|
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. |
|
|