Day 3 Part 1....Did I sign up for this???

Day 3 Part 1…..Orderville Canyon
WWDI

I decided to add this picture of us and the men who helped us...

just in case we don't make it back.....

Thanks Jim and Marc....

Jen’s husband Jim and Marc [family friend] came to help us rappel and also because they had never hiked this canyon. [Thanks guys!!]

According to Joe: [Internet expert about the Canyon.]
Orderville Canyon:
Orderville canyon is an amazing little sister to the main Virgin River Narrows.
It is narrower and darker than the main narrow, but that beauty comes at a cost. You will be in the water almost all of the time and depending on conditions, there may be several deep pools, some that require swimming. [the part I did not read] You will also encounter many boulders and rock formations that you must carefully scramble over, including two major obstacles that require a rappel or handline.
All this adds up to an incredible canyon hiking experience.
8.5 miles from North Fork Road to confluence with the Virgin River, 1.5 miles from there in the “Narrows’, and 1 mile on the Riverside Walk trail.

Joe sure made this hike seem shorter than it was!!

We caught the shuttle just outside Zion’s in Springdale at the “Outfitters” there. After some confusion about our reservation we headed out for a “wild” ride up the canyon to the trail head.
Sally prepped the driver who told her he and his wife had just done this hike 2 days ago and that there were 2- 40 feet swims…and oh by the way, did we bring dry clothes? NOT!!
Sally shared this information as we were getting off the Shuttle….
My stomach was in knots….but hey….it was a good day to die….beautiful surroundings, doing what I love…….with friends that I love….and I made a heck of a good lunch.
As we are hiking down a dirt trail/road 2.5 miles approx,
we encountered some “columbine” flowers and a few rocks in our water shoes.

Next is a 120 ft dry fall that marks the beginning of the Canyon.

Here we are eating breakfast. Little did we know what we were getting in to. This was a “thinker” hike….meaning you had to pay attention to your steps so you did not twist an ankle or bump a knee.

But "quiet" Marc, I think he knew and he was already "thinking".

Joe [you know the guy from the Internet] says you begin to build “character” here or “fear” as the case would be.
Since we had done the “Narrow’s” ten years ago to celebrate all of our “50th” birthdays, I expected to be in water way before we were.
I kept asking “Where is the water….where is the water?”
[Be careful what you wish for]
Here are some pictures of this part of the trail.
Slot Canyons….in the sun…out of the sun.
Beautiful rock formations.
Most of these pictures were taken by Marc who has a wonderful eye for the beauty of the canyon. Thanks, Marc

Now the canyon starts to get crowed and we encounter our first obstacles.

Here is our first rappel 15-20 feet….

I will do anything ONCE…remember?

What we didn't know was that at the bottom of this first rappel was....

MUD!!!

Here is a close up.

How did Brenda do that/no mud?

Just like always....she did it her way.........

Stay tuned for Day 3 Part 2......

We find the water......who said where's the water????