Hell's Half Acre (Aravaipa)

[kingsnake]

Has anybody found a way in there since the 2006 floods blocked it off with those large boulders? (A way that does not involve technical canyoneering?)

[chumley]

I'll start by saying, no, I have not.

But on our trip this summer when there was a great waterfall coming over those boulders, there was an even greater waterfall just behind them (looked to be nearly 100' tall) that we were very interested in seeking out.

While we did not have time to explore it, it looked like there would be an access point to get back there by ascending the hillside a couple of hundred yards upstream on Aravaipa Creek. The canyon walls were low enough for a short scramble up to a much more moderate desert slope that could be hiked with relative ease. But I figured it would also take at least half an hour to make your way up and around and back down into half-acre. Having never been above the boulders, I have no idea what exists up there. It may be impossible to get back down into the half-acre canyon from the route we were thinking? The 2nd, larger waterfall we were spying would certainly lend to the concept of there being another large dropoff that may not be easily bypassed.

I'd love to hear if somebody else has made it there (or tried).

[chumley]

I was able to confirm on Sunday that it is impossible to get into the canyon above the boulders without technical canyoneering. In fact, it would be easier to get up over those boulders than to get down from above. It is at least 100', and maybe 120' straight down on all sides when you get above it. It's actually quite a neat little hole, with a couple of large trees at the bottom (Box Elder? Cottonwood?) But the slot canyon above the boulders is under 100 yards long and you can simply walk around it and then head up HHA canyon in what looks like a generally easy canyon exploring hike.

To get to the bypass, you have to hike up Aravaipa Creek 200-300 yards past the junction with HHA canyon. As I mentioned in the post above, there is a 10-15' low-point in the canyon walls here that can be scrambled up with relative ease. After that it's just some desert bush-whacking up about 150 vertical feet. It doesn't appear that there's been much traffic in this area. No use paths, no cairns.

I've drawn on an aerial photo some of the info I gathered. This is zoomed in so close that overlaying topo lines or gps track is basically pointless.

Edit: See also photos 27, 28, and 30 in this photoset: http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=22758&STs=3

[kingsnake]

:thanx: