Falling Rock Canyon (Sugarloaf Peak)

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 4:00 pm

How would descending the entirety of Falling Rock Canyon from Ontario Peak be right now? Anything above class 3? Any steep ice?

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:12 pm

Ok, I'll go have a look tomorrow.

Post by **HikeUp** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:15 pm

Dunno if you've seen this info on FRC or not.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:23 pm

Can't comment on snow conditions, but I have gone down FRC from OP during the summer. No Class 3 in the upper and middle part of the canyon. There are two waterfalls just like Brennen describes, but they were easily bypassed by going to the side. With snow, it might not even be an issue since it could be mainly filled in. Then again it might also be hard to spot the dropoff--dunno. Anyhow, good luck and be safe! FRC had a fatality 2 years ago almost to the day.

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:44 pm

HikeUp wrote:Dunno if you've seen this info on FRC or not.

Thanks.

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:45 pm

Tim wrote:FRC had a fatality 2 years ago almost to the day.

What happened?

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:03 pm

http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=35987
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stor ... e08bf.html
http://www.rimoftheworld.net/columns/neufeld/breaking

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:09 pm

Where exactly in Falling Rock Canyon was that unfortunate guy climbing?

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:28 pm

Not sure exactly, but I spoke to a SAR person who was on the body recovery team and she said it wasn't that far up the canyon.

LD · Post by LD » Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:14 pm

Sam,
Did the FRC to Sugarloaf, Ontario, Bighorn loop this morning. Can’t tell you about conditions in FRC past the saddle though. Once you get past the first waterfall there’s a snow tongue all the way up to the Sugarloaf saddle and beyond. Class 2 at most. Didn’t need crampons after the first hour. Snow was perfect for edging. A cruise compared to when there’s no snow.As the day went on snow soften up quite a bit. I imagine tomorrow it will be even softer as it’s supposed to get hotter. Pretty windy today which was nice as it kept temps down.

Lyn

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:33 pm

Thanks for your response, Lyn. You must have followed our tracks from Friday all the way up to the summit of Ontario Peak. Did you see our tracks heading down the west ridge of Ontario Peak?

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:38 pm

LD wrote:Sam,
Did the FRC to Sugarloaf, Ontario, Bighorn loop this morning.
Lyn

Hey Lyn, was that you on the Bighorn-Ontario ridge that relayed that message to me? I was the guy who was separated from my friends and digging a snow pit.

LD · Post by LD » Sat Mar 13, 2010 8:20 pm

Sam Page wrote:Thanks for your response, Lyn. You must have followed our tracks from Friday all the way up to the summit of Ontario Peak. Did you see our tracks heading down the west ridge of Ontario Peak?

Yeah, I saw that. I've been eying that SW ridge. Thinking of starting from stoddard flats though and coming down FRC. I thought someone beat me to it. How far did you go? I looked with my binos and it didn't look like the tracks continued on too far down the ridgeline.

Hey Tim, if I knew that was you I would have stayed longer and conversed

How'd the snow pit turn out?

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:48 pm

LD wrote:Hey Tim, if I knew that was you I would have stayed longer and conversed How'd the snow pit turn out?

Yeah, it would have been cool to hear about your extreme hikes

It wasn't much of a real pit. I didn't have the proper tools to do any tests and I was just keeping busy until my friends returned. I dug the pit to just look at the layers. Everything seemed pretty well bonded but I'm new at this so don't take my word for it!

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:54 pm

LD wrote:I've been eying that SW ridge. Thinking of starting from stoddard flats though and coming down FRC. I thought someone beat me to it. How far did you go? I looked with my binos and it didn't look like the tracks continued on too far down the ridgeline.

We climbed the drainage in between Cherry Canyon and Kerkhoff Canyon. Here is my trip report.

vbmatloff · Post by **vbmatloff** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:52 pm

I'm planning on hiking down Falling Rock Canyon tomorrow from the Ontario Peak Trail. Does anyone have anything specific that I should be aware of, or watch out for? Maybe like stay to the south over a certain portion, or whatever?

Thanks for any advice.

Dave G · Post by **Dave G** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 7:41 pm

I was out that way last weekend, but followed the ridge down to the Ontario-Sugarloaf saddle and took the fun scree run down to FRC. The waterfall above that point is flowing, but everything below is dry.

The only things to watch out for are the Stinging Nettles

and, of course, falling rocks

. FRC is always a fun route--all year 'round!

vbmatloff · Post by **vbmatloff** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 7:52 pm

Thanks Dave, that is the route we decided on, too - the HPS way. Should be pretty hot tomorrow

, so some water would have been ok

I appreciate the tips, I'll watch out for the Nettles and of course the rock - hopefully I can run faster tan the rock can fall

Funyan005 · Post by **Funyan005** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 3:34 pm

Was thinking of going up to sugarloaf then taking the ridge to Ontario. Anyone know conditions of it?

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 10:00 pm

I just descended Falling Rock Canyon in its entirety today. Very roughly -- the bottom half is dry and the top half is covered in consolidated snow. I only saw the top of Sugarloaf Ridge, and it was covered.

The route to the top of Sugarloaf via FRC looked completely dry.

LD · Post by LD » Sun Jan 23, 2011 10:50 am

What Sam said. Here are some shots from yesterday

Sugarloaf

Ontario Ridgeline

LD

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:00 pm

Funyan005 - snow was consolidated in upper canyon all the way to summit as Sam indicated, lower canyon was snow free, see pictures with area indicators below

Lower part of FRC approx 5,500 feet lookinig down canyon

Yesterday around 12 noon looking from the east due west at the summit of Sugarloaf

Halfway down canyon approx 6,200 feet where snow ends and dirt/rock begin

Upper part of FRC where it comes out into the dead/burnt forrest section

Nob that sits west of entrance to FRC - FRC is in the bottom right of picture