| |
Secret Place #6 (Snake Pit Canyon*)
*
Alias, not found on any map.
| Summary: |
A challenging, strenuous and technical loop hike with
a minimum of 1 rappel, sketchy climbs and wading/swimming. To complete this hike you will need:
1x100'
rope, harness, descender, webbing, helmet, dry bag and carabiners. A wet
suit is required in all but the hottest weather. This
hike should only be attempted by experienced canyoneers with excellent
climbing skills & the ability to escape deep pot holes. Your reward is a pristine canyon in a wilderness setting. |
| Road
Conditions: |
4-Wheel Drive |
| Navigation: |
Difficult |
| Length: |
6 hours |
| Date
Hiked: |
April 2003, May
2004, July 2005 |
| Weather
Conditions: |
Nice, but the water was freezing |
|
Required Skills: |
 |
| Hike
Description: |
Your first task to complete this canyon
is to find a way in. The author parked near a
known exit, then followed forest roads & hiked cross country using a gps
unit until eventually finding a difficult, steep slope that permitted entry.
It took me two hours of fast hiking to reach the canyon floor. Once in the
canyon, begin rock hopping your way down stream. After about 20 minutes you
will come to a sheer drop off of 45 feet where the canyon cuts through a
layer of basalt. I was able to down climb this,
but would have felt more comfortable with a belay. Once down, continue rock
hopping down stream. There are a few climbs in this upper section, but
nothing serious. After about an hours walk at a brisk pace, things start to
get interesting. The canyon first enters a little chute and drop off, stay
right in the middle of the slot & climb down the 12' wall at the bottom. A
short walk down canyon will then bring you to another drop off, this one you
won't be able to climb. The author rigged a 40' rappel off a tree on canyon
left (this allows you to avoid the big pool at the bottom). The canyon
widens out briefly, then enters the first set of nice narrows. You first
climb down a chute (seen in the second photo below) into a big pool. Warning:
the pool at the bottom of the chute is a
keeper pot hole and is difficult to exit when the water level is low!
If the water level is high, you can simply swim
the pool and out the other side. If water levels are low, the pool becomes a
keeper pot hole with a 7' lip. A partner assist is the best way to escape
the pool in this case. Once out, swim another large pool on the other
side which also can be a keeper pool, though is easier to escape.
Immediately after the second pool is a sloping down climb or rappel, after
which you will pass through a
nice set of narrows before the canyon widens again. A bit more rock hopping
will bring you to the second set of narrows. Eventually, you will
encounter a 15' drop with no available anchors in site. If water levels are
high, you can slide, then jump into the pool below. In low water you'll need
to build a deadman anchor using some large rocks at the top. Two more
relatively easy chokestone down climbs and a few short swims are the only
difficulties remaining, but take your time, this stretch of narrows is quite
scenic. After exiting the narrows, all that remains between you and your
vehicle is a very steep climb. |
| Rating
(1-5 stars): |
 
A few weeks prior to attempting this canyon, I scouted it from below to the
final chokestone drop, which I couldn't climb. The canyon was nice, but I
honestly did not expect to encounter many obstacles. I returned a few weeks
later, & hiked it solo. The canyon was much harder than anticipated and much
prettier. The author returned at a later date with a group of six & got
better photos. |
| Photos: |
Click picture for larger
view, click your browser's 'Back' button to return to this page. |
 |
 |
 |
| Short rappel or down
climb. |
The 2nd set of narrows. |
Last drop. |
|
|
