Cottam's Cabin Crack
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| | Difficulty:3A III PG (v4a1 I) Raps:5, max ↨130ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:High Clearance Rock type:Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Any
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WaterflowIntroduction[edit]
Looking for more fun near hidden splendor airstrip? This is a fun loop canyon from the hidden splendor trailhead that comes out right above the miner's cabin. It is also great ending to knotted rope canyon if you are going up knotted rope. You can run it as a shuttle or not. Just depends on your mood and the temperature and how much you want to hike.
Approach[edit]
The easiest approach that can be done anytime of the year is the approach for knotted rope canyon from the top down.
Basically, you park at the trailhead 12S 506945mE 4270020mN. From the trailhead, follow the old fading mining road as it makes it's way up the hill to a notch in the cliffs. Just inside the notch is a small bowl (this canyon is Quandary Canyon). Toward the end of the bowl, look on your right (southwest) for a steep gully with a large boulder at the top. Climb the steep gully, crawling under the large boulder (class 4), and emerging from the other side near the top of the mesa. The route through the boulder is called Wayne's Wiggle, presumably after the person who first ascended it.
Go west/southwest to the rim of the cliffs. This section provides amazing views into Muddy Creek and the interior of the Swell. Follow the escarpment about 15-20 minutes to the head of Knotted Rope Canyon. Follow the map carefully, as several groups have dropped into the small drainage before Knotted Rope and ended up back in Quandary Canyon. As you make your way to Knotted Rope and start down Knotted Rope, you'll notice old mining pipe and other ruins littered about. These were used in the 1950's in an attempt to pump water up to the mesa from Muddy Creek.
About 20 minutes down Knotted Rope the canyon narrows and you arrive at the start of the canyon (most of the above was taken verbatim from Road Trip Ryan). Once you reach the way point 38 33 29 N 110 56 40 W look to your right and there is a 4th class scramble to the top of the mesa. Once you reach the top its a short stroll straight ahead to the start of the crack.
The alternate way is to park at the hidden splendor trailhead and gown down the muddy and up knotted rope canyon. Once you are finished with the potholes you will reach the starting waypoint. Then it is a fun scramble and five repels and a short back to your car. The perfect loop on a warm summer day.
Descent[edit]
R1 on the left approximately 80 ft. R2 on the left approximately 120 ft R3 on the right approximately 130 ft. R4 in the center approximately 100 ft R5 on the left approximately 60 feet
Exit[edit]
After the last repel zig zag your way down the boulders till you reach the cabin. It is a short stroll back to the hidden splendor airstrip parking.
Red tape[edit]
No permits required.
Beta sites[edit]
Road Trip Ryan has useful waypoints for knotted rope canyon. If you going from the top and skipping Knotted Rope use the start of knotted rope in Road Trip Ryan. If you are going up Knotted Rope use parking at hidden splendor airstrip and use this canyon to go right back to your vehicle.