Things got interesting right out of the box. Sixteen of us--three BACKPACKER editors and 13 readers--had convened at a sandy basecamp in southern Utah to explore and document seldom-hiked Gunsight Canyon. We soon saw why our guidebook and Google searches had turned up so little trail beta: A 90-foot, three-drop pourover blocked easy passage through the narrows of this 400-foot-deep chasm. No matter--we rigged a line and rappelled. Down the rope--with a huge grin on his face--was Tom Bice, a 54-year-old desert rat from Rio Rancho, NM. Next came Diane Parisian from Houston, on only her sixth backpacking trip. And so it went until we'd all dropped into the dark slot at the bottom. The rest of our hike was less eventful--if you don't count the headlamp-lit climb back up the pourover--but no less striking. The twisting halway widened to reveal towering mesas of fractured redrock and more side canyons. Closer to Lake Powell rose giant dunes with views of Alstrom Point and Gunsight Butte. By day's end, we'd mapped, photographed, and inventoried a little-known canyon. Here's our report: **** This point marks the sandy campsites near the canyon mouth. From here, stay L on the middle bench to wrap around the canyon. Don't follow the canyon bottom. It quickly leads to a dizzy pouroff. Look for a rusty barrel left by cowboys.

Before we headed into the Gunsight, everyone filled up on apple pancakes with maple syrup. © Peter Flax

Impressive overlook into the curvy Gunsight Canyon streaked in red, pink, and white. Keep veering L on faint trail.

Jon looks over the lip into Gunsight Canyon, a seldom-hiked chasm located in the southern tip of Glen Canyon National Recreational Area. © Kris Wagner

From camp, Gunsight looks pretty drab but in less than 1/2 mile the scenery turns dramatic. Note the hikers on the bench. © Kris Wagner

Two rusty shovels left by cowboys. Slowly descend on faint trail to canyon pouroff. On the return, stay high and wrap around along a faint path on the W canyon wall, heading NW

Shovels sit under a shady overhang. © Kris Wagner

Gunsight Spring sits under a pouroff and is the only water source (mostly reliable) in Gunsight until Lake Powell.

Moss and grass cling around the only consistent water source in Gunsight. © Jonathan Dorn

Pourover: The easiest route into Gunsight. Anchor your 60-meter rope on the giant boulder nearby, and rappel down the three-drop pourover. Before the last person raps in, be sure someone can lead the 5-4 climb back out (or pack ascenders).

The first step over the drop looks difficult but everyone succeeded without a hitch, including a handful of readers who have never rappelled before. © Jonathan Dorn

Peter rappels down the 90-foot, three-drop pouroff. © Jonathan Dorn

The last short drop into Gunsight is tight and slightly overhung. © Jonathan Dorn

Kris rappels into Gunsight Canyon. © Jonathan Dorn

Follow the bends through a redrock hallway

This white-and-red striped rock cracked open like an egg most likely after a 200-foot drop from the canyon rim. © Jonathan Dorn

Small window in redrock on L

On R is a small, partly shaded amphitheater

Veer L to continue to the lake (side canyon on R); ahead, wash pockets in the sandstone illustrate the massive force of flashfloods

Look closely at the red and white swirls in the sandstone

A giant rock balances on a smaller one, defying gravity

Sandstone walls grow taller

Despite what the topo maps say, Lake Powell is nowhere in sight. The canyon is full of new life: brush, flowers, young cottonwoods, and rabbit tracks. The best travel is on the L-side.

Purple flowers decorate the canyon floor. © Jonathan Dorn

Fire rings. You'll find all sorts of treasures and junk left by the receding lake, including boots, fishing poles, and golfballs.

In March 2006, this is where we saw the first sign of water. The bottom is muddy in spots.

Now dead, a handful of cottonwoods stand in the muddy flats as they once did before the waters of Lake Powell submerged them.

The black, dead trunks of cottonwoods. © Kris Wagner

Great campsite with old fire ring and 180° views of Lake Powell and nearby Gunsight Butte. From here, turn E to walk through Gunsight Pass. This V-shaped pass was submerged by Lake Powell for decades.

This pass really does mimic the view down a barrel of a gun. This landmark was under water for decades. © Kris Wagner

A kayaker paddles near re-emerging redrock domes and benches in Gunsight Bay. © Kris Wagner

Gunsight Pass: Sweeping views of Lake Powell and Gooseneck Point with a white bathtub line left by the high waters of lake. Backtrack to pourover and WPT 3.

The beautiful overlook from Gunsight Pass illustrates how high the watermark--the white bathtub line--was in 1999. © Kris Wagner

Keep high, following faint path over rocks, pea gravel, and brushy patches

Trail enters canyon bottom again. Head up canyon. Option: Take five minutes to head down canyon for a sweet view overlooking a deeply undercut pourover.

A faint path strings around the canyon wall. © Jonathan Dorn

The terraced steeps of Gunsight Canyon. © Jonathan Dorn

John scrambles over a boulder on the way out of Gunsight. © Kris Wagner

Tom hikes along the edge. © Kris Wagner

Swing SSE into the sandy desert back to car

Sixteen of us (four not pictured) traveled from Georgia, New Mexico, California, Arizona, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Utah for a 3-day adventure in Glen Canyon. © Jonathan Dorn