The Black Hole & Moon House (Cedar Mesa)

Eros makes his way down the Black Hole of White Canyon, Utah.

In early August, me, my brother Eros, and my nephew Hector spent a few fast-paced days near Cedar Mesa in southeastern Utah. My dad came along also to ensure we all came back at the end of each day. The first day highlights included a descent through the infamous Black Hole of White Canyon  near Hite.

The Black Hole is considered by many to be the ultimate non-technical (ropes/harness not necessary) canyoneering adventure on the Colorado Plateau. As fun as this canyon is, honestly, after the hike, we all agreed the hike was less challenging than expected. Huge log jams in the past have substantially raised the difficulty level, but we encountered no such obstacles. Hiking the full length of Death Hollow seemed more of a challenge for us. I think we're ready to up the ante and enter the realm of technical canyoneering. It's just talk for now, we'll see.

Here are the pics:

Sunrise at Ducket Crossing Camp.

The Crew: left to right, me, Eros, and Hector. (Hector photo).

This sign probably went up in the mid-2000s when the Black Hole was choked with wood debris. It's all clear sailing now, but conditions could change with the next flood.

The side-canyon descent into White Canyon.

The dry part of White Canyon before the flooded narrows section known as the Black Box.

A few pools can be easily circumnavigated before having to break out the wetsuits. (Hector photo).

We noticed this common kingsnake coiled under a rock inches from our feet while changing into out wetsuits. They are harmless to humans, but are known to swallow smaller rattlesnakes whole!

I was excited to finally use an older GoPro camera Hector kindly gave me. I thought it would be convenient to hang the camera by a string around my neck. It didn't take long before I whacked the camera on a rock and scratched the fish-eye lens cover (new GopPros have a recessed cover). End result: all my pics of the Black Hole from here on out are blurred near the center. Lesson learned.  

Eros was extremely diligent in using his mouth to protect his hydration pack's bite valve from the dirty water. In his defense, we did find a dead, bloated rat floating in the water.

Handlining down a small drop in one of the darker parts of the Black Hole.

More downclimbing in the Black Hole. (Hector photo).

A beautifully sculpted section near the end of the Black Hole.

The steep climb back over White Canyon's rim.

After blasting through the Black Hole in about 5 1/2 hours, we headed south to Cedar Mesa and McCloyd Canyon, home of the Moon House ruin.

An interesting stop along the lonely highway between Hite and Natural Bridges is the Soldier's Grave. A large sign nearby explains how on July 15, 1884, a U.S. Calvary Scout and local cowboy were ambushed by Indians and killed while chasing after a renegade band that had stolen 150 horses.

The Moon House occupies a wide cleft in Cedar Mesa Sandstone in McCloyd Canyon.

With care, you are allowed to enter through the outside wall to access the interior rooms.

Hallway and interior rooms at the Moon House. What sets the Moon House apart are all of the white paintings (pictographs) on the walls.

View inside one of the larger interior rooms at Moon House. Note the circle in the center of the white paint. This is thought to be one of the many moon phases depicted in the artwork here, and lends to the site's name. Also notise the black soot covering the upper walls and ceiling from countless fires.

Details of the Moon House construction. Tree ring studies indicate the structure was built in about 1150 A.D.

A storage structure (granary) at the Moon House complex.

More structures at the Moon House complex.