explore Trap Canyon in the western Supes

[te_wa]

moderate pace overnighter. difficulty 3. <1 mile off- trail hike with potential for bushwacking.

We plan on hiking from the Peralta trailhead taking the Dutchman tr. past the Awesome looking Miner's Needle to Whiskey spring tr. Continuing past the flanks of the enormous Coffee Flat mountain to the Red Tanks tr. and into Trap canyon to explore off-trail and search for Trap spring. On day 2 we'll continue the loop on Red Tanks to the Bluff Spring trail and back to Peralta parking lot. First day 7 miles plus exploring, day 2 is 6.5 miles or so. The weather in the Supes is great, hike it while you can. We want to do this on 24th-25th depending on interest. Dates are flexible. Lets do this!

NOTE: if no water is in Trap canyon we will continue an extra mile to LaBarge spring for the night, where water is reliable.

[te_wa]

the first trip we went to the trap, and never made it all the way thru. second time, nonot and i went in from the W. side and the first 1/2 mile is gnarly. make sure to take a qualified partner or at least tell everyone where you're going. it a fun canyon, but Rough canyon is much better!
if you want an easier intro to "off trail in the supes" try the fraser/randolf loop starting at woodbury.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Climbing gear is not necessary. What you need is a additional time for route finding at the eastern end where the trap is located. Keep in mind that the trap is found on the southern side of the canyon and the entrance to it which you have to cross over is located in a tunnel like structure within a maze of those very large garage size boulders. Good hunting for those of you that go through trap canyon.

I am also looking forward to a picture of someone standing on what I call golf tee rock. ;)

[nonot]

From the east side it is possible to get down into the canyon via the main drainage, but unless you are a climber, it's now a one way ticket, there are a remarkable series of step-like boulders built for Atlas giants that will lead you down onto a boulder platform the size of a house. From this point there is no obvious way to proceed much farther without a jump of about 8 feet.

[SuperstitionGuy]

The "Trap" has yet to be found and photographed by a HAZ hiker and it needs to be checked out ever since Jesse Capen went missing. Read my previous posts on directions to locate it. Also as you are passing over it you are under boulders yet still very high from the creekbed floor. SPOT will definitly not work even at the point where you are passing over the trap. Once the trap is found you will have to take GPS readings at both ends of the route to help others find it and to see down into the trap a strong flashlight is required. Technically you could repel into the trap but be very careful as you do so and especially if you are alone. This is not the place to explore if you are alone and without help, but it would be very interesting to know what is down in that room below!

[big_load]

The "Trap" has yet to be found and photographed by a HAZ hiker and it needs to be checked out ever since Jesse Capen went missing.

It's still on my list to get all the way in. Maybe in early spring.

[joebartels]

If the Trap is in the red box I can not imagine how the three of us that were all over independently side to side didn't happen upon it. Unless it's in the blue box. If it's in the blue box I can't imagine how someone would wonder in as it's higher ground. We didn't venture out into the green circle, it appeared obstacle free so I assumed we were past the fuss. If it's further west/southwest than the green circle then I guess that's why we didn't see it.

[nonot]

I believe what I called the Trap in the hike description is in the green circle as compared to the red box.

I found a box like depression that was recently also described by Dave on a short venture into the canyon from Hoolie Bacon.

Canyons change, rocks stacked in certains ways get pushed around by floods. Sand especially can pile into and over places clogging them up, add a log or two to trap it in there and it could be filled with silt and debris. It is unlikely everything will be the same in a canyon 20 years later.

[nonot]

I think the best reason for the naming of the canyon can be attributed to Kurt. Not because of a rock formation, but because on a topo it looks like an easy shortcut between Hoolie and Red Tanks. There are simply places horses could not make it through.

After trying it, I can imagine "don't do that, it's a trap" being told to other cowboys. Hence "Trap Canyon" after awhile, and it gets onto a map that way.

[joebartels]

I believe what I called the Trap in the hike description is in the green circle as compared to the red box.

Interesting...
didn't even bother cause it looked like the main event had been passed

[SuperstitionGuy]

I select the blue box as the trap hugs that side of the canyon and the cross over above the trap is high above the level of the streambed.
A flood changing the rocks that make up the trap? Maybe if it rained for 40 days and 40 nights!

However the floor of the trap (the room below) if the sand is washed out may create an opening big enough to crawl through from either the upstream or downstream side.

[nonot]

I believe what I called the Trap in the hike description is in the green circle as compared to the red box.

Interesting...
didn't even bother cause it looked like the main event had been passed

It's fairly easy at that confluence going downstream for awhile and then there's another major boulder obstacle course where the canyon breaks down again.

[te_wa]

looks like S. and I will have to make another go at it..
perhaps camp at the Eastern side near Hoolie tr. and explore as a dayhike. I never looked around at any ridged high above the creekbed, I stayed down in it- if all else fails we can climb Herman.

[big_load]

A flood changing the rocks that make up the trap?

I suppose freeze/thaw cycling or erosion is more likely for a configuration like that, but gravity always wins in the end.