So many slot canyons in Utah… so little time. But if you are looking for a relatively easy slot with no water and only a few technical sections, but is big on beauty, then check out Middle Maidenwater Canyon.
Middle Maidenwater Canyon is located near Ticaboo between the town of Hanksville and Bullfrog Marina at Lake Powell. The canyon is part of the Trachyte drainage system that flows down from the Henry Mountains into Lake Powell. There are a few forks of Maidenwater Canyon, the middle being the literal “middle-of-the-pack” for technical difficulty. It’s only about 1-mile in length with anywhere from 1-4 rappels, depending on your group’s downclimbing skills.
On a recent trip, I met up with Jared Hillhouse, lead guide for North Wash Outfitters. He loves this canyon because it doesn’t get as much exposure as other canyons in the area. Although the slot is light on big rappels or mandatory swims, it makes up for it with extreme beauty, several obstacles, and somewhat easy access.
To hike the canyon we parked at mile-marker 9 off Highway 276 where there is a large trailhead pullout. After crossing the road to the west, we immediately started hiking up the mountainside. Aiming for a large rock formation in the shape of a ship’s bow, we reached the head of Middle Maidenwater in about an hour.
A simple downclimb got us into the canyon proper where we encountered our first big obstacle – a 40-foot rappel. The descent is anchored by a sling around large boulders and we made quick work of it. After the rappel, I really felt like I was now inside the canyon as the walls got higher, and the slot got narrower and darker.
The main draw in Middle Maidenwater is the amount of obstacles one must downclimb to continue. Most are around 10-15 feet high and several have sling anchors left behind to set up a rappel if needed. But with Hillhouse leading he way, we chose to use “partner assist” instead. This means that we downclimbed without ropes using friction against the walls and canyoneering moves to get down. Stemming, bridging, edging, and jamming were all moves that we employed. This was a much faster and really more fun way to move through the canyon, rather than stopping to set up ropes at every chockstone drop.
After dozens of such obstacles and many stops for photos in the picturesque slot, we reached the bottom – a dead end with a tunnel blasted into the canyon wall. The tunnel goes underneath the highway and was built to divert water flow. So with headlamps on helmets, we explored the rough-floored tunnel to the light on the other side. A quick scramble got us back to the road and the trailhead.
So if you’re on the way to Lake Powell, or in the North Wash area, give your technical canyoneering chops a warmup in Middle Maindenwater. And if you’re not experienced enough, hire Jared Hillhouse at North Wash Outfitters to get the learning and the experience to explore slot canyons on your own.
Great Article. It was a fun day having you guys in there and watching you get the hang of the obstacles as the day went on.