Permits and Politics - Red Canyon, Phipps Arch, Egypt 3 - September-October 2013

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One final stretch of goopy mud and a few wide pools brought us to the sunny little intersection with a "side slot" coming down from the north. We had reached the end of "phase 1"! Time for a break, a snack, and a warm-up in the sun.

courtesy RHanel

Mucky section

Negotiating another pool

Splashdown

First Section Complete

After about fifteen minutes' worth of stopping, we continued on. Egypt 3 is a long slot canyon, and it was already 12 noon.

We started "phase 2" of Egypt 3. Immediately it slotted up, becoming as tight as the brief initial stretch back at the start of the first phase. This time, however, it stayed tight. There was no more of the big curves and swoops, and there were no pools of water. Just a sinuous, tight 1-to-2 foot wide slot of sandstone. In many places, we were forced to take off our packs and trail them behind us - there was simply no width to accommodate them otherwise.

courtesy RHanel

Beginning of Phase 2

Phase 2 narrowness

Not even one Roland-width

courtesy RHanel

Roland, Egypt 3

Deep and Dark

Packs off

Phase 2 of Egypt 3 is where you start to get a good sense of whether or not you are a claustrophobe. The walls are high and closed in; sometimes the lighting is dimmed as a result, creating a somewhat gloomy feeling. The slot feels like it goes on forever along this stretch, and it is a welcome change when the walls finally pull back a bit, allowing a normal forward walk with your pack on, rather than a sideways shuffle with your pack dragging along behind you.

courtesy JInnes

Really tight

Nearing end of phase 2

A bit wider here

A full thirty minutes of shuffling along the tightness of "phase 2" brought us to a widening of the canyon. Wide enough, in fact, that a viable exit route existed up the left-hand side of the canyon. The first "exit point" since the beginning of phase 1.

Exit Point

A break at an exit

Starting third phase

Another short and sunny break at the first exit point. Then, off again, this time along "phase three" of Egypt 3. Once again, the canyon slotted up tightly, and once again, there were no pools or ups and downs - just a flat, sandy floor.

Although this stretch was as tight as the last had been, the length was shorter, and soon we emerged at another sunny exit point.

Flash flood debris

Exit B

On to "phase four". Here, Egypt 3 got serious. Seriously tight, that is. The walls really constricted in along this section - in places, it was actually too narrow for the males among us to shuffle along sideways. Instead, we were forced to stem upwards a bit, where the walls were a little wider apart. The character of the walls in this stretch was different than the others: not smooth, but instead full of protruding ridges and knobs. At times, it almost felt like being inside of some sort of grinder: the walls would catch, grab and tear at your clothes. This is where you realize that it is best to come down into here with expendable clothes and gear - they take a beating!

courtesy RHanel

Beginning "phase four"

Narrowest part of Egypt 3

Stemming upwards

With a final cave-like, very dark stretch of tight narrows, Egypt 3 relented, and "phase four" was over. The canyon widened into another open spot with another exit point. The tightest, narrowest part of Egypt 3 was over.

courtesy RHanel

Lowering Arn back down

Darkest part of Egypt 3

Tightest and deepest now over

After a bit of a re-group and a breath of open air after the tight confines of "phase four", it was time for the final battle. The final, technical bit of slot that would lead to the lower end - the mouth - of Egypt 3.

Before getting to the final tricky bits, Egypt 3 provided a little bit of a reprieve: about fifteen minutes of open, plain old desert-wash hiking.

Slotting up again

The gate

A wide wash for a while

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