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Secret Place #20 (Voodoo Canyon*)
* Alias, not found on any map.

Summary: A technical canyoneering trip through a scenic canyon with multiple rappels. Gear required: helmet, webbing (70 ft), harness, descender, a 200' rope (or a 100’ rope and 100’ pull cord). A wet suit may be needed in cold weather or after heavy rains. This trip is suitable for experienced canyoneers with good route finding skills who are familiar with evaluating and using natural anchors. Please leave the bolt kit at home, this canyon can be safely completed with natural anchors.
Road Conditions: High Clearance Vehicle
Navigation: Difficult
Length: 7-9 hours
Date Hiked: January 2006
Weather Conditions: Sunny and cold
Required Skills:
Hike Description:

From the parking spot, walk off the ridge and descend steeply into a brushy drainage. Climb up the ridge on the other side and locate the head of a minor drainage spilling off the other side. Walk down this brushy wash (staying on the hill on the right as long as possible to avoid the trees in the bottom). Eventually the hill will become too steep - drop into the drainage and walk down stream through the brush to eventually reach a confluence with the main canyon. Heading down canyon there will be a few minor down climbs before the fun begins. 
Rap #1: Double drop of ~10' each from rock wedged in a crack at the top. The second drop ends in a pool (covered with ice when I was here).
Rap #2: Double drop of 10' then 50’ from a boulder imbedded in the bottom of the canyon at the top.
Rap #3: Using a pinch point on canyon left, rappel 10' into a semi-keeper pothole, climb out and step over another small pool and rappel 15'. Climb down some jumbled boulders.
Rap #4: Sloping 30’ (the last 15' are too steep to down climb safely) from a pinch point on canyon left.
Rap #5: 70’ from a tree about 20' back from the top into a dark room.
Rap #6: 20’ from a dead tree laid & wedged between the canyon walls at the top.
Rap #7: 15’ from another large dead tree wedged in the canyon..
Rap #8: 45' sheer drop over a sharp edge from a tree on canyon right 20' back from the drop.
Rap #9: 20' rappel (awkward) or down climb along a dead tree from either a pinch point or a tree back from the edge.
The narrows end here, but don't take off the harness yet. After passing another drainage that enters from the right there are two other small, nuisance rappels, Raps #10-11of 15' from obvious natural anchors
to reach the confluence with a larger drainage. Walk along this larger canyon then a series of smaller, brushier side drainages (the last being the most shallow and most brushy) to climb to a shoulder. Drop down the other side of the hill and follow yet another shallow drainage to a point you had passed earlier in the day. Climb the steep hill up and out of the canyon, back to your car.

Rating (1-5 stars):
The author completed this canyon with 2 friends in 7.5 hours, finishing right at sunset. There was no evidence that the canyon had been descended before.
Photos: Click picture for larger view, click your browser's 'Back' button to return to this page.

Rappel #1.

Rappel #2.

Rappel #3.

Rappel #5.

Looking up rappel #5.

Bottom of rappel #5.

Rappel #6. Rappel #7.

The intrepid explorers.