Canyoneering in the San Rafael Swell

The four adventurers in Upper Black Box

While I was gone to Louisiana at the beginning of August, my husband took three of our older, but not yet married, kids on an adventure in the San Rafael Swell.  My husband loves this place for the very cool rock formations and because hardly anyone goes there.  They went to three different canyons and didn't see a single person the entire time.  The only time they saw people was when they drove into the town of Green River to get some water.  Perhaps because it was the beginning of August, people might have stayed away, thinking it was super hot but it really wasn't, especially when they were wading/swimming through the water in the slot canyons.  They had a great time and a great adventure.  I'm just glad they stayed alive!  I did feel concerned about them especially when my sister-in-law told us how she went to the Upper Black Box Canyon some years ago and at the bottom they found a dead body.  Someone had tried to do it alone and got into trouble.  So it's definitely not without danger.

Upper Black Box

They did three canyons over the three days they were there:  Upper Black Box, Baptist Draw, and Eardley Canyon.  They had to do some swimming through some pretty murky water--fortunately they had a dry bag for their stuff that couldn't get wet. Baptist Draw had some very narrow areas that required some major effort to get through.  And there were a couple of very long repels that were also a little scary--one was close to 200 feet high.

Getting ready to do Upper Black Box

Upper Black Box

Upper Black Box

Upper Black Box

Hiking out of the Upper Black Box

Baptist Draw

Baptist Draw

Baptist Draw

Baptist Draw

Baptist Draw

Baptist Draw

Hiking out of Baptist Draw

On the approach to Eardley Canyon

On the approach to Eardley Canyon

Eardley Canyon

Eardley Canyon