Ancho Springs Technical Canyoneering

!! WEATHER ALERT !!

The weather forecast is not promising to do this canyon on 5/11. For Friday and Saturday the rainfall will be significant and the temps cold.

I'll reschedule for Memorial Day weekend, 5/26 for now.

Prerequisite: Competent rapeller.

Where: We'll use the Old Road Trail trailhead, which is a little south of the Ancho Springs Trailhead. Drive 3.8 miles south on NM Hwy 4 from the White Rock, NM Visitors’ Center on NM Hwy 4. You’ll see a dirt pullout on the left (east) side of the road with a metal entry passage through a barbed wire fence. The sign here clearly states that this is the Ancho Springs Trailhead. The trailhead is at N35.79694 W106.24643. You'll need to go a bit further south on NM Hwy 4. You'll go through a big sweeping left curve in the road, past the first pullout on the left, and to the second pullout on the left. Park here. Here’s a Google Maps link of the trailhead.

When: 5/26/19, 9am departure from the trailhead, so get there in time to be ready to walk at 9am. We should be out by early afternoon, depending on the speed we can move the group through the canyon.

What You'll Need: Helmet, harness, rappel device, safety tether, gloves, spare locking carabiner, sturdy shoes, clothing appropriate for weather, scrambling, and rappeling. Snacks and drinks. This canyon has all natural anchors, and can be done with all retrievable anchors. We’ll practice the anchoring techniques that the group wants to use. Please bring at least 30' of 9/16" or 1" tubular webbing (black preferred); and at least two 8mm (5/16") steel rapid links.

It will likely be warm and dry. Many parts of the hike are quite exposed so be prepared to protect yourself from the sun and to hydrate.

The primary purpose is to prepare people for the Zion Canyoneering trip in September 2019, but these will also serve to introduce people to Canyoneering here in New Mexico.

There are several options for the return, but if we decide not to scramble back up the ridge line on the northeast edge of the drainage, we'll return up Ancho Springs and Powerline Trails. In that case, we'll likely cut over from Powerline Trail to Old Road Trail via the old power pole path that leaves Powerline Trail here and intersects Old Road Trail here.

See a canyon description here.

Please send me an email if you want to go so that I have a good idea of who is going and how many we'll be.

We will need some experienced Canyoneers to help out.