Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Death Valley → ⊗ Keane Wonder Mill

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

Location: Beatty Junction area, Death Valley

Time Required: 7 hours

Distance: 5.4 miles (2.4 miles technical, although the descent includes a long, easy central section)

Elevation Gain/Loss: 2500 feet

Rappels: 5-9, lengths up to 120 feet

Red Tape/Notes: Access to Death Valley is $25/vehicle for a 7 day pass. This route is the “bottom up” loop route from the Keane Wonder Mill parking area. The route can also be done from Chloride City as a top down through route, but the need for a very long shuttle diminishes the appeal of this route. Additional information, including gpx tracks for both routes, can be found on ropewiki here.

What’s Nearby?: Keane Wonder Mill, Keane Wonder Mine, Titus Canyon, Leadfield Ghost Town

This is a great little canyon with numerous charms. The hike up leads past the Keane Wonder Mill and Keane Wonder Mine, providing lovely views of the valley floor below and some nice opportunities for side diversions to explore the mining ruins. Beyond the Keane Wonder Mine, the trail wraps around and tops out on a pretty mesa with more nice views and passes through the remnants of a camp before eventually coming to the (very nice) ruins of another mine, which is your drop in point to start the canyon. After exploring the ruins, a short trip down canyon leads to two nice rappels, after which travel in the canyon is very pleasant and easy, with some nice mining remnants here and there including a primitive shelter. The easy section ends rather suddenly, after which the final few rappels come fairly quickly one after the other before ending at a final spicy down climb and popping out just below the mill site.

Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Death Valley → ⊗ Keane Wonder Mill