Conditions:Death Pit Canyon-20240226174034

Latest:	25 Feb 2024 (1 yr, 2 mos ago)

Reported by:	Lvbruce (13 reports)
Quality:	Good
Waterflow:	Dry
Wetsuit:	None
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Normal
Time:	6 hours

Team: 5 people with experience level Beginner to Advanced

Trip report URL:

Comments: The actual time was 6.5 hours. BUT, this included running Weeping Springs too. We ran Death Pit first and then took the class 2 exit back up to an easy connection point with Weeping Springs. From this point you can be at rap 1 of Weeping Springs in just a few minutes. Running the 2 canyons together added about 2 hours to running only one canyon. We took a different approach to crossing the Death Pit. As already reported, there is a ledge LDC above the pit that is easy to get on, traverse and continue on rope. The pendulum pull on the rope while doing this is minimal. For those that don't want to traverse the sheer rock face of the pit, this is a great alternative.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
25 Feb 2024	Good	Dry	None	Normal	6 hours	5 people Beginner to Advanced	Lvbruce (13 reports)
Comment: The actual time was 6.5 hours. BUT, this included running Weeping Springs too. We ran Death Pit first and then took the class 2 exit back up to an easy connection point with Weeping Springs. From this point you can be at rap 1 of Weeping Springs in just a few minutes. Running the 2 canyons together added about 2 hours to running only one canyon. We took a different approach to crossing the Death Pit. As already reported, there is a ledge LDC above the pit that is easy to get on, traverse and continue on rope. The pendulum pull on the rope while doing this is minimal. For those that don't want to traverse the sheer rock face of the pit, this is a great alternative.
19 Feb 2024	Good	Dry	None	Special challenges	4 hours	2 people Intermediate to Advanced	Lvbruce (13 reports)
Comment: The actual time was 4.5 hours, car to car at the upper TH. We DIDN'T exit to the river, pack raft and then exit up Big Horn Canyon. We found a Class 2 exit to get back up to the main canyon to the TH. Part of this exit is the same as the Class 2 exit out of Weeping Springs Canyon. Death Pit canyon was in good condition. There is one anchor that the webbing will probably need to be replaced soon. Interesting traverse around the Death Pit. It certainly helps to have some knowledge of basic rock climbing...so that you can identify the small foot and hand holds necessary to cross the wall. I have attached a KML file for the Class 2 exit. Enjoy! File:Death-pit-canyon-class-2-exit.kml
28 Oct 2023	Good	Dry	None	Normal	7 hours	4 people Brand new to Advanced	Lukemurray2016LV (11 reports)
Comment: First off, this is in no way a 4 canyon. The death pit is not enough of a challenge to warrant that designation, and is easily overcome with basic traversing moves common in 3 level canyons. All that being said, this was a great day. Worth noting our time includes exiting via a leisurely 3.5 mile packraft to cranes nest as opposed to up AZ or Bighorn, so times are a bit longer. Car to river was 4 hours give or take. The cairn anchors were all torn apart and rebuilt, and webbing at the death pit rappel was replaced. Other webbing could go for replacement but we had limited supply and hadn’t run the canyon before so we backed up raps to gain confidence instead. We did 4 rappels, treating the death pit as one 180’ rappel as well as the subsequent one which beta says can be split up. Very enjoyable day.
13 Nov 2022	Great	Dry	None	Easy			Ibleedcoffee (6 reports)
Comment: Ran it in 7 hours C2C (30min shuttle each way) including 20 min packraft up river to the AZ hot springs and 1.5 hour break at the hot springs. All webbing and anchors in great conditions. No water present until the river.
13 Mar 2022	Good	Dry	None	Normal	8 hours	4 people Intermediate to Advanced	Nathan (7 reports)
Comment: All anchors in good shape, webbing on the 4th is a little crusty but still okay. 200' rope was short on the first rappel, we needed to use a pull cord. Exited up bighorn.
15 Oct 2021	Great	Dry	None	Normal	9 hours	8 people Intermediate to Advanced	Mads (61 reports)
Comment: It was the first run of the season and we built new anchors on R1, R2 and R3, which we completed as the full 180' rappel. We moved the R3 anchor to a boulder at the edge of the drop and had no issues with the pull. The highlight of our day was the easy float down the Colorado River (20 mins) and spending a full hour at the exit beach hanging out and jumping off the rocks into the beautiful blue-green water. No need for any cold water protection for the float on a 75° day. The scramble up Bighorn was fun and then it was a 1,000' slog back up to the cars.
19 Jan 2020	Great	Dry	None	Normal	8 hours	4 people Beginner to Advanced	Erek (206 reports)
Comment: Completed loop version. Did canyon and packraft with 10 people, 4 of us hiked faster back to vehicles faster to drive home. Death pit is super easy to avoid, as long as you have more than beginner rappel skills. Death pit was completely full of water, and probably able to swim out, but not tested. Can do rappel #2 as one 180ish rap or split it up into 60 and 120. We split it thinking it would be easier pull situation, no pull issues. Replaced webbing at bottom stage. Rest of canyon could stay dry to river. Brought thin wetsuit for packraft, but not necessary. Nice exit hike back. Rest of anchors looked fine. No pull issues on any raps.
21 Nov 2018	Amazing	Dry	None	Normal	10 hours	5 people Intermediate to Expert	Lauren Steely (7 reports)
Comment: We completed a round-trip, no-shuttle variation that included a packraft - see Ianello's book for the best beta. Death Pit is notable for the beautiful glimpses of the Colorado River that you get as you descend. The death pit itself is easy to avoid by traversing DCL to an obvious ledge and then descending, being careful not to pendulum toward the pit. If you wait until you are below the ledge to traverse, it will be more difficult. All anchors were in good condition except the last, which we could not locate. We constructed a new knot chock anchor adjacent to a large boulder. We enjoyed an easy ~25 min packraft to the mouth of Bighorn Canyon, then up Bighorn and back to the car via the route described in the Weeping Springs beta. Bighorn was a lovely canyon in itself, lush with salt cedar and a trickle of water in its lower reaches, plus some sections of colorful twisty narrows with fun upclimbs. The point at which you leave Bighorn to cross back over into Weeping Springs can be difficult to find - it's located in an open section of canyon just before another section of narrows. The final climb back up the steep headwall to the car was long and grueling.