Conditions:Chasm Canyon-20240421230910

Latest:	21 Apr 2024 (2 yrs ago)

Reported by:	Ingalls (32 reports)
Location:	Chasm Canyon
Quality:	Good
Waterflow:	Dry
Wetsuit:	None
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Special challenges
Time:	3 hours

Team: 2 people with experience level Beginner to Expert

Trip report URL:

Comments: Fun lap in chasm canyon. While I certainly wouldn't travel far to run this one, for an afternoon for those of us that live in GJ, it was worthwhile. The canyon itself presents little difficulty. Although the slot section could be rappelled, it can be fairly easily stemmed down. The 200' rappel was exactly 200' as advertised. While there was an existing anchor present, I would highly recommend fiddling this one or extending the current anchor significantly. In it's current position rope drag would almost certainly be an issue.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
1 May 2026	Ok	Dry			5 hours	3 people Intermediate to Expert	Iralewis (21 reports)
Comment: We exited to the Lower Monument TH and updated the kml for the downclimbs in this section. Chasm delivered as expected: a short Entrada narrows and big Wingate headwall. The narrows can be downclimbed entirely or a rope used for the first 15'. The headwall rappel is 200' and is worth some more words given the rope lengths discussed. Using the large juniper DCL: extend webbing all the way to the edge of the lip for a 200' rappel run the rope through a shorter webbing/rapide anchor around the tree and fiddle for 220' if factoring in the extra rope to achieve a suspended fiddle placement Note: fiddling or extending webbing is preferred; agree with the Apr 2024 comment about rope pull up and over the lip. The final 10-15' of the rappel could downclimbed if absolutely necessary. Hiking out through the Lower Monument was a nice change to the exit up to the Upper Monument which is shared by Zenith, Artist, Highland and Pinyon. The downclimb at the confluence of the Chasm/Zenith drainage is fun albeit slick rock. Several more downclimbs and exposed gneiss/schist basement rock are in the lower section. Nothing really to write home about in that section, although seeing the rock art at the bottom where old bison fencing is still in place. Bison in CNM A herd of bison was kept in Colorado National Monument for nearly 60 years. The herd was introduced in December 1925 by John Otto, the park’s first superintendent, and the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce. It started with just two cows and one bull sourced from the Denver City Parks. The population eventually grew to as many as 45 bison and were kept in a fenced enclosure, which was later expanded and fortified by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Because bison are not native to the arid, high-desert environment of the monument, they required supplemental hay and water. In 1983, the National Park Service removed the remaining 26 bison and relocated them to Badlands National Park.
21 Apr 2024	Good	Dry	None	Special challenges	3 hours	2 people Beginner to Expert	Ingalls (32 reports)
Comment: Fun lap in chasm canyon. While I certainly wouldn't travel far to run this one, for an afternoon for those of us that live in GJ, it was worthwhile. The canyon itself presents little difficulty. Although the slot section could be rappelled, it can be fairly easily stemmed down. The 200' rappel was exactly 200' as advertised. While there was an existing anchor present, I would highly recommend fiddling this one or extending the current anchor significantly. In it's current position rope drag would almost certainly be an issue.