Flavor 1 - Miner's Canyon Direct

This adventure has the same beginning as Quandry Canyon. The hike begins by going West from the parking area up the wash toward the V-notch between the two mountain peaks. Work your way up the top of the wash and boulders. Here you will take a hard left and then up the old mining trail to the saddle pass (see picture right). This is the entrance into Quandry Canyon.

Follow the wash down until it veers left and narrows. At this point you will go straight up a gully which has a large rock blocking the top. Work your way up the gully (tough climbing, but not difficult). Now work your way around the rock blocking the gully to a fairly steep chimney. This is called Wayne's Wiggle. This is a difficult, but not impossible climb, for beginners and will take you about 60 - 90 minutes depending on the size and ability of your team. If you have apprehensive members in your team, send an experienced climber to set up a belay for the others.

Once at the top of the chimney you will turn right and follow the ridge directly to the edge. What a beautiful view. The majesty of the Swell is revealed and you will understand why this is truly a place to behold.

Time to move on. Follow the edge of the rim to the West (left). If you go far enough you will come to some sandstone towers. However, you don't want to go that far. About a 1/4 mile before reaching the towers you will venture South (left) to the head of Miner's Canyon. As you continue down you will eventually come to an old mining work area. There are several old shacks and an old iron pipe laying around the locale. Follow the pipe toward the towers and move down the ramp toward the canyon floor.

Once you are at the sandy canyon floor you are quickly swallowed up by the steep canyon walls. The first few potholes can be bypassed by climbing to the left. About a 33 yards or so of climbing and traversing passed the potholes you will drop back down into the canyon.

Now comes the real business, the real pothole section. So, put on your wetsuit (if you need one) and let's thrash! The potholes, for the most part, are not real difficult or technical. Some are deep, but most are shallow. Keep in mind that some of the deeper potholes will be difficult to get out of if not full of water. So, have a good plan before you go in. A good pothole escape kit is always a good thing to have in this situation. Additionally, this canyon gets extremely narrow, so large people will have difficulty passing through.

After you have conquered the potholes the canyon opens back up and is a fairly easy, but still challenging, trek the rest of the way. So, don't relax yet, the work's not over.

As you continue down Miner's Canyon you will come to a steep chute. Carefully work your way down the canyon staying to the left. Towards the bottom you will cross over to the right side. This section ends going right. Do not go right. Instead look for a trail directly ahead. Once at the top of the trail, turn right and follow the ridge and eventually to the bottom.

Muddy Creek is now on your right. Slog your way up Muddy Creek Gorge and back to either where you left a car at Hidden Splendor or the parking area at the beginning of your trek.

Flavor 2 - Miner's Canyon Ridgewalk

Bring your camera and get ready for one of the best views in the Swell. Miner's Canyon Ridgewalk is an interesting and beautiful adventure that you will enjoy from beginning to end. No matter what time of the year, however, summer is just darn miserable in the heat, this is a great route with a little of everything except those dreaded potholes. This is a fun one. It has some climbing, chimneying, scrambling, an awesome view of the San Rafael Swell and Muddy Creek Gorge, long 150' rappel, invigorating traverses and stimulating down climbs.

This adventure has the same beginning as Miner's Canyon. The hike begins by going West from the parking area up the wash toward the V-notch between the two mountain peaks. Work your way up the top of the wash and boulders. Here you will take a hard left and then up the old mining trail to the saddle pass. This is the entrance into Quandry Canyon.

Follow the wash down until it veers left and narrows. At this point you will go straight up a gully which has a large rock blocking the top. Work your way up the gully (tough climbing, but not difficult). Now work your way around the rock blocking the gully to a fairly steep chimney. This is called Wayne's Wiggle. This is a difficult, but not impossible climb, for beginners and will take you about 60 - 90 minutes depending on the size and ability of your team. If you have apprehensive members in your team, send an experienced climber to set up a belay for the others.

Once at the top of the chimney you will turn right and follow the ridge directly to the edge. What a beautiful view. The majesty of the Swell is revealed and you will understand why this is truly a place to behold.

Time to move on. Follow the edge of the rim to the West (left). If you go far enough you will come to some sandstone towers. However, you don't want to go that far. About a 1/4 mile before reaching the towers you will venture South (left) to the head of Miner's Canyon. As you continue down you will eventually come to an old mining work area. There are several old shacks and an old iron pipe laying around the locale. Follow the pipe toward the towers and move down the ramp toward the canyon floor.

This is where the Ridgewalk and the Quandry Canyon pothole adventure separate.

As you come down the ramp, stay to the right close to the canyon wall. Look for a somewhat smooth wall and a notch in the canyon wall at the top. Ascend the wall (difficult, but not impossible for beginners). If you have apprehensive members in your team, send an experienced climber who can set up a belay for the rest of the team.

From here you will follow the ridge down and to the left until you come to another notch. Continue left, traversing on to the edge of the canyon. Persist traversing left down past the next gully and into a bowl area. Now it's time to climb up a ridge toward a white colored peak. Pass the peak and you will find yourself in a somewhat small canyon. Follow this until you come to a steeper gully. Continue through the gully to a location at the edge of the rim for a striking view of Muddy Creek Gorge.

Move across the top of the gully onto the ridge. This is a little undaunting and exposed, but not that difficult. Traverse along the ridge and look for a way down on your left to the canyon floor. Traverse some more and descend a steep gully. You will find a large boulder with a sling which you will rappel off of down just above Miner's Canyon. Now, just walk down to the main canyon floor, this is just below the last of the potholes near the end of the canyon.

Don't relax yet, the work's not over.

As you continue down Miner's Canyon you will come to a steep chute. Carefully work your way down the canyon staying to the left. Towards the bottom you will cross over to the right side. This section ends going right. Do not go right. Instead look for a trail directly ahead. Once at the top of the trail, turn right and follow the ridge and eventually to the bottom.

Muddy Creek is now on your right. Slog your way up Muddy Creek Gorge and back to either where you left a car at Hidden Splendor or the parking area at the beginning of your trek.

Flavor 3 - Overlook

coming soon