Conditions:Sundance Canyon-20231106162836

Latest:	5 Nov 2023 (29 days ago)

Reported by:	RFontaine (154 reports)
Quality:	Amazing
Waterflow:
Wetsuit:
Water temperature:
Difficulty:
Time:	3 hours

Team: 2 people with experience level Advanced

Trip report URL:

Comments: We did the un-published “sneak approach” down to the final drop, which bypasses the slot. If you know, you know! ;)

Going this way yields 3 rappels to get off the rim and down to the final 180’ bolt station keeping you dry but missing the slot for a completely different experience! Final drop off rim into slot puts you right at the 180’ bolt station is 110’ and very fun! All webbing is in good condition!

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
5 Nov 2023	Amazing				3 hours	2 people Advanced	RFontaine (154 reports)
Comment: We did the un-published “sneak approach” down to the final drop, which bypasses the slot. If you know, you know! ;) Going this way yields 3 rappels to get off the rim and down to the final 180’ bolt station keeping you dry but missing the slot for a completely different experience! Final drop off rim into slot puts you right at the 180’ bolt station is 110’ and very fun! All webbing is in good condition!
5 Jun 2023	Great	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Normal	3 hours	4 people Intermediate to Advanced	AZ Advocate (18 reports)
Comment: Beautiful final rappel with warm water in West clear Creek as a reward. Fantastic canyon.
21 May 2023	Great				5 hours	4 people Advanced	EMoorcroft (330 reports)
Comment: Fun canyon but by no means R rated.
31 Oct 2022	Amazing	Deep pools	Full wetsuit	Normal	6 hours	2 people Advanced	Cooper smith (15 reports)
Comment: Happy Halloween! Very much a treat to run this canyon, only trick is staying warm. Pretty chilly by the end with 2mm shorty under 4/3 full body. Fall colors in full swing. Other than temps, canyon was amazing. Potholes were all full and provided easy escape. All anchors in good shape. Final rap was incredible. Dropping into the amphitheater out of the slot is an awesome feeling. Fish were biting on small flies, hauled out some trash from campsites. Exit was quick and easy after our fishing excursion.
17 Sep 2022	Amazing		Thin wetsuit		3 hours	2 people Advanced	RFontaine (154 reports)
Comment: Such a beautiful canyon with a truly fantastic final rappel! Like a mini Insomnia. Pools are all full to the brim and cold. All are easy to safely control your slide down into. Take your time to enjoy the sculpted rock features you get to the big rap much quicker than you think! Hike out Point Trail is a stair stepper but easy and quick!
5 Sep 2022	Great	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Normal	4 hours	5 people Beginner to Advanced	Stber321 (20 reports)
Comment: All potholes overflowing. The water is high enough that we were able to do a small jump and down climb most of the canyon.
21 Jul 2022	Great	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Normal	3 hours	4 people Beginner to Advanced	Jawx0420 (42 reports)
Comment: Sundance is as beautiful as always! Anchors in good shape. Minor fraying on a strand of the black wedding at the big drop. It's safe and not necessary to replace just yet but bring some extra webbing with you just in case. Did Bear first, used the sneak exit, took a 30 min break for lunch at the top, then ran Sundance. Worst part was taking off the wetsuits and then putting them back on... Lol.
10 Jul 2022	Good	Deep pools	Full wetsuit	Special challenges	4 hours	3 people Expert to Intermediate	Davidsnaz (23 reports)
Comment: There is still plenty of water in the potholes. Ran with a 5mm wetsuit which made the water quite pleasant. Great day and landed at the creek with it all to ourselves. Anchors are in decent shape.
25 Jun 2022	Great		None	Normal	4 hours	2 people Advanced to Intermediate	MRickerd (34 reports)
Comment: We did not bring wetsuits, but you should, we were very cold at last rappel even with temps in the 70's - approach was easy enough - canyon is beautiful - some down climbing - 3 rappels - final is big 180 ft into West Clear Creek - loads of people around at exit - exit is steep but not dangerous
8 May 2022	Amazing	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Normal	4 hours	2 people Beginner to Intermediate	Ben albrecht (4 reports)
Comment: The first rap you could wander into downstream is blue and I should have cleaned it in retro spect. On the strands around the tree is almost cut through. Luckily it’s an easy downclimb from there or stay true to canyon and avoid needing it. The next few spots with webbing are also easily downclimbed. All the jumps are good and deep. The water was cold but not bad! A handful of decent swims and log down climbs. I moved a log into the last keyhole to aid if you wish to downclimb or jump opposed to busting the rope out. The big raps anchor was good and pulled after a good tug!
19 Sep 2021 Trip report	Amazing	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Normal	5 hours	4 people Intermediate to Advanced	Jawx0420 (42 reports)
Comment: What a beautiful canyon! This route is fun and relatively easy. All anchors were in good shape. We did a total of 3 raps although one of them could have been down climbed. The water is cold (as usual) and the pools are full. No issues with escaping. Keep an eye out for a dangerous dead fall tree that is precariously placed. It is located near the middle of the technical section and it is literally standing upside down completely vertical with its root ball up on the top of the canyon wall. As you are crossing a large stable log, the tree is on your right side (RDC) and you will want to grab it to help keep your balance BUT DON'T! It will come down and cause some serious injuries or worse. The last rap is simply amazing! It will always be a favorite. I went out with the girl squad and they all crushed it! They set up all of the rigging and did most of the work. Sounds like they are planning their first all female canyon route! Total time was from car to car. We spent about 1.5 hours relaxing by the creek. We could have easily been done in 3.5 hours had we not stopped.
31 May 2021	Great	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Special challenges	3 hours	4 people Intermediate	Hillbelfi (29 reports)
Comment: Deep cold pools that were close to being potholes - no flowing water. Lots of downed trees but easy to downclimb around. Ended up doing 2 small rappels and a meat anchor to the final large rappel. Great day!
30 Apr 2021	Great	Deep pools	Full wetsuit	Normal	4 hours	3 people Beginner to Intermediate	Nclegg (308 reports)
Comment: After having already hiked in WCC this morning, we intended to complete a short variation of Sundance by dropping in off the rim just before the last couple raps. Gauged this rather poorly and ended up bypassing most of the standard approach but completed the full technical section...so much for that. Webbing all seemed in good condition. Water was very cold and a full wetsuit (at least 4/3 or 5mm) is highly recommended. Multiple frigid swims that'll get your heart pumping. Potholes were all full and we had no issues with escapes but recognized how under the right (wrong) conditions, some could become keepers. A few of the optional rappels can be tackled with either downclimbs or controlled jumps. Last big rap was simply incredible and anchor placement makes for an easy retrieval.
13 Sep 2020	Great	Deep pools	Rain jacket	Normal	2 hours	1 people Advanced	Jec (10 reports)
Comment: Quick day trip from Phoenix area. Water significantly colder than a month ago. Definitely should have packed a wetsuit. No special challenges to speak of. Webbing looked new throughout. Beautiful canyon as always.
30 Aug 2020	Great	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Easy	5 hours	2 people Beginner to Advanced	EMoorcroft (330 reports)
Comment: wore wetsuits for the last few pools before the big rapp. this was good advice from a recent trip report and we were glad we took it. it had rained the night before and there was a descent trickle at the bigg rapp. the most pleasant exit trail we have experienced in quite a while.

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