Tenaya Canyon

[Blueman]

hello, I'm new to canyoneering but I've spent a lifetime in the wilderness and am an experenced backpacker. I'm thinking about doing tenaya canyon as my first canyoneering experence and I'm wondering if this is a good idea or not. I was thinking I could do it no prob cause I've done a lot of belaying and work with ropes. I was also wondering, when this year would be a good time to try it, because its such a dry year. I realize that its usally done in Aug/sept but could I do it in July? I'd be open to trying a different canyon but I'm in the N Bay so I don't know of many in the area.

Thanks

Royal

[brennen]

See the Tenaya Canyon write-up on my website

http://www.dankat.com/swhikes/tenaya.htm

Chris Brennen

[fourfa]

As far as the technical parts, it's not hard. I went last July and the heat was welcome, made for nice swims.

The hard part isn't the ropework, it's the brutal approach hike (quad-liquifying boulder and slab scrambling) and the exit hike (bug-choked no-trail bushwhacking seemingly unending)

[Blueman]

Sounds hard...I don't have a prob with that but that may restrict who I take w/ me. Fourafa, how long did it take you and was the canyons difficultly (ie pain) worth it? Thnks for the info!

ROyal

[catware11]

Tenaya was the first canyon I did in Sep '03. I used the route guide written by Chris Brennen (whom I didn't know from Adam at the time), which I found with Google. It was a fantastic trip. I was astounded at the accuracy of the description, better than any guidebook I'd ever paid money for. I realized afterward he'd referred to it as "Adventure Hike 67: Tenaya Canyon". I thought I'd check out his other Adventure Hikes, and my next trip a few weeks later was following his guide to Dry Meadow Creek, aka the Seven Teacups. About 10 minutes after the start of the technical section of THAT canyon I was thoroughly hooked in the sport :)

Tenaya is very, very worth the effort. The first two technical rappels are very easy (the next two are optional). The most dangerous part is descending the Pywiack Cascades, which are 1000' of steep slab. Be sure not to step on any wet parts of the rock, lest you slip off.

The first time I descended the canyon, with two others (none of us experienced), it took us close to 11 hours. It was the first canyon for all of us, and we were wiped out. Quite randomly, we were passed by a group of Navy Seals who were also descending the canyon, and who leapt into the air and clicked their heels as they skipped by us.

After 3 years of canyoning, I hiked down it again last Sep, with two different (experienced) friends, and it took us 6.5 hours. We jumped into the air and clicked our heels at the end of that one. Ymmv.

What weekend are you going?

[Blueman]

Thanks everyone for the info. I had hoped that I could it this summer but I've been to busy and its not going to happen....next summer or bust!

Royal