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1 Mostly Harmless: Overview Information
  • MostlyHarmlessINF       (N37.755586 W-110.972698)
    ::Route: Mostly Harmless:::

    ::AKAs: La Culebra, Rotary Dial and Lizard:::

    ::Rating: 4B III(IV):::

    ::Area: Capitol Reef National Park:::

    ::Author Visit: 2014-05-26, 6 people, 10.5 hours Via the longer approach from Brim Hall TH, full water conditions.:::

    ::Author Visit: 2021-05-28, 7 people, 10.25 hours, via the shorter standard approach and medium-low water conditions.:::

    ::Time required: 9 to 11 hours:::

    ::Distance: Total 6.8 miles, Tech 1.6 Miles:::

    ::Rappels: 4 raps. Longest rap 110 feet:::

    ::Elevation Range: 5340 - 4630:::

    ::Shuttle: No:::

    ::Vehicle: 4WD recommended, Passenger car will add about 1 mile.:::

    ::Permit: Yes:::

    ::Gear requirements:

    Rappelling and anchor gear, ropes and pull cords for rappels up to 110 feet and 30 feet of 1 inch webbing just in case. Watertrap, sandtrap, Smooth Operator, Potshots, Pothole Escape gear. Bring a few rope of 70 feet or longer to use for tossing potshots if the lower canyon monster keeper has low water. Wetsuits recommended to have along. In warm weather you could go without but if you need to spend any time in the lower canyon keeper, a wet-suit would still be nice even in warm weather.:::

    ::Driving to Trailhead: From the junction (N37.85564° W111.01272°) of the Burr Trail and Notom Road follow the Burr Trail southeast for 7.5 miles to a turn off on the right (west) side of the road onto a small dirt road labeled as BLM road 12048. Drive south west on that road about 0.5 miles to the end and park. The dirt road is best done with high clearance. If you are driving a passenger car you can park early and just walk in.:::

    ::General Comments:

    GPS or good map reading skills required as some of the navigation is over terrain with no distinct landmarks to reference.

    When the upper canyon has a few sections of stemming to about 15 feet off the deck and when full of water, has a unique long swim between winding walls that seems to go on forever. When the upper canyon is in low water conditions more obstacles get exposed including an additional rappel you would just swim right over in high water.

    __Warning, The lower canyon has two keeper potholes. In full water, both can be swam over and may go unnoticed. The first is smaller and can be a challenge when low but the second is a massive monster keeper that could be impassable for most parties. The down-canyon side of the monster keeper has a smooth rolling undercut lip to a flat patio. The patio has a small depression on the LDC side where potshots can get minimal holding power but the toss is monster hard. The toss for the monster keeper can be done from ledges on either side well above the pothole and will need to be tossed about 45 or 50 feet to get to the LDC small depression. The toss is awkward and many people will be unable to get potshots thrown far enough. In low water this keeper can be difficult or not possible for some parties. Bring your best potshot throwers on your trip in the event you find low water.

    __Warning, before committing to the lower canyon, send people down to evaluate the monster keeper pothole (which is the second keeper and 7th pothole) to be sure you can get past it. There are 2 options to go evaluate the monster keeper. Option 1 is to go directly down through the potholes stringing people and ropes behind you to assist with possible exit. Option 2 is to walk the RDC rim to a black brush bush that can be used to rappel down bypassing the first keeper (pothole 5) and into pothole 7 just before the monster keeper. In either case be sure to leave people behind to assist with exiting if the monster keeper is found to be impassable by your group.

    The upper Canyon has the longest in-watercourse rappel using 90 feet of rope. The lower canyon can be done with shorter ropes but an alternate rappel to bypass the first keeper and allow access to evaluate the second monster keeper uses about 110 feet of rope if you decide on using that route. Of note in high water one of the upper canyon rappels is submerged and will go unnoticed.

