Canyoneering Route Description
Leprechaun Canyon Right (east) Fork - 3A II
North Wash, Utah.
05-29-10, 2 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 3 hours)
04-06-13, 2 people, 1 Day (Time Unknown) - Did all seven Irish
Canyons in a day with this being one of them.
03-26-16, 5 people,
1 Day (Time Unknown) - Did all seven Irish Canyons in a day with
this being one of them.
Time Required - 2.5 to 4 hours
Distance - 3.8 miles Total, 1 miles Technical
Rappels - 3 Rappels, Longest Rappel 30 feet.
(40 feet if you do the optional rap at the top)
Elevation Range - 4470 - 5010 Feet
Shuttle Required - No Vehicle -
Passenger
Permit Required - No
Rappelling and anchor gear, Ropes and or pull cords for rappels up
to 30 feet and 40 feet of 1” webbing for sling placement. If
doing the optional rappel at the top you will need ropes for up to a
40 foot rappel.
The Right Fork (east) of Leprechaun canyon is in my opinion more
scenic and fun than the west fork. But doing the Right Fork, you do
not get to see any of the tight stuff in the Middle Fork. If you
were going to do only two forks of the Leprechauns, I would suggest
the Right Fork then the Middle Fork.
Note:
This route description details the route up from the bottom of the canyon.
Optionally you can access this canyon from the top by parking by the exit
for the Kelsey Exit for Shenanigans Canyon. When you park there route
find your way south across the desert for about 0.5 miles to the head of the
the Right Fork of Leprechaun Canyon. The top of an optional rap
(dLepRF-R1a) is 180 feet southeast of a large cow pond.
To get to the Trailhead
From the junction of highways 276 and 95, travel south west on
95 two miles to a dirt road on the left (north east). Turn left
onto this dirt road (extLeprechaun) and park at a wide spot on
the left about 300 feet from the highway (tLeprechaun).
To leave the Exit Vehicle / Escape Pod
No exit vehicle is needed. This is done as a loop route.
GPS coordinate information listed at the bottom. For information about waypoint naming and map symbols, refer to the
Glossary page.
Click the links for maps of the route.
Map of the entire route.
Map zoomed in a little on upper section.
The Approach:
From the parking spot (tLeprechaun), walk about 500 feet up the dirt
road and into the wash. When you have a view straight up the wash
you will be able to see an out cropping that resembles a hoodoo or a
large chess piece straight ahead about 0.3 miles away. The hoodoo
will be straight ahead visually lined up with the center of the
wash.
There are a few paths worn into the wash here. Follow whichever
path is convenient and work your way over to near the base of the
slick rock slope leading up to the chess piece hoodoo
(wLepRtFk-RP-01).
From the base of the slope (wLepRtFk-RP-01) up to toward the hoodoo,
walk about 250 feet up the slick rock slope and make your way up to
the saddle to the right (east) of the hoodoo (wLepRtFk-RP-02).
From the saddle (wLepRtFk-RP-02), follow up the ridge to the right
(east). A short distance up from the saddle will be a large rock
out cropping. Traverse around the left (north) side of it to
continue up the ride to the east.
After about 500 feet up the ridge you will begin to see a long cliff
band running north to south. The right (south) end of the cliff
band has a prominent point and a dark red layer running along the
base of the vertical portion. Continue up the ridge and climb up to
the base of the cliff band right below the point on the southern
end. The dark red layer below the prominent point is what you need
to climb up to (wLepRtFk-RP-03). The base of this cliff band is
about 0.2 miles from the saddle.
From the base of the cliff band (wLepRtFk-RP-03) locate a very well
traveled trail running north along the base of the vertical portion
of the cliff band. The trail is so well traveled it feels like
someone put in a sidewalk for you.
About 0.3 miles along the trail will be a section of white flaky
sandstone the trail crosses (wLepRtFk-RP-04). While crossing the
white sandstone the trail fades away and is difficult to follow for
a very short distance. Continue north about 250 feet up and over a
small drainage to find the trail continuing very defined again in
the orange sand.
The sand the trail is in starts turning whiter in color. Follow the
sandy trail about 500 feet where it will cross over some rock debris
(wLepRtFk-RP-05). The trail fades away again for a short distance
as it crosses this rock debris. Continue north over the rock debris
a few feet to find the trail is well defined again traveling now in
dark red dirt.
