Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Nevada →  ⊗ Turtle Tears Canyon

  ⊗ Technical Route ⊗

Warning: Do Not Attempt Without Proper Training – click here for details

Location: Stateline Hills, California-Nevada Border, Nevada

Distance: 2.0 miles total, 0.4 miles technical

Elevation Gain: 900 feet

Time Required: 4-6 hours

Rappels: 5-6, lengths up to 70 feet

Red Tape/Notes: No shuttle required (done as a loop); the route is described in Rick Ianniello’s Las Vegas Slots book – get it here. Basic information (including the gps coordinates for the trailhead), can be found on ropewiki.com here. As always in these areas, keep an eye out for rattlesnakes.

What’s Nearby?: Jubilee Mine, Pioneer Saloon, Zzyzx, Ladder of Doom Canyon, Desperado Canyon

The road to the trailhead had suffered somewhat under recent rains the last time we were in the area, and we ended up having to park around half a mile from the trailhead and hike up the road (we’re driving around in a Mazda CX5, pretending that the AWD means it’s truly four wheel drive capable…meanwhile the clearance kills us). Anyway, a little extra mileage never hurt anyone.

Tom calls this the “class four-iest canyon” – the approach is short (less than a mile), but surprisingly vertical, with some class four sections which offer sweeping views of the desert floor below. The class four-ness continues in the canyon, which seems to consist of near constant down climbing, interspersed with occasional shorter rappels until the final “long” rappel (at around 70 feet).

Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Nevada →  ⊗ Turtle Tears Canyon