rcwild
10-15-2009, 11:10 AM
I'm not sure I can come up with enough superlatives to describe this canyon. Let's just say that, if you have the skills, this is a classic canyon descent ñ one of the best in Colorado if not the United States.
It includes a LOT of downclimbingÖat least 10 rappels, 3 of which are at or higher than 200 feet. This is a beautiful and dramatic canyon with much sculpting and many waterfalls. A true adventure.
Rating: 3CR III
Time Required: 8-10 hours round trip.
Longest Rappel: 280 ft.
Permit Information
No permits are required.
Camping/Lodging
Numerous hotel and motel options in Ouray as well as restaurants and bars. The Amphitheater campground on the south end of town offers a great central location for all canyons in the area. There are additional Forest Service campgrounds which provide primitive camping. Free camping is difficult to find.
Preferred Season
Late July into October depending on spring runoff and the first snows of winter
Water Concerns
Special Challenges
The R rating is for the many downclimbs, some which can be tricky and exposed, rockfall hazard, big rappels, sharp rope-slicing rock, the usual. This canyon could possible be considered grade IV because of its overall committing nature, numerous technical challenges, exposed downclimbing and other challenges commonly found in an alpine setting.
The rock in this canyon is surprisingly sharp so rope core-shots are a serious concern, especially in the upper end of the canyon. Be careful when you rig your rappels, and as you rappel down. We ended up with two core shots in one rope. Most likely they occurred on the same rappel and so advise adjusting the friction point for each rappeller on just about every rap in the canyon.
Equipment Suggestions
Standard Class C kit including wet suit, helmet, slings and rapid links. Two 200 ft. ropes will get you down all but the last drop at Cascade Falls. This drop requires a minimum of 250 ft. of rope. You can rappel 250 feet to a broad ledge with a walk/scramble off (right LDC). A second option is to rappel 280 feet to the base of the waterfall. Hence you will need enough rope to rappel at least 250 feet, if not 280 feet. Two 200' ropes will get you down every drop in the canyon except the last one. A long rope could be left in a car at the bottom to be retrieved by the first guy down a la the final rap in Heaps.
Bring at least 10 quick links and 70-100 feet of webbing. Helmets are a must. For advanced canyoners, many of the rappels can be rigged with macramÈ knots. Otherwise it will be a simple matter to leave slings with rapid links.
Topographic Maps
Hiking Trails of Ouray County & the Uncompaghre Wilderness, USGS 1:100,000 Montrose, USGS 7.5' Series Ouray, Colorado
Directions to Trailhead
There are multiple trailheads. You will want to have a vehicle parked at the Cascade Falls trailhead. From the main street in Ouray, turn east onto 8th Avenue and take it steeply up the hill until it ends at the Cascade Falls trailhead.
A second, upper trailhead is at the Amphitheater Campground, and makes a quick car shuttle (though a shuttle isn't necessary, just convenient). Take US Highway 550 south out of Ouray 1.1 miles to the Amphitheater Campground Road. Turn left and follow the road until you reach the campground. Stay left until the road ends at the upper trailhead.
Trailhead UTM Grid Coordinate
Approach
The trails in the area are plentiful and tricky without a map (a hand-drawn one is found at http://ouraytrails.org/Amphitheater.gif). Your goal is to hike to Upper Cascade Falls/Chief Ouray Mine. Both trailheads start you on separate trails, but they will eventually meet. From the lower trailhead, hike up towards the falls. Just before the falls find a trail junction heading right (south). Take this trail up steeply. You will pass close to the campground road at one point, but stay on the trail. Eventually you will intersect the Chief Ouray Mine trail, approx. 0.9 miles from the lower trailhead.
From the upper trailhead, hike for a quarter mile until you intersect with the Portland trail (this will be the first trail junction you come to). Take the left fork, following signs for Upper Cascade Falls and/or Chief Ouray Mine. After 0.6 miles you will reach the intersection with the trail from the lower trailhead.
From where the trails meet, continue up many switchbacks until you round a corner and drop into the Cascade Creek basin. Soon the trail will cross the creek, with a waterfall just below you (for an interesting diversion, continue on the trail for 5 minutes to visit the bunkhouse of the Chief Ouray Mine and mine shack a short distance beyond). This first waterfall is not rappelled; rather it is skirted via an unmarked trail CL that starts slightly back up the way you came. This trail leads past a few abandoned mine shafts. From these shafts work your way down, back towards the waterfall, and past another mine opening, until you reach the base of the falls. Continue down canyon from there.
