Hanksville/North Wash

• Length: 3 – 10 hours, depending on canyon and conditions
• Drive from Moab: 2 hours
• Season: March – November
• Technical: some very narrow slot canyons, rope-assisted down climbs, steep hiking, stemming, rappels to 100′.

Hanksville and the North Wash area have one of the largest concentrations of short canyons with more of a playground feel. Their narrow and dry terrain keep us stemming, chimneying, and bridging through the entirety of each canyon. Because they’re short, we can easily explore more than one in a day.

Cedar Mesa

• Length: 4 – 10 hours, depending on canyon and conditions
• Drive from Moab: approximately 2.5 hours; departure times vary
• Season: May – Oct.
• Technical: steep hiking, scrambling, boulder hopping, tight narrows, cold swims up to 100′, short rappels to 70′ (some into water) and/or rope-assisted down climbs

Cedar Mesa canyons are remote and very deep. These canyons drain an area of hundreds of square miles upstream of our descent routes. As a result, sections of these beautifully fluted canyons trap pockets of deep water. Thus, mandatory items are wetsuits, dry bags and a healthy sense of adventure!

• New skills and specialized techniques for canyon travel
• A knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide
• Geology, ecology and cultural history of the region
• Challenging teamwork and group interaction
• A physically active day immersed in remarkable beauty!.
• High-quality technical equipment suitable for the rigor of canyoneering
• Healthy meals and snacks prepared by your guides
• Two lodging options: outfitted camping where our guides take care of you, or motel/restaurant options where you’re on your own for food and lodging.

Camping

Our outdoor desert basecamp will supply the comfortable camp amenities such as chairs, solar showers, and cold beverages. Your guides will use our comprehensive outdoor kitchen to prepare all of your meals. A sleeping kit with a comfortable sleeping pad, bag and tent is available for rent at $20.00/night.

Town Options

For trips originating in Hanksville or Cedar Mesa, we recommend the Whispering Sands Motel (link to URL: http://www.whisperingsandsmotel.com) in Hanksville (about 40 miles from Cedar Mesa), which offers simple and clean accommodations. Restaurants are available, but limited, so be sure to ask us for dining suggestions while in Hanksville.

From Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City is 250 miles northwest of Hanksville, 240 miles northwest of Moab. Driving is the only way to reach Hanksville directly from S.L.C. Or, you can take the Bighorn Express shuttle from the SLC airport to Moab. From Moab, we can provide transportation to Hanksville or Cedar Mesa.

From Grand Junction, CO

Grand Junction is 180 miles northeast of Hanksville, 110 miles northeast of Moab. From G.J you can rent a car and drive, take the Roadrunner Shuttle, or fly with Redtail Aviation. From Moab, we can provide transportation to Hanksville or Cedar Mesa.

From Denver, CO

Denver is 450 miles northeast of Hanksville, 350 miles northeast of Moab. You can drive I-70 almost the entire way (6 hours to Moab, 7 hours to Hanksville), or fly with Mesa Airlines. From Moab, we can provide transportation to Hanksville or Cedar Mesa.

Please call us if you need any help arranging your transportation as we are happy to assist you.

Please note that the following itinerary is just an example; actual trips may differ. Because our groups are small and the different canyoneering areas are relatively close to one another, we are able to be very flexible with the itinerary, adjusting what we do and where to accommodate the group.

Hanksville/North Wash: 1 Night, 2-Days

Day 1

9:00 am:
Meet at Chevron/Stans Burger Shack in Hanksville. Caravan to trail head. Outfit group with equipment, etc. Brief orientation on location and safety/evacuation procedures. Head into the canyon, where we cover skills and techniques as they are called for: stemming, chimneying, bridging, spotting your companions, rope assisted down-climbing, short roping and rappelling.

Lunch:
Return to vehicles for healthy lunch and break. Afterwards, drive short distance to the second trailhead. Resupply water bottles and snacks and head out to another, fun slot canyon where we’ll employ virtually all the techniques we learned earlier in the day.

Late afternoon:
After concluding day in the field, head to base camp for appetizers, beverages, and a tasty supper prepared by your multi-talented guides. Camp tales and camaraderie ensue before sacking out under the stars (or inside your tent!)

Day 2

Morning:
Enjoy buffet breakfast. Prepare equipment, packs, etc. for another exciting canyon adventure different in character from the day prior and accommodating the group’s objectives.

Lunch:
We’ll either pack it with us or lunch at the vehicles, depending on the length of the canyon.

Finish:
Wrap up the day according to the groups’ travel needs, giving people plenty of time to get where they need to go.