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Secret Place #2 (Sundance Canyon*)
*
Alias, not found on any map.
| Summary: |
A short and scenic technical canyon
with wading and two pothole challenges. To complete this hike you will need:
400' of rope (or one 200' rope and a 200' pull cord), harness, descender,
webbing, helmet, carabineers, at least one other person and possibly a wet
suit. |
| Road
Conditions: |
Passenger Car |
| Navigation: |
Easy |
| Length: |
~3 miles round trip |
| Date
Hiked: |
August 2002 |
| Weather
Conditions: |
Nice |
|
Required Skills: |
 |
| Hike
Description: |
From the car park walk up the road
for 10-15 minutes then route find your way down into the drainage to the
east (you may have to do a little route finding to pass a cliff band in the
lower section). Once in the canyon simply head down stream. The canyon is
brushy and uninteresting at first, but slowly begins to deepen. As it does
you will be faced with a few down climbs and possibly a short rappel (if you
don't feel like a brushy bush wack to avoid a 15' ledge). The real fun
begins after a butt slide down a 20' chute into a short, cold pool and the
start of a great section of narrows. After rounding a corner you'll be faced
with a 10' ledge with a pool at the bottom. It might be possible to jump,
but, better to use the dead tree wedged in the canyon 30' back from the drop
as your anchor. After the rap, walk a short distance and the next obstacle
is a 30' rappel off of another large dead tree into a water filled keeper
pot hole. If water levels are low (like it was when the author was here)
getting out of this hole without assistance will prove difficult. A good
climber might be able to climb out on the left using a small crack in the
rock for a hold, but the easiest way is to get someone else in your party to
descend into the pot hole with you and give you a boost out. Just beyond
this obstacle is another 30' rappel off of 2 bolts and hangers on the left
hand wall into an even deeper pool and keeper pot hole. The author's group
used the boost method once again to escape, but a pack or hook toss might
also be effective since there is a 10' drop and sharp lip just on the other
side of the wall that blocks your exit. The author then used a hook &
etriers to create a ladder for the last person to climb out (this was
actually easier than the boost method). Immediately beyond the keeper pot
hole is your final obstacle: a fabulous 180' rappel (130' or so is
completely free) into a scenic alcove. Your anchor points are 3 bolts and
hangers on the right, just above the drop. Once everyone is down, and your
rope has been retrieved, hike out of the alcove to the main drainage. Head
down stream for 15 minutes or so to a prominent use trail on the left that
leads you up and out of the canyon to the parking area and your car. |
| Rating
(1-5 stars): |
 
If you are prepared, this is quite a nice canyon. The author and his wife
completed the hike with two other friends in about 4 hours. |
| Photos: |
Click picture for larger
view, click your browser's 'Back' button to return to this page. |
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The canyon begins
to slot up. |
Short rappel.. |
More narrows. |
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| The potential keeper pot
hole (full in the photo). |
The big rap. |
The big rap from the top. |
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