Das Boot
From CanyonWiki
Das Boot – a cold, wet, deep, narrow entrance to the long Subway trail.
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[edit] Description
Das Boot is well worth the extra effort to visit while completing the famous Subway or on its own. The narrows are thin, cold and beautiful. There are a few short rappels, most of which can be down climbed or jumped except the last rappel. The canyon sees very little sunlight and the water is cold. There are at least three swims and lots of wading. Even on hot summer days a spring suit may not be enough to keep you warm. A farmer John wetsuit will make the experience more enjoyable, although you will have to carry that much rubber in and out of the canyon.
[edit] Approach
Entering the upper section of the Left Fork requires some route finding. Start at the well marked Wild Cat trailhead on the Kolob reservoir road. Continue down the trail toward Northgate peaks through scenic high desert with intermittent pine trees. Look for the sign “Subway main trail.†(N37 20’21.4’’ W113 03’ 34’’ 6929 ft). Continue down this well cairned trail through the white sandstone dunes staying to the right of the “No Hiking†signs. This should lead you down into a grove of pine trees and through a stand of aspens. From there you should emerge on a red sandstone ridge with a view of the massive white cliffs to the East. Look for the enormous cairn (7+ feet high) (N37 20’ 00’’ W113 02’57.8’’ 6238 ft). At this point you should also see a deep cleft in the white cliffs to the Northeast. Look to the East for the deep start of Russell Gulch. From the massive cairn, turn left off the trail and skirt the top of Russell Gulch to the North. Head for the red sandstone ledges beneath a Mount Rushmore-like alcove in the white cliffs (N37 19’58.1’’ W113 02’37.5’’ 6352 ft). Continue Southeast along the ledges until you are directly south of a black waterfall mark on the white cliff (N37 19’40.9’’ W113 02’19.8’’ 6355 ft). From there work your way Southeast and downward into the bottom of the canyon. You should arrive in the Left Fork drainage and at the top of Das Boot (N37 19’18.2’’ W113 01’56’’ 5763 ft). There is more canyon to explore upstream. Suit up and explore this as you wish. Then head down canyon. Expect about 1-2 hours to explore the slot. (UGS84 Datum)
An alternate approach would be to park past the Lava Point campground, at the Goose Creek Knoll trailhead (usually used for Kolob, Boundary, etc.) Hike down the official trail and then turn at the trail branch, on the Wildcat Canyon trail. Pick some convenient way (using a topo) to get down into the Wildcat Canyon drainage, and then follow it down to the junction with the left fork. This avoids much of the unpleasentness associated with sidehilling as described above.
[edit] Exit
Exit down the standard Subway-from-the-top route using a shuttle from the Left Fork trailhead or return to your car via the standard Subway entrance. Both are long hikes. For the second, watch for the junction with Russell Gulch on the right (LDC). Exit up and out of Russell Gulch. The first section is somewhat steep and exposed to the right (LUC). Once you gain the ridge, continue out following the well cairned trail back to where you left the trail.
[edit] Technical obstacles
There are multiple swims – currently three – in cold water. There is little sun in the canyon and you are cold for the entire trip. Wetsuits are recommended.
There are many down climbs and chimneys.
There are three rappels
- off a wedged log – 20 feet
- off a chockstone – 15 feet
- into the final pool – 40 feet
There are numerous solutions to the final rappel. Most people seem to rap off the old stump around the ledge to the right (LDC). This avoids the cold swim and floating disconnect. However, the stump had some play in it and will probably not be too solid for much longer. There is a solid log up-canyon. You could us a Janus extender and drop into the main pool or chain the upper pools together. There wasn’t any debris in the pool in Sept 2005, but there has been in the past. Caution is recommended in jumping into the pool as a decent solution.
This last drop can be sequenced, to check the water level. The drop down the water course forms a pothole with ideal geometry for a cairn anchor, giving plenty of options.
- Currently (9-28-05) All Das Boot rappels can be downclimbed with good climbing skills and sticky rubber and a full wetsuit is HIGHLY recomended as most of the canyon is shaded at all times. This canyon is a must do if you plan on doing Subway.
[edit] Gear
Full technical gear. Farmer John or Full wet suit (a shorty will get you through in the summer, but you’ll be chilly through most of the narrows). 100 foot rope. 50 feet of webbing.
[edit] Current conditions
September 2005: three cold swims, lots of wading. Final anchor ok, but getting sketchy
[edit] Rating
3B III if done alone.
3B IV if done with the Subway.