About 0.2 miles further the trail crosses a sandstone drainage with
two forks, each having tiny potholes in them (wLepRtFk-RP-06). Look
left of the left fork for the trail to climb up the dirt embankment
up out of the drainage.
A few feet up out of the drainage the trail is easy to follow and
well defined again. The trail is now out in open desert area.
After about 0.2 miles of open desert the trail starts to follow the
rim of a side drainage. The trail here is in red dirt with the
white sandstone drop on the left.
About 300 feet along the rim the trail crosses a drainage
(wLepRtFk-RP-07) then follows around a sandstone nose.
Another 400 feet the trail crosses another drainage (wLepRtFk-RP-08)
and again turns left to follow around a sandstone nose.
Another 700 feet the trail crosses straight over another drainage
(wLepRtFk-RP-09). The canyon on the left (west) is now the Right
(east) Fork of Leprechaun.
Another 500 feet the trail crosses a sandstone drainage
(wLepRtFk-RP-10) with a series of potholes running along it. The
continuation of the trail is not easy to see while crossing the
wash. Just travel straight across the wash and up some dirt to find
the trail again.
Another 300 feet the trail crosses a drainage (wLepRtFk-RP-11). You
will need to travel up this drainage about 40 feet to find the trail
continuing up and out.
About 600 feet farther the trail crosses another drainage (wLepRtFk-RP-12).
From this drainage you can see the head wall of the Right (east)
Fork of Leprechaun Canyon ahead to the north. The head wall
straight ahead is the location of an optional rap that most people
do not do. This route description shows the route down into
the canyon just below the optional rap.
Note:
If you want to get to the top of the optional rap, look for a
place to upclimb to the rim about 80 feet south of the drainage
(wLepRtFk-RP-12). From the top of the up climb (wLepRtFk-RP-13),
follow the rim about 800 feet over to the top of the head wall at
the head. The optional rap can be anchored from a few large rocks
at the top of the drop (dLepRF-R1a ). The total drop of the
optional rap is about 40 feet.
If you wish to use this approach to get to the Middle Fork of
Leprechaun you can traverse 0.2 miles west across the desert to get
to the middle fork.
About 400 feet after crossing the last drainage (wLepRtFk-RP-12), the trail comes to
the top of a narrow slot dropping down and twisting (yLepRtFkTp).
This is the standard start down into the top of the Right (east)
Fork of Leprechaun Canyon. If you want to look at the bottom
of the optional rap it is a short 300 foot walk up canyon to take a
look. The bottom of
the optional rap is in a slot where you will need to upclimb a little to see the
actual rap from the bottom.
The Canyoneering / Technical Section:
From the top of the narrow slot (yLepRtFkTp) down climb down into
the slot. The slot is very twisty and as it drops down toward rap
1. Rap 1 is short distance down the slot after 2 easy stemming
style down climbs of about 12 feet each.
Rap 1 (dLepRgtFkR1) is anchored from a dead man anchor in a
pothole. Rap 1 drops about 25 feet and can be down climbed by
someone tall. Short people will have an issue here since the walls
at the bottom flare out.
The slot down canyon of rap 1 is easy travel along a sandy floor
with a couple easy down climbs of 5 or 6 feet each and a couple
choke stones to climb over. The walls in this section of the canyon
widen out rapidly from about waist high so it does not feel
claustrophobic at all. Just before reaching rap 2 is a down climb
of about 12 feet.
Rap 2 (dLepRgtFkR2) is about 600 feet down canyon of rap 1. Rap 2 is anchored
from a dead man anchor in a pothole about 15 feet back from the
drop. Webbing should be strung over to the drop so avoid rope pull
issues. Rap 2 drops about 30 feet.
Rap 2 can be down climbed. Start down sandstone flute that runs
most of the way down. When you reach the bottom of the flute the
drop goes vertical. From here traverse RDC to the next flute. As
the second flute widens, put your back on the RDC wall and use
features in the rock LDC to walk down.
