Canyoneering Route Description

Bloodhound Canyon - 3A II
Dirty Devil Area, Utah.

Quick Facts

11-10-19, 10 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 3.2 hours) Pictures Icon

Time Required - 2 to 3 hours
Distance - 2.8 miles Total, 0.9 miles Technical
Rappels - 3 Rappels, Longest Rappel 50 feet.
Elevation Range - 4930 - 4335 Feet
Shuttle Required - No Vehicle - High Clearance, 4WD if bad road conditions Permit Required - No

Gear Used for Canyon

Rappelling and anchor gear, Ropes and or pull cords for rappels up to 50 feet and 40 feet of 1 inch webbing for sling placement.  Sandtrap optional but recommended to make anchoring faster and easier and reduce the amount of webbing needed.

General Comments

Bloodhound Canyon offers a short fun run while visiting an area that doesn't get much traffic.  And offers a couple downclimbing challenges to spice it up a tiny bit.

Driving Directions

To get to the Trailhead

From the junction of highway 95 and highway 24 in Hanksville Utah, drive 10.2 miles south on highway 95 to an un-named dirt road on the left (extAngelTrlRd).  The road has a BLM sign saying it goes out to the Angel Trail.  Turn left (east) on the Angel Trail road and ignore smaller dirt roads that branch off.  

2.4 miles from the highway will be a Y in the road (ex0100-0101DD).   Turn right at this Y and continue toward  turn right at this Y stay on the road labeled 0101 going southeast.

Drive 3.5 miles to a junction for roads 0102 and 0103 (ex0103DD) and turn left onto road 0103 going north.  Continue north ignoring a couple faint side roads.

In about 1 mile road 0103 veers more east (0103DDRough) and goes up a hill over rough slickrock for about 450 feet before the dirt roads become smooth easy travel again. High clearance needed and 4wd might be helpful.

After the rough spot and slickrock hill, continue north east about 1.8 miles where the road crosses over a wash and goes around a sweeping left bend.  Just past this bend is where you would park if doing Benign Canyon (pkBenign).

Continue northeast on road 0103 for 0.9 miles small pullout forming on the right (east) side of the road (pkBloodhound). 

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.

Map Link Icon
Click the links for maps of the route. Map of the drive into the route.
Map of the entire route.

Details

The Approach:
From the parking spot (pkBloodhound) walk northwest away from the road following one of many small runnels or shallow washes. All the runnels form washes running to the same place so follow what looks simplest.

About 0.4 miles from the road is the top of Bloodhound Canyon (yBloodHoundTp) with an easy shelf to scramble down.

The Canyoneering / Technical Section:
The next 0.45 miles of canyon are wide easy walking with 6 drops you can bypass along the way. Optionally you can downclimb the drops to add a little more to your day.

About 0.45 miles down canyon is deeper more committing slot forms (Bloodhound01) and begins to drop more steeply into slickrock.  About 200 feet down canyon is rap 1.

Rap 1 (dBloodhoundR1) is anchored using a deadman or sandtrap and drops about 50 feet down a sloped wall. Skilled downclimbers are able to downclimb this rappel with significant effort.

About 550 feet farther is a shallow pothole (Bloodhound02) to downclimb into then out of. With a little effort you can climb along the RDC wall staying out of the pothole. Just after the shallow pothole is a spicy partner assistable downclimb of about 12 feet. The downclimb has many features to use for hand and foot holds but is still challenging.

About 150 feet farther is the start of (Bloodhound03) a steep section of canyon with sloped shelves and easy downclimbs to scramble.

A little over 1000 feet farther is rap 2.

Rap 2 (dBloodhoundR2) is anchored using deadman anchor or pack-drag and drops about 15 feet.  About 80 feet down canyon is rap 3.

Rap 3 (dBloodhoundR3) is anchored using a sandtrap in a small pothole that you will need to downclimb to and drops about 20 feet to a larger pothole then about 10 feet after the pothole using about 50 feet of rope.

After this final rap, walk about 400 feet down canyon to the first cottonwood tree on the LDC (south) side to begin the exit.

The Exit:
From cottonwood tree on the LDC side (yBloodhoundBt) walk up the shallow ravine on the LDC (south) side next to a cottonwood tree.

