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Canyoneering Route Description

Forge Canyon - 3A III
Death Valley National Park, California.

Pictures 03-21-09

Quick Facts

03-21-09,  9 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 10.7 hours)

Distance - 7.9 miles Total, 3.8 miles Technical
Rappels - 13 Rappels, Longest Rappel 200 feet.
Elevation Range - 5502 thru -180 feet below sea level
Shuttle Required -Yes 49.5 Miles Vehicle - High Clearance or 4WD depending on road conditions Permit Required - No

See the Canyoneer Trip Report Explanation Notes page for an explanation of how the technical mileage or the gear used list is determined.

Gear Used for Canyon

Rappelling and anchor gear, Ropes and or pull cords for rappels up to 200 feet and 100 feet of 1" webbing for sling placement.  Lots of webbing may be needed if no one has recently done the canyon.

General Comments

This is the first decent of Forge Canyon.  Rick Kent has been exploring many untouched canyons in the Death Valley area and was responsible for putting this trip together.  A thank you goes out to Rick for inviting us along on the trip.  

In late spring the flowers on the drive into the trailhead through Gold Valley are incredible.  

The approach route gains about 1700 feet in a little over 2.5 miles, most of the elevation gain is in the last mile of the approach.  The first 2 miles in the actual canyon is full of steep slopes with loose scree and rocks and multiple down climbs.  That first 2 miles is not enjoyable as the travel is awkward.  The last 1.2 miles of the canyon is where all the fun is.  There are 13 rappels and lots of fun down climbs to work out.  The exit from the canyon is another 1.3 mile walk across the alluvial fan for Forge Canyon.  

Then the dreaded 49.5 mile shuttle back to the entry vehicle(s).

Getting to the Trailhead and Exit Vehicle (Escape Pod) Parking

To get to the Trailhead

From the Bad Water parking lot drive south on highway 178 approximately 48.1 miles to a turn off on the left (north west) to a dirt road (ExtFrnCk-178).  The turn off will have a sign saying Furnace Creek Wash Road (on some maps this is labeled as Greenwater Valley Road).  Note: shortly before reaching the turn off will be another turn off with the same name to the right, note this is not the one you want.

After turning left onto the dirt road drive north west 10.6 miles to a junction with another dirt road (ExtTwrdGoldVly) and turn left onto the this dirt road.   

Drive another 2.5 miles to a fork in the road (ExtGoldValley1) and continue left. 
Drive another 5.2 miles to another fork (ExtGoldValley2) and continue right. 
Drive another 3.0 miles to another fork (ExtGoldValley3) and turn left. 
Drive another 1.5 miles to any spot you find convenient to pull off the side of the road (tBlckSmithCyns).  This trail head can be used for a few canyons starting from the Smith Mountain area.  

Optionally you can turn left at ExtGoldValley2 then right at the next road junction then on to the spot to park.  This will save about 2.7 miles but involves slightly rougher road.

To leave the Exit Vehicle / Escape Pod

From the Badwater parking lot, drive south on highway 178 approximately 21.4 miles and pull over to the side of the road where convenient.  There are no designated parking areas just find a spot you feel comfortable with.

Maps

Map showing entire route.

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Map showing the drive in and the canyon.

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GPS Waypoint Information

Details

The Approach:
From the trailhead (tBlckSmithCyns), travel due west along the relatively flat floor of Gold Valley.

This is a view from where you parked at the trail head. Labeled to give a rough idea of where to go.

After about 1.1 miles there is a large flat rock (wBlckSmthRP-01).  This rock is near the mouth of the canyon that has to be ascended as part of the approach.  The rock is about waist high and perfect for setting packs on for a quick break. From the rock, continue west up the canyon ahead. Once in the canyon the route becomes steeper with more rocks to maneuver around.

A little over a half mile up the canyon, is a large rock fall area(wBlckSmthRP-02).  The rock fall is bypassed by climbing high on the left side of the canyon to get up and around the rock fall.  Drop back to the canyon floor about 500 feet up canyon of the rock fall.

When you get back down to the canyon floor above the rock fall area, continue up canyon staying right at the forks and follow up the more wide open drainage.  On maps this will be slightly right (north) of the line drawn to show the watercourse.  Continue up canyon another 0.4 miles to where it tops out on a saddle (wBlckSmthRP-03).  From this saddle is a great view of the top of Shoestring Canyon to the west and Telescope Peak (looks good when snow covered) way off in the distance.

