I've grown restless for a change of scenery as I load up the quad, top off my water supplies and kiss my lovely wife goodbye. "I'm heading back over toward Kanab, I'm still trying to track down the Huntress slot canyon, I'll ping you along the way," I say as I walk out the door.

As easy as it is to find things on the internet, I've had trouble finding some good beta on the slot canyon called "The Huntress." I know its general location, and I have hiked a good portion of the wash. The wash moves water off the plateau and cliffs that surround Diana's Throne. Supposedly the technical section of the hike is contained within the ravine; however, after butting up against the cliff face of Diana's Throne, I decided I must have gone the wrong direction—traveling upstream instead of down.

Monsoon season is winding down as I head up and over Cedar Mountain along UT-14. The temperature is a delightful 57 degrees at a 9,000-foot elevation, and I turn off the air conditioning and roll down the windows. It will be warm today in the deserts of Southern Utah as I breathe in the fresh mountain air before turning right onto Hwy-89.

The longest road in Utah, [1] scenic route 89, extends from Canada to Mexico, cutting a gorgeous path near "seven National Parks, fourteen National Monuments and three Heritage Areas." [2]

Today I'm heading south on Hwy-89, passing through the formerly sleepy little towns of Glendale, Orderville, and Mt Carmel Junction. As I pass through these quaint pioneer heritage areas, evidence abounds of new construction on roads, subdivisions, motorhome parks, and glamping parks. Glamping is where for $300 a night, you can sleep in a teepee, covered wagon, canvas tent, or Airbnb condo (the pioneers, I'm pretty sure, are rolling in their graves). The apple orchards are still there, but most trees have been removed to make room for rustic villas set among the remaining grove.

Passing the known parking area along Hwy-89, I glance at Google Maps and see something I haven't seen before, an identifier not for The Huntress but the name Elkheart Cliffs Slot Canyon. [3] And that confirms why I haven't been able to find information regarding the slot canyon; I was looking under the wrong name. Various names catch on in the backcountry, and quite often, you can locate several words for the same mountain peak, trail, and slot canyon.

Feeling more confident, I unload my ATV on the old section of US-89 and ride along the sandy trail scouting the various side roads on the eastern section of the highway. Finally, I spot a heavily traveled route and decide to follow on foot, hoping it is the exit trail for the canyon. Fortunately, all the footprints lead in only one direction, supporting my theory that I am going to the canyon's end, not the beginning.

Unusual for slot canyons, Elkheart can be completed either using technical equipment or following a series of trails that work around the more difficult sections of the canyon. Still recovering from knee surgery, I'm simply looking for the beginning and end of the course; if I can hike into the canyon without needing a rope, even better.

The hike down to the wash bed is a sandy slog, and I pity the individuals who need to make the trek in the opposite direction. Then I remember that I'll be that poor individual an hour from now after hiking through the small section of the slot canyon, marking the final rappel.

The carved rock is beautiful, and I took more than a few pictures. Instead of immediately hiking back out, I followed one of the workaround trails and moved up the canyon to the following technical section. Deep shade provides some respite from the sun as I look into the next section of the canyon. Unfortunately, a deep hole sits directly beneath the exit point, so I cannot continue. Another workaround trail exists, however, and I decided to climb the steep sandy exit. Thankfully, the sand is moist and helps create solid foot holds, and I rise out of the canyon and onto the plateau.

Checking my map, I am only a short downhill walk back to the ATV trail, and then I can follow the path back to my waiting quad, avoiding the sandy exit altogether. It has been several years since I've rappelled down into a dark, cold, often moist slot canyon; however, today's adventure reawoke the joys of those former canyoneering adventures.

Written August 27, 2022

Reference:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_89_in_Utah

[2] https://usroute89.com/

[3] https://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/elkhart-cliffs/canyon.html