Yannick Chaigneau at the bottom of Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
Yannick Chaigneau at the top of Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
Yannick Chaigneauin in Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
Within the number of ranges that accompany Death Valley, you will find hundreds of drainage's that
seek the valleys below sea level and around the basins that these ranges respectively fortify.
Yannick Chaigneauin in Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
Within these drainage's you can find hundreds of canyons. Some are non technical, but most are of the technical nature, requiring rope access.
Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
These canyons cut through the mountains to revel amazing metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rock which also might include some hydro thermal activity and evidence to ancient oceans that once occupied this region.
Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
Among these canyons, is a little gem of canyon in the Princess Bridge range called Miracle Max Canyon.
Yannick Chaigneauin in Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
Now, If you have seen the movie "The Princess Bride" than the names of these canyons will make a bit more sense.
Yannick Chaigneauin in Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
Miracle max worked miracles and was a medicine man who was played by Billy Crystal in "The Princess Bride.
Yannick Chaigneauin in Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
The canyon itself has a bit of an approach as it is a total of nine miles, car to car. I recommend combining miracle max with another canyon. We combined Miracle Max with Buttercup canyon in a day.
Yannick Chaigneauin descending one of the raps in Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
The technical portion is only around a half mile and we found the 4 raps encountered to be less than 200ft.
Yannick Chaigneauin Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
The raps were described to us as up to 150ft in length but please refer to www.ropewiki.com for more accurate information.
looking over the edge in Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
We made our approach in great winter death valley conditions and hiked to the top of the mountain and down into the Miracle max wash in about 2 hours.
Yannick Chaigneauin in Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
The swirling walls of ripped limestone were amazing to see and appeared to be bent and molded into a circular like manner.
Yannick Chaigneauin Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
This canyon was short but absolutely worth the run. I think it was the most interesting canyon we did that weekend.
Yannick Chaigneauin descending Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |
Make sure you look back at the canyon when you exit.
Yannick Chaigneauin at the bottom of Miracle Max Canyon. Death Valley National Park, California |