Pandora's Box
verified
ACA 3B R
Unknown flood risk
Torrey, UT
Known also as Meeks Mesa Slot or WigWam. Seven rappels, but the day runs ten to fourteen hours and it is the exit, not the canyon, that decides how it goes.
Road Trip Ryan lists two ways out: Chimney Rock at 12.5 miles, or Meeks Mesa at 9.6, and describes the Meeks Mesa exit as very difficult at best and all but impossible in the dark. That is the reason for the standard advice of a 5:00 am start or earlier. Water is usually limited to a couple of spots of possible deep wading, no swimming. The drainage is small, but the flash flood rating is still high. A shuttle is part of the plan, not an option. Capitol Reef requires a permit for any technical canyoneering inside the park, one per route, with a group size limit that varies by canyon.
Logistics
| Manager | NPS Capitol Reef National Park |
|---|---|
| Permit | None required |
| Distance | 10.5 mi |
| Time | 10 hr-14 hr |
| Technical | 7 rappels, longest 150 ft |
| Season | Spring; Summer; Fall |
| Vehicle access | Passenger |
| Coordinates | 38.3516, -111.3604 |
Sources
- permitType: https://ropewiki.com/Pandora%27s_Box
- manager: https://ropewiki.com/Pandora%27s_Box
- nearest town: https://ropewiki.com/Pandora%27s_Box
- desc: https://ropewiki.com/Pandora%27s_Box
- notes: https://www.roadtripryan.com/go/t/utah/capitol-reef/pandorasbox
- heroPhoto: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chimney_Rock,_Capitol_Reef_National_Park,_Utah_(118898193).jpg