Ponderosa Fork
Bill Wolverton named this fork of the Dry Fork for one large ponderosa growing on a Navajo sandstone seep above the lowest pouroff, about a mile and a half up canyon. He puts the nearest other ponderosas roughly twenty miles off at the east end of Spencer Flat.
Catalogued as Scorpion East, East Scorpion, and Grove Canyon as well, which matters because the beta is scattered across all four names. The ratings are split too: RopeWiki lists 4B III R, while Road Trip Ryan calls it 3A PG and says it only becomes 4A if you rappel the first two drops instead of bypassing them. Bring a sandtrap and expect a couple of awkward natural anchors if you take that line. There is genuine high stemming and silo crossing here without the exposure of the X rated canyons nearby, which is why it gets used as a practice piece, but it is not a beginner canyon and the downclimbing rules out anyone unsure on rock. Ryan's own verdict is that the long approach and exit are what keep it out of his top tier: six to eight hours of moving for under seven miles.
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 | 7.3 mi |
| Technical | 3 rappels, longest 35 ft |
| Coordinates | 37.4676, -111.1274 |
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/Ponderosa_Fork
- notes: https://www.roadtripryan.com/go/t/utah/escalante/scorpion-east