Canyon Entry UTM Grid Coordinate
Description: Standard Route
Shortly you will reach the first rappel, off of trees CL. Watch for loose rock here. Downcanyon are the first of MANY downclimbs. Less experienced climbers may want to rappel or have belays. Eventually you will reach rappel 2, off of a worn log in the middle of the stream. Be careful, sharp rock here has created multiple rope core-shots in the past. Below are more downclimbs ñ the canyon constricts into what is a very interesting stretch of downclimbing (rappels may be needed for some). This stretch ends at a very large waterfall that must be rappelled. The waterfall is just short of 200 feet tall and can be anchored off of trees CL. Up the hill above the anchor is an old ruined cabin/mine structure. Some debris from this structure can be found in the creek, including several rusted cans, giving this area of the canyon the informal name "Tin Can Alley". The Ouray area has a rich and colorful mining history and this canyon is part of it.
Immediately below the big waterfall is another rappel. Anchor off of trees CL. One must scramble up loose dirt and rocks to reach the trees. We took great care to minimize marks in our passage. We hope subsequent parties will care enough to do the same. It is fairly straight forward to have one person establish and man the anchor, and the rest wait below. When someone is done rappelling, have the person at the anchor lift up and toss the rope back to the others waiting below, who can then clip in and rappel. The person at the anchor can rappel last. This keeps extra canyoners from tramping on and rappelling down the dirt slope in the vicinity of the anchor, thus keeping erosion to a minimum. This rappel is approximately 40 feet from the lip of the waterfall, or 60 feet from the anchor. Another waterfall follows this rappel, where the canyon takes an abrupt left turn. You could anchor off of trees CL and rappel for 40-50 feet or you can traverse enter a gully on CR and downclimb (loose rock is found here, be careful). Downclimbing here is a bit slippery but interesting. Continue down several daunting downclimbs (one may be bypassed by traversing above CL) until the canyon takes an abrupt right turn at a waterfall (this is the end of Tin Can Alley). Rappel this multi-tiered slippery waterfall for 50 feet.
The canyon opens briefly then closes again over more waterfalls as the rock gets a rounded slot canyon feel. The narrows end at a very large waterfall. Ice climbers call this waterfall the "Charmin Tube" as the waterfall forms a hollow white ice pillar in the winter. Anchor off of sturdy bolts and chains high on the wall on CL. Be warned, the rappel starts on a large chockstone, and some of the gravel behind it just below the anchor may not be stable ñ we found one "hole" there where we could see down to the base of the falls. We found the rappel to be exactly 200 feet. Some ice climbers have said this rappel is a "stretchy" 200 feet, meaning they reached the ground only by the stretch in their 200 foot dynamic ropes. Be prepared in case your ropes measure short. The canyon is open at the base, but it doesn't last long as yet another technical section appears. First is a 40 foot waterfall that will pound you as you descend. The best anchor is a tree on CL but it is a good 20-30 feet back from the lip. Soon after is another rappel, approx 40-50 feet, off of one of various trees, mostly on CR. Another downclimbing section ensues, as the canyon narrows yet again. Yet another rappel is reached, this time off of a tree on CL. This rappel is a multi-staged "corkscrew" rappel, and is one of the prettiest in the canyon. Just after this is the Grand Finale rappel ñ Cascade Falls. Anchor off of a tree on CR. You have to cross a somewhat exposed dirt slope to reach it. The rappel has several tiers but it is BIG. Be VERY careful not to kick any rocks or debris down, as tourists often visit and picnic at the base of the falls. In the winter this area is snow covered and frozen keeping the loose slope solidly in place.
You have several options for this rappel:
1. Bring enough rope to rappel 250 feet. About a third of the way down you will reach a broad ledge where you can cross the water and continue the rappel on CL of the waterfall (watch out for sharp edges as you descend off of this ledge). You then continue down until you reach a very broad ledge, approx. 30 feet above the base of the waterfall that you can walk and scramble off of. To scramble off, walk underneath the waterfall and continue until you reach an area with easy scrambles down.
2. Bring enough rope to rappel 280 feet, and rappel from the anchor all the way to the base of the falls.
3. Some ice climbing guidebooks suggest bringing enough rope to rappel 200 feet, and then finding some fixed pitons on the way down. DON'T DO THIS ñ the fixed pitons seem very unstable, making this a VERY dangerous option. In the winter this anchor is frozen in place but a dangerous option in any case.
Description:
Variations: History
Ice climbers have climbed all the way up this route, considering it an alpine climb. The first canyoners we know of scouted in August 2007 and descended the entire canyon the following September - the group included Zach Browning, John Hart, Patrick (not sure of last name?), Matt Moore, Charly Oliver, and Mike Dallin.
The canyon was jokingly referred to as "The Eiger of Ouray", so named because, if they wish, tourists in the various restaurants and bars in Ouray can point their binoculars and telescopes towards the falls to watch the action, much like tourists in Kleine Scheidegg point telescopes towards climbers on the Eiger Nordwand.
