Conditions:Telephone Canyon-20201028200328
Latest: |
17 Oct 2020 (4 yrs, 7 mos ago) |
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| Reported by: | Willie92708 (997 reports) | |
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| Quality: | Great |
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| Waterflow: | Dry |
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| Wetsuit: | None |
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| Water temperature: | ||
| Difficulty: | Special challenges |
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| Time: |  11 hours
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Team: 6 people
Trip report URL:
Comments: We started with a special challenge, since we had a young beginner canyoneer and father along, who gave her top belays on the long drops. She also managed to get her hair caught in her rappel device on one drop, but that was quickly remedied by dropping a bight and hauling her up a foot or so. Also, the canyon has numerous awkward rappels: starts, V troughs, anchor under chock-stones, etc. which took plenty of extra time. We rebuilt some anchor and even ghosted some one spot just to make it easier for the group. Overall this made for a long day, considering the approach gains around 3000 feet vertical from the Grotto bus stop.
The canyon itself has amazing features and plenty of variety of drops and downclimbs. Plenty of stuff to keep even expert group busy for a few hours. Most all the webbing is fine; there are numerous old bolts that seems secure enough, except one Petzl Long-life that is stick way out, but there are 3 bolts in that location.
All condition reports
| Date | Quality | Waterflow | Wetsuit | Difficulty | Time | Team | Reported by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great | | | |  7 hours
| 4 people Advanced | RFontaine (276 reports) | |
Comment: A really enjoyable canyon with plenty of fun rappels and neat features throughout, easily accessible right off the trail.
We opted to leave a shuttle and approach from Lava point for something different after hiking up from the Grotto multiple times for other canyons days prior. I really enjoy hiking West Rim from Lava, very pretty up top, easy hiking, and nice views! Not to mention slightly cooler temps! It took us 3hrs to get to the canyon from Lava. At the drop in, the cairn anchor had hornets in the pool below it so we chose the bolts DCR dropping 15’ to a ledge below where we re rigged off a tree for a very nice 120’ free hang into the slot! All water in slot avoidable with some fun stemming! Lots of downclimbs, a few long cracky ones that were pretty fun! Took us 2.5hrs for the canyon and the short hike back out to West Rim. Once back out on West Rim, we hiked a little ways then took my “short cut” down an 840’ big wall to get back to the shuttle bus below. Total time 7 hours.
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| Great | Dry
| None
| Normal  | 8 hours
| 4 people Intermediate | Celes (28 reports) | |
Comment: A few water potholes in the canyon but all avoidable. Then stemming between rap 1 and 2 is bit of a pain for people with less core strength but doable. Recommend early start (7am-ish) so the approach is mostly in shade.
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| Great | Dry
| None
| Normal | 7 hours
| 2 people Advanced to Intermediate | MRickerd (37 reports) | |
Comment: Picked up permits that morning, hopped on the shuttle, and hiked diligently to the approach. Definitely a strenuous hike from the Grotto to Telephone Canyon trail if you aren't a good hiker. Hauled up one 90m 8mm rope and one 70m 9.2mm rope.
Stopped for snacks at top of canyon. Stone in the watercourse looked solid, rapped off of smaller piles of rock before. The raps are in quick succession. Puffy jackets and hoodies, changing as needed, kept us plenty warm in the cold air. One tricky rope pull, requiring scrambling up and LDC to make the pull easier. Tricky rap starts, but nothing too extreme for the two of us. One downclimb section that was steep. One bag slipped and got wet in ankle high puddle at the bottom. Final anchor was easily reachable. The Toms Canyoneering book said it was too high to reach, but rocks must have fallen, as it is chest level now. Rangers were surprised we were doing this canyon, due to hard approach, but it was spectacular. The hike down was tiring, but easier. Lots of comments from others asking about where we were rock climbing.
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| Great | Dry
| None
| Special challenges | 11 hours
| 6 people | Willie92708 (997 reports) | |
Comment: We started with a special challenge, since we had a young beginner canyoneer and father along, who gave her top belays on the long drops. She also managed to get her hair caught in her rappel device on one drop, but that was quickly remedied by dropping a bight and hauling her up a foot or so. Also, the canyon has numerous awkward rappels: starts, V troughs, anchor under chock-stones, etc. which took plenty of extra time. We rebuilt some anchor and even ghosted some one spot just to make it easier for the group. Overall this made for a long day, considering the approach gains around 3000 feet vertical from the Grotto bus stop.
The canyon itself has amazing features and plenty of variety of drops and downclimbs. Plenty of stuff to keep even expert group busy for a few hours. Most all the webbing is fine; there are numerous old bolts that seems secure enough, except one Petzl Long-life that is stick way out, but there are 3 bolts in that location. | |||||||
| Good | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||
| | | | | Candition.com (287 reports) | |||
Comment: Most recent conditions reported at Candition.com, see Trip Report for full details.
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| Great | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||
| Amazing | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||
| Great | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||
| Poor | Dry
| None
| Normal | 10 hours
| 4 people Intermediate to Expert | NeonBlueDecember (11 reports) | |
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| Great | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||
| Great | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||
| Ok | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||
| Amazing | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||
| Great | | | | | CanditionBot (2103 reports) | ||