Mountain of the Sun, Mount Spry, and Spry Canyon in Zion National Park, UT

Canyoneer Mountain of the Sun, Mount Spry, and Spry Canyon Zion National Park, UT

Class 4 3B (170 ft max) 7.8 miles 3400 gain 9-12 hrs Shuttle Jun 2, 2017
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Mountain of the Sun, Mount Spry, and Spry Canyon GPX Track

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This is a technical canyon. If you are unfamiliar with how to build anchors or the gear required for canyoneering do not attempt this route.

I haven't been as excited for a route as much as this one for a while. It includes two gorgeous Zion National Park peak scrambles, a popular technical canyon, and fun slickrock route-finding. Not to mention Mt. Spry (one of the peaks mentioned) is only accessible via rappeling since it's halfway through the technical Spry Canyon. Start up Pine Creek Canyon and find a short scramble to get up to the west bank of the canyon, route find through slickrock up a big bowl to the base of Deertrap Mountain, where you overlook Spry Canyon, beckoning from between Twin Brothers and The East Temple. Continue down slickrock to the head of Spry Canyon.

From the head of Spry Canyon, you can skip Mountain of the Sun and jump right in, but we had a mission (and not enough water, but it's fine. It's fine…)! Head directly north up a canyon just east of Mountain of the Sun, scrambling through some bushes and rock obstacles. The approach to the base isn't super fun, but once you locate the ramp running north to south to get onto Mountain of the Sun, the scrambling and views become interesting. It's all pretty straightforward Class 2+ until just below the summit, where a series of Class 3/4 moves lead to a gully with a deadly drop below it. Take care on this pine needle filled gully and get to the summit safely – there's still a lot of cool stuff to do in Spry Canyon, after all.

After summiting Mountain of the Sun, head back to Spry Canyon and start the fun descent on interesting rappels and pretty scenery. After an awkward rappel over a dripping waterfall and before dropping into the dark and narrow section of Spry Canyon, you'll see Mt. Spry. Leave Spry Canyon and bushwhack north through a big vegetation-filled bowl to the north ridge of Mt. Spry, which you follow to the summit, a few interesting Class 3/4 moves along the way. Return to Spry Canyon and complete the route. On the way out, scramble down Class 2 boulders, not on the ever-eroding dirt slope that is becoming an eyesore from the main road.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mountain of the Sun
6722 ft
842 rise
2
Mount Spry
5720 ft
440 rise