Exit
After the last rappel, hike down trail following the watercourse for 0.2 miles back to the lower trailhead and your vehicle.
Canyon Exit UTM Grid Coordinate
It includes a LOT of downclimbingÖat least 10 rappels, 3 of which are at or higher than 200 feet. This is a beautiful and dramatic canyon with much sculpting and many waterfalls. A true adventure.
Rating: 3CR III
Time Required: 8-10 hours round trip.
Longest Rappel: 280 ft.
Permit Information
No permits are required.
Camping/Lodging
Numerous hotel and motel options in Ouray as well as restaurants and bars. The Amphitheater campground on the south end of town offers a great central location for all canyons in the area. There are additional Forest Service campgrounds which provide primitive camping. Free camping is difficult to find.
Preferred Season
Late July into October depending on spring runoff and the first snows of winter
Water Concerns
Special Challenges
The R rating is for the many downclimbs, some which can be tricky and exposed, rockfall hazard, big rappels, sharp rope-slicing rock, the usual. This canyon could possible be considered grade IV because of its overall committing nature, numerous technical challenges, exposed downclimbing and other challenges commonly found in an alpine setting.
The rock in this canyon is surprisingly sharp so rope core-shots are a serious concern, especially in the upper end of the canyon. Be careful when you rig your rappels, and as you rappel down. We ended up with two core shots in one rope. Most likely they occurred on the same rappel and so advise adjusting the friction point for each rappeller on just about every rap in the canyon.
Equipment Suggestions
Standard Class C kit including wet suit, helmet, slings and rapid links. Two 200 ft. ropes will get you down all but the last drop at Cascade Falls. This drop requires a minimum of 250 ft. of rope. You can rappel 250 feet to a broad ledge with a walk/scramble off (right LDC). A second option is to rappel 280 feet to the base of the waterfall. Hence you will need enough rope to rappel at least 250 feet, if not 280 feet. Two 200' ropes will get you down every drop in the canyon except the last one. A long rope could be left in a car at the bottom to be retrieved by the first guy down a la the final rap in Heaps.
Bring at least 10 quick links and 70-100 feet of webbing. Helmets are a must. For advanced canyoners, many of the rappels can be rigged with macramÈ knots. Otherwise it will be a simple matter to leave slings with rapid links.
Topographic Maps
Hiking Trails of Ouray County & the Uncompaghre Wilderness, USGS 1:100,000 Montrose, USGS 7.5' Series Ouray, Colorado
Directions to Trailhead
There are multiple trailheads. You will want to have a vehicle parked at the Cascade Falls trailhead. From the main street in Ouray, turn east onto 8th Avenue and take it steeply up the hill until it ends at the Cascade Falls trailhead.
A second, upper trailhead is at the Amphitheater Campground, and makes a quick car shuttle (though a shuttle isn't necessary, just convenient). Take US Highway 550 south out of Ouray 1.1 miles to the Amphitheater Campground Road. Turn left and follow the road until you reach the campground. Stay left until the road ends at the upper trailhead.
Trailhead UTM Grid Coordinate
Approach
The trails in the area are plentiful and tricky without a map (a hand-drawn one is found at http://ouraytrails.org/Amphitheater.gif). Your goal is to hike to Upper Cascade Falls/Chief Ouray Mine. Both trailheads start you on separate trails, but they will eventually meet. From the lower trailhead, hike up towards the falls. Just before the falls find a trail junction heading right (south). Take this trail up steeply. You will pass close to the campground road at one point, but stay on the trail. Eventually you will intersect the Chief Ouray Mine trail, approx. 0.9 miles from the lower trailhead.
From the upper trailhead, hike for a quarter mile until you intersect with the Portland trail (this will be the first trail junction you come to). Take the left fork, following signs for Upper Cascade Falls and/or Chief Ouray Mine. After 0.6 miles you will reach the intersection with the trail from the lower trailhead.
From where the trails meet, continue up many switchbacks until you round a corner and drop into the Cascade Creek basin. Soon the trail will cross the creek, with a waterfall just below you (for an interesting diversion, continue on the trail for 5 minutes to visit the bunkhouse of the Chief Ouray Mine and mine shack a short distance beyond). This first waterfall is not rappelled; rather it is skirted via an unmarked trail CL that starts slightly back up the way you came. This trail leads past a few abandoned mine shafts. From these shafts work your way down, back towards the waterfall, and past another mine opening, until you reach the base of the falls. Continue down canyon from there.
