Typhon Canyon, CA

Typhon is a fierce monster-god from Greek mythology, making this a fitting name for the approach to the canyon. The hike begins at Dante's View traversing north across the Black Mountains before turning west and descending unbelievably steeply (1,200 feet in 0.6 miles!!) down a loose scree slope.


Typhon Canyon itself is far more fun than the approach, with a great diversity of colors, geology and feeling. Open sections alternate with narrow slots as the canyon winds down toward Badwater. Rappels of < 20 to 180 feet are interspersed with innumerable downclimbs and fun obstacles. Depending what you are comfortable downclimbing, there are eighteen plus rappels with the longest 185 feet.Warning:
Be smart! This is a less frequently-visited canyon, so always be prepared with enough gear to replace webbing and quick-links in case they are worn or missing. At minimum, you will need: helmet, harness, rappelling device and biner, and 2x200 ft ropes. Bolts are not allowed in Death Valley and most rappels in this canyon utilize cairn anchors, so know how to inspect, build, and weight them. As always, carry extra rope.

2018-07-14 HAZ_Hikebot