After rap 2 the slot is easy to walk along again with a couple short
6 foot down climbs along the way. Almost 500 feet down canyon of
rap 2 the canyon widens out a lot to a very open feel
(wLepRtFk-RP-14).
The open section is about 400 feet long and ends when you drop into
the next narrow section (wLepRtFk-RP-15). To drop into the next
narrow section walk a few feet down canyon on the LDC side of the
slot and slide down a slope to get down into the slot.
Part way down this next narrow section is a large pothole of about
15 feet wide and only about 4 feet deep to cross. Next walk along a section
that feels like it has more small pothole like features in it before
the canyon opens up again briefly.
Another few hundred feet is the start of another narrow section
(wLepRtFk-RP-16). This next narrow section is easy walking for
about 700 feet to a drop of about 10 feet. The drop is very narrow
at the start. Getting down is made much easier if you Galumph
(right foot and right hand on the right wall. Left foot and left
hand on the left wall) down canyon to where the drop gets a little
wider before stemming down. After the drop the narrow section gets
a little tighter giving a closed in feel.
Part way down this tighter section is a pothole that may have water
in it depending on if there had been recent rains. The pot hole is
easy to stem over although it may not look like it. If you do go
in, the pothole is only about chest deep. The section just before
and after the pothole is one of the more scenic and pleasing
sections of the canyon. The section has a very sculpted feel.
Soon the canyon widens out again giving a wide open feel
(wLepRtFk-RP-17).
A couple hundred feet after the wide open area is the start of
another narrow section. Part way into the narrow section is a down
scramble down slick rock of about 15 feet. At the bottom of the
scramble is another drop of about 15 feet which is rap 3.
Rap 3 (dLepRgtFkR3) is anchored from a dead man and drops about 15
feet.
After rap 3 is an tight down climb of about 8 feet then you are at
the confluence of the right and middle forks (tLepRgtMid).
Continuing down canyon from the junction with the Right Fork is a
large room like narrow section. The walls bell out in the middle
and the ceiling is very high but closed up pretty tight giving the
section a room like feel. And the floor can at times hold a little
water in the center. Just after the wide bell shaped room the
canyon opens up a little to a section that is a little reminiscent
of the subway. While there is no top to the section the walls are
tall smooth and slightly rounded in while winding a couple times
over a few hundred feet. It feels like walking down a grand
corridor.
Shortly after the grand corridor section the canyon opens up more
and begins to become a wash with sections of sandstone and dirt
along the floor. A short distance down the wide open area is a drop
of about 10 feet which can be down climbed on LDC of the head of the
drop. This is marked as the end of the canyon route (yLeprechaunBt).
The Exit:
Continue about 0.2 miles back to the spot where you started to climb
up out of the wash (wLepRP-01). Next continue down the wash another
0.5 miles to where you left the vehicle and started your journey.
Optionally you could start back up the sandstone slope up out of the
canyon and go up to descend another fork of Leprechaun.
Downloadable GPX files
available at
BG-Gear Store
(easier than manual entry and a great way to support
Bluugnome).
Waypoint naming convention and map symbol information can be found on the Glossary page.
Elevations are approximate.
BEFORE
manually entering coordinates set your system to WGS84 datum and Lat/Lon hddd.ddddd° coordinate format.
Inconsistent datum's and coordinate formats will result in location errors.
Click to show / expand the list of waypoints below........
| Leprechaun Right Fork (1) - Approach |
- extLeprechaun
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.01754
W -110.53717
Elev: 4,455 Feet
Exit for the dirt road into the bottom of Leprechaun Canyon.
- tLeprechaun
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.01838
W -110.53685
Elev: 4,470 Feet
Trailhead for Leprechaun Canyon. There is room to park a few vehicles here off to the side of the dirt road.
- wLepRtFk-RP-01
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02250
W -110.53397
Elev: 4,500 Feet
Base of a slick rock slope leading up to the saddle slightly east of a hoodoo.
- wLepRtFk-RP-02
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02306
W -110.53358
Elev: NaN Feet
Slick rock saddle just east of the hoodoo that could be seen from early in route up the wash.
- wLepRtFk-RP-03
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02196
W -110.52964
Elev: 4,880 Feet
At the base of a vertical cliff band. THis is on the southern end of a cliff band running roughly north south.
