Weeping Springs and Bighorn Canyons Loop

According to Rick Ianiello (author of Las Vegas Slots) this is one of the best canyons in Black Canyon area. It involves a very short but sweet optional packraft that is perfect for beginners. The return up Bighorn Canyon is a good canyon trip in itself.

You will have to access the parking lot through a dirt road that should not present major problems but is a bit rocky towards the end. From the parking lot hike down the steep wash to the top of Weeping Springs Canyon. Be careful of broken glass. Continue down-canyon for some time until the canyon narrows and the rappels begin.

R1: 25ft off a cairn anchor R2: 100ft off a boulder R3: 65ft off a boulder pinch R4: 45ft off a boulder pinch DC1: 20ft, easy R5: 35ft off a cairn anchor R6: 20ft off a cairn anchor into a possible pool R7: 150ft off a geo anchor high RDC, with a possible pool between the anchor and the lip of the rappel R8: 110ft multi-stage off a boulder. The two drops are 45ft and 40ft, with minimal anchoring options available between them. A small rock pinch offers an opportunity for a webbing knot-chock, but the multi-stage option is recommended. Past this rappel the canyon opens and the bypass route to Bighorn Canyon appears RDC. To reach the river, there is a 25ft rappel off a boulder, at which point the canyon turns a hard right and leads down to the scenic final rappel into the water.

A very short packraft can be used to exit up Bighorn Canyon. The packraft can be avoided by skipping the last two drops and hiking across country to Bighorn canyon. Stay on the flat of the cross country and not up the mountain. This will be in the direction towards the beach below where the rafts will also go to. There will be a downclimb going right towards the crack. There is some exposure on the ledge and a belay or hand line could be used. The crack then turns left towards the nice beach. Move quickly on the mud at the beach to avoid sinking in. The KML with the bypass is rough direction due to GPS accuracy limitation. An alternative to the downclimb, which will seem unsafe to some, is to climb up and above the crack (an inlet of the river) descend down to the lowest point on the southern side, then look around on the northwest corner of that side for a 20ft rappel anchored off a catsclaw tree. That is the safest way down by far. Bighorn Canyon ascends through a vivacious riparian habitat with a jumble of brushy vegetation, leading eventually to some beautiful twisting narrows with several fun upclimbs. One or two are spicy (~5.8R). Once the canyon opens up, continue to the junction of a broad side canyon at 35.937192, -114.740294 and exit RDC and up to the pass that leads back to Weeping Springs Canyon. The junction is just before you enter a rather obvious section of sculpted redrock narrows. Follow Weeping Springs back the way you came, remembering to turn left at 35.940408, -114.749164, ending with a 1000' ascent up lava rock fields and/or loose gravel and boulders to the parking lot. ALTERNATE EXIT: No pack raft or Big Horn Canyon exit necessary. There is a simple Class 2, 1/2 mile, climb out that will take you right back to the junction of Weeping Springs and the approach canyon. At the bottom of the 2nd to last rappel, before you reach the plateau and the last rap, you will exit LDC up a ramp.