Route Editor
Route Scout
Canyons are inherently risky. Flash floods occur without notice on sunny days. Technical skills & surrounding topography knowledge required yet does not eliminate risk.
Overview The technical portion of Motorcycle Canyon consists of 4 rappels, the highest being 90 feet. Dry canyon. Plenty of downclimbs and scrambling to mix things up. Not brushy, all catclaw easily avoidable. Motorcycle Canyon is a side drainage of Goldstrike Canyon, ultimately dropping into Goldstrike approximately 1/4 mile from Goldstrike hotsprings. Bonus - you can easily add a trip to the hotsprings to your day of canyoneering. Warning As of early 2015, anchors with webbing and screw-lock links are in place at the top of all rappels. Be smart! - check all anchors carefully before using them and bring your own gear because you never know. A few of the rappels start in narrow slots, so watch your head. Hike If parked at the Goldstrike Canyon trailhead, walk ~1/4 mile back up the road you just drove down. At the intersection, turn left, not right toward US93. Continue walking on Goldstrike Pass Road #75 (signed), sticking to the main road, for approximately 2 miles. The road winds around quite a bit and at a few spots you can shortcut the loops, if you don't mind some extra scrambling. The road represents the path of least resistance, though. After about 2 miles of road walking, you will reach a major intersection - turn left onto Black Canyon Overlook Road #75C (sometimes signed). Approximately 0.7 miles after this intersection, the road turns sharply right and heads SE. 0.3 miles past this turn, climb down into the undistinguished gully that represents the head of Motorcycle Canyon. The first rappel anchor is just past a lone catclaw in a small slot. Rappel 1 - 90 ft off glue in anchors. The eponymous motorcycle is at the bottom of this rappel. The motorcycle is somewhat more intact than expected given the drop. Rappel 2 - 60 ft off bedrock pedestal anchor. A few small downclimbs after Rap 1. Rappel 3 - 45 ft off bedrock arch anchor. Don't pull your rope at the bottom of this rappel, and you can extend to the next 35 ft drop and rappel it too. If you pull the rope, there are no good anchor options, and you will need to bypass the secondary drop on sketchy ledges to the right. Rappel 4 - 30 ft off overhead chokestone. Only 3 downclimbs left and you are out of the technical section. About 0.2 mile below the last downclimb, you reach the confluence with Goldstrike Canyon (wooden power polls and lots of footprints tell you you're there). Turn left to head up and out toward your vehicle, or turn right and head down toward the hot springs for a nice side trip. See the Goldstrike Canyon description for more details on either option. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your canyon trip to support this local community.
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WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.
