Canyoneering Route Description

Icebox Canyon - 3A II
Red Rock Canyon, Nevada.

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Quick Facts

10-07-07, 3 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 10.5 hours) Using the alt. from the bottom only to the top of the last 2 rappels.

Distance for lower route to top of the last 2 rappels - 4 miles Total, 200 feet Technical.
Rappels - 2 Rappels (if using the lower route as described here), Longest Rappel 160 feet.

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

Gear Used for Canyon

Rappelling and anchor gear, two 200 foot ropes, 50 feet of 1” webbing for sling placement and wet suits. If the fall is only trickling and it is a HOT day no wet suit is needed. The pool that needs to be crossed to get to the final rappel can be quite chilly and full even in mild weather with little water flow, that is why a wet suit is still recommended.

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

General Comments

Icebox canyon is located in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas Nevada. There is a hiking trail from the Icebox Canyon trailhead that ends at the bottom of 160 foot water fall. Spring snow melt can result in a lot of water flowing over this water fall but the rest of the year water flow is minimal. The hike up the wash in the canyon up to the bottom of the water fall, is a popular hike in Red Rock. When there is significant water flow this water fall is a beautiful hike destination.

There is a canyoneering route for the entire Icebox Canyon. That route uses most of the same approach as the route to Ice Cube Canyon, then down Icebox Canyon down to and over the water fall then out to the trail head via the standard hiking trail. That is not the route covered here.

This "alternate route" starts at the trailhead and soon climbs up the left (north) side of the canyon then drops back to the canyon floor just above the large water fall. Very little of the actual Icebox Canyon canyoneering route is followed for this route. This alternate route to do only the lower water fall, shows and describes the route for only the fun part. This alternate route for Icebox Canyon does not mess with the long approach and not so challenging canyon of doing the full route. We have hiked all the way up Icebox canyon with no gear. The upper part of the canyon does not feel like it would be interesting to descend as a canyoneering route.

This Alternate route involves a lot more work than some may think it is worth. Most of the approach route involves a lot of scrambling and light climbing. The payoff is rapping down a water fall that is about 160 feet. Because the approach requires a lot of scrambling and light climbing, it is recommended to pack as light as possible. You will thank yourself for the smaller pack size when you see how much you will lug it around only to do 2 rappels.

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

To get to the Trailhead

From the entrance gates to Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop, drive 8.1 miles on the scenic loop to the Ice Box Canyon trailhead. Park in the parking lot.

To leave the Exit Vehicle / Escape Pod

No exit vehicle is required. The end point is the same as the start point for this route.

Maps

Map showing entire route.
Icebox Canyon Zoomed Out Map Lo Res Version
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The black line is the Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop.

Map showing the beginning portion of the route.
Icebox Canyon first Section Zoomed In Map Lo Res Version
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Map showing the upper section of the route.
Icebox Canyon second Section Zoomed In Map Lo Res Version
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Right Click then select "Save Target As" to save the Hi-Res version.

GPS Waypoint Information

Waypoint coordinates are given with the WGS84 datum and in Lat/Lon hddd° mm.mmm' format unless otherwise noted.

Approach Waypoints

1. - tIcBxCnyn
Icebox Canyon trailhead. The trail ends at the bottom of a large seasonal water fall in Icebox Canyon.
N36 09.004 W115 29.042, Elevation 4290 ft.

2. - wIBHpthStrt
The path here leads toward the first climb on the route. It does not look frequently traveled, but is easy to follow.
N36 08.864 W115 29.416

3. - jIBHleaveTrail
This is the point where the route leaves main trail and heads up the North side of the canyon. It starts out as an easy to follow route that gets occasional foot traffic. Soon after, it becomes a scrambling / climbing route up the side of the canyon
N36 08.826 W115 29.334

4. - wIBHScrmbl
A short distance after leaving the main trail is this spot where you must climb up a chimney into a gully.
N36 08.860 W115 29.505

5. - wIBHleftOutGully
After climbing a short up the gully past the chimney, climb out of the gully here to the left (southwest).
N36 08.863 W115 29.517

