Salamander Canyon

This rugged section of Lower Hot Springs Canyon takes its name after the red/orange salamanders (technically California newts) found in the canyon waters. California tree frogs are also plentiful in wet years. To protect these creatures and their habitat, please tread carefully in the larger pools and avoid stirring up too much sediment. When flowing, this is a wet canyon with deep pools and even some jumps. The deep pools can be avoided with average rock climbing skills but some wading in waist deep water is still mandatory. Hence wetsuit are recommended if the temperatures are below 80 degrees. The technical section of the canyon is in the first 1/3 of the route, hence some people prefer to deploy static ropes on the way down and once reached the end of the technical section just ascend back up the canyon.

The Falcon Jay Campground near Lake Elsinore is the best starting point, park in the vicinity and follow the shown route down into the canyon. At the beginning you will be hiking on a faint trail that follows the stream but after a while you will reach the start of the technical section. Note: the trail has plenty of poison oak lurking about.

There are 7 mandatory rappels, but others can be bypassed or jumped. Some of the rappels are straight into the watercourse; if the flow is too strong you may have to improvise anchors on the sides. One shorter rappel will require a stone chock or preferably a knot chock if not in place. R1 Approx. 30' into a deep pool. Can be jumped as long as there is any exit flow, thus the pool is full. Pool depth is 10 to 12 feet on the deep side DCL. Check for debris (logs especially) before jumping. R2 follows immediately after another lower pool and a trough. R2 A narrow trough called the "single-track" leads to a short rappel off of a horn DCR about 20 feet back from the drop. This horn has a climbing nut and quick-link underneath it. The 25' rappel is super slimy and lower angle, so be careful not to fall over. If the flow is too high this rappel and the trough leading to it can be bypassed DCL on a shelf around to a big boulder. The hand line that once existed here was gone as of NOV2022. R3 100' beautiful two-stage rappel anchored from a tree. The landing zone is blind from the anchor. 30–45 minutes of hiking follow. R4 <80' rappel into a pool. The current anchor is a climbing nut jammed in a crack on DCR and a #7 hexentric. This rappel can be downclimbed in low flow, but caution is required. There is also a fixed line buried in the waterflow. R5 Unknown. There is a pool you can jump into along the way, but it is before R4. R6 <50' rappel from a pinch point on DCL. Short rappel just before the big one. R7 160–170' rappel from a large protruding horn. The rappel begins beside the water flow and gradually moves under it for the final 30'. Attempts to pendulum over and stay out of the waterfall are unsafe; you will slip into the flow. A guided rappel can be set up using the R8 tree as the lower anchor. R8 ~50' rappel anchored from a small tree on DCL with a long webbing extension needed for rope pull. Previously this rappel was anchored from a knot chock high on the DCL wall. With a 220' rope on R7, you may continue all the way down. The shallow gully to the Express Exit is located DCL just beyond this rappel. R9 ~50' rappel from a square rock horn on DCL with a small slot suitable for threading webbing. R10 ~50' rappel from a pinch point under a large boulder on DCR. A section of downclimbs over boulders follows before the stream levels out. On DCR you will see the final rappel of the adjacent canyon. You may add that canyon by climbing the scree and talus chute to the right of its main waterfall. The Express Exit is also accessed here by climbing the steep slope on DCL. For the Chiquito Springs exit, watch carefully for the Chiquito drainage entering on the left, about one hour past the end of the technical section. As of 13MAR2020 it was marked with a piece of green Astroturf hanging from a tree branch. For the shuttle or Lazy Z exit, the hike back to the car takes 4 to 5 hours. Be careful not to miss the exit onto the camp road.