Quandary Canyon in San Rafael Swell BLM, UT

Canyoneer Quandary Canyon San Rafael Swell BLM, UT

Class 5 4B (60 ft max) 9.7 miles 2200 gain 7-10 hrs Loop Jun 17, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Quandary Canyon GPX Track

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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.

This is a technical canyon. If you are unfamiliar with how to build anchors or the gear required for canyoneering do not attempt this route.

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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From the trailhead, starting up a wash. The weakness we're headed to is obscured on the left.
From the trailhead, starting up a wash. The weakness we're headed to is obscured on the left.
An old mining road leading to the weakness, an opening within the cliff face.
An old mining road leading to the weakness, an opening within the cliff face.
Through the weakness, descending into Quandary Canyon.
Through the weakness, descending into Quandary Canyon.
Quandary Canyon begins with some nice narrows.
Quandary Canyon begins with some nice narrows.
The first drop, which we used a handline for.
The first drop, which we used a handline for.
Quandary Canyon opens up for a bit.
Quandary Canyon opens up for a bit.
Views of the Henry Mountains in the distance.
Views of the Henry Mountains in the distance.
Passing under a nice natural bridge.
Passing under a nice natural bridge.
An obstacle before Quandary Canyon narrows. Everyone down-climbed, but I avoided it left down canyon. This shot is taken from my bypass.
An obstacle before Quandary Canyon narrows. Everyone down-climbed, but I avoided it left down canyon. This shot is taken from my bypass.
And then Quandary Canyon narrows into the fun stuff.
And then Quandary Canyon narrows into the fun stuff.
We managed to stem for most of the canyon without getting wet.
We managed to stem for most of the canyon without getting wet.
A pothole. We avoided it on the left using an exposed slab.
A pothole. We avoided it on the left using an exposed slab.
View back at the bypass using an exposed slab. Here you can see a silly rigging job we set up to create a handline across the pool.
View back at the bypass using an exposed slab. Here you can see a silly rigging job we set up to create a handline across the pool.
Just past the pool, a short downclimb or handline.
Just past the pool, a short downclimb or handline.
A short opening in Quandary Canyon, followed by more narrows.
A short opening in Quandary Canyon, followed by more narrows.
Image 15 from gallery
Bypassing yet another pool.
Bypassing yet another pool.
View back at the pool we just bypassed. Sometimes pretending the floor is lava is more fun than getting wet.
View back at the pool we just bypassed. Sometimes pretending the floor is lava is more fun than getting wet.
A narrow section with more water.
A narrow section with more water.
We managed to bypass this pool as well by stemming. Past here we got at least a little bit wet.
We managed to bypass this pool as well by stemming. Past here we got at least a little bit wet.
View back at some cool pothole formations.
View back at some cool pothole formations.
An escapable pothole.
An escapable pothole.
And now we were in the business!
And now we were in the business!
Very fun potholes to climb in and out of. None of the earlier ones required more than Class 4 moves or partner assists.
Very fun potholes to climb in and out of. None of the earlier ones required more than Class 4 moves or partner assists.
And a bit of narrows.
And a bit of narrows.
Dropping into another pothole.
Dropping into another pothole.
Avoiding this one by stemming across.
Avoiding this one by stemming across.
More fun obstacles.
More fun obstacles.
Image 28 from gallery
More fun pothole obstacles.
More fun pothole obstacles.
Rappelling down a short drop after a pothole escape. Apparently at a certain point there is an escape option on the left somewhere to avoid the upcoming technical potholes, but it seems a little strange to check out Quandary Canyon without intending to do the potholes since they're the best part about it.
Rappelling down a short drop after a pothole escape. Apparently at a certain point there is an escape option on the left somewhere to avoid the upcoming technical potholes, but it seems a little strange to check out Quandary Canyon without intending to do the potholes since they're the best part about it.
Rather than a pack toss, the water was low enough that four people stacked could get us out. It was very silly and resulted in at least one tweaked neck.
Rather than a pack toss, the water was low enough that four people stacked could get us out. It was very silly and resulted in at least one tweaked neck.
Amber made it up! We're safe!
Amber made it up! We're safe!
View from within the pothole at Amber, who just escaped.
View from within the pothole at Amber, who just escaped.
A view back at the pothole.
A view back at the pothole.
This pothole is avoidable on the left via a ledge, but it was fun!
This pothole is avoidable on the left via a ledge, but it was fun!
Our second serious pothole escape sequence.
Our second serious pothole escape sequence.
Image 37 from gallery
View back at the pothole escape (left) and the bypass (right).
View back at the pothole escape (left) and the bypass (right).
Quandary Canyon narrows into a series of fun potholes and obstacles again, these more tricky.
Quandary Canyon narrows into a series of fun potholes and obstacles again, these more tricky.
Short down-climbs into pools.
Short down-climbs into pools.
Image 41 from gallery
Image 42 from gallery
These potholes definitely required more partner assistance and handlines.
These potholes definitely required more partner assistance and handlines.
View back up the narrows.
View back up the narrows.
Another fun pothole with tricky climb to escape.
Another fun pothole with tricky climb to escape.
Amber climbing up the escape.
Amber climbing up the escape.
View down-canyon.
View down-canyon.
Amber climbing out of another pothole.
Amber climbing out of another pothole.
Opposite side of the previously pictured pothole, which we rappelled down.
Opposite side of the previously pictured pothole, which we rappelled down.
More fun partner assistance obstacles to escape potholes. This one required a short down-climb using an arch as an arm hook.
More fun partner assistance obstacles to escape potholes. This one required a short down-climb using an arch as an arm hook.
Same obstacle, but from below.
Same obstacle, but from below.
Image 52 from gallery
View back at a short rappel from a bolted anchor.
View back at a short rappel from a bolted anchor.
View back up the canyon.
View back up the canyon.
Descending to the final rappel.
Descending to the final rappel.
It was too high-angle to downclimb.
It was too high-angle to downclimb.
Another short section of narrows.
Another short section of narrows.
And then Quandary Canyon begins to open up.
And then Quandary Canyon begins to open up.
Gorgeous walls on the way out.
Gorgeous walls on the way out.
Image 60 from gallery
Quandary Canyon opens up to the point where it's hard to follow the actual watercourse.
Quandary Canyon opens up to the point where it's hard to follow the actual watercourse.
There's a major drop on the right, which we avoided on a wide ledge on the left.
There's a major drop on the right, which we avoided on a wide ledge on the left.
A little scramble as we near the mouth of Quandary Canyon.
A little scramble as we near the mouth of Quandary Canyon.
Pretty grasses at the mouth of Quandary Canyon. A social trail led us out.
Pretty grasses at the mouth of Quandary Canyon. A social trail led us out.
Image 65 from gallery
We headed south, taking a major wash.
We headed south, taking a major wash.
View back as we hike south within the major wash.
View back as we hike south within the major wash.
Crossing Muddy Creek. From here you can return up Muddy Creek, or take Knotted Rope Canyon as an ascent.
Crossing Muddy Creek. From here you can return up Muddy Creek, or take Knotted Rope Canyon as an ascent.

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