Quartz Canyon • Canyon Trip • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Feb 13 2021

RedwallNHops

Guides 1
Routes 269
Photos 613
Triplogs 1,360

50 male

Joined Dec 22 2003
Tucson, AZ

Quartz Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Quartz Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		Feb 13 2021
		RedwallNHops • Triplogs 1,360

Canyoneering	5.20 Miles	1,947 AEG

Canyoneering	5.20 Miles
	1,947 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Fun, scenic adventure. Only 2 raps, but beautiful rocks and plenty of pools to avoid.

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Jan 22 2012

azmike

Guides 4
Routes 20
Photos 544
Triplogs 22

male

Joined May 23 2004
San Diego, CA

Quartz Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Quartz Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		Jan 22 2012
		azmike • Triplogs 22

Canyoneering	5.00 Miles	1,947 AEG

Canyoneering	5.00 Miles	6 Hrs 30 Mns	0.77 mph
	1,947 ft AEG

Intermediate Canyoneering - Difficult or dangerous; Tech Climb; rope reqd; descent anchor; exit technical;

A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit

III - Normally requires most of a day

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

We had a large group on this trip, 10 in total and took what we believed to be a shorter route using Peters Canyon on the approach to the ridge overlooking Quartz Canyon. After working our way through Quartz Canyon we returned down Peters Canyon to the vehicles. This made it a lollipop loop.

We parked at the overflow dirt parking lot on the east end of Tortilla Flat near the museum building. We started off by taking the Tortilla use trail on the east end of the parking lot past the gate. This use trail dumped us into the Tortilla Creek after about 10 minutes of hiking. We continued hiking up the creek bed until we reached Peters Canyon, ~0.5 mile from the end of the use trail. We veered right off of Tortilla Creek and into Peters Canyon. We continued up Peters Canyon for another 0.65 miles to a steep drainage on the right. This drainage is marked with large white boulders and some slick rock. This is the drainage just north of Quartz Canyon.

This is the toughest part of the trip. You will climb 1,200 ft up this drainage to the ridge. Quartz Canyon is just to the south over the cliffs as your are climbing. Climb to the top of the ridge to the southwest and you will be overlooking Quartz Canyon. Find a convenient place to drop into the Quartz Canyon and start hiking east down Quartz.

There may be some water in the canyon but you should stay dry as you make your way to the two rappels in this canyon. Both rappels are in the final 0.25 mile of the canyon. The first rappel is a 120 ft with a rest in a thigh deep pothole about halfway down. A few people in the group managed to walk hands and feet on each side of the wall while on the rope to avoid getting wet. The rest of us took the plunge. This rappel had a knot choke anchor which has been there for a long time but we didn't trust. We placed the webbing around a large boulder about 15 ft back from the edge. After stopping halfway down in the water, you'll continue the rappel over a lip with a free hang to the bottom.

You won't hike very far until you reach the second rappel which is a nice 100 ft descent down a slightly angle wall. We anchored off of a boulder several feet back from the edge. All natural anchors in this canyon. Let's keep it that way.

From there you will hike for a few minutes until you exit out to Peters Canyon from Quartz Canyon. Make a sharp left turn down Peters Canyon for 2.25 miles, backtracking the approach in from Tortilla Flat until you reach the use trail and then the vehicles.

This is a nice little canyon with a strenuous climb on the approach, but well worth it.

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Dec 26 2011

Vaporman

Guides 3
Routes 4
Photos 8,687
Triplogs 931

46 male

Joined Mar 28 2005
Gilbert, AZ

Quartz Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Quartz Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		Dec 26 2011
		Vaporman • Triplogs 931

Canyoneering	5.50 Miles	2,200 AEG

Canyoneering	5.50 Miles	8 Hrs	0.69 mph
	2,200 ft AEG

Intermediate Canyoneering - Difficult or dangerous; Tech Climb; rope reqd; descent anchor; exit technical;

A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit

III - Normally requires most of a day

no routes

Linked

linked

Peter's Cave

Partners

none

no partners

Turns out there's two ways to approach this canyon and looks like I choose the scenic way. :lol:

From Tortilla Flat, we climbed towards the backside of Geronimos Head and crossed thru upper Geronimos Ravine. From there we proceeded SE along the ridge on the backside of Geronimos Head towards Malapais. Great views from up there BTW.

There's a saddle between the Head & Malapais and after dropping down to it, we dropped into the drainage on the northside named Quartz Canyon by a fellow canyoneer. The upper canyon involved much bushwhacking and rock hopping but it was scenic enough. Lower down some slickrock, pools, and falls entered the scene. We hit a slick 20ft falls that could have been down climbed but it looked slippery while it was flowing so we decided to rappel it.

After some more rock hopping, pool avoiding & bypassing another falls we hit that sweet double drop of 120ft. The midway ledge is sharp, so be careful where you place the rope and rappel smoothly. The rope pull can be tricky on this one so rig cleanly and get a good angle on it. Just a little way further down canyon after a couple awkward down climbs you reach another 120ft dry fall. :GB:

One down, you got some slippery down climbing past big boulders before you hit Peters Canyon where we dropped gear. From there, you pass thru some of the best sections of narrows & slickrock in Peters before you hit Tortilla Canyon. By then you're tired of rock hopping and just want it to be over, so the bypass trail out of lower Tortilla to Tortilla Flat is always a welcome relief. I'd have to say this is def one of the better recently discovered Supes canyons!

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Yea, canyoneering is an extreme sport... EXTREMELY dramatic!!! =p

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.

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