Canyoneering Route Description
Kakos Canyon - 3A II
Death Valley National Park,
California.
12-04-11, 6 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 5.2 hours)
Time Required - 4 to 6 hours
Distance - 2.0 miles Total, 0.6 miles Technical
Rappels - 6 Rappels, Longest Rappel 150 feet.
Elevation Range - 1320 to -250 feet below sea
level.
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger
Permit Required - No
Rappelling and anchor gear, Ropes and or pull cords for rappels up
to 150 feet and 70 feet of 1 inch webbing for sling placement.
ATTENTION!!
Death Valley is considering a new permit system in response to the impact of the growing popularity of Canyoneering.
Lets continue to show the park just how respectful we can be to our environment.
Specific issues the park is concerned about:
1. Anchors: Bolting is Illegal in Death Valley National Park! Do Not Add Bolts. Natural anchor options are abundant.
Recent illegal bolts have popped up in Helios and Rainbow Canyons.
2. Poop: Dig a cathole at least 6 inches deep and 200 yards from any water source or campsite. Pack out all toilet paper.
3. Collecting fire wood is illegal, just don't do it!
Other basics:
Avoid walking in water when possible (Willow Canyon, etc).
Hike on durable surfaces and previously worn paths (avoid trampling vegetation or fragile soil crusts).
Pack out all trash including organic material (including seed shells, apple cores, orange peels, etc).
More info can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/backcamp.htm
Lets keep this wonderful resource pristine so that we may continue to enjoy the canyons with limited regulations!
Kakos Canyon is not one I would suggest. Most of
us on the first descent did not particularly enjoy the canyon.
While the route itself is not a shinning example of a good canyon, it
does make for a short day out which may be attractive since there are
few short days on the Black Mountain Range. There are not many short routes in
Death Valley so this may be on your radar if you want something short.
To get to the Trailhead
From the junction of highways 178 (Bad Water
Road) and 190, drive 16.6 miles south on highway 178 to Bad
Water. From the Bad Water Parking lot on Badwater road, drive
1.6 miles south and find a place to pull off the road
(pkKakosBt).
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.
The Approach:
From the parking spot (pkKakosBt)
walk south east across
the alluvial toward the
mouth of Hades Canyon.
Aim for the base of a
ridge (wBad-Up-RP-01)
near the north side of
the mouth of Hades about
0.5 miles from where you
parked.
From the base of the
ridge start north east
up the ridge from the
alluvial fan, the climb
is steep for about 300
feet until it hits a
section with an easier
grade. Once at the top
of the initial short
climb and on the easier
grade, follow up along
the right (east) edge of
the ridge. This section
is wide open and flat
with a view of Hades on
the right (east).
About 800 feet further up the ridge is a section of loose crumbled
earth with large dirt clod like boulders. Climb up to the top of
the dirt clod (wBad-Up-RP-02) section to get to the first long steep
section of the climb up the ridge.
After getting to the top of the dirt clod section, the first long
steep climb of the approach starts. The slope is covered in
sections of talus but has pretty solid footing. A short distance
up, look for a shallow drainage and follow it up the slope. The
drainage has a fair amount of solid rock not covered in talus that
offers good footing. About 850 feet from the top of the dirt clod
section is an almost level section (wBad-Up-RP-03) good for taking a
quick breather if needed.
About 350 feet from the large level section is a cairn (not in good
shape but there) marking a path up the next section of the climb
(wBad-Up-RP-04). From here a faint path can be seen and easily
followed leading further up the ridge. Great views of the salt
flats and down into Hades Canyon can be seen all along this portion
of the route.
About 0.25 miles up the ridge the upper portions of Krakos Canyon
are close to the ridge. Continue up the ridge looking for a
spot to traverse north over to and down into Krakos Canyon.
Look for a point that is about 170 feet from Krakos and a slope to
traverse that is gradual (jKrakosCyn).
As you leave the ridge and get closer to down into Krakos you will
be dropping down a semi flat slope of rock on the south side of
Krakos which is distinctly different from the near vertical wall on
the north side. The canyon is shallow as you drop in
(yKrakosTp)
The Canyoneering / Technical Section:
After dropping
down into Krakos Canyon
(yKrakosTp), continue
southwest down canyon
enjoying a couple easy
but long sloped down
climbs. About 650
feet down canyon is the
top of rap 1.
Rap 1 (dKrakosR1) is
anchored from a large
rock about 15 feet from
the top of the drop and
drops down a mostly
sloped wall for about 95
feet with a ledge part
way down. Rap 1
can be bypassed LDC down
an annoying slope full
of loose rock.
Down canyon of rap 1 is
a series of ledges to
scramble down in the
semi wide open canyon.
The down climbs along
the ledges are between 4
and 12 feet.
A little over 300 feet
down canyon of rap 1 is
the confluence of the
upper forks of Krakos
Canyon (wKrakosRP-01).
This is where a fork of
the canyon joins in from
LDC.
After the confluence are
a few easy down climbs /
scrambles mixed with
walking. A little
over 500 feet down
canyon of the confluence
is rap 2.
Rap 2
(dKrakosR2-3) is
anchored from a rock
about 25 feet back from
the drop. From
anchor to the bottom of
rap 2 is about 150 feet.
Rap 2 drops over 2
stages the first being a
vertical wall and the
second stage being a
slightly sloped wall.
Rap 3 is about 40 feet
down canyon of rap 2
anchored from cairn
anchor about 15 feet
back from the drop.
Rap 3 drops 120 feet
down sloped wall over 3
stages.
At the bottom of rap 3
is the confluence of
another fork of Krakos
Canyon joining in from
RDC.
