Hidden Falls Canyon is a very nice technical canyon found in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area just outside of Las Vegas. In previous years we've done this canyon in the fall but decided to take advantage of the beautiful spring weather before it got too hot later in the season. To avoid the 2-3 mile hike up the Rocky Gap road to the Hidden Falls Canyon trail head we decided to leave a shuttle vehicle in the Children's Discovery trail head parking lot located just off the 13 mile Scenic Loop Drive. The exit from Hidden Falls Canyon can be seen in this picture in the distance beyond our trucks.
I think all of us were a little surprised at the amount of snow we found near the drop in to the canyon. Obviously this was going to be a wetter than usual adventure.
Pictured here is our friend John Roberts making his first rappel down a technical canyon.
Also joining us for his first trip through a technical canyon was Steve Vincent.
John Roberts.
John making his way down the slick rock and spring runoff of a beautiful and seldom visited canyon.
Because it was early in the season this trip took longer than others we've done. Many of the anchors had to be replaced and we had to set up a number of raps in sections that otherwise could have been downclimbed because of the spring runoff.
That said, the water really added to the beauty of the canyon.
One of the raps we had to set up in a place we could have otherwise downclimbed during dryer times of the year.
Steve Vincent descending the second to the last rappel in Hidden Falls Canyon.
Making the final rap to an audience of hikers who had come up the Children's Discovery trail to see Hidden Falls.
Back at the truck after a great day in Hidden Falls Canyon.