Venom Canyon

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Venom Canyon Canyoneering Canyoning Caving
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Venom Canyon Banner.jpg

Difficulty:3A I (v3a1 III)
Raps:‌5-6, max ↨100ft
Metric
Overall:2h ⟷1.9mi
Approach:20min ⟷0.5mi ↓200ft
Descent:1.5h ⟷0.4mi ↓400ft
Exit:30min ⟷1mi ↑100ft
Shuttle:Required 3mi
Vehicle:Passenger
Rock type:Sandstone
Start:
Parking:
Shuttle:
Condition Reports:

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Weather:
Best season:
Sep-Apr
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Regions:

Introduction[edit]

Venom is an ok short canyon and good in combination with another one of these short canyons in the area. With the car shuttle, Venom has a great approach and relatively quick trail return with great views of the Grand Junction valley. The rappels are mediocre with a few CNM awkward edge starts that seem typical of these canyons on the north side of the CNM sandstone formation.

Venom is on the eastern side of Colorado National Monument (Parks Pass required).

Approach[edit]

Park at the Devil's Kitchen Picnic Area, which is open 7:30am-8pm or the Devil's Kitchen Trailhead across the street.

Drive uphill from the Devil's Kitchen parking turn offs on Monument Road and drop a shuttle vehicle 3 miles up the switchbacks and through the tunnel to the top of the Monument. Park at (39.03319, -108.65056), which is the start of a flat, straight part of the road before the Cold Shivers pull out.

Hike northeast along the ridge to the east of Columbus Canyon to the first rappel at (39.03811, -108.64662)

  • View west into Columbus Canyon from the approach ridge
  • Descent[edit]

    R1: 100' from a tree DCC over a two tier drop with some avoidable poison ivy at the bottom. It looks possible to walk off the landing tier DCR.

    R2: 55' from a tree

    DC 5' between R2 and R3

    R3: 70' from a tree DCL with an awkward start and an awkward shelf to rappel past

    R4: 100' from a tree DCR

    R5: 100' from a tree DCL. A focused, but reasonable scree downclimb follows the rappel. It could be possible to continue rappelling with a longer rope.

    DC DCR to get back into the drainage.

    DC DCL to bypass the dryfall in the drainage

    Walk down a final low angle slab full of small potholes cutting through the hogback

    Exit[edit]

    Turn right on the trail next to the private property fence line heading back toward the Devil's Kitching Picnic area.

  • Trail next to property line fence
  • Red tape[edit]

    A National Park's pass or a Colorado National Monument entrance fee is required.

    Beta sites[edit]

    Trip reports and media[edit]

    Previously descended.
    2024-09 beta added to ropewiki by Ira Lewis from a descent with Wayne Herrick

    Background[edit]

    Credits

    Information provided by automated processes. KML map by (unknown). Main photo by (unknown). Authors are listed in chronological order.

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