Search and rescue crews spent the morning of Friday, June 10, hoisting a group of 15 young men and two leaders from Sandthrax Canyon after the group was unable to exit.
The night before, crews dropped food and water for the stranded hikers and began pulling them out with a helicopter at 8:00 a.m. Friday.
Sandthrax, which is a short slot canyon about two miles east of the junction of Highways 95 and 276 (between Hite, Bullfrog and Hanksville), has also been nicknamed “The Chasm of Doom” by some canyoneers.
Garfield County Sheriff Danny Perkins stated that the cluster of four slot canyons in that area see more search and rescue operations than the rest of the county combined, and added that people “have no idea what they’re getting into.”
Sandthrax Canyon is noted for its extreme difficulty, even for advanced canyoneers.
“Sandthrax is the only canyon that I have actively trained for,” said Robert Heinlein, who chronicles his canyoneering adventures as Road Trip Ryan. “When I decided I wanted to give it a try, I spent a year trad climbing (chimneys and off widths in particular) and did about 80 canyons. Many of those 80 were R and X rated canyons to be sure I had solid high stemming and climbing skills.”
According to Heinlein, the canyon was named by an ill-fated group of experienced canyoneers who had to be rescued from the slot in 2001. Shane Burrows, who was a member of that group, chronicled their experience in the canyon leading to their rescue. “This little morning hike turned into an epic when the canyon was more difficult than we had anticipated,” Burrows wrote. “This canyon is very dangerous and I strongly advise that you do not enter it.”
Luckily, Friday’s hikers were rescued with few injuries (maybe one sprained ankle), and they were able to get out by 11:15 a.m.
– The Byway
Feature image caption: Shane Burrows shared this photo chronicling his group’s experience being rescued from Sandthrax Canyon in 2001.