Overview

Hype:

Wife 5 Canyon, located near Cohab Canyon in Capitol Reef National Park, offers a challenging and scenic adventure for experienced canyoneers. The route includes multiple rappels, with the longest descent reaching around 100 feet, and tight slots that require technical skill to navigate. The approach begins near the Fruita Campgrounds and requires careful route-finding to locate the correct canyon entry. The canyon showcases stunning sandstone formations, narrow corridors, and a mix of natural beauty and technical obstacles, making it a rewarding experience for those prepared with the proper equipment and skills. Permits are required and can be obtained for free at the Capitol Reef Visitor Center. As one of the "Wives" canyons, Wife 5 stands out for its combination of aesthetics and adventure, appealing to those who love exploring rugged desert terrain.

Canyon Rating: 3A

Time: 1.5 hours from Betrothed to bottom of canyon

Length: 0.2 miles with 1 mile approach from trailhead to Betrothed and 0.4 mile approach from Betrothed to top of Wife 5

Longest Rappel: 100 ft

Gear: 200 foot rope. Standard rappelling gear.

Fees: None

Recommended Ages:

	0-3
	4-11
	12-19
	20-49
	50-69
	70+

Recommended Months to Visit:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Permits: Permits are required https://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/canyoneering.htm

Links: http://www.bluugnome.com/cyn_route/cap-reef/cap-reef_the-wives/cap-reef_the-wives.aspx

Getting There

Navigate to 38.283433, -111.246052.

Parking in the parking lot on the north side of the road.

Route

Approach

Hike up Cohab Canyon until you get to Betrothed Canyon. Then take the cliff route south past Betrothed Canyon until you get up on top of the cliffs. Stay relatively high as you travel west to the top of the canyon.

Canyon

Rappel #1: 10 ft off a bush.

Downclimb #1: 10 ft chimney.

Rappel #2: 100 ft off a small natural bridge. Extended webbing required.

Downclimb #2: 15 ft chimney. There was a really poor deadman anchor at this drop that pulled right out of the sand, so we just downclimbed this drop.

Rappel #3: 30 ft off a cairn anchor. Free rappel.

Potholes.

Rappel #4: 15 ft two-stage rappel off a solution pocket.

Rappel #5: 65 ft off a cairn anchor.

Rappel #6: 30 ft off a cairn anchor. This drops you into a flat area that is accessible from the Cohab Canyon trail.

Maps

Closest City or Region: Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Coordinates: 38.280315, -111.241006

Interactive Guide Map

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December 21, 2024 Trip Report

By Ryan Hone

Trip Members

Tara Dye, Anthony Dye, Ondylyn Wagner, Luke Galyan, Tracy Kwan, Tom Collins, John Diener, Zac Hansen Jennii Fielding,

Story

Solstice 2024, celebrating The Gnomes qualifying year for Medicare! The plan this year was to take the plunge into polygamy, catering to the whims of 7 wives. Some wives were total knockouts, while others had, hmm, let's say 'flavor', like a dash of grime, a pinch of stink, leaving you with a few scrapes and bruises. The intricacies of multiple relationships quickly became sidesplittingly apparent. Jealousy popped up as some wives received more attention, resulting in dramatic flare-ups and temporary vanishing acts. The one that got away (TOTGA) proposed spine tingling descents complete with the Aussie kiss. All in all, polygamy isn't for the faint of heart, but with this wacky crew, balance was somehow, improbably achieved. A big thank you to the Dyes and their campers and Tre’s ridiculous ?cooking, mixology skillset! Happy holidays to everyone, hope you all find yourself healthy, and happy.

Pictures

April 23, 2016 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye, Anthony Dye, Brenen Dye, Miguel Gomez,

Logistics

10:15 Leave parking lot. Start hiking Cohab Canyon.

11:15 Betrothed Canyon turnoff.

1:00 Top of Wife 4 Canyon.

2:15 Bottom of Wife 4 Canyon (split up, explore canyons from bottom, etc.).

4:30 Top of Wife 5 Canyon.

5:45 Bottom of Wife 5 Canyon.

6:00 Parking lot.

Story

After doing Wife 4, Arianne and Shaylin offered to take Savannah, Madilyn, and Miller back to camp. The rest of us continued on and did Wife 5. We were a little bit confused how to drop into the canyon until we found a little side canyon that drops into Wife 5 from the west. We descended the canyon in about an hour and 15 minutes. It was a lot of fun.

Video of Trip

Pictures