As the shallow ravine gets near steeper slickrock (Bloodhound04), veer left and walk up onto a wide shelf running east then follow that wide shelf east (in the up canyon direction) for about 700 feet to a weakness to scramble up.

Scramble south up the weakness (Bloodhound05) up a slickrock slope then veer right to walk rolling slickrock southwest and scramble up onto a ridge near a pointy peak.

Once on the ridge (Bloodhound06) turn sharp left and walk east contouring along slickrock for about 750 feet to a very wide shallow drainage.

Follow east up the wide shallow drainage (Bloodhound07) about 300 feet to the bottom of a sloped bowl like slope.

Walk / scramble up this bowl shaped slope (Bloodhound08) then routefind east about 750 feet to a weakness allowing you to scramble back up to open desert.

Scramble up the weakness (Bloohound09) to open desert to rolling desert then routefind southeast through open rolling desert for about 0.4 miles and drop back into the wash at the top of Bloodhound Canyon (yBloodHoundTp). Once back in the wash walk southeast about 0.4 miles back to your parked vehicle (pkBloodhound).

GPS Waypoint Information

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........
Bloodhound (1) - Drive to Trailhead
  1. extAngelTrlRd          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.23613   W -110.64761        Elev: 4,810 Feet
    Exit off highway 95 to an un-named road that leads to the Angel Point areas. The BLM has a sign saying this road leads to the Angel Trail.
  2. ex4462DD          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.23562   W -110.62087        Elev: 4,510 Feet
    Road goes off to the right (south) on the drive in.
  3. ex0100-0101DD          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.24243   W -110.61040        Elev: NaN Feet
    This is a Y in the road. To go to the Angel Cove area Turn left on the road labeled 0100 going northeast toward the Angel Trail and to the Angel Canyons. To go to Bloodhound, Benign and other Beaver Wash area canyons, turn right on the road labeled 0101 going southeast.
  4. ex4475DD          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.22720   W -110.58760        Elev: 4,844 Feet
    Very faint road labeled 4475 going off to the northeast.
  5. ex0103DD          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.21931   W -110.56522        Elev: 5,056 Feet
    Side road to the northeaast is BLM Road 0103 while the more well traveled BLM Road 0101 continues east. To go to Bloodhund and Benign Canyons turn left and drive Northeast on BLM Raod 0103.
  6. ex1031DD          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.22603   W -110.55662        Elev: 5,006 Feet
    Road to left (northwest) labeled 1031. To right (southeast) is a very faint road labeled 4477. To go to Bloodhound and Benign Canyons, continue northeast on BLM Raod 0103.
  7. 0103DDRough          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.23213   W -110.55327        Elev: 4,955 Feet
    BLM Road 0103 veers more east and goes up a hill over rough slickrock for about 450 feet before the dirt roads become smooth easy travel again. High clearance needed and 4wd might be helpful.
  8. pkBenign          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.25385   W -110.54020        Elev: 4,965 Feet
    Park here on the east side of the road in a small pull out to begin Benign Canyon. This spot is just after the raod crosses over a wash and goes around a sweeping left bend. To begin Benign Canyon, walk northwest away from the road through open desert. As you walk the open desert, the forming wash to your right (north) is the upper draiange for Benign Canyon. Travel is easier if you stay up in the rolling desert up out of the forming wash and drop into the wash farther down.
  9. pkBloodhound          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.26478   W -110.53291        Elev: 4,930 Feet
    Park here on the east side of the road in a forming pull out to begin Bloodhoud Canyon. Walk northwest away from the road following one of many small runnels or shallow washes. All the runnels form washes running to the same place so follow what looks simplest.
Bloodhound (2) - Approach and the Canyon
  1. pkBloodhound          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.26478   W -110.53291        Elev: 4,930 Feet
    Park here on the east side of the road in a forming pull out to begin Bloodhoud Canyon. Walk northwest away from the road following one of many small runnels or shallow washes. All the runnels form washes running to the same place so follow what looks simplest.
  2. yBloodHoundTp          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.26868   W -110.53890        Elev: 4,845 Feet
    Top of Bloodhound Canyon with an easy shelf to scramble down. The next 0.45 miles of canyon are wide easy walking with 6 drops you can bypass along the way. Optionally you can downclimb the drops to add a little more to your day.
