Conditions:HP South (West Fork)-20250629180052

Latest:	28 Jun 2025 (3 days ago)

Reported by:	Dyln cole (79 reports), Andyapigg (1 reports)
Quality:
Waterflow:	Dry
Wetsuit:
Water temperature:
Difficulty:
Time:	8 hours

Team: 2 people with experience level Intermediate to Advanced

Trip report URL:

Comments: For the approach, stay high LDC until the head of the canyon to avoid blackberry and Locus bush. For R1, High LDC rig will work, or figure it out. For R5/big rap, center of watercourse is fine, 340' rope will give you a lot of wiggle room, but a big ledge awaits you at the bottom of a 100' (NOT 200' FREE HANG) in case you error.

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This trip was filled with a few problem solving aspects that slowed our descent a lot more than I figured it would. The reason this was so sticky came to expectations from the beta, so I'll say this: this was a less straightforward canyon than I imagined. Rope stick issues easily mitigated, but the drops are not sheer and beta could confuse you, so read this below and go confident.

R1 - potentially sticky, so we rigged high tree LDC for a clean fiddle pull. This is about 150', though you can potentially rerig mid-rappel for shorter ropes (plan for the 150', though you should be able to know what I mean if you're taking this one on).

R5 - Rig for tree in watercourse for a 325' rappel to the base floor. beta talked about a handline to the tree CDC, middle of watercourse, which felt stable and I didn't see any loose debris as an issue. Why do I bring this up? That first tree is perfectly fine, no need to worry too much. If you land on the ledge and like the brush better, you can pursue that. Per the beta we moved farther and traversed lower and found a really brushy section/ledge you could potentially rig off, though the pull will not nearly be clean. Backtracking, we used the tree and rigged a 325' rap, though I believe it would be a conservative 270' to a ledge with a tree from this center tree. Essentially, we worried where we were fine. Pictures included show the rap line down the ~325'. This leads to a sloped 70-100' to a ledge, to another 20' slope to about 100' of free hang till a slope that lands you at a ledge with a tree. Rapping LDC leads to a good place for a pull and a smooth continuing to the canyon.

R6 - a nervy entrance that I was happy to have approach shoes for. Potential for a rap/handline 100' to the tree anchor LDC, this tree is rooted below the ledge you traverse on, a bear hug or little downslide will get you to its base for rigging. It is flimsy, but sturdy for now.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
28 Jun 2025		Dry			8 hours	2 people Intermediate to Advanced	Dyln cole (79 reports),Andyapigg (1 reports)
Comment: For the approach, stay high LDC until the head of the canyon to avoid blackberry and Locus bush. For R1, High LDC rig will work, or figure it out. For R5/big rap, center of watercourse is fine, 340' rope will give you a lot of wiggle room, but a big ledge awaits you at the bottom of a 100' (NOT 200' FREE HANG) in case you error. -- This trip was filled with a few problem solving aspects that slowed our descent a lot more than I figured it would. The reason this was so sticky came to expectations from the beta, so I'll say this: this was a less straightforward canyon than I imagined. Rope stick issues easily mitigated, but the drops are not sheer and beta could confuse you, so read this below and go confident. R1 - potentially sticky, so we rigged high tree LDC for a clean fiddle pull. This is about 150', though you can potentially rerig mid-rappel for shorter ropes (plan for the 150', though you should be able to know what I mean if you're taking this one on). R5 - Rig for tree in watercourse for a 325' rappel to the base floor. beta talked about a handline to the tree CDC, middle of watercourse, which felt stable and I didn't see any loose debris as an issue. Why do I bring this up? That first tree is perfectly fine, no need to worry too much. If you land on the ledge and like the brush better, you can pursue that. Per the beta we moved farther and traversed lower and found a really brushy section/ledge you could potentially rig off, though the pull will not nearly be clean. Backtracking, we used the tree and rigged a 325' rap, though I believe it would be a conservative 270' to a ledge with a tree from this center tree. Essentially, we worried where we were fine. Pictures included show the rap line down the ~325'. This leads to a sloped 70-100' to a ledge, to another 20' slope to about 100' of free hang till a slope that lands you at a ledge with a tree. Rapping LDC leads to a good place for a pull and a smooth continuing to the canyon. R6 - a nervy entrance that I was happy to have approach shoes for. Potential for a rap/handline 100' to the tree anchor LDC, this tree is rooted below the ledge you traverse on, a bear hug or little downslide will get you to its base for rigging. It is flimsy, but sturdy for now.
9 Jul 2023	Ok	Dry	None	Normal	7 hours	5 people	Nclegg (418 reports)
Comment: Quite brushy on approach and in canyon. Ok rappels. Lots of downed trees, burn damage etc. Similar in quality and character to Hammer Hoodoo, and also epic views of West Fork (including Illusions and Insomnia across the canyon).
9 Jul 2023	Good	Dry		Normal	7 hours	5 people Intermediate to Advanced	EMoorcroft (451 reports)
Comment: 6 rappels total. We rigged a releasable at the big drop. R6 after the big rappel, we didn't find an anchor so we ghosted it off a tree. The highlight was the big rappel and the blooming columbine and red monkeys in the shaded section at it's base. Another good ole West Fork cliffing route.
6 Jun 2021	Good	Dry	None	Normal	7 hours	7 people Beginner to Advanced	Erek (206 reports)
Comment: Fairly brushy approach, but quick. Rappels come one right after the other. Set new webbing on rappels 1, 2, and 5 (300'). Fiddlesticked rappels 3, 4, 6, and 7. 300' was definitely cool rappel, down to a ledge and then free hang for most of the way down. Edge is good, no need for rope protection, still may want to reset rope length every so often. Last rappel drops right next to trail. Easy exit. Would definitely do this canyon again. Good canyon for the effort.