6. - wIBHovr2Horn
After climbing out of the gully and reaching this point, you should be able to see the large, flat, brown black platform of rock.
N36 08.857 W115 29.527

7. - wIBHhornRock
Climb between this horn rock and the canyon wall to get to the next gully.
N36 08.837 W115 29.532

8. - wIBHleftOutGully2
After getting past the horned rock, climb up the gully you find yourself in. This is the point you climb out of the gully.
N36 08.884 W115 29.711

9. - wIBHridgeCrest
This is a point on the ridge after leaving the second gully that makes the route easy to find.
N36 08.864 W115 29.707

10. - wIBHshortCrevice
There is a short crevice about 30 feet to climb up here to continue the route. There were cairns there at one time.
N36 08.848 W115 29.730

11. - wIBHridgeCrestBowl
This is a point on a crest of a ridge just before you get to the bowl to hike around.
N36 08.731 W115 29.887

12. - wIBHbegBowl
This is the start of a large bowl to hike around.
N36 08.674 W115 29.964

13. - wIBHendBowl
This is the other side of the bowl you will hike around to get to the other ridge.
N36 08.605 W115 30.086

14. - wDrp2IcBxFl
This is the top of the gully that drops into Icebox Canyon near the top of the falls. Follow that gully down to the floor of Icebox Canyon.
N36 08.571 W115 30.087

15. - wIBHiceboxfloor
This is the bottom of the gully that takes you to the floor of Icebox Canyon a few hundred feet from the water fall.
N36 08.537 W115 30.076

Canyon / Technical Section Waypoints

15. - wIBHiceboxfloor
This is the bottom of the gully that takes you to the floor of Icebox Canyon a few hundred feet from the water fall.
N36 08.537 W115 30.076

16. - yIceBoxBot
This is the bottom of the Icebox Canyon route. This is the large water fall that is so popular on the Icebox Canyon hiking trail. From here follow the main hiking trail to get back to the trailhead.
N36 08.575 W115 29.986

Exit Route Waypoints

17. - Trail2Wash
This is where a path leads up the side of the wash to the main trail. The path is through a dense section of vegetation and is easy to miss.
N36 08.662 W115 29.736

18. - tIcBxCnyn
Icebox Canyon trailhead. The trail ends at the bottom of a large seasonal water fall in Icebox Canyon.
N36 09.004 W115 29.042, Elevation 4290 ft.

Details

The Approach:
From the trailhead (1), follow the main hiking trail and work your way, a little less than a half mile, to where you will leave the main trail (2) and hike off trail to the right. About 500 feet away you will find a path (3) that leads toward the first climb. From here you will not be traveling on the main trail. It starts out pretty easy to follow, since there are signs of occasional foot traffic. The terrain will get a bit steeper as you approach the walls of the canyon. The first climb (4) is a climb / scramble up to a chimney, then up the chimney and into a gully.

Ron and Bonnie shortly after leaving the trailhead.

Approaching the area with the first climb.

A closer look at the first climb.

Details of the first climb.

Once you have climbed up into the gully, continue up it for about 60 or 70 feet to where you will climb out of the gully (5) to your left. Shortly after exiting up and out of the gully, make your way to where you will be able to look left down the ridge (6) and see a large, flat, brown black platform of rock. This platform is not your goal. It is a land mark so you will know you are in the right spot.

A look too far up the first gully.
This is a look up the gully from where you should exit the gully to the left.
This is not a section of the gully you will go up!
It is a visual queue of what it looks like in the gully above your exit point.

Large rock platform to look for as a landmark.

From here continue about 140 feet to the southwest 210° to a large horn like rock (7). To get there you will need to scramble over some large boulders. Climb between the horn and the canyon wall. On the other side of this passage, traverse a ledge to get to the next gully.

A view of the horn like rock.

Climb between the horn like rock and the canyon wall here.

Traverse the ledge on the other side of the horn like rock.

Climb about 1,000 feet up the gully on the other side of the horn. This gully is wide and has what appear to be gullies that branch off of it. While climbing this gully stay on the left side of anything that appears to be a fork. Exit the gully (8) to the left just before getting to a large dead tree.

