Deadeye Dick Canyon 3BII, Zion National Park

Deadeye Dick Canyon is normally rated 3AII but we visited in mid-November and encountered ice sheets in the pools — bumping our experience to a 3BII. Not only was it cold, the ice made for some awkward movement through the water wading sections. We set out from the Dakota Ridge trailhead, which was a great option that shaved off significant time and distance by making a beeline into the canyon, bypassing a walk-around.

Once in the canyon we bypassed the first dry fall on the left and came to the first drop — around 30ft. The 6 rappels were straightforward with easy pulls. First two were back to back with a short narrow corridor; the remaining 4 came in rapid succession. All under 100ft. The last drop had beautifully fluted walls with sunlight reflecting a fire hue.

Deadeye Dick pours you out into the upper Zion Narrows section — set up a shuttle at Chamberlain Ranch trailhead. There's also an option to park at Chamberlain and hike up through the Narrows to reach the canyon top, but the Dakota Ridge shuttle route was much easier. A great half-day or rest-day canyon for a multi-day Zion trip. Refer to ropewiki.com for accurate beta.