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My stats and ratings reflect a more difficult loop that descends Quandary Canyon and ascends via Knotted Rope Canyon, but if you decide to instead take Muddy Creek as an easier exit option, the day's YDS climbing grade drops to Class 2, and knock off a mile and about 1500 feet of vertical elevation gain. The easier option is a bit less fun.
Jun 17, 2023 — I drove out to the San Rafael Swell to meet with friends, and I wasn't surprised to find 12 people at the campfire when I arrived, the welcomed result of Shawn's inability to limit party sizes when sending invitations. After a long night of giggling, the full group managed to leave camp at our agreed time, a substantial miracle I don't think anyone was expecting. The goal for today was to descend Quandary Canyon, and then ascend via Knotted Rope Canyon. The latter doesn't require any rappels, so ascending is doable for capable parties. However, I highly recommend descending Knotted Rope Canyon at some point first to see if you're up for its many obstacles before attempting this full loop. After completing Quandary Canyon, we could alternatively take Muddy Creek back if we decided to bail on Knotted Rope Canyon, but really my most excitement was for the full loop. I'd done the more popular canyon in this area, The Squeeze, which requires ascending Muddy Creek, and while Muddy Creek is gorgeous I'd been up that way enough times.
My stats and ratings reflect this more difficult loop, but if you decide to instead take Muddy Creek as the exit option, the day's YDS climbing grade drops to Class 2, and knock off a mile and about 1500 feet of vertical elevation gain. You also would need to set up a shuttle from the Hidden Splendor Trailhead (38.56654, -110.95918) to the approach for Quandary Canyon, or expect to walk that additional few miles. Finally, it's important to know the flow of Muddy Creek before starting out since it might be impassable at certain times of the year. Obviously if you're doing Knotted Rope Canyon as the ascent option this isn't an issue.
We parked at the wilderness boundary past an old rusty car. To get here, leave the highway and follow the graded dirt road to here (38.58508, -110.92550), where you turn left. Although there are a couple of rocky sections toward the end of the road, likely any car can make it here. I saw a passenger car parked, but I imagine they bottomed out at least once. Once you turn left (east) onto the Behind the Reef Road, you'll want at least some clearance to get in and out of dips in the road. We set out from the cars through a wash. An old mining road brought us out of the wash and ascended to the right, switchbacking up to a break in the sheer cliff face above. The old road descended through the weakness and into Quandary Canyon. It was a quick approach, and we were already entering some pretty narrows. After a couple of obstacles requiring a handline, Quandary Canyon opened up again and revealed a great view toward the Henry Mountains in the distance.
Quandary Canyon then narrowed into the fun of the day, a series of short drops into semi-keeper potholes, stemming, and short handlines/rappels. I'll let photos below tell a more detailed story. It's a slow-moving canyon, but that was the fun of it. You'll definitely want anchor-building and pothole escape knowledge, as well as friends to use as meat anchors and as partners assists.
At a certain point, Quandary Canyon becomes more technical due to multiple keeper potholes requiring advanced canyoneering skills and partner assistance. Road Trip Ryan reports a bypass option on the left, but I don't know anything more than that it exists. Plus, the extended technical section was by far the most fun we had within the canyon and I highly recommend doing Quandary Canyon only when you're confident in your canyoneering abilities enough to enjoy it to its fullest potential.
After all the fun, Quandary Canyon opens up significantly, introduced one final rappel on a high-angle slab, the longest rappel of the day, and then enters a final short section of narrows. We took off our gear as the canyon becomes a more open slickrock wonderland. We bypassed a serious drop on its left using a wide sloped ledge, which led back into the drainage. Some light scrambling followed by a grassy exit and we were out of Quandary Canyon. We took a right at a junction, this major wash leading through a gorgeous sandstone landscape on the south side of the San Rafael Swell. Looking up at the slanted landscape from below is always mind-boggling.
The wash opened into a flatter landscape and biting flies attacked with force. We found ourselves jogging west through the desert in a futile attempt to escape them. We jumped into Muddy Creek, a reprieve from the bites. As we soaked, we took inventory and determined our course of action. Much of the group was out of water. It was very hot. Only a few of us decided to take the more strenuous option by ascending Knotted Rope Canyon, the majority finding it prudent to instead use Muddy Creek as the exit route. They put their wetsuits on to alleviate the biting flies and left us to run away from the hellish landscape to get to higher ground.
After taking a minute to locate the social trail uses for the Knotted Rope exit, we made quick work ascending to the bottom of the canyon. I didn't take photos of our ascent, but you can see my Knotted Rope Canyon trip report, which includes a descent of Knotted Rope, and subsequent ascent of Muddy Creek if you'd like reference photos.
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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
