Zion in June...

So, I realize this is a less than ideal time to climb in the desert SW, but it's when I am able to take time to go. I think there may be some net positives, with not having to compete for routes being a big one. I've done a fair bit of aid climbing, including a one-day ascent of Liberty Crack, lots of shorter clean aid routes, and even some sandstone nailing/body weight bolt ladders years ago.

It looks like nesting closures may be an issue for getting on some of the mellower routes (which is what I am hoping for). I'm having a hard time sussing this out on the NPS website

Anyone have experiences to share or non-obvious advice (Take lots of water...) for this time of year?

Appreciate the input!

What you want is a north facing route in the Kolob Fingers. Not sure about closures, good luck.

At least you'll be away from the crowds and a bit cooler being couple thousand feet higher.

In the main canyon there are shorter routes that have shade sometimes. Climb west facing early and east facing late.

some possibilities

Organasm, the 20' roof pours out cool air

several routes up by the tunnels can be cool

Cynthia's Handjob in the morning (this is the R facing 85' corner with small hands north of the line erroneously indicated in the guide)

Bop Till You Drop in the morning

Zion is cool but my guess is the temps will suck. There are lots of other places to go do a wall in summer... other routes on Liberty Bell, N facing routes in Yosemite (Half Dome esp), Squamish, other walls in Canada, Mt. Hooker in the Winds if you want an expedition feel. I always try to do what makes the most sense. It would be pretty funny if your schedule gave you more optimal time off for Zion in a couple years and you'd already done what you wanted to there in awful conditions but Squamish and Yosemite were getting snow/rain.

Thanks Sam And Ron.

Ron, I appreciate the beta from someone who knows the area so well.

Sam, You make valid points. Unfortunately, doubtful my schedule will change in the the next few years... Unless I decide a new career path is in order.

Need to look into Squamish mellow free/aid routes. That might be a good option, and it's a place I love climbing. Just never had the aid hat on when there.

Kit

I'm no expert (like Ron O is). I've climbed Prodigal Sun, Spaceshot, and a few other 'easy' clean aid walls in July/Aug (and some free routes). Lots of water and sunscreen/hats/bandanas, etc. The nice thing is the days are long, so you can go slow in the heat of the day and climb through the evening. Got some good memories of topping out on Angel's Landing after midnight alone in the summer. I don't think I shared many routes in the summer either, but this was in the late 90s/early 00s.

I was acclimated - living in Grand Junction at the time.

Joe

Thanks, Joe. That sounds more like what I was hoping to hear...

Ha!

In July of '78 I tried to solo my route on Cerberus (didn't become Touchstone until the hammerless ascent May 2, 1981) by starting around 5:00pm after it went into the shade. I was relying on both a headlamp and the full moon to do a night ascent.

When I got to the top of the second pitch a porker park ranger named Mike who had already tooled me pulled up below and got on his PA.

"Come down here. I want to talk to you."

In a friendly tone I responded, "You come up here."

My friend Donna was watching and turned beet red, but whats he gonna do? Shoot me off the face?

He split and I was benighted on the third pitch. When I was about 5m from the belay two things happened almost at once. My headlamp (we used to joke that Wonder lights were so called because you always wonder if it was going to work) went on the fritz, and then the moon was obscured by a big cloud bank.

I finished the pitch largely by Braille and then descended left a few meters to a sloper where I sat for the night. I have since put a bolt there, but I spent the night slipping and creeping back.

By 1:00 am it was starting to get cold! 

I ducked down inside my rugby shirt and wrapped the empty sleeves around my head to conserve body heat spending the next 4 hours like a stupid blind monkey.

At dawn I rapped and Donna helped me make good my escape from the dreaded porker (we would tangle again).

Maybe with a better headlamp you'd have more success than me.

Mike's gone.

Well, I wanted to follow this old post up...

My partner and I did Touchstone on June 21/22. We found it hot, but not unmanageable. The big upside was there were no other climbers! We had the route all to ourselves, and once the shuttle stopped running, the entire canyon. That was a pretty special feeling.

We slept atop pitch five, left the haulbag and ledge there the next morning and picked them up on the way down. Having no-one else on the route meant we could rap to descend. 

We were absolutely cooked when we hit the ground, but after a couple days we were already planning the next wall.

Thanks for the advice.

Kit