Dwayne27
06-08-2009, 05:58 PM
Short, wet, beginner friendly canyon close to Moab.
Rating: 3B II
Time Required: ~3-5 Hours
Longest Rappel: ~100 Feet
Permit Information
No permit required
Camping/Lodging
Devils Garden Campground in Arches National Park, abundant camping throughout the Moab Area.
Preferred Season
Spring to Fall. You will most likely encounter a decent amount of water in this canyon.
Water Concerns
There will likely be more than a few sections of wadding, and a brief section of swimming or two.
Special Challenges
- -
Equipment Suggestions
Standard Technical Gear (harness, descending device, helmet, multiple locking carabineers, slings, etc), 200’ rope, ~ 50 feet of webbing, rap rings/links
Topographic Maps
USGS 7.5' Maps 'Kane Springs'
Directions to Trailhead
From Moab, go south on Hwy 191 just under 8 miles to the signed ‘Kens Lake’ road, at ~ mile marker 118. Turn left, and follow this road for 0.5 miles until you can turn right toward ‘Mountain Loop’ road. Stay on Mountain Loop road until the signed left turn on to ‘Ken’s Lake’ road. Follow this road past the turn to Kens Lake - you should be able to see the lake from the road. Once you have passed that, the road turns to dirt, and you are heading in towards some red rock mountains. Take the dirt road for just over 2 miles until it forks. Turn right and go another 0.3 miles and park. There should be a Dead End road, a road crossing Mill Creek, and some heavily vandalized Indian Writing on the right. This is also the way to the Steel Bender Jeep Trail
Approach
Follow the Dead End road along side Mill Creek for just a few minutes and you will see an obvious side canyon come in on your right. If you go up this canyon a maybe a hundred yards and you will see a pool and dryfall which blocks your path. This is the exit of the route. For the approach, head back towards the parking area from the side canyon, and you will see a wash come in shortly on the same side as the canyon.
Head up the wash and you will soon pick up a faint hiking trail which takes you up the first layer of Slick Rock. Once you are up the first level, there should be a decent trail heading back around the canyon wall towards the dryfall. Follow this trail as it takes you in to the canyon above the finall rappel. Head up canyon for 20 minutes or so and it will start to get narrow. When you notice it slotting up, turn back around to make your way up and out of the canyon on the left side (looking down canyon). The first gully you see is narrow, and looks a little more difficult. Continue just a minute farther down to the next gully, which is not as narrow, and has a dirt hill at the bottom. Make your way up and out here, and you shouldn’t find anything more difficult than 3rd class. Look for a trail that follows along the canyon. Stay up out of the canyon, and make your way back. After 10 minutes or so you can look down and see where the canyon narrows up, and there is a fairly easy downclimb there. Continue past this for a few more minutes to somewhat of a bowl with some bushes and trees in it. Drop in to the canyon from here, either downclimbing a crack towards the edge or setting up a small rappel.
Canyon Entry UTM Grid Coordinate
- -
Description: Standard Route
From where you drop in to the canyon, head down. You will have some, wading, downclimbs, a rappel, handlines, etc. Before too long there will be a decent downclimb in to most likely the deepest pool in the canyon. After this just make your way out. When you come to the next drop, avoid it on the right, and look for a tree near the rim. This is the anchor for a 2 stage rappel to the bottom of the pool you saw on the way in. It will be almost exactly 100’.
Alternate Route Information
Even though this is a short canyon as is, if you want to make it even shorter, drop in to the canyon the first chance you get, right where you can see it start to narrow and drop from above.
Exit
Head back to your car
Rating: 3B II
Time Required: ~3-5 Hours
Longest Rappel: ~100 Feet
Permit Information
No permit required
Camping/Lodging
Devils Garden Campground in Arches National Park, abundant camping throughout the Moab Area.
Preferred Season
Spring to Fall. You will most likely encounter a decent amount of water in this canyon.
Water Concerns
There will likely be more than a few sections of wadding, and a brief section of swimming or two.
Special Challenges
- -
Equipment Suggestions
Standard Technical Gear (harness, descending device, helmet, multiple locking carabineers, slings, etc), 200’ rope, ~ 50 feet of webbing, rap rings/links
Topographic Maps
USGS 7.5' Maps 'Kane Springs'
Directions to Trailhead
From Moab, go south on Hwy 191 just under 8 miles to the signed ‘Kens Lake’ road, at ~ mile marker 118. Turn left, and follow this road for 0.5 miles until you can turn right toward ‘Mountain Loop’ road. Stay on Mountain Loop road until the signed left turn on to ‘Ken’s Lake’ road. Follow this road past the turn to Kens Lake - you should be able to see the lake from the road. Once you have passed that, the road turns to dirt, and you are heading in towards some red rock mountains. Take the dirt road for just over 2 miles until it forks. Turn right and go another 0.3 miles and park. There should be a Dead End road, a road crossing Mill Creek, and some heavily vandalized Indian Writing on the right. This is also the way to the Steel Bender Jeep Trail
Approach
Follow the Dead End road along side Mill Creek for just a few minutes and you will see an obvious side canyon come in on your right. If you go up this canyon a maybe a hundred yards and you will see a pool and dryfall which blocks your path. This is the exit of the route. For the approach, head back towards the parking area from the side canyon, and you will see a wash come in shortly on the same side as the canyon.
Head up the wash and you will soon pick up a faint hiking trail which takes you up the first layer of Slick Rock. Once you are up the first level, there should be a decent trail heading back around the canyon wall towards the dryfall. Follow this trail as it takes you in to the canyon above the finall rappel. Head up canyon for 20 minutes or so and it will start to get narrow. When you notice it slotting up, turn back around to make your way up and out of the canyon on the left side (looking down canyon). The first gully you see is narrow, and looks a little more difficult. Continue just a minute farther down to the next gully, which is not as narrow, and has a dirt hill at the bottom. Make your way up and out here, and you shouldn’t find anything more difficult than 3rd class. Look for a trail that follows along the canyon. Stay up out of the canyon, and make your way back. After 10 minutes or so you can look down and see where the canyon narrows up, and there is a fairly easy downclimb there. Continue past this for a few more minutes to somewhat of a bowl with some bushes and trees in it. Drop in to the canyon from here, either downclimbing a crack towards the edge or setting up a small rappel.
Canyon Entry UTM Grid Coordinate
- -
Description: Standard Route
From where you drop in to the canyon, head down. You will have some, wading, downclimbs, a rappel, handlines, etc. Before too long there will be a decent downclimb in to most likely the deepest pool in the canyon. After this just make your way out. When you come to the next drop, avoid it on the right, and look for a tree near the rim. This is the anchor for a 2 stage rappel to the bottom of the pool you saw on the way in. It will be almost exactly 100’.
Alternate Route Information
Even though this is a short canyon as is, if you want to make it even shorter, drop in to the canyon the first chance you get, right where you can see it start to narrow and drop from above.
Exit
Head back to your car