Hodge-Podge Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3A II (v3a1 II) Raps:2-4, max ↨80ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 1 mile Vehicle:4WD - High Clearance Rock type:Conglomerate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 27 Dec 2025
"It had rained the night before, so small puddles of water were present. All of it was avoidable except for the first rappel. We downclimbed a bit LDC |
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| Best season: | Oct-Mar
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36.0017, -117.1964
35.9980, -117.1960
36.0014, -117.2100
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Introduction
A short, scenic canyon with conglomerate rock . . . and stuff that didn't quite get to solidify into rock.
Worth doing for an easy, short excursion.
Requires high clearance 4x4 with skid plates.
Approach
From Ballarat ghost town, drive south on a graded unpaved road about 3.8 miles to South Park Canyon Road. If you only have a Subaru or similar, drive as far as you feel comfortable up this road. Park exit vehicle about 1/2 mile up road.
Drive shuttle vehicle about 1 mile up.
Contour over to head of the canyon.
Descent
Optional R1: is actually a moderate downclimb down a sloped chute in reddish-brown swirled rock
Conglomerate rock layer starts.
R2 20 feet, anchored with retrievable rigging on a big rock
R3 50 feet from a cairn anchor. Drops down a vertical chute
Optional R4 20 feet from a cairn or downclimb.
Nice narrows.
Exit
When you exit into a wash, find easy use trail on left back up to your vehicle, 10 minutes.
Red tape
BLM lands managed by Ridgecrest Field Office
Beta sites
Trip reports and media
First Descent exploration Trip Report 12-12-18:
https://www.facebook.com/scott.swaney/media_set?set=a.10156134174662930.1073742444.668617929&type=3
Background
First Descent exploration completed 2-12-18 by Scott Swaney and team (see trip report above)