After rap 3 are a couple
of down climbs of about
15 feet each spaced
about 80 feet apart.
There is a lot of loose
rock on these drops so
take your time while
down climbing. A
third drop of about 20
feet is shortly after
but the rock quality is
very bad so we called it
rap 4 for saftey.
Rap 4 (dKrakosR4) is a
little over 200 feet
down canyon of rap 3, is
anchored from a rock
embedded in the wash
about 35 feet back from
the drop and drops about
20 feet. Rap 4 can
be down climbed but
would be sketchy due to
loose rock.
Rap 5 (dKrakosR5) is
almost 300 feet down
canyon of rap 4, is
anchored from a large
boulder about about 30
feet back from the drop
and drops about 95 feet
from anchor to the
bottom of the rap.
The actual drop is about
60 feet down a vertical
wall full of loose rock.
Rap 5 is very different
from what you expect as
you walk up to it with a
drop down a vertical
wall into a semi narrow
section of canyon.
Down canyon of rap 5 is
a down climb of about 30
feet down a chute. about
90 feet before getting
to the top of rap 6.
Rap 6 (dKrakosR6) is
about 400 feet down
canyon of rap 5, is
anchored about 20 feet
back from a large white
rock and drops about 40
feet. The first
part of rap 6 is in a
sloped slanted chute
then a final vertical
drop of about 15 feet.
Almost 300 feet down
canyon of rap 6 the
canyon walls drop down
and you are dumped out
onto the alluvial fan (yKrakosBt).
The Exit:
From the
end of the canyon (yKrakosBt)
walk southwest about 0.2
miles across the
alluvial back to your
car.
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........
| Kakos 1 - Drive to Trailhead |
- extBadWatr-190
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.44835
W -116.85247
Elev: 10 Feet
Junction of highway 190 and Badwater Road (178).
- extDesoltnCyn
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.39642
W -116.84753
Elev: -186 Feet
Exit for the road to Desolation Canyon.
- extDevilsGolf
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.29845
W -116.81171
Elev: -200 Feet
Turn off for the Devil's Golf Course. Park here to leave an exit vehicle when doing Brimstone Canyon.
- extNatBridge
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.27404
W -116.79292
Elev: -241 Feet
Exit for the road to the Natural Bridge trailhead.
- sBadWater282
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.23001
W -116.76791
Elev: -282 Feet
Sign at Bad Water Stating 282 feet below sea level
- pkKakosBt
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21425
W -116.77326
Elev: -250 Feet
Park here along the road for Kakos Canyon.
|
| Kakos 2 - Approach |
- pkKakosBt
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21425
W -116.77326
Elev: -250 Feet
Park here along the road for Kakos Canyon.
- wBad-Up-RP-01
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.20949
W -116.76779
Elev: 50 Feet
Start up a steep slope to begin the climb up the ridge between Hades and Bad Canyon to get to the Hades Fault.
- wBad-Up-RP-02
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21196
W -116.76573
Elev: 360 Feet
Top of a large crumbled dirt clod like section to climb up.
- wBad-Up-RP-03
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21411
W -116.76530
Elev: 850 Feet
A large almost level section here to take a breather.
- wBad-Up-RP-04
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21463
W -116.76427
Elev: 960 Feet
A cairn on the way up the ridge.
24-JAN-10 8:54:23AM
- jKrakosCyn
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21681
W -116.76214
Elev: 1,279 Feet
Leave the ridge here and start to traverse and drop down north to Krakos Canyon.
- yKrakosTp
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21726
W -116.76213
Elev: 1,315 Feet
Top entry to Krakos Canyon. THis is where it is easy to traverse over and drop down in off the ridge from the south.
|
| Kakos 3 - The Canyon and Exit |
- yKrakosTp
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21726
W -116.76213
Elev: 1,315 Feet
Top entry to Krakos Canyon. THis is where it is easy to traverse over and drop down in off the ridge from the south.
- dKrakosR1
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21672
W -116.76402
Elev: 1,000 Feet
Rap 1 Krakos Canyon. Anchored from a large rock about 15 feet back from the drop and drops about 95 feet down an almost vertical wall with a ledge part way down.
- wKrakosRP-01
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21660
W -116.76496
Elev: NaN Feet
Confluence of the upper forks of Krakos Canyon.
- dKrakosR2-3
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21644
W -116.76642
Elev: 624 Feet
Rap 2 and 3 - Krakos Canyon.
Rap 2 anchored from a rock about 25 feet back from the drop and drops a total of 150 feet over 2 stages including the distance back to the anchor.
Rap 3 is about 40 feet down canyon of rap 2, is anchored from a cairn anchor and drops about
- dKrakosR4
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21652
W -116.76778
Elev: NaN Feet
Rap 4 - Krakos Canyon. Anchored from a rock about 30 feet back from the drop and drops about 20 feet. Rap 4 can be down climbed but the rock integrety makes it a bit sketchy.
- dKrakosR5
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21620
W -116.76867
Elev: 240 Feet
Rap 5 - Krakos Canyon. Anchored from a large boulder about 30 feet back from the drop and drops about 95 feet from anchor to the bottom of the rap down a vertical wall of loose rock. The actual drop being about 60 feet.
- dKrakosR6
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21582
W -116.76999
Elev: NaN Feet
Rap 6 - Krakos Canyon. Anchored from a large rock about 20 feet back and drops about 40 feet.
- yKrakosBt
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21566
W -116.77076
Elev: -92 Feet
Bottom exit of Krakos Canyon. This is where the canyon dumps out onto the alluvial fan.
- pkKakosBt
Lat/Lon (WGS84): N 36.21425
W -116.77326
Elev: -250 Feet
Park here along the road for Kakos Canyon.
|