Brooks Bushwhack Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3B IV (v3a2 IV) Raps:5, max ↨120ft
Red Tape: Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 15 Jan 2023
"First documented descent of the canyon, although it was clear the canyon had been done before. Majority of time spent on the off-trail entrance and e |
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| Best season: | After rains
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37.5648, -122.4857
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WaterflowIntroduction[edit]
A neat little canyon right next to San Francisco with a committing approach and exit. The waterfall is usually dry, but it was first descended in class B conditions during a rainstorm. The approach and exit are a pretty grueling bushwhack, making the waterfall a much needed reward.
Approach[edit]
Follow the Brooks Creek Trail up to the waterfall viewing point, from which you’ll be able to gauge the flow. At many times, these falls are completely dry; the first descent was after a series of heavy rains and we saw 3 falls. Continue up the trail until you hit the road, turn left and continue up the road 0.5 miles before dropping into the drainage on the left around (37.56479, -122.48567). At the time of writing, there is no trail leading down the drainage, and the bushwhacking intensifies from walking through shrubs to crawling down the creek to a few brief Class 3 scrambles. In flowing conditions, the creek will become wet a short horizontal distance before the first rappel.
Descent[edit]
Some pre-placed webbing, but don’t expect it. We carried a 300 ft rope and did a double strand rappel for the final rappel of every drop. There is a lot of vegetation that the rope can get caught on during a pull.
R1: ~60ft, Anchor off of a tree
R2+3: ~65 ft, Anchor off of another tree, combine rappels 2 and 3
R4: ~125ft
R5: ~15 ft, nuisance rappel
Exit[edit]
After the last rappel, continue downstream until a faint convergence LDC. Then proceed up the hill LDC towards the viewpoint you stopped at earlier.
From the last rappel to the trail is a bushwhack of 50 vertical and 363 horizontal feet and took 2 hours on the first descent. All of the vertical section is through razorgrass, thorny vines, and on unstable ground. It’s not fun.
Red tape[edit]
Brooks Falls is within the park boundaries, there are no known park regulations that discourage canyoneering in the area.
Parking is available in San Pedro Valley State Park for $6 and limited hours. Note that the gate closes before sunset and park rangers take notice and fine cars left behind the gate after the parking lot closes. We highly recommend parking outside of the gates due to the length of time the approach and exit take.
Beta sites[edit]
https://www.smcgov.org/parks/san-pedro-valley-park-hours