A look down the second gully.
A look down the second gully (the gully after the horn like rock).
After traversing the ledge after the horn like rock, this is what you will see looking down the gully you find yourself in.

A tree just above the exit point of the second gully.
Travel up the second gully (the gully passed the horn like rock) almost to this tree.
Remember to stay to the left at any point in this second gully that appears to be a fork.

Exit point on the left side of the second gully.
Exit the gully on the left side and get out to the ridge through here.

Climb to the crest of the ridge on the left side of the gully (9). From the crest of the ridge continue southwest 220° about 150 feet to a short crevice or chute (10) running up about 80 feet to the northwest. After climbing up the chute or crevice continue southwest 227° about 1,000 feet to the crest of the next ridge. The route from the chute or crevice to the next ridge crest (11) is pretty easy travel. There area couple obstacles to climb up and over.

Climb the short crevice - chute.
There were cairns at top and bottom but they may not always be around.

Just past this ridge crest is a good view of the Buffalo Climbing Wall in the distance. Keep your eyes open to the left, at one point along the route you get a good view down to the water fall you will eventually end up at. Continue about 500 feet to the southwest to the beginning of a large bowl (12) you will need to hike around.

A view of the Buffalo Climbing Wall.

A look down to the water fall.

Go around the bowl by hiking around it to the right. Follow around the bowl while trying not to loose elevation. Just before getting to the other side of the bowl you will need to drop into a wash (it had water when we were there in October) then back up out of it. On the other side of the wash make your way up to the ridge point with a large rock on it. This ridge point is the end of the bowl (13).

A view of the ridge on the far side of the bowl.

A view of the route to the ridge on the other side of the bowl.

The wash to travel across just before reaching the other side of the bowl.

Walk a short distance around the ridge, is the top of a gully (14) going down to the left. Work your way down the gully about 300 feet to the bottom. It is possible to travel right down the center of the gully but there is a lot of bushwhacking there. I traveled down the right side of the gully with little trouble and almost no bushwhacking.

A view down the last gully to the floor of Icebox Canyon.

The Canyon / Technical Section:
Once at the bottom of the gully (15) you are on the floor of Icebox Canyon about 500 feet from the top of the water fall. Travel down the wash (east). You will quickly come to a pool of water that stops your travel. Look right to find a large boulder to the right. Go up and over this boulder to the right to bypass the pool.

Just before reaching the water fall (16), will be a pool, which is right at the top of the water fall. The first rappel about 15 feet into the pool. Even with little water flow in the canyon this pool will be a swimmer. Unless it is HOT out you will want a wet suit on this one. On the other end of the pool are the anchors for the second rappel down the falls. The anchor for for this 15 foot rap is a large tree about 40 up canyon of the pool. Sling the tree and leave it long so there is less drag on the rope when you pull.

After raping down the water fall, hike back to the trailhead by following the wash to a path (17) on the left leading up to the main trail. Follow the main trail about 0.8 mile back to the trailhead.

Anchors on the other side of the pool at the top of the water fall.

The second rappel is about 160’ down the falls and into a larger pool. It is anchored from 2 bolted hangers LDC. Enjoy this rappel since it is the reason you are doing this route. It is a beautiful sight from the bottom looking up. If you have ever hiked up to the water fall and looked it over from the bottom, you may find it even more of a thrill to rap down the fall.

A look over the edge of the rap down the water fall.
A look over the edge of the 160 foot rap down the water fall.

A view from the ledge pat way down the water fall.

Rapping down the water fall.

A look down canyon from the bottom of the rappel of the water fall.

The Exit:
After finishing the rappel down the water fall, walk down canyon (east) following the standard hiking route down the wash. About 0.3 miles down the wash start looking for one of a few trails the leave the main wash you are in. Take any one of these trails heading up the steep left (north) bank of the wash. Once on top of the banks you will be greeted with a few trails webbing all over but all leading back to the Icebox trailhead.

Links to Pictures are at the top of the page.