GARDEN CREEK CANYON 3CIV, GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
October 08, 2017
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| Andy Orr coming down the 400ft waterfall in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
Garden Creek Canyon is a C class technical canyoneering route that is located within the depths of the south Bright Angel trail in the Heart of the Grand Canyon.
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| the top of Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
This short but beautiful canyon has flowing water all year and makes for a
incredible and unique experience within the within the tall list of Gran Canyoneering routes. Garden Creek becomes quite the waterpark when the gage is lifted and water is allowed to flow through the canyon with some increased flow and good times.
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| The crew going into Garden Creek Canyon |
We started out in the Coconino National forest and headed out around 5:30AM to the trailhead so we could get a good parking spot and be on our way down the South Bright Angel Trail.
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| Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
The weather was perfect, a nice cool breeze in the morning and sunny throughout the day with no chance of rain. I highly recommend checking the weather conditions to see if there is a chance of rain as it could become troublesome in this canyon.
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| Danielle Monroy in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
When we entered the head of the canyon, Pat Winstanly, Danielle Monroy, Zach Hopp, Tiffanie Lin, and the rest of the crew came down. Jennifer Harvey, John Hudlen, and another crew came by shortly after we started our route down.
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| Heather at the bottom of the first 150 ft waterfall in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
We donned our wetsuits and worked our way down into some of the downclimbs which took us to the first rappel which was around 60ft using a pinch point DCL.
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| Pat Winstanley in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
Before heading into this canyon, please check the exact route data so you can be prepared. Beta and anchor points might change from when this was written.
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| Pat Winstanley in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
The remaining drops are bolted but bring extra webbing and rings just in case. We brought 2 ropes that were 200ft in length as well as a 200ft pull cord and another 80ft of rope.
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| Andy in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
We came up to a drop that was around 150ft in length with a series of swirling waterfall chutes that reminded me of a water park waterslide. It was absolutely fantastic!
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| Heather going down the 400ft waterfall in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. |
There was a series of 5 small falls to work around and slide down on-rope that took us to a large ledge with trees and a pool of water.
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| Danielle and Zach in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
The next drop was the 400ft waterfall drop which was broken up into (2) 200ft drops. It is very helpful and highly recommended to have (2) 200ft ropes for this sequence as the rap station can only hold around 2 people.
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| Danielle and Zach in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
The water and the views were dramatic and impressive. We were also in the shade for most of the time until we got out of the canyon.
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| Danielle in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
When rapping down the first segment in the 400 the water pressure is super impressive and dramatic! The watercourse bends right down canyon and on the wall you will see another chain of bolts which is where the next rap station is secured.
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| Pat in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
Set up another 200ft rope here and continue your way down to the bottom of the second falls.
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| Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
The second section of the 400 is more of a bridal veil falls as the water slides down the wall to a pool at the bottom.
The water course was beautiful and some of the best C class canyoneering that I have seen in the southwest.
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| Tiffanie Lin coming down the 400ft waterfall in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
We took our turns working our way down the raps and eventually we all made it down without any incident.
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| Tiffanie Lin in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
There was another waterslide that took us to another anchor which was another 150ft drop through another section of swirling waterslide narrows and impressive meandering waterflow.
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| Pat Winstanley going down in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
The last drop was around 80ft to the the last pool where you can go up and around a ledge to climb down where the canyon ended.
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| Heather at the last rap in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
What an incredible canyon and a impressive day trip in the grand canyon. There are not many of them but for the few that exist, they are awesome!
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| Pat and Tiffanie in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
The tax is a 4900ft ascent back up to the rim with your wet gear. My pack must have weighed at least 40 lbs with all of the gear and wet material in my bag but we clocked in at around 12 hours and 30 minutes, car to car.
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| Danielle Monroy in Garden Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
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