- wLepRtFk-RP-04
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02500
W -110.52659
Elev: 4,930 Feet
Trail crosses a section of flaky white sandstone and fades away for a very short distance.
- wLepRtFk-RP-05
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02660
W -110.52566
Elev: NaN Feet
Trail crosses some rock debris and fades away for a short distance. Continue north a few feet to find the well defined trail continue in the red dirt.
- wLepRtFk-RP-06
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02821
W -110.52383
Elev: 4,940 Feet
Trail crosses sandstone wash with two forks with tiny potholes. Look left of the left drainage for the trail to climb up the dirt out of the drainage.
- wLepRtFk-RP-07
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03020
W -110.52122
Elev: NaN Feet
Trail crosses drainage then follows around a sandstone nose.
- wLepRtFk-RP-08
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03118
W -110.52123
Elev: NaN Feet
Trail crosses drainage then follows around a sandstone nose.
- wLepRtFk-RP-09
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03227
W -110.52164
Elev: NaN Feet
Trail crosses drainage.
- wLepRtFk-RP-10
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03329
W -110.52111
Elev: 4,960 Feet
Trail crosses a drainage with a series of potholes running down it.
- wLepRtFk-RP-11
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03390
W -110.52055
Elev: NaN Feet
Trail crosses another drainage. Travel about 40 feet up the drainage to find where the trail climbs up and out.
- wLepRtFk-RP-13
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03495
W -110.51968
Elev: 5,010 Feet
Top of a climb up to the top of the rim.
- dLepRF-R1a
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03689
W -110.51871
Elev: 5,040 Feet
Optional rap at the head of the Right (east) Fork of Leprechaun. This rap is normally not done. The rap is anchored from large rocks at top of drop and drops about 40 feet.
- wLepRtFk-RP-12
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03526
W -110.51993
Elev: NaN Feet
Trail crosses a drainage. Continue along the trail to get over to the standard head of the canyon. Or look for an up climb along the rim to go over to an optional rap.
- yLepRtFkTp
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03619
W -110.51953
Elev: 4,990 Feet
Top entry for the right fork of Leprechaun Canyon.
|
| Leprechaun Right Fork (2) - Canyon and Exit |
- yLepRtFkTp
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03619
W -110.51953
Elev: 4,990 Feet
Top entry for the right fork of Leprechaun Canyon.
- dLepRgtFkR1
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03601
W -110.51966
Elev: 5,011 Feet
Rap 1 - Right Fk Lep. Anchored from a deadman anchor in a pothole and drops about 25 feet.
- dLepRgtFkR2
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03472
W -110.52101
Elev: NaN Feet
Rap 2 -Right Fk Lep. Anchored from a dead man anchor and drops about 30 feet.
- wLepRtFk-RP-14
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03365
W -110.52188
Elev: NaN Feet
Canyon widens considerably for a short distance. Wide open and great for a break to warm up in the sun if cold.
- wLepRtFk-RP-15
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03292
W -110.52242
Elev: 4,834 Feet
Start of the next narrow section.
- wLepRtFk-RP-16
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.03230
W -110.52357
Elev: 4,768 Feet
Start of another narrow section.
- wLepRtFk-RP-17
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02967
W -110.52749
Elev: 4,650 Feet
Canyon widens out again briefly.
- dLepRgtFkR3
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02938
W -110.52895
Elev: NaN Feet
Rap 3 - Right Fk Lep. Anchored from a dead man and drops about 15 feet.
- jLepRgtMid
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02936
W -110.52918
Elev: NaN Feet
Middle and Right forks of Leprechaun join.
- yLeprechaunBt
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02688
W -110.53122
Elev: 4,560 Feet
Bottom exit of Leprechaun Canyon. This is a few hundred feet after the long huge subway type area.
- wLepRP-01
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.02504
W -110.53285
Elev: 4,520 Feet
Start climb out of wash here. Climb north up a sandstone nose on the left (west) just up canyon of a side drainage joining in from the left (west). The slope up is gentle and presents itself as the most obvious route up.
- tLeprechaun
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 38.01838
W -110.53685
Elev: 4,470 Feet
Trailhead for Leprechaun Canyon. There is room to park a few vehicles here off to the side of the dirt road.
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