Foxtrot Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3A III (v3a1 III) Raps:2-4, max ↨30ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 20 Nov 2024
"We were excited to get back out to the Fish Creek area now that Apache Trail is repaired. Very scenic area with great views, tall cliffs, and beautifu |
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| Best season: | winter, spring, fall
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33.5435, -111.3100
33.5331, -111.3141
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Nearby photosIntroduction
An interesting canyon with shallow narrows and many chutes to downclimb, a few short rappels and a fun cave.
From Phoenix, drive east on the US 60, then east on state route 88. From Tortilla Flat, continue for 9.5 miles (becomes mostly well-graded dirt) to park at a large pullout on the left by Fish Creek.
Approach
Park at Fish Creek Vista. The Apache Trail is closed to vehicles beyond this point due to rockfall and road damage. (Note: Apache Trail is reopened as of September 2024)
Recommend referencing KML track.
From the car park follow the road a short distance beyond the closure, then cut left down into a drainage that will bring you directly to Fish Creek. The drainage is nontechnical, quite clean, and has a few easy downclimbs. Once at the creek, head a short distance upstream until you reach the approach gully. The further you make it up this route, the more likely it becomes that you will start finding one of a few faint game trails that lead up between the cliffs on your left and the drainage below you on your right - follow this steep path all the way to the top. Access to the other canyons in the area continue north past this saddle, but for Foxtrot Canyon, head left and southwest along the ridge of the saddle, then along the cliffs to find a point to drop down below to access the upper section of the drainage.
Note: Alternatively, you may approach by hiking the closed section of road from the vista down to Fish Creek (2+ miles) and then downstream a ways until you reach the base of the gully, but this option is less direct, less engaging, and will add about an hour to the total trip time (each way).
Descent
Follow the drainage as it heads west (oddly marshy on my visit) until the brush and grasses give way to a shallow, curvy slot. Many sloping cute downclimbs must be negotiated in this upper section of varying degrees of height and steepness. The last downclimb is the highest (15-20 feet) and steepest and some may wish to rig for a rappel from a chockstone boulder at the top of this drop. The canyon opens a bit after this and more easy downclimbs take you deeper into the canyon until you encounter the first rappel.
R1: 25 feet off a tree.
At the bottom of this drop is a cool crack/cave feature RDC. Use extreme caution if choosing to enter the cave, as the entrance is made up of not entirely sturdy boulders, which are not too difficult to imagine being loosed into collapse. The cave entry is located behind an angled tree that has some of its roots exposed by the cave, head past the roots and down into the upper chamber to find a small hole in the floor that allows access to continue deeper into the cave. You will have to remove your pack to fit through this hole and it is very dark; you may want to bring headlamps if attempting this route. Once through the hole you are lead around a corner to find that the cave opens into a long, brightly lit tunnel that climbs down to open again to the base of the second rappel. Be careful not to bump into any bats snoozing on the ceiling!
If not entering the cave:
R2: 30 feet off tree RDC.
Once out of the cave (or at the bottom of the second rappel), continue down canyon past an interesting, big alcove on the left. From here the canyon opens and leads through the brush and boulders to eventually reach Fish Creek. Just before reaching the creek, it appears as though you may need to rappel at a steep section, but it is not much trouble to scramble down this steep section on the right all the way to the creek.
Exit
Head left (south) to follow Fish Creek back to the approach / exit drainage.
Red tape
Beta sites
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WildPathsAZ.com : Foxtrot Canyon
