Conditions:Great Falls Basin-20210109071300

Latest:	27 Dec 2020 (4 yrs ago)

Reported by:	Kevanoconnor (6 reports)
Quality:	Amazing
Waterflow:	Dry
Wetsuit:	None
Water temperature:	NA deg C
Difficulty:	Special challenges
Time:	5 hours

Team: 4 people with experience level Brand new to Intermediate

Trip report URL:

Comments: Had a great day in this canyon! The hike up is steep but not too long and on a pretty good trail for most of it. Once you get to the saddle the trail disapates a bit but we went left to find a rather easy slope to descend (we just followed the most beaten path). There was only a small amount of bushwhacking as we entered the canyon before we reached the wash in the description. There is historical hydraulic equipment of some sort that looks left over from a mining operation 100 years ago but the hardware all seemed very solid for anchors. We had to resling one anchor using one of these historical anchors but the rest were intact. There was a bit of slimey water but we were able to walk around all but one short pool to step through. The large chockstone mentioned after rappel was tricky as we didn't feel like the down climbing options were safe so we got creative and wrapped our rope around a piece of the historical hardware to rappel over which is why I noted special challenges. The end of the canyon is incredible and the exit was easy on the use trails canyon left.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
28 Oct 2023	Amazing	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Special challenges	3 hours	3 people Beginner to Advanced	Brdn.gonzales (44 reports)
Comment: Woo Wee Woo Waa, that's a lot of water!! We went into this canyon thinking we'd encounter maybe knee deep water at most... we were wrong. DEEP POOLS GALORE! We didn't bring wetsuits but figured we'd be fine as long as we kept moving. Lucky for us there was no wind and the water wasn't too frigid. All the anchors are in good shape. Canyon was really pretty, but man was all that metal piping an eyesore. Great day.
3 Jun 2023	Great	Dry	None	Normal	5 hours	3 people Beginner to Advanced	Eshi-1 (31 reports)
Comment: On this trip I bolted the first rappel that people have been bypassing (WHY?). I also added 1 new bolt to R2 (formerly R1) where the anchor was a single, rusted antique bolt. So now there are 8 bolted rappels. This canyon is like a gift that keeps on giving...
7 May 2023	Great	Dry	None	Normal	5 hours	8 people Beginner to Advanced	Eshi-1 (31 reports)
Comment: Camped at the parking lot under the last waterfall. Carried our wetsuits up to discover that the last winter filled ALL the pools with Decomposed Granite. No more freezing water to swim through. It's like a whole new canyon now. Easier and faster to get through, and much warmer...
30 Dec 2022	Great	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Normal	3 hours	2 people Intermediate	JasenPlus (16 reports)
Comment: There was light water flowing through almost the entire canyon, disappearing into sand in places. Really a much more beautiful canyon than I expected! There was one scuzzy pool that it was difficult to determine depth but turned out straight down the middle was best and thigh deep. Some underwater quicksand in places, one spot I thought was ankle deep I sunk in all the way to the top of my thigh. The last rappel we put on wetsuits because the air temperature was chilly and it was a swim at the bottom. Probably could be done without them but we had them so why not? Highly recommend if in the area!
23 Apr 2022	Amazing	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Normal	5 hours	4 people Intermediate to Advanced	Eshi-1 (31 reports)
Comment: On this trip we first explored the new approach I've been looking at for a while. New KML file will be uploaded. We also bolted the last rappel that people have been bypassing (WHY?). Turned out that it is the tallest and best rappel of the canyon. So now there are 7 bolted rappels. Water as always was freezing in them deep must-swim pools. Did my "traditional" guided rappel over the long pool.
9 Apr 2022	Amazing	Deep pools	None	Normal	3 hours	2 people	Jcsjcs (110 reports)
Comment: Rented a plane at Santa Monica and flew to Trona where the airport manager, George, was nice enough to give us a ride halfway to the trailhead. Great Falls Basin was an amazing experience with beautiful sculpted rocks and deep chasms with enough water to make it fun. There was one short swim. After what we thought was the last rappel, we downclimbed a slot rather than taking the use trail and had to make one more rappel. Walked partway back to the airport before we were able to hitch a ride the rest of the way.
27 Dec 2020	Amazing	Dry	None	Special challenges	5 hours	4 people Brand new to Intermediate	Kevanoconnor (6 reports)
Comment: Had a great day in this canyon! The hike up is steep but not too long and on a pretty good trail for most of it. Once you get to the saddle the trail disapates a bit but we went left to find a rather easy slope to descend (we just followed the most beaten path). There was only a small amount of bushwhacking as we entered the canyon before we reached the wash in the description. There is historical hydraulic equipment of some sort that looks left over from a mining operation 100 years ago but the hardware all seemed very solid for anchors. We had to resling one anchor using one of these historical anchors but the rest were intact. There was a bit of slimey water but we were able to walk around all but one short pool to step through. The large chockstone mentioned after rappel was tricky as we didn't feel like the down climbing options were safe so we got creative and wrapped our rope around a piece of the historical hardware to rappel over which is why I noted special challenges. The end of the canyon is incredible and the exit was easy on the use trails canyon left.
5 Apr 2020	Great	Low	Full wetsuit	Special challenges	5 hours	2 people Beginner to Advanced	Spacepyroman (10 reports)
Comment: We encountered pretty good flow of water with multiple pools which you need to swim for good 15-20m. The canyon itself is pretty beautiful and not far from LA. A wetsuit is a must in early spring.
22 Dec 2018	Great	Dry	None	Normal			K arc (355 reports)
Comment: Great canyon! Mostly dry with one unavoidable slime-pool at the bottom of one of the rappels. Some parts of the canyon have an entire hardware store bolted to the canyon walls. Impressive to see the old waterworks. Exited DCL on use-trails at the bottom to the parking area.