Wild Side Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3B III (v3a1 III) Raps:4-6, max ↨120ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Required Vehicle:High Clearance Watercraft:Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 28 Feb 2024
"We approached from Boy Scout TH, going up this side canyon (35.9798, -114.7540) and around the top of "Bolt Me Daddy." Be aware that there is a clif |
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| Best season: | Autumn to Spring
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35.9900, -114.7477
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Introduction[edit]
Miners first discovered this canyon mine prospecting and left remains along the way. A short but fun narrow canyon that drops rapidly to the Colorado River. Do not enter this canyon if you do not have the knowledge to entirely inspect and replace anchorage. Do not assume anchorage is prepared to hold any load bearing weight upon your arrival. Bring anchorage replacement material and be prepared to replace all anchorage. This canyon floods and becomes hot. The sunbaked and worn webbing can break. Inspect and Replace all anchorage.
Approach[edit]
Approach is from Gold Strike Canyon. There is a break along the way that takes you up a 4th class scramble to a saddle where you get great views of the river and the bridge. You will have to pick your way down a steep slickrock slope by heading right.
Descent[edit]
Once in the canyon you will head into some narrow corridors and find 6 raps up to 120 ft. A couple raps are overhung, and all of the raps have webbing. Do not place bolts in the canyon. You will notice miners placed eye bolts in the canyon when they prospected through the region in the past. Eventually you will come to a beautiful hot spring aquafer discharge where hanging gardens with hot spring water rain down. One cavern you can enter and it will rain hot spring water just like a shower. walk a short distance to the river, inflate your packraft and head for your exit.
Exit[edit]
Options for exit include a short float to nearby Boyscout Canyon with hotsprings and an engaging 4th/5th class scramble up, or Secret Canyon for less gain/distance but against the river's current.
Red tape[edit]
Do not place bolts in this canyon or any canyon. Bring webbing and Rapides to change anchorage. You must have a USCG approved raft and PFD. have a shuttle car set up at the secret canyon or boyscout trailhead if you are using those exits.
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
https://www.stavislost.com/hikes/trail/wild-side-canyon : Stav is Lost - Jan 19, 2024
Background[edit]
Originally and still known as Emery Canyon by the first known complete descent in 2013. Murl Emery was a legendary riverman of the Colorado during the Hoover Dam construction era. http://www.hooverdamnotes.com/murl-emery.html. There is also an amazing biography of his life entitled "Desert Riverman: The Free-Spirited Adventures of Murl Emery" a phenomenal read.
