“So, what are we going to do now?” Sherman asks me as we leave behind a snowy Indian Creek.

“We cross our fingers that the storm passed Arches National Park and we go canyoneering for a couple of days?” I respond out of desperation.

Our snowy road out of Indian Creek, hoping to escape the cold and find a new adventure, like canyoneering in Arches National Park, Utah. Photograph by Dalton Johnson

We came to Indian Creek on a week-long climbing trip, but mother nature had other plans. It was our third day of the trip and we awoke to a full-blown snow storm. We went to bed watching the sunset over the red landscape, only to open the van doors to a winter wonderland.

canyoneering in arches national park — Walking into Elephant Butte canyon to canyoneer in Arches National Park, Utah. Photograph by Dalton Johnson

Packing up and driving back to Moab, as we surely are not going to climb on the wet sandstone, we are unsure what to expect. Bumping down the dirt road of Beef Basin, we tossed ideas back and forth. But, we were just guessing. Without service, we had no idea if this storm had dumped on Moab.

After a couple of scary turns that almost landed us in a ditch, some much-needed coffee, and reconnecting to the digital world, “So, it looks like this storm didn’t hit Moab. Do you want to go canyoneering in Arches National Park?”

The storm had lost its juices and faded out before hitting Moab, so the potential of a flooded canyon was minuscule, “Yeah! Let’s do it. Why not?!”

The hum of the van engine was going pedal to the metal. “Perfect!” I shouted as we motored away from the snow.

An hour and a half later, we were loading up our backpacks for Elephant Butte canyon.

“Which way do we go?” Sherman asked me as he waddled up to me like a kid in a candy shop, eager to play outside.

“Dish way, I tink!” I respond matching Sherman’s little kid's voice.

“Okay!”

Sherman making a few of the fourth class moves with a backpack full of gear to access our first rappel of Elephant Butte Canyon in Arches National Park. Photograph by Dalton Johnson

The two of us wandered around the boulders and a canyon towards a fourth-class scramble on some slick rock towards our first rappel. A full 70-meter length down a sloping face.

“1… 2… 3…” Sherman let the rope loose.

Thwap! The rope snapped as the ends snapped and slapped the sandstone.

“Into the ABYSS we go!” That was all I heard from Sherman before he disappeared over the lip. Only moments later, “Off rappel! This one was fun, you’ll love it”

Looking down at my harness, double checking everything is correctly attached, I secure my prusik. To myself I triple check, Harness is double-backed. ATC is correctly on and the locker is locked. The third hand is engaged. Okay, I am ready to go. “Rappelling”

Touching both feet on the ground, we pull the rope and commit to the canyon. Our only way out is down!

“That was great! Let’s explore this Elephant’s Butte.” I try to make a pun.

“Into the Butte we go.”

Squeezing through a keyhole, wandering up and over a saddle, we find the remnants of the storm that had snowed us in at Indian Creek. The pools of water were fresh and still. We both joked about taking dips and jumping into these inch-deep pools. But, only joked.

Working our way down the canyon towards our final rappel, we started to encounter deeper water. The canyon was getting tighter and avoiding the water was getting more difficult. Butt sliding down a trickling waterfall, I found the final rappel station.

Standing on a couple of rocks that others graciously placed for us, I set up the rap as Sherman waited in the only dry spot.

A quick check of my gear and off I went, over the lip singing the Indian Jones theme song.

“I’m off rappel Sherman. You are going to love this one, it’s completely overhanding”

“Ooo goodie! I have a special gift for you!” A couple of minutes later I hear, “Spider-man, spider-man, spider-man…” coming from Sherman as he rappelled inverted!