  3. Bloodhound01          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27319   W -110.54384        Elev: NaN Feet
    Deeper more committing slot forms and begins to drop more steeply into slickrock.
  4. dBloodhoundR1          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27352   W -110.54440        Elev: NaN Feet
    Rap 1 - Bloodhound Canyon. Anchored using a deadman or sandtrap and drops about 50 feet down a sloped wall. Skilled downclimbers are able to downclimb this rappel with significant effort.
  5. Bloodhound02          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27410   W -110.54591        Elev: NaN Feet
    Shallow pothole to downclimb into then out of. With a little effort you can climb along the RDC wall staying out of the pothole. Just after the shallow pothole is a spicy partner assistable downclimb of about 12 feet. The downclimb has many features to use for hand and foot holds but is still challenging.
  6. Bloodhound03          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27399   W -110.54645        Elev: NaN Feet
    Start of a steep section of canyon with sloped shelves and easy downclimbs to scramble.
  7. dBloodhoundR2          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27454   W -110.54979        Elev: NaN Feet
    Rap 2 - Bloodhound Canyon. Anchored using deadman anchor or pack-drag and drops about 15 feet.
  8. dBloodhoundR3          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27468   W -110.55002        Elev: NaN Feet
    Rap 3 - Bloodhound Canyon. Anchored using a sandtrap in a small pothole that you will need to downclimb to and drops about 20 feet to a larger pothole then about 10 feet after the pothole using about 50 feet of rope. After this final rap, walk about 400 feet down canyon to the first cottonwood tree on the LDC (south) side to begin the exit.
  9. yBloodhoundBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27495   W -110.55126        Elev: 4,335 Feet
    Bottom of Bloodhound Canyon. To exit, walk up the shallow ravine on the LDC (south) side next to a cottonwood tree.
Bloodhound (3) - Exit
  1. yBloodhoundBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27495   W -110.55126        Elev: 4,335 Feet
    Bottom of Bloodhound Canyon. To exit, walk up the shallow ravine on the LDC (south) side next to a cottonwood tree.
  2. Bloodhound04          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27466   W -110.55136        Elev: NaN Feet
    As the shallow ravine gets near steeper slickrock, veer left and walk up onto a wide shelf running east then follow that wide shelf east (in the up canyon direction) for about 700 feet to a weakness to scramble up.
  3. Bloodhound05          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27414   W -110.54895        Elev: NaN Feet
    Scramble south up this weakness up a slickrock slope then veer right to walk rolling slickrock southwest and scramble up onto a ridge near a pointy peak.
  4. Bloodhound06          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27380   W -110.55008        Elev: NaN Feet
    Once on the ridge turn sharp left and walk east contouring along slickrock for about 750 feet to a very wide shallow drainage.
  5. Bloodhound07          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27286   W -110.54775        Elev: NaN Feet
    Follow east up this wide shallow drainage about 300 feet to the bottom of a sloped bowl like slope.
  6. Bloodhound08          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27229   W -110.54690        Elev: NaN Feet
    Walk / scramble up this bowl shaped slope then routefind east about 750 feet to a weakness allowing you to scramble back up to open desert.
  7. Bloohound09          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.27194   W -110.54423        Elev: NaN Feet
    Scramble up the weakness to open desert to rolling desert then routefind southeast through open rolling desert for about 0.4 miles and drop back into the wash at the top of Bloodhound Canyon. Once back in the wash walk southeast about 0.4 miles back to your parked vehicle.
  8. yBloodHoundTp          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.26868   W -110.53890        Elev: 4,845 Feet
    Top of Bloodhound Canyon with an easy shelf to scramble down. The next 0.45 miles of canyon are wide easy walking with 6 drops you can bypass along the way. Optionally you can downclimb the drops to add a little more to your day.
  9. pkBloodhound          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 38.26478   W -110.53291        Elev: 4,930 Feet
    Park here on the east side of the road in a forming pull out to begin Bloodhoud Canyon. Walk northwest away from the road following one of many small runnels or shallow washes. All the runnels form washes running to the same place so follow what looks simplest.

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