| Witch's Cauldron - Trachyte - Land of Oz |
Overview:
Rating: 3B III R
Length: 5-7 Hours
Gear: Raps to 25M. Wetsuit needed. Keeper pothole gear
required.
Water: Generally a few avoidable pools early in the canyon,
and a mandatory swim toward the end.
Flash flood Danger: Moderate, but you can see the whole
drainage and skies on the approach.
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall.
Hype:Witch's was one of my first big explorations without beta. Tucked near North Wash, I am amazed this gem has been overlooked so long. Although a little harder than many of the North Wash canyons, this is a good one not to be missed by experienced canyoneers. My full history is at the bottom of this write-up.Login For Full Details!Photos:       
My History:Ah Witch's Cauldron, what a history we have together! I initially explored it with Kent Beverly, Mark McCray, and Penny Martens in about 2004. It was one of our first explorations, and we got shut down at the Cauldron.A year or so later Kent, Penny and myself gave it another go, getting slightly below the Cauldron before fearing it would get too narrow to pass through and reversing out. Foiled again! Due to scheduling and partner conflicts, I had given up on finishing the canyon. In the spring of 2007 Mike Kelsey and I planned a trip to a canyon he had wanted to check out. The canyon turned out to be Witch's Cauldron. Better equipped, and way more experienced, we made the full descent easily. The crux for us that day was the cold. We found 4 or so inches of snow after the last down climb. That, coupled with a bitter wind, made for a cold spring day of canyoneering. This is great canyon, with several unique and amazing features. Enjoy. |