Canyoneering Route Description

Off Shore Canyon - 2A I
Ticaboo Mesa, Utah.

Quick Facts

12-28-19, 3 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 1.6 hours)

Time Required - 1 to 2 hours
Distance - 2.5 miles Total, 0.7 miles Technical
Rappels - 0 Rappels, Longest downclimb 15 feet.
Elevation Range - 3895 - 4150 Feet
Shuttle Required - No Miles Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - No

Gear Used for Canyon

Short rope of about 20 feet to assist some with upclimbing or downclimbing.  Many people will not need rope but having one on hand is a good idea.

General Comments

Off Shore Canyon is a short route to kill some time and see a new place. On our first visit here we thought it offered more than we expected in fun but still not enough to make this a destination route. All drops can be upclimbed or downclimbed with moderate effort but a short rope should be on hand in the event someone needs assistance. The best way to see both forks is to go up the left (north) fork then down the right (south) fork. It is best to go up the left(north) fork first since the drops are smaller in that fork and can be upclimbed with moderate effort. One drop in the south fork would be harder to upclimb and is best done downward.

Route finding between the upper forks of Off Shore Canyon is over rolling dessert with no defined trails.  You will need to find your way over ridges and washes winding around as needed.  It would be too convoluted to give step by step directions but the terrain is easy to navigate.

Driving Directions

To get to the Trailhead

The junction of highways 95 and 276 is about 26 miles south on highway 95 from Hanksville Utah. 

From the junction of highways 95 and 276, drive south on highway 276 for 31.4 miles to the parking spot on the east side of the road (pkOffShore).  Park at the southern end of the warehouses just south of the Off Shore Marina Store.  From the main parking lot of the store drive south on the highway about 900 feet.  There is not defined spot to pull over so find a spot to keep your vehicle off the highway.

Optionally you can park at in the store parking lot and walk the highway 900 feet to begin the route. 

To leave the Exit Vehicle / Escape Pod

No exit vehicle is needed.  This is done as a loop route.

Maps

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.

Details

The Approach:
From the parking spot (pkOffShore) on the east side of the road, walk east from the road about 0.2 miles following the fence line along the south side of some warehouses then cow trails down into the wash of Hansen Creek.

Once in Hansen Creek (OffShore01) walk east across the wash and follow east up the forming drainage of Off Shore Canyon.

About 850 feet after leaving Hansen Creek a minor side fork drops in (OffShore02) on the north side. Stay right and continue southeastish up the main drainage about 0.3 miles to the confluence of the two forks of Off Shore Canyon. The walls will narrow and deepen as you walk this section.

First Canyoneering Section - Up the North Fork of Off Shore Canyon:
From the confluence (yOffShoreBt) turn left up the left (north) fork.

About 280 feet up the left fork is an 8 foot upclimb (OffShore03) that can be gotten up with moderate effort with back to feet on opposing walls.

About 250 feet farther up canyon is a 6 foot upclimb (OffShore04) that can be gotten up with moderate effort with back to feet on opposing walls. The canyon widens out about 50 feet up canyon of this upclimb allowing wide wash walking.

About 300 feet farther up canyon is a small side drainage (OffShore05EE) on the right (south) side. Continue left (northeast) up the main drainage. Optionally you could route find your way up to the south then down into the south fork here if you only want to do the very lower portions of each of the forks.

About 300 feet farther up canyon is a small side drainage (OffShore06) on the right (south) side. Continue left (northeast) up the main drainage.

About 130 feet farther up canyon is an 8 foot upclimb (OffShore07) that will require a little more effort than those down canyon and may require a partner assist to get up. The canyon begins to narrow again.

About 220 feet farther up canyon is the top of (yOffShoreTpN) the North Fork of Off Shore Canyon. On the way up, canyon begins to widen here and get more shallow. Leave the canyon and scramble up the sloped right (south) side.

Route find between North and South Forks:
Scramble up the slope out of the top of the North Fork of Off Shore Canyon to the crest of a ridge (OffShore08). Scramble south down to then across the slot below. You may need to look around to find the easiest way across. Route find your way southeast going up and down multiple dirt washes and ridges. There are no trails or obvious landmarks here but the terrain is forgiving and easy to navigate.

About 600 feet southeast is the crest of one of the many dirt ridges (OffShore09) as you route find your way southeast toward the south fork. Continue southeast going over a few more dirt washes and ridges.

About 600 feet southeast is a good view (OffShore10) east down into the south fork where you can see the walls are too steep to enter. Veer left and travel northeast to where you can scramble down a gently sloped ravine into the south fork.

About 300 feet east is a gently sloped ravine (OffShore11) allowing a scramble down into the south fork of Off Shore Canyon then walk down canyon to a confluence (yOffShoreTpS). 

Second Canyoneering Section - Down the South Fork of Off Shore Canyon:
From the top of the South Fork (yOffShoreTpS) which is one of a few confluences in the upper shallow portion, continue west down the south fork.

