Conditions:Rider Canyon-20250429234102

Latest:	20 Apr 2025 (1 month ago)

Reported by:	Canyon.406 (40 reports)
Quality:	Good
Waterflow:	Very Low
Wetsuit:	None
Water temperature:	70F deg C
Difficulty:	Normal
Time:	5 hours

Team: 5 people with experience level Intermediate to Advanced

Trip report URL:

Comments: Fun canyon, however we failed to complete the entire canyon. Our party did only the upper section, which included some nice narrows and the single rappel. We then took the trailhead exit which cut out the lower section of narrows (or so we have been told). The upper canyon was mostly dry and pools were avoidable. However the clean pools contained a dead bat which was a bummer. Additionally there was some thick mud that one of our party members wardrobe fell victim to. Good times! I gave the canyon a 2 star because I am a stickler, however I believe my party gave the canyon an over all 3 stars. Who knows, maybe the lower section is just that good...

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
20 Apr 2025	Good	Very Low	None	Normal	5 hours	5 people Intermediate to Advanced	Canyon.406 (40 reports)
Comment: Fun canyon, however we failed to complete the entire canyon. Our party did only the upper section, which included some nice narrows and the single rappel. We then took the trailhead exit which cut out the lower section of narrows (or so we have been told). The upper canyon was mostly dry and pools were avoidable. However the clean pools contained a dead bat which was a bummer. Additionally there was some thick mud that one of our party members wardrobe fell victim to. Good times! I gave the canyon a 2 star because I am a stickler, however I believe my party gave the canyon an over all 3 stars. Who knows, maybe the lower section is just that good...
3 Sep 2022	Good	Deep pools	None	Special challenges	5 hours	2 people Advanced	Nclegg (409 reports),Pam (14 reports)
Comment: Sections of the approach road were washed out with a few stretches of deep sand. Removed a piece of a barbed wire fence that was washed into the road by floods. Lots of mud in canyon that was mostly avoidable, and the narrows held waist and chest depth pools. Removed some fried webbing at the rappel. Packed out some trash that we found throughout the drainage. Sneak / hiker’s exit was loose and steep. Either we botched the lower section (large scree field) or rockfall has wiped out what may have used to be a trail, but eventually we picked up the path and then it was smooth sailing to the car park at the rim (though exposed and hot as hell). 1h approach hike, 2.5h descent, 2h exit. At least 1h each way for the access roads.
16 Feb 2020	Good	Dry	None	Normal		4 people	Morgan (103 reports)
Comment: Our party used Rider as the exit for a short through trip that began with Soap Creek. The exit we took is best described as a sneak, exiting the Rider drainage about halfway along its length and requiring a scramble up a long slide to reach a gap in the canyon wall. This version bypasses the rappel. Some of the short (<10ft) upclimbs required creativity and partner assists to navigate.