Main Fork with Jamie and Katie. False started the Squeeze Fork and retreated back out and did Main instead. The narrows below the technical difficulties in Main were really enjoyable. We exited to the west below the West Fork merge and walked the road back to the cars.
Judd97 - Sep 4, 2016 1:39 am Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2016
Surreal
Very cool canyon, but very surreal to be at Aron's accident site. We climbed down through West Fork and down Lower Blue John to the Big Drop and then climbed back up canyon in an out and back. Downclimbing and upclimbing all sections was straightforward, but a short rope may be helpful for a few of the pitches/drops.
Misa - May 27, 2015 12:21 am Date Climbed: May 24, 2015
nice trip
down via little blue john and up west fork, nice outing, was not crazy about all those rappels in little john.
Liba Kopeckova - May 25, 2015 7:12 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2015
fun day with my son
We went down Little John, to the confluence with Main Fork, continued down a little past East Fork confluence, and then returned via West Fork.
I was hoping for more technicalities - LIttle John had 4 rappels and was relatively short. Still a fun day. We kind of rushed it b/c there were clouds above us and I did not want to experience a flush flood inside the narrows.
12/3/17 - 2nd time with my brother and Ben, we did again Little John and hiked down all the way to the rappel into Horseshoe canyon. The final section where Aaron Ralston had to cut his arm off was interesting, dark. We returned back and used the exit routes just past Little John.
4/22/18 - Main Fork without a rope - it was interesting down climbing some of those chimney sections, tight, so felt relatively secure, up via slabs past confluence with Little John.
Matt Lemke - Nov 12, 2014 3:09 pm Date Climbed: Mar 15, 2010
Main and west forks
WHY ARE THESE GETTING DELETED
Shaylee - Nov 7, 2013 10:12 am Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2013
Bluejohn
East and West Forks.
Kessler - Nov 7, 2013 10:09 am Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2013
Not very interesting as slot canyons go. Lots of short slides / hand lines - no raps. Missed the exit and wandered around a bit.
SarahThompson - Feb 27, 2012 1:28 pm Date Climbed: May 21, 2011
Not my favorite
Descended the main fork, out via Horseshoe. Not worth the long walk. I didn't like this outing much. Better stuff to do.
McCannster - May 15, 2011 9:29 pm Date Climbed: May 12, 2011
First Slot Canyon
Solo outing on my first technical canyon. Went down the East Fork and up the Main Fork from Granary Springs. Really fun outing, though I got pretty cold wadding in the waist deep pools in the shady depths. 6 hours ctc.
Nice complex. Haven't headed back since the popularity increased.
With Steve Ramras, Dave Pitney, Rob Bixler
KoryK - Apr 8, 2011 7:14 pm Date Climbed: Mar 14, 2011
Fun canyon, but...
It was a shame to see that some people had carved names, drawings, etc. into the walls of the canyon towards the beginning of the canyon. Thanks Ralston and hollywood!
Alex Wood - Mar 25, 2011 1:43 pm Date Climbed: Mar 14, 2011
Great Canyon
This was our last of three canyons that we did in three days in the Robbers Roost Area. We did the Main Fork to the Big Drop and then out Horseshoe Canyon. It was a very long day made worse by being sick. Well worth it. The downclimbing the main fork was a blast-don't try and rappel any of them becuase that just makes it harder. The tight slots before the Big Drop were amazing. Horseshoe Canyon was also very very cool
Matthew Van Horn - Mar 15, 2011 11:18 pm Date Climbed: Mar 12, 2011
Spectacular
Full main fork beginning near Granary Spring, to Lower BlueJohn, rappel and out Horseshoe canyon. A trip I will never forget.
Had to make the "pilgrimage". Read excerpts from Ralston's book along the way. Found the spot. Saw the chipped away rock and the boulder. The drive to Motel 6 was the most colorful I have ever seen. April. We were alone. Amazing canyon. Ascended back the same way. The off-width crack back out is a killer. Second time in May 2012 down big drop to see all the petroglyphs.