From the top of the canyon on the saddle (wBlckSmthRP-03), turn left and head south (186°) 0.2 miles to another saddle (yForgeTp).  This second saddle is marked as the top entry for Forge Canyon to the south.  If you would like to bag a peak while in the area this is the time to do it.  The peak 0.4 miles to the southwest is Smith Mountain.

The Canyon / Technical Section:
From the Top Entry to Forge Canyon (yForgeTp), travel down the canyon to the south.  Forge Canyon quickly becomes steep and full of loose rock.  A few hundred feet from the saddle is a scree filled chute that gives access to the steep rock filled canyon floor below.  

The areas of the canyon with sand and small gravel are fun in that they feel like you are walking down a steep bank of snow.  Each step is cushioned by the flow of the rock under you.  You can go pretty fast down these sections.  In contrast are the steep sections still steep but covered in small to medium sized rocks.  Falling here would tear you up pretty bad.  It is very awkward to walk over these sections while trying to keep your feet from rolling out from under you.  

About 0.4 miles below top of the canyon is a 15 foot down climb that is best done without packs on (wForgeRP-01).  Lowering your packs here with a length of webbing is a good idea.   

Shortly after the down climb is a steeply sloped section of gray / black rock on your way down canyon.  Then the canyon levels off a little and begins to narrow with a vertical wall on the right.  

About 0.2 miles further is a big drop (wForgeRP-02).  This big drop is bypassed by climbing around LDC to a steep slope that bypasses the drop.  The slope is full of loose medium to large rocks.  It is easy to knock some loose and send it rolling down the slope.   Traveling one at a time down this slope will speed things up.  Each person can travel faster down the slope knowing they will not knock rocks down on another person.  Traveling fast one at a time is faster and safer than the whole group trying to be careful while traveling near each other.  

Continuing down canyon are a few down climbs along the way with some flat wash sections between, before getting to a second big drop 0.2 miles down canyon.  This second big drop (wForgeRP-03) is down climbed over a series of drops RDC.  Parts of this climb down a series of drops are slick from polished rock.  

0.3 miles down canyon is pretty easy travel down the wash to a short sloped section of polished pink rock.   

Another 0.6 miles down canyon is another large drop in the canyon.  This drop is a series of 2 drops.  Climb around the first part RDC then climb down the second part right down the middle.  

About 400 feet down are a couple short easy down climbs.  The bottom down climb leads to the top of Rap 1.  Rap 1 is about 2.3 miles down from the top of canyon.  

Rap 1 (dForgeR1) is anchored from a cairn style anchor in the wash just above the rappel.  From the top of Rap 1 you can see the rest of Forge Canyon wind away from you toward the valley floor off in the distance.  Rap 1 drops 200 feet down a mostly vertical wall.  There is a ledge about 40 feet up from the bottom before going vertical again.  

About 350 feet down canyon of rap 1 is a down climb that is easier if the packs are lowered.  The top part is easy to navigate but steep.  As your feet have about 5 feet left before getting to the bottom the down climb goes almost vertical on a textured but slick polished rock.  I found it best to lower myself as far as possible then just slide down the last part of the down climb.  A couple hundred feet after this down climb is rap 2.  

Rap 2 (dForgeR2) is anchored from a boulder protruding from the ground RDC.  The rappel uses about 110 feet of rope as it goes down over a series of drops and vertical sections.  The start is a bit over hung but easy to negotiate since there are walls on each side to use for stabilization.   

Rap 3 (dForgeR3) is about 250 feet down canyon of rap 2.  Rap 3 is anchored from a large rock lying in debris at the top of the rap.  Rap 3 drops about 65 feet down a smooth almost vertical wall.  From the top of Rap 3 you can see rap 4 about 100 – 200 feet down canyon.  

Rap 4 (dForgeR4) is anchored from one of many large rocks sitting at the top of the rap and drops about 70 feet.  It starts out slopped but soon goes vertical about the last 50 feet.  

Rap 5 (dForgeR5) is about 100 feet down canyon from rap 4.  Rap 5 is anchored from a cairn anchor and drops about 50 feet down a water-polished wall with a small pothole mid way down.  

Below rap 5 is a section of wash walking with a few slopes of rock to walk down.  This section goes on for about 0.2 miles before reaching rap 6.  

Rap 6 (dForgeR6) is anchored from a large rock feature LDC.  Rap 6 drops 30 feet along a rough wall.  

