Ice Cube Canyon 'The Maze' 3BIII/IV, Red Rock, Nevada

Ice Cube Canyon 'The Maze' is a Las Vegas classic in the Red Rock National Conservation Area. This canyon can take a full day and is for experienced canyoneers only. The technical portions are straightforward but significant effort is required to hike up and over to the tail of the canyon and complete within daylight. I wore a 5mm farmer john wetsuit — highly recommend proper exposure protection.

The intermission between the two narrow sections involves desert boulder hopping and tree scratching in the heat — the slightly annoying part. The lower narrows section was the best part and there's a sneak route to access it directly. The last rap is a nice 190ft drop to the canyon floor. We encountered jumps with deep pools and set up guided raps for safety on the last two drops.

I highly recommend this canyon for anyone visiting Vegas or for a weekend trip to these amazing canyons. Come prepared with the right exposure protection, experience, and stamina.