Rob working the rope into the bag, at the bottom of one of the raps. Maybe the third.

We clean up from the big rap and scurry downcanyon, starting to worry about the available daylight. We turn a corner, and it becomes skinny. Gulp (I think) - it's Powelling Up! (Rob in the skinny slot)

I recover my senses - we're in ZION, it CAN'T "Powell Up"! Which, of course, it was not doing. But it was pretty - a tall slot, 3 to 4 feet wide, with a 6 foot drop right behind Rob. Another corner and another interesting little drop. Cory meat anchored us down, and downclimbed for the capture. Classic!

A little further on, another narrow slot - with what looks like a bell at the bottom. Cory getting ready to downclimb on belay...

... with yours truly providing a belay. Yup, belled at the bottom, Cory took the rope for the last 10 feet. Rob descended, thought it was manageable, and jumped the last 6 feet. (Tom don't jump). I downclimbed with the rope around a questionable log as a handline, and stretched down far enough for Rob and Cory to catch and thighbelay me to the ground. Also classic! Now we REALLY WERE on terra cognito.

Yup. In a few minutes, we were on the floor of the MIA canyon, comtemplating the climb to the rim. Some lunch and a victory shot! (note, when the photos are small, it means they came out way-fuzzy. Not much light on this somber fall day, deep in the slot).

Rob heartily enjoyed his maiden voyage up the upper MIA.

Back at the Pipe Spring, we refresh ourselves for the hike out, trudge the 365 feet up the trail to our turnoff to the right, which is somewhat inobvious from this side, but soon painfully obvious as it strikes straight up the steep hillside.

And a lovely hike back to the car it is. A beautiful day. But then again, you know, Zion is SOOOOOO crowded, and played out. Nothing new to do there, the same old canyons again and again...

Pipe Spring Canyon III 3A (PG-anchors) Longest rap: about 165'. Might be easier with a 300' rope, sliding past the ledge-and-tree anchor. Anchors all natural. We found anchors fairly easily, but after a rainstorm, some ledges could be devoid of anchoring debris. The chockstone could be taken out by ice this winter, and other natural anchor prospects in the immediate area are not as convenient. We used 80 feet of webbing and 6 rapid links. A nice shortish canyon, no permit required.