Shinob Canyon (Timpie Fork)

NOTICE: The park imposes a seasonal closure on Shinob Canyon and all of its forks in order to protect sensitive resources and wildlife. The closure typically runs from April 1 to August 31. Check with the park service for current closure information: https://home.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/conditions.htm Smashing short canyon. 300-400 foot high walls enclose the narrows section. A big 270-foot rappel. A 50-foot free-hang rappel at the finish. Very scenic approach.

To get out of Grand Wash to Bear Canyon, there are two key up-climb points. Following the prescribed waypoints will save you a lot of time. There are many ways to get up but any others will require more energy. To get from Bear Canyon up to the platform leading to Na Gah Fork, there is one point where the cairns seem to peter out at a cliff band. Instead of climbing all the way up and continuing west, you need to stay one level down and follow the ledge to the left and head east for a couple hundred yards, counterintuitive to the direction you are going overall. The up-climb involves stemming up a chimney. If no errors are made in route-finding, the approach should take 90 minutes.

Getting to the 2nd rappel, the big one, involves hiking past the initial drop and up the left side of the drainage for a couple minutes and then climbing down and back to get to the anchor. It would be easier and more fun to rappel off a tree canyon right at the pour-off to get down to the level of the anchor for the big rappel. The rope pull for the big rappel is best done from the chockstone about 100 feet above the floor. Everyone but LAMAR can rappel down to the floor and enjoy the 270 foot ride. LAMAR should stop on the chockstone 100 feet from the deck, pull the rope, and then use the chockstone anchor for the final 100 feet. The final rappel is set up for a courtesy anchor and is a nice free-hang.