Conditions:Nikon Draw-20250102034029

Latest:	1 Jan 2025 (20 days ago)

Reported by:	Sstaverman (7 reports)
Quality:	Good
Waterflow:	Dry
Wetsuit:	None
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Easy
Time:	2 hours

Team: 1 people with experience level Intermediate

Trip report URL:

Comments: Time includes setting a fixed rope at Tufftatella, backtracking and running Nikon Draw, and then ascending out of Tufftatella at a fairly speedy pace. I'd recommend 2-3 pieces of rope protection for the fixed line on Tufftatella.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
1 Jan 2025	Good	Dry	None	Easy	2 hours	1 people Intermediate	Sstaverman (7 reports)
Comment: Time includes setting a fixed rope at Tufftatella, backtracking and running Nikon Draw, and then ascending out of Tufftatella at a fairly speedy pace. I'd recommend 2-3 pieces of rope protection for the fixed line on Tufftatella.
28 Nov 2024	Ok	Dry	None	Easy	2 hours	1 people Intermediate	Sstaverman (7 reports)
Comment: Totally dry today. Fixed one strangely tied anchor, everything else was in good shape. As someone else previously mentioned, don't love the state of the bolts in this canyon. Use your best judgment on what you're comfortable with.
13 Apr 2024	Good	Deep pools	None	Special challenges	4 hours	4 people Advanced to Brand new	Reallimbic (12 reports)
Comment: Best day ever in a beautiful canyon! Team of 4, advanced, intermediate, 8yr & 5yr. Most rappels into water are shaded so little to no alage. More water than a few weeks ago but temp warming up so alage in sun water. Most can be avoided. Special challenge to decide to use existing bolts or build own anchors. Be prepared to build natural anchors because bolts are loose, spin and in bad rock. Slow starts, no shock loading anchors if using bolts and backing up. Last rappel into water was a swimmer for first half. Possible to climb up and around DCR but steep and caution needed for kids. Overall great beginner canyon for kids that have required training and with an advanced leader. Quick approach. 3hr 30 min descent with a 8yr and 5yr. 30 min exit from canyon bottom. 4 hr car to car. 1 hr break at canyon bottom to enjoy the massive cliff walls, things swimming in the water and things in dried up beds that once swam. Had canyon all to ourselves. At exit one up to vehicle so all don't have to walk narrow road up. We've done before, did today and will be back!
14 Mar 2024	Good	Very Low	None	Easy	2 hours	3 people	LEGNOR (11 reports)
Comment: Fun little canyon close to home, bolts are sketchy and in crappy places, if anyone wants to help me replace or add new ones let me know. All pools were avoidable. Once down and in main canyon walk down to the arm of canyon lake, makes a cool side adventure
4 Mar 2024	Good	Low	None	Normal	3 hours	2 people Beginner to Advanced	Triggerfish (44 reports)
Comment: First time, and I’ll be back. The short, easy-start, bolted raps, terrific country, and easy approach and exit make this a great place to intro visitors to canyoneering. Multiple pools, but we managed to get wet only to ankles by some minor maneuvering. Just right for a half-day, and would pair well with Loincloth if people have fun here and want a taller rap.
19 Feb 2024	Good	Deep pools		Normal	2 hours	2 people	EMoorcroft (435 reports)
Comment: Really neat little canyon with 5 bolted anchors and a single bolt for a downclimb st the end. Last deep pool was chest deep while the others encountered were waist or lower. Last pool can be easily bypassed RDC. A skilled downclimber could bypass a few rappels. Big bang for the buck.
11 Jun 2023	Good	Dry	None	Normal	3 hours	6 people Beginner to Advanced	Mdavid (5 reports)
Comment: There were some pools full of algae that were all completely avoidable. It just short enough to be bearable this time of year with a very hot hike out and a shuttle back to the start. There were no issues with any rope pulls but we were careful setting the rappels for easier pulls. As per previous trip reports, a rope could easily get stuck, especially at R2.
2 Jan 2023	Amazing	Moderate Low	Thin wetsuit	Normal	2 hours	3 people Advanced	Erek (206 reports)
Comment: Class C conditions. Amazing conditions. A couple swimmers. One member went without wetsuit and was cold, others had 5mm wetsuit and were perfect. Air temp was low 50s.
5 Nov 2022	Good	Very Low	None	Special challenges	2 hours	1 people Intermediate	Cvancleve (7 reports)
Comment: A rugged and abrasive canyon in all senses of the word, with sharp and chossy rocks and no shortage of thorny bushes. Named Nikon Draw as I discovered R1 one day while taking landscape portraits with my Nikon, and then Nick and I returned later to do a descent. Not a true FD as we discovered bolts that were already placed before we ventured in, but the route was not yet published. All pools 80% full today, and water is fairly clean. All water is avoidable by creative stemming while rappelling, even with full pools. As the previous condition report noted, the rock is extremely abrasive and pull angles are often less than desirable, especially R2. Recommend releasable rigging such as a CEM to avoid damage to gear and challenging pull on R2, it worked beautifully. A nice downclimb completes the technical section of the canyon. Watch out for the downed wire about 100' from the exit coming off the telephone pole strung knee-height across the trail, it's a trip hazard especially at night.
18 Oct 2022	Good	Very Low	None	Special challenges	2 hours	2 people Intermediate	Coalemus (159 reports)
Comment: Some of the bolts are placed flat such that pulls are difficult due to friction. Especially R2. I actually had to ascend this rap to set the block on the other side to allow pulling this. I could have scrambled back up DCL (though everything is mega-chossy here) but was more fun to ascend. Pools were full, fairly fresh, and refreshingly cool.
1 Aug 2022	Good	Deep pools	None	Normal	1 hour	2 people Advanced	Nclegg (384 reports)
Comment: Descended late in the evening to avoid the heat and exited by moonlight. We were able to avoid the deep pools and only got wet below the knees. Keep an eye on bolts as some are loose. Although seemingly undocumented until now, this canyon has certainly seen quite a bit of traffic.