Micro Death Hollow
Two canyons in one entry: a 3B sneak exit at about 2.5 miles, or the full 4B line at 2.9 miles with 600 feet of climbing to get out. Both open with a 276 foot rappel off a tree.
Leave the R1 rope and webbing at the bottom of that first rappel; you come back past it on the way out and forgetting it is an expensive walk. The R rating is the pothole immediately below R1. It can go keeper, there is no good position for a partner assist, the far side slants back into the pothole and is slick, and the toss for a potshot is long with almost no room to wind up, which is why one party reported a climber's grappling hook working better. Carry pothole escape gear and ascenders and expect to use them. The second pothole is a deep swimmer but has a ledge to stand on and climb out. Cold water is the underrated hazard if you skip the wetsuit: be certain you can exit fast. R2 is 25 feet into a deep pool off a sandtrap; R3 runs 40 to 100 feet off an arch depending on how much webbing you will leave or whether you are ghosting. Both exits need some exposed class 3 scrambling, and high clearance gets you to the parking.
Logistics
| Manager | BLM Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument |
|---|---|
| Permit | Monument wide rule, not a canyon specific finding. BLM requires a free permit for all overnight stays anywhere in Grand Staircase-Escalante, self issued at developed trailheads or at the Escalante, Cannonville, Kanab and Big Water visitor centers. Day use by a private party requires no permit: BLM issues Special Recreation Permits for commercial use, competitive events, organized groups and recreation events, none of which covers a private party descending a canyon. The lottery permits BLM lists alongside the monument, Coyote Buttes North and Paria Canyon, are Vermilion Cliffs units administered from Kanab and do not apply here. |
| Distance | 2.9 mi |
| Technical | 1-3 rappels, longest 275.591 ft |
| Season | Spring; Summer; Fall |
| Vehicle access | High Clearance |
| Coordinates | 37.7693, -111.4972 |
Sources
- permit: https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/utah/grand-staircase-escalante-national-monument/plan
- manager: https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/utah/grand-staircase-escalante-national-monument/plan
- desc: https://ropewiki.com/Micro_Death_Hollow
- notes: https://ropewiki.com/Micro_Death_Hollow