Medieval Chamber
verified
ACA 3A
Moderate flood risk
Moab, UT
A short two-rappel descent on Sand Flats that ends over the lip of Morning Glory Arch, the big draw being the arch rappel rather than the slot itself.
Not the canyon to teach yourself rope tricks on. The simulrap around Morning Glory Arch is the iconic photograph but the most fatal-error-prone rigging in the area; rig single-strand instead unless you have practiced the simul. Commercial guides run this daily, so plan for parties stacked at the anchor on weekends.
Logistics
| Manager | BLM Moab Field Office, Sand Flats Recreation Area |
|---|---|
| Permit | No technical permit required. Sand Flats Recreation Area day-use fee $5 per vehicle collected at the entrance booth. |
| Time | 2-4 hr |
| Technical | Rated 3A II (v3a1 II). Two rappels, max 165 ft. The final drop goes over the lip of Morning Glory Arch and can be rigged as a simulrap around the arch; advanced rigging only, errors are fatal. Loop exit traverses ~0.5 mi downstream to the Negro Bill (Grandstaff) drainage, then ~1.5 mi back upcanyon to a class 3 scramble through a wall weakness and onto the ATV trail back to the trailhead. |
| Season | Year round, summer brutally hot. |
| Flood risk | Moderate. Short Sand Flats slickrock drainage flashes in any local storm. |
| Vehicle access | Passenger car suitable on the Sand Flats Road approach. |
| Crowd | Heavy. Overrun with commercial tour groups; not especially scenic by Moab regional standards but easy access keeps queues going. |
| Coordinates | 38.5926, -109.5082 |