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Bo Beck

In the Military , the USAF in 1975, Bo taught global survival which has come in handy more than once on his many outdoor adventures. Even in Bo's early life he was no stranger to skilled exploration. Before settling down in Utah, Bo built and soared up in the skies on hang gliders and sailed the seas to places like Brazil where he met his lovely wife Maria, who he is still married to today.  Bo managed the Outdoor Outlet in St. George for more than 25 years.  His next project was to start, from the ground up, a new outdoor store in St. George, The Desert Rat, where Bo is often on hand to give hiking beta, a smile and help pick out the best gear for your Zion National Park hiking, canyoneering or climbing adventures.
Hiking and Backpacking gear suggestions by Bo as well as canyoneering equipment.

To ask Bo questions on the web, you can find him at his favorite online hangout.
The Zion National Park Forum

Zion's High Angle Search & Rescue Team

Bo has been called the greatest outdoors man in St. George. He has numerous years of experience
and a vast knowledge of the climbing, canyoneering, hiking routes and trails in and around Zion National Park. As a veteran Zion Search and Rescue team member on Zion’s elite high angle team, Bo has explored Zion in ways that few ever will. Bo is also a lead climbing instructor at the Paragon climbing school in Veyo, Utah. This is a wonderful year round, outdoor climbing park, where over 250 basalt rock climbing routes are found, ranging from 5.7 to 5.13b. In 1996 Bo was asked by Zion’s high angle SAR team to hike up Angels Landing, along with another man, and then rappel over the side and wait to be rescued. Bo loved the process so much that he helped to rescue the other volunteer “victim” wedged along the cliffs of Angles Landing. Later Bo was asked to become part of the elite Zion Search and Rescue team. During the years that Bo has lived in the area he has continued to explore Zion National Park extensively by hiking, canyoneering and climbing.                     

Directions to Zion National Park From the North: Travel I-15 south, past Beaver. Exit on Hwy 20. Follow US-89 to Mount Carmel Junction. Take SR-9 to Zion's east entrance. From Arizona: Travel US-89A through Fredonia, Arizona and Kanab Utah. Follow US-89 to Mount Carmel Junction. Take SR-9 to the east park entrance. From the South: Travel I-15 north. Take exit 16 and travel through Hurricane to LaVerkin. Continue on SR-9 to the south entrance of the park. SR-9 through Zion National Park is always open and is also called the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway.			Zion Photo: Bo Beck on a beautiful day canyoneering in Spry Canyon in Zion National Park. If you stop by the Desert Rat in St. George, Bo can help you with hiking, camping, canyoneering and climbing gear.
	Zion National Park Lodging Lodging and services are available in East Zion. The main road through Zion, the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (SR-9) is open year-round, and is not a route the Zion Canyon Shuttle takes. Zion Canyon is deep inside the park. Towering 3000' walls form a slot canyon, forged by the violent rush of torrent water over millions of years. From late March to late October access through the six mile stretch of road is via the Zion Canyon Shuttle, the rest of the year the canyon is accessed in private vehicles.

Hiking with Bo Beck - After many bold adventures in the Zion area that would boggle the average hiker, Bo has come to enjoy two hikes over all the rest. The technical routes of Lady Mountain and Bridge Mountain are on the top of his list; perhaps because so few visit these routes, their difficulty, or as he says; "I like to get up high and see the view." Tanya Milligan and Bo Beck hiked together for 6 years, every weekend, year-round almost without fail in the rain, snow, storm and whatever else nature decided to throw at them on their weekend adventures.

Canyoneering with Bo Beck - Bo also enjoys the canyons; during the 6 years Bo and Tanya "hiked" together, he introduced her to many of his favorite canyons inside and around the park. Bo was exploring canyons in Zion before the popular term canyoneering came about and he still prefers to call it "hiking with a rope." If he had to choose a favorite canyon it would probably be Kolob Canyon. On Bo's and Tanya's last trip into Kolob Canyon they went with high water flow, so Tanya got to experience, like it or not, rappelling with water pounding on her head as they navigated the canyon. A storm brewed while they were inside, and muddy water began to pour in from side streams. They ended up jumping at least one rappel to try and get out of the canyon. Tired and a bit scared of a pending flash flood, about a half mile from the grueling hillside scramble out of the canyon they ran right into a Mountain Lion. Bo yelled and threw rocks and the big cat ran, but it topped off a great adventure. One other time, in Behunin Canyon, when Bo was training with the SAR team they barely escaped the torrent of water that flushed the canyon.

Books and Magazine Articles by Bo and Tanya - After Bo and Tanya's first year of hiking they began to write monthly magazine articles for a local St. George Magazines. After 5 years of writing for magazines they have completed their first hiking book which covers Zion and the nearby parks and Monuments of southern Utah and Northern, Arizona. Bo has been the subject of many magazine and newspaper articles.

Making Zion National - Park dot com

Bo has been an invaluable help in writing this website about Zion National Park and the nearby parks and monuments. His navigation and hiking, climbing and canyoneering skills have few matches in the Utah area. I cannot thank Bo enough for his help and his friendship. - Tanya Milligan

Desert Rat - More about Bo Beck

History of the Thunderbird