El Prieto Canyon

A logistically and physically demanding canyon. If you prefer your canyons obscure, with frequent nuisance rappels, and challenging approach hikes, this canyon is a marvelous choice and has some hidden gems for you. This beta is a curious entry because the first descent party did not do an approach hike, OR complete the canyon. They have left further exploration down canyon as an exercise for the reader. The author has not run Saucer Branch but suspects this is a solid alternative for the same amount of work.

First achieve the saddle of Brown Mountain. If you were lucky enough to receive a shuttle ride from an official vehicle with the keys to the gate, then you will only need to hike 2 miles or so to the drop in, having saved yourself many miles of hiking and something like 3000ft of elevation gain. Stop at the friendly stand of oak trees just below the saddle opposite the canyon to water and fuel up for your descent.

Don't expect to travel much faster than 0.1-0.2 miles per hour most of the descent. The first 0.2 miles of descent is a serious bushwhack which eventually, thankfully, gives way to sculpted gullies of granite and troughs of sand. Midway, the route meets with another drainage to the west and water begins to flow through the canyon.

If you were lucky enough to participant in a search and rescue mission, and you have not yet found your subject, summon a helicopter and leave the canyon without completing the last half mile of the route. If you don't possess the ability to activate these resources, enjoy the mystery hike. Please report back to claim your "First FULL descent of Boom canyon" award.