Canyon Entry UTM Grid Coordinate
Description: Standard Route
Shortly you will reach the first rappel, off of trees CL. Watch for loose rock here. Downcanyon are the first of MANY downclimbs. Less experienced climbers may want to rappel or have belays. Eventually you will reach rappel 2, off of a worn log in the middle of the stream. Be careful, sharp rock here has created multiple rope core-shots in the past. Below are more downclimbs ñ the canyon constricts into what is a very interesting stretch of downclimbing (rappels may be needed for some). This stretch ends at a very large waterfall that must be rappelled. The waterfall is just short of 200 feet tall and can be anchored off of trees CL. Up the hill above the anchor is an old ruined cabin/mine structure. Some debris from this structure can be found in the creek, including several rusted cans, giving this area of the canyon the informal name "Tin Can Alley". The Ouray area has a rich and colorful mining history and this canyon is part of it.
Immediately below the big waterfall is another rappel. Anchor off of trees CL. One must scramble up loose dirt and rocks to reach the trees. We took great care to minimize marks in our passage. We hope subsequent parties will care enough to do the same. It is fairly straight forward to have one person establish and man the anchor, and the rest wait below. When someone is done rappelling, have the person at the anchor lift up and toss the rope back to the others waiting below, who can then clip in and rappel. The person at the anchor can rappel last. This keeps extra canyoners from tramping on and rappelling down the dirt slope in the vicinity of the anchor, thus keeping erosion to a minimum. This rappel is approximately 40 feet from the lip of the waterfall, or 60 feet from the anchor. Another waterfall follows this rappel, where the canyon takes an abrupt left turn. You could anchor off of trees CL and rappel for 40-50 feet or you can traverse enter a gully on CR and downclimb (loose rock is found here, be careful). Downclimbing here is a bit slippery but interesting. Continue down several daunting downclimbs (one may be bypassed by traversing above CL) until the canyon takes an abrupt right turn at a waterfall (this is the end of Tin Can Alley). Rappel this multi-tiered slippery waterfall for 50 feet.
The canyon opens briefly then closes again over more waterfalls as the rock gets a rounded slot canyon feel. The narrows end at a very large waterfall. Ice climbers call this waterfall the "Charmin Tube" as the waterfall forms a hollow white ice pillar in the winter. Anchor off of sturdy bolts and chains high on the wall on CL. Be warned, the rappel starts on a large chockstone, and some of the gravel behind it just below the anchor may not be stable ñ we found one "hole" there where we could see down to the base of the falls. We found the rappel to be exactly 200 feet. Some ice climbers have said this rappel is a "stretchy" 200 feet, meaning they reached the ground only by the stretch in their 200 foot dynamic ropes. Be prepared in case your ropes measure short. The canyon is open at the base, but it doesn't last long as yet another technical section appears. First is a 40 foot waterfall that will pound you as you descend. The best anchor is a tree on CL but it is a good 20-30 feet back from the lip. Soon after is another rappel, approx 40-50 feet, off of one of various trees, mostly on CR. Another downclimbing section ensues, as the canyon narrows yet again. Yet another rappel is reached, this time off of a tree on CL. This rappel is a multi-staged "corkscrew" rappel, and is one of the prettiest in the canyon. Just after this is the Grand Finale rappel ñ Cascade Falls. Anchor off of a tree on CR. You have to cross a somewhat exposed dirt slope to reach it. The rappel has several tiers but it is BIG. Be VERY careful not to kick any rocks or debris down, as tourists often visit and picnic at the base of the falls. In the winter this area is snow covered and frozen keeping the loose slope solidly in place.
You have several options for this rappel:
1. Bring enough rope to rappel 250 feet. About a third of the way down you will reach a broad ledge where you can cross the water and continue the rappel on CL of the waterfall (watch out for sharp edges as you descend off of this ledge). You then continue down until you reach a very broad ledge, approx. 30 feet above the base of the waterfall that you can walk and scramble off of. To scramble off, walk underneath the waterfall and continue until you reach an area with easy scrambles down.
2. Bring enough rope to rappel 280 feet, and rappel from the anchor all the way to the base of the falls.
3. Some ice climbing guidebooks suggest bringing enough rope to rappel 200 feet, and then finding some fixed pitons on the way down. DON'T DO THIS ñ the fixed pitons seem very unstable, making this a VERY dangerous option. In the winter this anchor is frozen in place but a dangerous option in any case.
Description:
Variations: History
Ice climbers have climbed all the way up this route, considering it an alpine climb. The first canyoners we know of scouted in August 2007 and descended the entire canyon the following September - the group included Zach Browning, John Hart, Patrick (not sure of last name?), Matt Moore, Charly Oliver, and Mike Dallin.
The canyon was jokingly referred to as "The Eiger of Ouray", so named because, if they wish, tourists in the various restaurants and bars in Ouray can point their binoculars and telescopes towards the falls to watch the action, much like tourists in Kleine Scheidegg point telescopes towards climbers on the Eiger Nordwand.
Exit
After the last rappel, hike down trail following the watercourse for 0.2 miles back to the lower trailhead and your vehicle.
Canyon Exit UTM Grid Coordinate