Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Nevada →  ⊗ Ice Cube Canyon

⊗ Technical Route ⊗
♦ Intrepid Top Pick!
Warning: Do Not Attempt Without Proper Training – click here for details

Location: Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, Nevada

Distance: 8 miles total, 1.9 miles technical

Elevation Gain: 2600 feet

Time Required: 9-14 hours

Rappels: Up to 23, lengths up to 190 feet

Red Tape/Notes: No permit required, no shuttle required but using one can knock off a couple of miles. Red Rock Canyon is open sunrise to sunset so an overnight access permit may be required during shorter daylight months. Detailed route description including gps coordinates can be found on the always excellent BluuGnome website here. If you’re concerned about time, there’s also “sneak route” which drops in to the non-technical section in the middle of the canyon, about halfway.

What’s Nearby?: Calico Hills, Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive, Hidden Falls Canyon

This canyon deserves its reputation as being one of the best (if not THE best) in the Las Vegas area. The approach is strenuous, including an ascent of 1500 feet in under a mile, but the most painful portion only takes about an hour, and then it’s over, and you’re on a mesa providing lovely views of canyons that stretch into the valley below, with the Las Vegas skyline in the distance. It’s essentially the same approach as for Hidden Falls Canyon, but upon reaching the top you head to your right and traverse farther along the ridge in that direction (Hidden Falls is off to the left). After traversing the ridge and enjoying the views, you’ll drop into Ice Cube and the fun begins. Ice Cube is basically one long string of fun rappels, downclimbs, swims/wades (or stems to avoid said swims/wades), and general canyoning joy. There’s a somewhat “boring” section in the middle, where there are no rappels for about a mile. The canyon is wide and filled with boulders and vegetation, so there’s lots of rock hopping and some bushwhacking. After that, the canyon resumes in its former style, with larger and more impressive rappels (but fewer neat downclimbs), before ending in the final (and longest) rappel, which ends at a very pretty pool in a sort of elevated oasis. From here, your exit requires a bit of a rock-hopping scramble down the wash to find the Ice Box Canyon trail, which you’ll follow back to the road. Depending on where you left your car, or if you opted for a shuttle, you’ll either find your car here, or you’ll hike a relatively flat mile along the road back to Willow Springs.

Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Nevada →  ⊗ Ice Cube Canyon