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Starting up Upper Pine Creek until we found a good spot to ascent the cliff wall to the left, gaining the slickrock above Pine Creek.
Starting up Upper Pine Creek until we found a good spot to ascent the cliff wall to the left, gaining the slickrock above Pine Creek.
Following the slickrock toward a bowl at the base of Deertrap Mountain.
Following the slickrock toward a bowl at the base of Deertrap Mountain.
Image 2 from gallery
Ascending the bowl to the saddle.
Ascending the bowl to the saddle.
Image 4 from gallery
Looking toward Spry Canyon (The East Temple on the left) from the saddle before heading down. We did Mountain of the Sun before entering Spry, so we took a right at the bottom of the saddle rather than heading directly into Spry Canyon.
Looking toward Spry Canyon (The East Temple on the left) from the saddle before heading down. We did Mountain of the Sun before entering Spry, so we took a right at the bottom of the saddle rather than heading directly into Spry Canyon.
Looking back the way we came from the saddle.
Looking back the way we came from the saddle.
Heading north, away from Spry Canyon.
Heading north, away from Spry Canyon.
Bushy and scrambly approach to the Mountain of the Sun base.
Bushy and scrambly approach to the Mountain of the Sun base.
Image 9 from gallery
Heading up Mountain of the Sun.
Heading up Mountain of the Sun.
Hiking along the ridge, the easiest way up we found.
Hiking along the ridge, the easiest way up we found.
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Mountain of the Sun ahead.
Mountain of the Sun ahead.
Class 2/3 for a while.
Class 2/3 for a while.
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Image 18 from gallery
Approaching Class 4 section. It's steep and there is definitely a thousand foot drop or so directly below while scrambling a pine-needle filled gully.
Approaching Class 4 section. It's steep and there is definitely a thousand foot drop or so directly below while scrambling a pine-needle filled gully.
Last bit of scrambling.
Last bit of scrambling.
Approaching the summit!
Approaching the summit!
Looking south.
Looking south.
Looking north.
Looking north.
Summit jump!
Summit jump!
Back at Spry Canyon, The East Temple ahead of us.
Back at Spry Canyon, The East Temple ahead of us.
Image 26 from gallery
Approaching the first rappel, shortly after entering the canyon.
Approaching the first rappel, shortly after entering the canyon.
Image 28 from gallery
Image 29 from gallery
Short rappel next to an arch.
Short rappel next to an arch.
Shawn eating my food (as usual) under the natural arch.
Shawn eating my food (as usual) under the natural arch.
Cool and dark section.
Cool and dark section.
Image 33 from gallery
Interesting rappel down a crack, next to a slick little waterfall.
Interesting rappel down a crack, next to a slick little waterfall.
Shawn coming down the interesting rappel.
Shawn coming down the interesting rappel.
Mount Spry ahead. Out of water? Oops. We should probably do it anyway. -_- We are idiots. From here, we left our gear and scramble down into a brush-filled canyon before heading up the right side (north ridge) and following it to the summit.
Mount Spry ahead. Out of water? Oops. We should probably do it anyway. -_- We are idiots. From here, we left our gear and scramble down into a brush-filled canyon before heading up the right side (north ridge) and following it to the summit.
Brushy canyon.
Brushy canyon.
End of the brushy canyon before heading onto the ridge (ridge it behind me).
End of the brushy canyon before heading onto the ridge (ridge it behind me).
Looking back toward Spry Canyon from the Mount Spry ridgeline, The East Temple looming.
Looking back toward Spry Canyon from the Mount Spry ridgeline, The East Temple looming.
Along the Mount Spry ridge.
Along the Mount Spry ridge.
Cool mini knife edge.
Cool mini knife edge.
Looking back at the knife edge.
Looking back at the knife edge.
Shawn posing because why not?
Shawn posing because why not?
That little bunion thing is Mount Spry.
That little bunion thing is Mount Spry.
Summit ahead!
Summit ahead!
Scrambling up the ridge.
Scrambling up the ridge.
Looking back down the ridgeline.
Looking back down the ridgeline.
View of the Zion east entrance road from the Mount Spry summit.
View of the Zion east entrance road from the Mount Spry summit.
My car super tiny below.
My car super tiny below.
Looking toward Spry Canyon. Right is The East Temple, left is Twin Brothers, in the distance on the left is Mountain of the Sun.
Looking toward Spry Canyon. Right is The East Temple, left is Twin Brothers, in the distance on the left is Mountain of the Sun.
Summit view looking up the canyon (north).
Summit view looking up the canyon (north).
Back at the next rappel in Spry Canyon, still a way to go...
Back at the next rappel in Spry Canyon, still a way to go...
Image 53 from gallery
A bunch of rappels follow. All pretty straightforward, and all bolted at the time we were there.
A bunch of rappels follow. All pretty straightforward, and all bolted at the time we were there.
Image 55 from gallery
Image 56 from gallery
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Image 58 from gallery
Heading down a boulder field for a while.
Heading down a boulder field for a while.
Our last rappel. Apparently there was another route that we missed, possibly avoiding the boulder field? Not really sure, but our route worked for us.
Our last rappel. Apparently there was another route that we missed, possibly avoiding the boulder field? Not really sure, but our route worked for us.
Approaching Lower Pine Creek Canyon (falls are below).
Approaching Lower Pine Creek Canyon (falls are below).
Following an unofficial trail out of Lower Pine Creek to the second car.
Following an unofficial trail out of Lower Pine Creek to the second car.

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