West Clear Creek, a few miles across the Verde Valley from Sedona, has wall-to-wall water passages throughout its lower 15 miles of canyon. 10 years ago I hiked and swam this outstanding wilderness over a 4 day period in late August, arguably not the best time to be in a narrow canyon environment. I could hear thunder periodically in the late afternoon and early evening though I could not see strom clouds due to the steep rock walls of the inner gorge. The best campsites were sandy beaches along the creek, but a closer look revealed recent chunks of rocks imbedded in the sand. Wind, rain, and even animals can dislodge debris from above and guess where it goes... As a result I changed my campsite criteria and looked for higher ground away from the falling debris zone and nearer to the back canyon walls. This narrowed my available choices to almost nil unless I wanted to cut away shrubs and clear rocky ground for a sleeping bag-sized area. It was just one learning experience in a long list of similar teachings I have accumulated over the years in nature’s wilderness school. I stayed high and dry, safe from falling rocks, and was able to apply my new lessons on many other voyages. This kind of knowledge isn’t always shared to the degree that it should be to benefit less-experienced hikers. Combing through high-quality outdoor websites and books will definitely help, however make sure to talk to qualified local residents, hiking guides, tour companies, forest service and park personnel, and anyone who has been to your destination and has advice to offer. You’ll be banking valuable survival assets that might just save your life.
Popular slot canyons like Paria, Buckskin Gulch, Antelope Canyon, and numerous others in the Colorado Plateau region offer their own unique challenges and dangers as much as they offer exceptional beauty, solitude, and adventure. Be wise and do as much research as possible before you head out to narrow canyon country and keep flood water dangers high on your checklist.
www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/index.html
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/rt