About 250 feet down canyon is an easy 8 foot downclimb (OffShore12) followed by easy walking for about 0.25 miles.

As the canyon narrows (OffShore13) there is an easy 8 foot downclimb.

About 420 feet down canyon is dowclimb (OffShore14) of about 15 feet that can be challenging for some. A short rope may be helpful to assist each other if needed. Down canyon of here the walls are high and narrow providing a very closed in canyon feel for about 300 feet down to the confluence of the two forks (yOffShoreBt).

The Exit:
From the confluence of the two forks (yOffShoreBt) follow the main drainage back down to then across Hansen Creek then follow use trails back to the highway and your car.

GPS Waypoint Information

Click to show / expand the list of waypoints below........

Off Shore Canyon (1) - Entire Route

pkOffShore          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.62759   W -110.72181        Elev: 3,940 Feet Park here on the east side of the road to go to Off Shore Canyon. Walk east from the road about 0.2 miles following the fence line along the south side of some warehouses then cow trails down into the wash of Hansen Creek. OffShore01          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.62807   W -110.71813        Elev: 3,895 Feet Walk east across the wash of Hansen Creek and follow east up the forming drainage of Off Shore Canyon. OffShore02          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.62942   W -110.71552        Elev: NaN Feet Minor side fork drops in on the north side. Stay right and continue southeastish up the main drainage about 0.3 miles to the confluence of the two forks of Off Shore Canyon. The walls will narrow and deepen as you walk this section. yOffShoreBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.62965   W -110.71121        Elev: 3,975 Feet Bottom of North Shore Canyon where both forks join. On the approach turn left up the left (north) fork. On the exit follow the main drainage back down to then across Hansen Creek then follow use trails back to the highway and your car. OffShore03          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63027   W -110.71070        Elev: NaN Feet 8 foot upclimb that can be gotten up with moderate effort with back to feet on opposing walls. OffShore04          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63056   W -110.71011        Elev: NaN Feet 6 foot upclimb that can be gotten up with moderate effort with back to feet on opposing walls. The canyon widens out about 50 feet up canyon of this upclimb allowing wide wash walking. OffShore05EE          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63102   W -110.70933        Elev: NaN Feet Small side drainage on the right (south) side. Continue left (northeast) up the main drainage. Optionally you could route find your way up to the south then down into the south fork here if you only want to do the very lower portions of each of the forks. OffShore06          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63143   W -110.70845        Elev: NaN Feet Small side drainage on the right (south) side. Continue left (northeast) up the main drainage. OffShore07          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63177   W -110.70844        Elev: NaN Feet 8 foot upclimb that will require a little more effort than those down canyon and may require a partner assist to get up. The canyon begins to narrow again. yOffShoreTpN          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63230   W -110.70828        Elev: 4,055 Feet Top of the North Fork of Off Shore Canyon. On the way up, canyon begins to widen here and get more shallow. Leave the canyon and scramble up the sloped right (south) side. OffShore08          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63203   W -110.70799        Elev: NaN Feet Crest of a ridge after scrambling out the top of the North Fork of Off Shore Canyon. Scramble south down to then across the slot below. You may need to look around to find the easiest way across. Route find your way southeast going up and down multiple dirt washes and ridges. There are no trails or obvious landmarks here but the terrain is forgiving and easy to navigate. OffShore09          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63149   W -110.70666        Elev: 4,150 Feet Crest of one of the many dirt ridges as you route find your way southeast toward the south fork. Continue southeast going over a few more dirt washes and ridges. OffShore10          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63031   W -110.70585        Elev: NaN Feet A good view east down into the south fork where you can see the walls are too steep to enter. Veer left and travel northeast to where you can scramble down a gently sloped ravine into the south fork. OffShore11          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63057   W -110.70501        Elev: NaN Feet Scramble down a gently sloped ravine into the south fork of Off Shore Canyon then walk down canyon to a confluence. yOffShoreTpS          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63014   W -110.70492        Elev: 4,050 Feet One of a few confluences in the upper shallow portion of the south fork of OffShore Canyon. Continue west down the south fork. OffShore12          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.62988   W -110.70561        Elev: NaN Feet Easy 8 foot downclimb followed by easy walking for about 0.25 miles. OffShore13          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63032   W -110.70914        Elev: NaN Feet As the canyon narrows there is an easy 8 foot downclimb. OffShore14          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.62997   W -110.71026        Elev: NaN Feet Dowclimb of about 15 feet that can be challenging for some. A short rope may be helpful to assist each other if needed. Down canyon of here the walls are high and narrow providing a very closed in canyon feel for about 300 feet down to the confluence of the two forks. pkOffShore          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.62759   W -110.72181        Elev: 3,940 Feet Park here on the east side of the road to go to Off Shore Canyon. Walk east from the road about 0.2 miles following the fence line along the south side of some warehouses then cow trails down into the wash of Hansen Creek.