At first glance, the desert landscape of Southern Utah seems like a sweeping, sun-baked canvas — wide open and endless. But ...

But tucked deep within its sandstone folds are narrow slivers of magic: slot canyons, sculpted over millennia by wind and rushing water. They draw hikers from around the world, eager to wander ...

It was supposed to be a trip offering a firsthand look at issues boaters face in Cataract Canyon along the Colorado River. Then they got stuck.