TRIP REPORT PHOTOS
The first 14 photographs included here are actually taken in Funeral Slot Canyon and Funeral Slot. The reason for this is that I got some better and newer photographs than what is shown within my original report:
These are some of the highlights which will be enjoyed by those who are approaching Funeral Slot Main Side Canyon using the direct route that we did:
Upon turning off to the left at the first major junction into Funeral Slot, the tightest narrows begin:
The curves on the canyon walls can be incredible through Funeral Slot:
One of my favorite spots in Funeral Slot where the canyon wall extends out at several spots one after another:
There are many spots within the slot where you cannot see any terrain above the towering walls:
The height of the canyon walls within Funeral Slot is incredibly high:
An interesting spot where the shape on the left side canyon wall seems to match the shape on the right:
Sections of the canyon wall have collapsed and formed a dark passage to enter into:
There are several mildly challenging climbing sections past the collapsed wall section mixed in with more nice stretches of narrows:
I love this spot because the canyon walls blend so well together that it looks like a dead-end from a distance:
A neat spot where the canyon walls close up very tightly together at the bottom:
Another one of the most beautiful spots in Funeral Slot:
Final picture in this report showing Funeral Slot. For more photographs of the main canyon and main slot, see our original report on Funeral Slot Canyon:
We have now reached the second junction and turned off to the left into Funeral Slot Main Side Canyon. This is where the photos for this report truly begin:
The next two photos were taken early on at a nice bend in Funeral Slot MSC:
As you can see, Funeral Slot MSC begins with narrows that are nearly as nice as the main canyon and main slot:
Light filtering into the narrows and brightening the canyon walls:
Approaching the large wedged boulders which have fallen into Funeral Slot MSC:
Alternate landscape view showing how tight the canyon walls are through here:
The giant boulder is top heavy and has a crack in the upper portion:
From the backside, the wedged boulders resemble a false natural bridge:
Incredible curving narrows just past the wedged boulders:
Notice how much erosion has impacted the shape of the canyon wall here:
This is the major dry fall which will be impassable to most regular hikers. The dry fall is about 14 feet in height:
As seen here, a large solid rock boulder sticks out over the rim of the dry fall, making climbing past it challenging:
View looking down from the top of the dry fall. Please be safety conscious and do not climb this dry fall if it does not feel safe or if you can't climb back down it. Perhaps a good climber could accompany hikers and set up safety ropes and equipment for those who wish to proceed:
Above the dry fall, the canyon passes through this corridor-like slot:
The landscape view of this spot has a more dramatic look to it:
The canyon completely transitions upon exiting the slot narrows into a wide open area:
One more look back down the rugged slot narrows we just passed through:
The hillsides soon light up with colors all around:
Approaching another section of narrows just ahead as the canyon closes in:
These narrows are very shallow and reddish in coloring, as seen in the next two pictures:
After the 2nd narrows, the canyon opens up once again. It is hard to tell for sure, but it certainly looks like it might be possible to attain a ridge on one side of the canyon or the other from this spot:
Colorful rock mounds stand out on the otherwise barren hillside:
A small drainage arch we spotted up on the hillside:
Entering a 3rd section of narrows made up of darker red conglomerate rock:
Note the contrast in the visible rock colors. Funeral Slot MSC has a lot of variety to it:
This hillside was covered with odd shapes and strange formations:
Two pictures showcasing impressive mud drip structures:
Crown Natural Bridge can be found about halfway through the canyon on the right side:
Crown Bridge crosses the canyon wall at the end of a narrow, steep drainage seen in the background:
Looking up at Crown Bridge, it is clearly a delicate formation. Please do not attempt to scramble up the hillside and walk on top of it, which could cause collapse and serious injury:
A picture of Josh taken at the bottom of the Crown Bridge drainage:
The next three pictures were taken in succession to show the front, bottom, and back of Crown Bridge:
The best views of Crown Bridge are from behind looking back down into the canyon:
A little farther along the canyon wall past Crown Bridge, this large opening in the wall was spotted. Kauri had previously spotted this opening and published photographs of it at the same time she found Crown Bridge:
As you can see here, it was slightly challenging to climb up and check out the opening, which I initially thought might just be a small cave:
Upon climbing up to take a closer look, I discovered that the opening was not a cave but a full natural tunnel which passes through the canyon wall (or hillside):
We decided to name this interesting formation Oriel Tunnel, because the shape of the wall which frames the opening looks like a medieval oriel window:
Looking straight up at the roof of Oriel Tunnel, it resembles a natural bridge:
Oriel Tunnel is about 50 feet in length before exiting at the backside opening:
The backside opening is about 5 feet high to exit Oriel Tunnel:
Two views showing the backside opening from the hillside drainage just above it:
Heading back down the natural tunnel, this is the view near the bend in the middle of the tunnel:
Two pictures taken as the view outside the natural tunnel comes into focus. Note my backpack on the canyon floor below:
A word of caution as I exited Oriel Tunnel. Please keep yourself safe and do not try to enter or pass through Oriel Tunnel. I am unsure of the structural integrity of natural tunnels such as this one:
It started raining steadily as I headed into the upper portions of Funeral Slot MSC:
The canyon walls widen out but remain colorful past Oriel Tunnel and Crown Bridge:
There are several forks which all dead-end at spots like this. As far as a bypass, I didn't have time to search for one due to the pouring rain. It is a search which will have to be left to my fellow hikers:
