Silvey's Canyon

Although this canyon route can be done without ropes by a skilled downclimber with a partner-assist, most canyoneers will want a handline or rappel for the first drop and some will want a handline for the second drop. Thus the Class 3 rating.

From the car spot, hike south up the gentle nose and gain about 500 feet to an obvious band of white sandstone. Hike along the bench to the Way Up Through Breakdown, which provides an easy scramble up a white ramp most of the way. Once atop this layer, continue for about 500 feet and up through the caprock to gain the mesa level. Once atop the mesa, you will soon encounter an ATV road. Take this left to the Head of the canyon.

Some downclimbs. About half-way down a sudden drop appears behind a large boulder chockstone. We looped the top of the boulder for a retrievable handline to get down 20 feet. From there we meat-anchored a handline to get people down a 40 foot ledged ramp with a pool at the bottom. This was a fairly easy downclimb. Staying dry can be accomplished two ways. Either by a wide stem several feet out and then swing the left leg to a low shelf on the right. Or traverse the wall on the left using crumbly and loose rock. The pool walls are very slippery thick mud.

At the Bottom, go left up the slope and find an abandoned Jeep road. Follow the road back to the car.