Apollo Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3A IV (v3a1 IV) Raps:5, max ↨200ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Required 30 min Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 13 Nov 2022
"What a fantastic hike the approach to this canyon is! It was a gorgeous overcast morning, whereas I suspect in full sun it might be misery. After pa |
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| Best season: | Nov-Mar (avg for this region)
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36.3552, -116.7872
36.3915, -116.7785
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Introduction[edit]
Limited number of rappels, but worthy with the overall trip Views, and features
Approach[edit]
Park off 20-Mule Team Road and then head left up the wash. There is a brief section to go up loose dirt (left) to bypass a rock blockage and then rejoin the wash.
This wash eventually becomes partially filled with silt as you gain elevation until taking a hard right (easy to miss) to a ridge leading to a small plateau backed by a large ridgeline. Gain this ridge directly and then go up to its high point and sign the summit register for "Borax Mountain". Follow the ridge line over two other high points and then take a ridge to a dark dump. From this brown lump you can see the giant wash (right) that brings us into Apollo Canyon.
From the brown lump take the forward ridge to find a spot to drop into the wash. It is believed there is a rappel here but the Jan 22' party did not find existing evidence of webbing. Instead they performed a down climb on low quality rock with help from a hand-line. This down climb is not recommended due to the low quality of rock so its probably best to find a rappel.
Descent[edit]
Now off the ridge, descend into the large open wash down slippery gumballs on hard-pack. It levels out and becomes an easy hike. The canyon narrows, there is an easy 10ft down climb and then it widens again until the first rappel.
- R1 - 200 ft rappel that goes free hanging for the second 100 ft
- (200 ft down canyon)
- R2 - 120 ft rappel down multi-level runnel
- (short walk down canyon)
- R3 - 70 ft rappel over boulder into a gradual runnel
After R3 the canyon becomes beautifully steep and is a 20-30 minute walk out with some easy down climbs.
(All anchors are cairn anchors and the canyon had plentiful building material.)
(Scott originally reported five rappels but the Jan 22' party only performed three)
Exit[edit]
Red tape[edit]
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
- https://www.facebook.com/scott.swaney/media_set?set=a.10155019670292930&type=3&pnref=story
- January 2022 Trip
Background[edit]
First Descent exploration 2-19-17 - by Scott Swaney & Team (see above trip report)