Croft - Nov 18, 2010 12:13 am Date Climbed: Jan 1, 1982
Too Popular
My husband and I have been through this canyon and many others in the Robbers Roost area several times. Back before Aaron's event there were very few people in the Roost. Now when we go we see many people and last Spring Blue John was backed up with people and we ended up leaving and going somewhere else. The line at the top of the first descent was 12 people deep. And very few knew what the word "chimney" meant. The whole route is now covered in slings and I am expecting to see it all bolted within the next few years. I get Aaron's ordeal, but I so wish he would not have draw a map to such a pristine place that is now being destroyed with traffic.
vanman798 - Oct 5, 2010 6:19 pm Date Climbed: Oct 2, 2010
Main Fork
Strolled down the main fork, and wandered down to where it slots up again. Didn't have a shuttle car waiting at Horseshoe canyon, so we decided to not go into the second slot section, believing it could be tough to climb out of it. Instead we walked along its left side up to where it drops into Horseshoe Canyon. It was interesting to see the general area where Aaron Ralston was trapped in 2003.
We used the west fork as our exit. Once we left the west fork we followed a 230 degree magnetic bearing SW which took us right to Burr Pass. Round trip was about 8 hours.
Props - Mar 29, 2010 11:59 am Date Climbed: Mar 28, 2010
Bluejohn Canyon
Great canyon complex. Cold water in the east fork. Brrrrrr!
Day Hiker - Jan 21, 2010 3:37 am Date Climbed: Nov 12, 2006
Three Forks
2006 October 27: Descended East Fork to Big Drop Rappel in main canyon. Ascended Middle Fork.
2006 October 29: West Fork, down and up.
2006 November 11: West Fork to Middle Fork via Day Hiker's shortcut. Down main canyon to the accident site, then return the same way.
2006 November 12: West Fork to Middle Fork via Day Hiker's shortcut. Up Middle Fork to base of upclimb, then return the same way.
chiker - Nov 28, 2008 12:45 am Date Climbed: Nov 25, 2008
Nontechnical route
I took the easy, nontechnical routes since I just happened to be in the area and didn't have any gear with me. I went in through the cross-country West E/E route, and exited up the West route, which has a short 6 foot chute to clamber up. I will definitely be coming back in the future and do the rappels. The weather was great--t-shirt weather down in the canyon while campsite up by the buttes was cold.
chicagotransplant - Apr 11, 2022 1:33 pm Date Climbed: Apr 8, 2022
Main ForkMain Fork with Jamie and Katie. False started the Squeeze Fork and retreated back out and did Main instead. The narrows below the technical difficulties in Main were really enjoyable. We exited to the west below the West Fork merge and walked the road back to the cars.
Judd97 - Sep 4, 2016 1:39 am Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2016
SurrealVery cool canyon, but very surreal to be at Aron's accident site. We climbed down through West Fork and down Lower Blue John to the Big Drop and then climbed back up canyon in an out and back. Downclimbing and upclimbing all sections was straightforward, but a short rope may be helpful for a few of the pitches/drops.
Misa - May 27, 2015 12:21 am Date Climbed: May 24, 2015
nice tripdown via little blue john and up west fork, nice outing, was not crazy about all those rappels in little john.
Liba Kopeckova - May 25, 2015 7:12 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2015
fun day with my sonWe went down Little John, to the confluence with Main Fork, continued down a little past East Fork confluence, and then returned via West Fork.
I was hoping for more technicalities - LIttle John had 4 rappels and was relatively short. Still a fun day. We kind of rushed it b/c there were clouds above us and I did not want to experience a flush flood inside the narrows.
12/3/17 - 2nd time with my brother and Ben, we did again Little John and hiked down all the way to the rappel into Horseshoe canyon. The final section where Aaron Ralston had to cut his arm off was interesting, dark. We returned back and used the exit routes just past Little John.
4/22/18 - Main Fork without a rope - it was interesting down climbing some of those chimney sections, tight, so felt relatively secure, up via slabs past confluence with Little John.
Matt Lemke - Nov 12, 2014 3:09 pm Date Climbed: Mar 15, 2010
Main and west forksWHY ARE THESE GETTING DELETED
Shaylee - Nov 7, 2013 10:12 am Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2013
BluejohnEast and West Forks.
Kessler - Nov 7, 2013 10:09 am Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2013
BluejohnEast and West Forks.
s_tuning@msn.com - Jan 19, 2013 4:20 pm
Non-TechnicalNot very interesting as slot canyons go. Lots of short slides / hand lines - no raps. Missed the exit and wandered around a bit.
SarahThompson - Feb 27, 2012 1:28 pm Date Climbed: May 21, 2011
Not my favoriteDescended the main fork, out via Horseshoe. Not worth the long walk. I didn't like this outing much. Better stuff to do.
