In The Shadow of Longs Peak
White Horse Canyon
25 April 2005
This is our fourth trip to the San Rafael Swell, the third in the springtime. The days have been warm and pleasant though chilly enough at night to with a down jacket on.
For this hike, we parked along the Mexican Mountain Road, at the point where it intersects White Horse Canyon. We descended White Horse Canyon, heading toward the San Rafael River. Steve Allen, in his guidebook “The San Rafael Swell” mentions a fall with a 3rd class route around the rim ‘with exposure’; We forgot that when he mentions exposure, it’s generally pretty significant and 3rd class is generally sustained. So we backtracked. I climbed out of the canyon (rock climbing experience came in handy) while Gary and the dog backtracked even further and took an easier route out. We met on top.
While walking back, I spotted another wash with a reasonable entrance near its head. We head in that direction and found a well worn path down into the wash. This is a pleasant, short walk, all on moderate terrain.
In no time, we reach the junction of White Horse Canyon. It’s worth the time to hike up this canyon. We ascend one easy fall (left, LUC, is easiest) and continue up to the main fall. From here, we see the 3rd class route. Like many canyon routes, it’s pretty broken up and does not look very inviting, but the ledge does look wider than it looks when viewed from above the fall. We return to the junction and head up another branch, also ending in a very tall fall.
From the junction, the San Rafael River is only about 1/4 of a mile, all on easy ground. The cottonwoods are inviting on this pleasantly warm day.
From here, we continue down river for perhaps a mile before the canyon walls steepen. There is a fence line to cross. We walk along the fence toward the river and go thru a gate, thus avoiding climbing the fence.
We look back to find the canyon we came out of as we intent to return that way. As we move downriver, we cross a canyon or two that look similar to our starting canyon.
At the point where the cliffs steepen on both sides, we start back uphill. We find a wash and follow it back to the road at the trail-head for Lockhart Box Canyon. We turn left and back-track ½ mile to the truck.
Time: About 3 hours