SHEEPBONE-QUARRY CANYON LOOP. LAKE MEAD, NEVADA
January 02, 2017
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| Sunset overlook Lake Mead, Nevada |
Top of the new year and a great way to get the year started, canyoneering! The night before Laura and I grabbed some of the best buffet we have ever had a feast, played the casino a bit, and watched a movie before heading home early to avoid the money pit that the strip turns into
its like that all the time but you can almost add another zero to every price tag for new years and in a blink of an eye 100 dollars is spent.
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| Descending quarry Canyon. Lake Mead, Nevada. |
Anyway, we went our separate ways as she had a day off on Monday so while she headed out to Joshua tree, I headed over the desert near Lake Mead to visit a straightforward canyon loop called Sheepbone-Quarry Canyon.
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| Descending quarry Canyon. Lake Mead, Nevada. |
I parked halfway in-between both of the canyons valley washes so I could reduce the walk a bit and cut diagonally through the desert to reach the head of Sheepbone canyon.
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| Sheepbone canyon. Lake Mead, Nevada |
Sheepbone canyon had a series of climbs that were straightforward and fixed with ropes. The ropes appeared to be in fair condition but will need to be replaced soon. There is some webbing that had some abrasion and cuts that should be replaced in 2017.
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| Descending quarry Canyon. Lake Mead, Nevada. |
The canyon climbs up around 600ft weaving through this, almost volcanic mineralized rock to a saddle where you soon descend down into Quarry Canyon
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| Sheepbone canyon. Lake Mead, Nevada |
Along the way, you will encounter a few bones and a leg of a adolescent sheep hoof with fur which is where I am assuming the name " Sheepbone" canyon comes from .
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| Sheepbone canyon. Lake Mead, Nevada |
I started to descend down Quarry canyon you will encounter 7-8 raps, some of them are down climbable, but most you should rap from. Isn't that why we are in this canyon anyway?
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| Sheepbone canyon. Lake Mead, Nevada |
The raps are up to 80ft in length and I was able to use my 100ft rope for most of the drops, except for the last drop which required a bit more.
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| Descending quarry Canyon 5th rap 50ft. Lake Mead, Nevada. |
I give this canyon a 3AII for is dry straightforwardness and beginner friendly with leadership capability.
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| Descending quarry Canyon first rap 30ft. Lake Mead, Nevada. |
I think that there are some tour companies that take their customers to this canyon but I am not sure. I wouldn't blame them for the relative ease of access and technical challenge. You also get some views of Lake Mead which is nice.
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| Descending quarry Canyon. Lake Mead, Nevada. |
This took around 3 hours for me to complete, car to car, and it is worth a visit if you are in the Lake Mead area.
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| Descending quarry Canyon last rap 80ft. Lake Mead, Nevada. |
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