Canyoneering 2: Technical Loop Hikes in Southern Utah [Paperback]

Steve Allen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As Steve Allen proclaims in his introduction, "Canyoneering 2 is not for everyone." Utah's local canyoneering guru has carefully laid out seven multiday backpack trips that are very demanding and only recommended for advanced hikers with technical rock-climbing skills. Muddy Creek, the Dirty Devil, Dark Canyon, White Canyon, and the Escalante east are all remote and seldom-seen routes. In fact, Dark Canyon is considered one of the most remote areas in the country, which sees only six to eight visitors every year. Still interested? Allen's guide gives you a good head start with preparation chapters, plenty of helpful tips, and excellent landmark descriptions for the confusing, often baffling desert terrain. --Ben Tiffany

Product Details

• Paperback: 233 pages
• Publisher: University of Utah Press (January 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874804671
• ISBN-13: 978-0874804676
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,090,544 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for the wilderness of Southern Utah, March 2, 1999

By	Douglas Martin ([e-mail]) (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canyoneering 2: Technical Loop Hikes in Southern Utah (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for the more hardcore backpackers out there. The loops described are a lot of fun, and provide access to spectacular views plus a chance to explore true wilderness. As for bringing too many people... after going on several of the hikes, I must admit we were hard pressed to find footprints less than a year or two old along the tracks, if any at all. Enjoy!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed feelings, May 17, 2007

By	Scott Patterson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Canyoneering 2: Technical Loop Hikes in Southern Utah (Paperback)

This book has a lot of good information in it.

The two problems with the book are that with the exception of the hike, Escalante South, the rest of the loops cross well-used roads. What is the point of carrying a pack for a week while crossing well-used roads, especially if the author fails to explain that nearly all points on the loop can easily be reached by dayhikes?

A second dislike is that the author also takes you some less interesting sections of some canyons in expense of some of the really great sections of the same canyon or nearby ones.

If you want to use this book to it's fullest potential, make sure to get off the paint-by-numbers route and explore some on your own. Make sure to go over the maps and realize that the areas in the book don't usually get that far from the roads.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Book... Not Worth $100+!!!, August 31, 2009

By	RussianReader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canyoneering 2: Technical Loop Hikes in Southern Utah (Paperback)

I've been enjoying the backcountry of Utah for 25+ years. It's always nice to read new guide books like those of Steve Allen & Michael Kelsey to garner new ideas for our next Utah trip. However, I wouldn't pay $100+ for any guidebook.

I currently have Canyoneering 2 checked out from the local library. It appears to have seen little use. I've read through much of it finding that I've done sections of most of the hikes described. I agree with the early poster that many of these hikes can be broken up into smaller, more manageable sections. Unfortunately, few of us have a week at a time to spend in the wilderness.

If you have enjoyed the other guidebooks from Steve or Michael you should also enjoy this one. However, it's certainly not worth more than $20-$30 even if it is out of print! There must be some greedy and/or poor hikers out there trying to save enough for one of Steve's week-long excursions!

Here are the loop hikes described in Canyoneering 2:

Muddy Creek area of the San Rafael Swell (The Chute)
The Northern Dirty Devil area (The Robbers Roost, Larry Canyon, & No Mans Canyon)
The Southern Dirty Devil area (Happy Canyon)
Dark Canyon/Bowdie Canyon
White Canyon (Long & Gravel Canyons)
Escalante Eastern area (The Gulch, Wolverine & Little Death Hollow Canyons, & Silver Falls Creek Canyon)
Escalante Southern area (Coyote Gulch & Stevens Canyons)