it was back there from all the people who got to be involved, I decided to take a look. I could not find any parking at Canyon Overlo
ok parking, so I had to park up the road and walk back. Much to my surprise I found not one, or two, but three different parties in Shelf Canyon. There were a total of ten people all nicely equiped in jeans looking as if route finding was not one of the skills they would list on their resume. Jacqueline told me later that Shelf Canyon was in the St. George magazine. There is a reason why I keep my descriptions vague and do not want to create a route description for others to follow me. I figure, if you have the skills and knowledge, you will figure out all of this stuff on your own. Face it, maps are as good a route description as anyone should need. Suffice it to say, none of the ten people, besides me, made it back to the interesting part of Shelf Canyon. There were too many minor obstacles, none of them presenting too much danger, that got in the way of that progress. The biggest was a huge boulder chockstone which if one attempted to go left which was the most straight on approach, they would be turned back. But sneaking through a small opening, one could go right and thus gain the top very easily. This I did and so
on I was back into the narrowest part of the short canyon. This only went for a short time and by the time I hit the wall, literally, it had only taken me fifteen minutes. I continued back down to find the people still struggling their way up the easier obstacles. I helped them as much as I could with route finding, but there is just something to be said about the experience that I have gained. For those of moderate or expert ability, this would be a no-brainer. Check it out because it is so short and so cool in such a little amount of time expended, just about half an hour. For those of the beginner or less adventurous, I would suggest hiking Canyon Overlook instead. I am definitely going to take Jacqueline back after work someday this summer to escape the heat in the narrows of Shelf Canyon.
ok parking, so I had to park up the road and walk back. Much to my surprise I found not one, or two, but three different parties in Shelf Canyon. There were a total of ten people all nicely equiped in jeans looking as if route finding was not one of the skills they would list on their resume. Jacqueline told me later that Shelf Canyon was in the St. George magazine. There is a reason why I keep my descriptions vague and do not want to create a route description for others to follow me. I figure, if you have the skills and knowledge, you will figure out all of this stuff on your own. Face it, maps are as good a route description as anyone should need. Suffice it to say, none of the ten people, besides me, made it back to the interesting part of Shelf Canyon. There were too many minor obstacles, none of them presenting too much danger, that got in the way of that progress. The biggest was a huge boulder chockstone which if one attempted to go left which was the most straight on approach, they would be turned back. But sneaking through a small opening, one could go right and thus gain the top very easily. This I did and so
on I was back into the narrowest part of the short canyon. This only went for a short time and by the time I hit the wall, literally, it had only taken me fifteen minutes. I continued back down to find the people still struggling their way up the easier obstacles. I helped them as much as I could with route finding, but there is just something to be said about the experience that I have gained. For those of moderate or expert ability, this would be a no-brainer. Check it out because it is so short and so cool in such a little amount of time expended, just about half an hour. For those of the beginner or less adventurous, I would suggest hiking Canyon Overlook instead. I am definitely going to take Jacqueline back after work someday this summer to escape the heat in the narrows of Shelf Canyon. 
2 comments:
Got a good chuckle out of this one - Dad
This canyon is such a treasure! Thankfully I have a husband who is excellent at reading maps and lets me tag along! Although, Pete, you were a great guide. I was able to return to shelf canyon with my brother and do some further exploration. He loved it!
-Jacqueline
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