McCannster - May 15, 2011 9:29 pm Date Climbed: May 12, 2011
First Slot CanyonSolo outing on my first technical canyon. Went down the East Fork and up the Main Fork from Granary Springs. Really fun outing, though I got pretty cold wadding in the waist deep pools in the shady depths. 6 hours ctc.
GregHaz - Apr 25, 2011 2:48 pm
Blue John Main/WestNice complex. Haven't headed back since the popularity increased.
With Steve Ramras, Dave Pitney, Rob Bixler
KoryK - Apr 8, 2011 7:14 pm Date Climbed: Mar 14, 2011
Fun canyon, but...It was a shame to see that some people had carved names, drawings, etc. into the walls of the canyon towards the beginning of the canyon. Thanks Ralston and hollywood!
Alex Wood - Mar 25, 2011 1:43 pm Date Climbed: Mar 14, 2011
Great CanyonThis was our last of three canyons that we did in three days in the Robbers Roost Area. We did the Main Fork to the Big Drop and then out Horseshoe Canyon. It was a very long day made worse by being sick. Well worth it. The downclimbing the main fork was a blast-don't try and rappel any of them becuase that just makes it harder. The tight slots before the Big Drop were amazing. Horseshoe Canyon was also very very cool
Matthew Van Horn - Mar 15, 2011 11:18 pm Date Climbed: Mar 12, 2011
SpectacularFull main fork beginning near Granary Spring, to Lower BlueJohn, rappel and out Horseshoe canyon. A trip I will never forget.
americanswiss - Mar 8, 2011 1:10 am
RalstonHad to make the "pilgrimage". Read excerpts from Ralston's book along the way. Found the spot. Saw the chipped away rock and the boulder. The drive to Motel 6 was the most colorful I have ever seen. April. We were alone. Amazing canyon. Ascended back the same way. The off-width crack back out is a killer. Second time in May 2012 down big drop to see all the petroglyphs.
Croft - Nov 18, 2010 12:13 am Date Climbed: Jan 1, 1982
Too PopularMy husband and I have been through this canyon and many others in the Robbers Roost area several times. Back before Aaron's event there were very few people in the Roost. Now when we go we see many people and last Spring Blue John was backed up with people and we ended up leaving and going somewhere else. The line at the top of the first descent was 12 people deep. And very few knew what the word "chimney" meant. The whole route is now covered in slings and I am expecting to see it all bolted within the next few years. I get Aaron's ordeal, but I so wish he would not have draw a map to such a pristine place that is now being destroyed with traffic.
vanman798 - Oct 5, 2010 6:19 pm Date Climbed: Oct 2, 2010
Main ForkStrolled down the main fork, and wandered down to where it slots up again. Didn't have a shuttle car waiting at Horseshoe canyon, so we decided to not go into the second slot section, believing it could be tough to climb out of it. Instead we walked along its left side up to where it drops into Horseshoe Canyon. It was interesting to see the general area where Aaron Ralston was trapped in 2003.
We used the west fork as our exit. Once we left the west fork we followed a 230 degree magnetic bearing SW which took us right to Burr Pass. Round trip was about 8 hours.
Props - Mar 29, 2010 11:59 am Date Climbed: Mar 28, 2010
Bluejohn CanyonGreat canyon complex. Cold water in the east fork. Brrrrrr!
Day Hiker - Jan 21, 2010 3:37 am Date Climbed: Nov 12, 2006
Three Forks2006 October 27: Descended East Fork to Big Drop Rappel in main canyon. Ascended Middle Fork.
2006 October 29: West Fork, down and up.
2006 November 11: West Fork to Middle Fork via Day Hiker's shortcut. Down main canyon to the accident site, then return the same way.
2006 November 12: West Fork to Middle Fork via Day Hiker's shortcut. Up Middle Fork to base of upclimb, then return the same way.
chiker - Nov 28, 2008 12:45 am Date Climbed: Nov 25, 2008
Nontechnical routeI took the easy, nontechnical routes since I just happened to be in the area and didn't have any gear with me. I went in through the cross-country West E/E route, and exited up the West route, which has a short 6 foot chute to clamber up. I will definitely be coming back in the future and do the rappels. The weather was great--t-shirt weather down in the canyon while campsite up by the buttes was cold.