Down canyon from rap 6 is easy wash walking with a couple sloped rock sections to walk down.  About 0.2 miles down canyon is a 12 foot down climb just before reaching rap 7.  

Rap 7 (dForgeR7) is anchored by a cairn style anchor with some huge rocks in the front.  Rap 7 drops 50 feet down a sloped wall.      

A short distance down canyon from rap 7 you will notice a dark black stripe running diagonally down the canyon wall.  The bottom of this black stripe points to the anchor for rap 8 LDC.  Raps 8, 9 and 10 are stacked right next to each other with about 50 feet between raps.  

Rap 8 (dForgeR8-10) is anchored by a large rock LDC at the top of the rappel.  Rap 8 drops about 40 feet down a rough wall.  Rap 8 can be down climbed by climbing down the rough wall RDC of the rap.  This is a little sketchy and is safer if rappelled.   

Rap 9 is about 50 feet down canyon of rap 8.  The top of the rap is LDC in a narrow section.  The first drop you see does not offer a good start for a rappel since the start is overhung and the anchor would need to be right at the top of the rap.  Go down canyon around the large rock you find yourself next to.  From there you will find the anchor for Rap 9 on a large rock.  Rap 9 starts down a narrow space between a huge boulder and the canyon wall.  Rap 9 starts on a slope then goes vertical.  The overall drop is 80 feet.  A long length of webbing is suggested for rap 9 to allow an easier pull.  

Rap 10 is about 50 feet down canyon of rap 9.  The anchor for Rap 10 is a cairn style anchor.  Rap 10 is a 3 stage rap that turns on the way down.  Each ledge has some horizontal distance to walk.  The overall rope length needed is 190 feet.  The drops for each stage are about 60, 30, and 60.  Care should be taken not to twist the ropes.  Because of the turn on this rappel the pull is difficult and getting the ropes twisted can make the pull extremely difficult or impossible.  

Down canyon of rap 10 are a couple down climbs with multiple ways down so find what works for you.  About 500 feet down canyon is Rap 11.  

Rap 11 (dForgeR11) might possibly be considered a down climb by some.  It is an awkward down climb with very little flat ground directly below.  If down climbed a belay from the top should be used with the last person being spotted from below.  Rap 11 is anchored from a small rock feature LDC while the rap itself is RDC.  The total drop is about 15 feet with some overhang, adding to the awkwardness if down climbed.  

Rap 12 is a little over 400 feet down canyon from rap 11.  On the way to rap 12 is a long easy slopped slick rock section to get down, followed by a narrow flat wash.  At the end of the narrow flat wash is the top of rap 12.  

Rap 12 (dForgeR12) is anchored from cairn style anchor LDC.  Rap 12 starts down over a couple potholes then drops 60 feet down a smooth almost vertical wall.  

Shortly after rap 12 is a down climb over some large boulders.  The shortest drop is LDC but the easiest down climb is right down the center.  The down climb is easy but looks more difficult than it is.  Next are more long narrow sections of flat wash and one easy down climb of about 8 feet, before reaching a long narrow down climb about 0.3 miles down canyon of rap 12.  

The long narrow down climb (wForgeRP-04) is down a moderately sloped slot with enough of an overhang above it to use as friction to keep from slipping.  About 10 feet from the bottom is a near vertical drop.  We found it easiest to help each other down with webbing.  Some were able to stem the shallow chute at the bottom and down climb the last 10 feet but this will not be the case with most people.  

After the long narrow down climb is easy wash walking with a few easy down climbs.   

Rap 13 (dForgeR13 ) is the last rap and is about 0.2 miles down canyon of the long narrow down climb.  Rap 13 is anchored from a medium sized rock at the top of the rappel.  Rap 13 drops 30 feet.  

About 500 feet after rap 13, the canyon begins to widen and you can see you are nearing the end of the technical section (yForgeBt). 

The Exit:
After exiting the canyon (yForgeBt) walk across the alluvial fan of Forge Canyon.  Looking down canyon to south west you will see a large hill in the middle of the alluvial fan.  Stay right (north) to skirt around the north side of the hill.   

Once around the hill you will be able to see highway 178 (Badwater Road) a little over 0.8 miles to the west.  Make your way across the alluvial fan to the exit vehicle to complete the route.

GPS Waypoint Information

Back to the Canyoneering Trip Report List page.

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