Crackbaby Canyon 3BV, Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyoneering is measured by the time between being over the rim and under the rim — and the wait time can be quite slow. Heading down Flipoff Canyon to the bench of the redwall allowed us access to a small yet scenic canyon tucked away in the upper reaches of Kanab Creek: Crackbaby Canyon.

The raps are in quick succession and the narrows were quite impressive — cavernous chasms and beautifully polished stone. Awkward rappels made for spicy teamwork. The last rap provided a swimmer requiring a wetsuit and was our only water source for the trip. The hike out to the confluence of Jump-up and Kanab Creek for basecamp wasn't far. Get a permit and stay a while!

🎒 Gear for this: Sterling Canyoneering Rope · Petzl Grigri+ · Petzl Vertex Helmet · Petzl Canyon Harness