Canyoneering Middle Fork Lytle Creek
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:18 pm
Yesterday, I joined a group of 10 to canyoneer the Middle Fork of Lytle Creek. On the way to the drop in, we ran across patches of snow along the trail but nothing major. The day was sunny and temperate. We found 4 drops of approximately 160', 110', 80' and 60'. On the first drop our landing spot was a large hard snow bank. Plenty of ice on the rock. On the two longest drops with beautiful flowing waterfalls, we set up guidelines to avoid getting soaked.
To avoid the waterfall on the longest drop, we had to set up a 25' handline to get down to a small tree where we built the first anchor; from there, we rapped down about 40' to the only convenient tree on the wall to set up a second anchor. We also rigged a guideline here that would take us over a frigid pool about 30' across. Unrigging from the first rap rope to rig into the second and to the guideline got a little tricky and awkward because there was virtually no place to stand at the second anchor.
This is definitely a beautiful canyon and worth another visit. But the rockfall is nasty. Me and 2 others nearly got taken out at the bottom of the first drop. The sound of whizzing rocks is awful. The hike to the drop in was an easy 1 and 1/2 hour stroll.
To avoid the waterfall on the longest drop, we had to set up a 25' handline to get down to a small tree where we built the first anchor; from there, we rapped down about 40' to the only convenient tree on the wall to set up a second anchor. We also rigged a guideline here that would take us over a frigid pool about 30' across. Unrigging from the first rap rope to rig into the second and to the guideline got a little tricky and awkward because there was virtually no place to stand at the second anchor.
This is definitely a beautiful canyon and worth another visit. But the rockfall is nasty. Me and 2 others nearly got taken out at the bottom of the first drop. The sound of whizzing rocks is awful. The hike to the drop in was an easy 1 and 1/2 hour stroll.