Blarney Canyon (Left Fork)

Classic trade route. Suitable for first-timers and family-friendly with trained leadership.

The standard approach is to hike up the slick rock rib between the Blarney and Shillelagh drainages and follow the cairns and well-established social trail. The trail leads up to the mesa and there will be a junction where the trail forks left to Shillelagh and right to Blarney. Keep right. The trail will take you to the head of West Blarney first and you can continue on to East Blarney via the same trail. Alternatively you can upclimb the East Fork of Blarney to a spot were you can climb out of the slot and then traverse over to the top of the West Fork. This requires some skill and that a handline be in place and in good condition mid canyon. It may be possible to up climb the spot without a handline but it would be challenging and somewhat exposed due to the awkwardness of getting around the boulder at the top without a handline to assist. No matter which approach you take, once at the top to of the West Fork of Blarney there is a short downclimb. This drop is comprised of white colored sandstone and a well-worn "slide" has begun to form. If you stay in control it is not difficult to downclimb but the penalty points for loosing control would mean going over the edge. I doubt anyone has ever come close to that type of mishap here but it should still be negotiate with care. It looks much more difficult from above than it is. A handline, or a partner capture midway, may be helpful or necessary for some people.