Conditions:Royal Gorge (Upper, Tahoe National Forest)-20220814193945

Latest:	11 Aug 2022 (2 yrs, 9 mos ago)

Reported by:	Julienlecorps (4 reports)
Quality:	Great
Waterflow:	Low
Wetsuit:	Thin wetsuit
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Normal
Time:	9 hours

Team: 1 people with experience level Intermediate

Trip report URL:

Comments: 50 csf @ Lake Clementine gauge. Great mellow flows, perfect day!

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
11 Aug 2022	Great	Low	Thin wetsuit	Normal	9 hours	1 people Intermediate	Julienlecorps (4 reports)
Comment: 50 csf @ Lake Clementine gauge. Great mellow flows, perfect day!
9 Jul 2022	Great	Moderate	Thin wetsuit	Normal	12 hours	3 people Beginner to Advanced	Epeairs (70 reports),Smacame (8 reports)
Comment: We took our time in the canyon and camped at the spot marked on the map, which was a nice way to break up the day. Road access was fine with a passenger car up until the last 1/4 mile, and we even saw an intrepid civic that made it to the trailhead. You could probably run this without a rope, but I'd at least bring a throw rope in case somebody got stuck in the alcove.
19 Aug 2021	Ok	Low	Thin wetsuit	Easy	9 hours	2 people Advanced	Blueshade (55 reports)
Comment: Look, let's be completely honest here. You'll almost assuredly spend more time on the entry AND exit hikes than in the canyon itself. I just don't see how 5-6hrs+/12mi+ of hiking justifies 5 star ratings for a canyon with a couple of ok rappels and some jumps. We saw no bolt for R1 and anchor potential isn't great. So unless you want to meat anchor people down this is a mandatory ~45' jump or bypass L around. R2's bolt is well out of the flow. We set up an anchor back R to rap in the flow. Or DC to ~40' jump. 12' jump at "exit" boulder. 1-2hrs of creeking with 1-2 optional jumps until the final jump options near the the bridge at the end. Pros: Super clear (blue) water. Not unpleasant creeking/bouldering in the canyon. Some interesting spring features. Lots of potential jumps. Cons: Did I mention twice as much hiking as canyon time for not much going on? We didn't find the final trail until part way down.
13 Jun 2021	Amazing	Moderate	Full wetsuit	Normal	13 hours	6 people Beginner to Advanced	DMonroy (188 reports)
Comment: Perfect day. We went slow and steady due to some new folks, and played at the lower section of jumps and slides. Took a long rest to wait for it to cool off before the long hike out. This canyons would be better done with a bivy near the bridge. There are great campsites there, and you can do the lower section on the hike out day. All the jumps are clean. If you are jump savvy, no rope is needed (60 foot jump though). The water was a little higher than what is pictured by the middle reference picture. In fact, that ;last little pour over pictured had washed one of our group over it head first when she slipped trying to get onto the rock.
10 Sep 2020	Amazing	Low	Full wetsuit	Easy	10 hours	5 people Intermediate to Expert	Michelle (60 reports)
Comment: This canyon was amazing -- we had so much fun in this gorgeous slot despite the fact that it has only 1 or 2 rappels (one person in our group didn't use a rope at all). We spent a lot of time playing and doing the jumps and slides over and over. We hiked in starting at 10:30am and returned to the cars at 8:30pm. Despite doing it on a Thursday, there was a group of 3 men camping at the Palisade Falls who cheered us on as we jumped the final pool over and over. One member of our group jumped from the highest cliff above the pool, which we measured with a rope at 50'. The day was warm but the water very cold (almost brain-freeze cold). Recommend thicker wetsuits like around 5mm. The flow on the reference gauge (not the actual canyon flow) was 65cfs and the water level in the canyon itself was low (still incredibly fun though).
15 Aug 2020	Good	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Easy	14 hours	2 people Advanced	Rodtel314 (36 reports),Sqshemet (75 reports)
Comment: A 40' jump sure is a way to start a canyon. We thoroughly enjoyed this as a lazy weekend trip and bivvied just below the slide (there's also a good jumping spot there). Bolt is intact and knot chock still there. Wished the water was higher, but we intend to come back in higher flow and combine it with Palisade or Lower Royal Gorge. 14 hours of moving, including the hike in and out (with abundant thimbleberry picking).
13 Aug 2017 Trip report	Amazing	Moderate	Full wetsuit	Normal	6 days	4 people Advanced to Expert	Ihiromi (26 reports)