    When Mostly Harmless was first done there were 3 parties descending the canyon in a span of 2 weeks all thinking they were first and finding out later others were all working on it at the same time. We were the second of those groups in 2014. Each of the 3 parties gave the canyon their own name (ours was going to be La Culebra). Steve Allen had years ago referred to this canyon as Lizard Canyon although I do not think he actually descended the canyon.:::

2 Mostly Harmless: Drive to Trailhead
  • extBurrTrl       (N37.855642 W-111.012723)
    Turn off for the Burr Trail road off the water pocket fold road. Both are dirt roads but in dry conditions good for 2 wheel drive.

  • exMostly       (N37.777219 W-110.940928)
    Turn off of the Burr Trail road and onto a side dirt road going southwest labeled as BLM road 12048.

  • pkMostlyHarm       (N37.772238 W-110.944756)
    Park here at the end of a small side dirt road. To go to Mostly Harmless, route find west-ish through rolling desert to the weakness allowing a scramble down.

3 Mostly Harmless: Approach
  • pkMostlyHarm       (N37.772238 W-110.944756)
    Park here at the end of a small side dirt road. To go to Mostly Harmless, route find west-ish through rolling desert to the weakness allowing a scramble down.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp1       (N37.774262 W-110.955230)
    Weakness allowing scramble up or down from open rolling desert.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, scramble down from open rolling desert down to the base of a cliff band then contour south following close to the base of the cliff band.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, route find east-ish about 0.6 miles back to the parking area.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp2       (N37.772838 W-110.956103)
    Short steep slope while contouring along the base of the cliff band.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, scramble down the steeper part then continue southish hugging close to the base of the cliff band.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, scramble up the steeper part then continue northish hugging close to the base of the cliff band.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp3       (N37.772235 W-110.956567)
    Going around a point and crossing over a small gully.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, route find south about 600 feet to the top of a rubble pile.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, route find northeast following close to the base of the cliff band.



  • MostlyHrmlsAp4       (N37.770607 W-110.956230)
    Top of a rubble pile.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, go southwest down the rubble pile for about 250 feet to its base.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, route find north contouring roughly along the base of the cliff band. Travel is rough, loose and sloped making it awkward.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp5       (N37.770091 W-110.956721)
    Bottom of a rubble pile.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, route find south about 500 feet to the top of a weakness allowing a scramble down.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, go northeast up the rubble pile about 250 feet to its top.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp6       (N37.768768 W-110.956460)
    Weakness allowing a scramble up or down between levels.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, scramble down the weakness then route find down to the southwest about 0.5 miles to a weakness allowing a scramble down.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, scramble up the weakness then route find north about 500 feet to the base of a rubble pile.



  • MostlyHrmlsAp7       (N37.761873 W-110.960725)
    Chossy weakness allowing scramble up or down.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, walk west directly across Halls Creek toward Mostly Harmless staying just left (south) of a red dirt hill. As you get near the red hill, leave Halls Creek by route finding west up dirt slopes along the south side of the red dirt hill and into a minor wash.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, route find northeast up the slopes to a weakness to scramble up.



  • MostlyHrmlsAp8       (N37.761106 W-110.965801)
    Open area at a corner of a minor wash on the west side of the red hill. This is where the entry and exit routes briefly meet.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, leave the wash and route find northwest up white slickrock up a trough-like depression.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, leave the wash and route find east out into Halls Creek then continue east Halls Creek to a weakness on the other side, which allows a scramble up to the next level.

  • MostlyHrmls01       (N37.762940 W-110.969005)
    Brief top out in the approach ramp / drainage.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, follow west then southwest down into Mostly Harmless.

    FOR exiting out of the middle of Mostly Harmless, route find east toward Halls Creek.

  • MostlyHrmls18EE       (N37.762298 W-110.971712)
    Open area and a sharp right bend in the canyon that allows easy exit and entry if needed. This will also be the place you retreat to and exit the canyon if the keeper in the lower canyon is not escapable.

    FOR following up the approach to Mostly Harmless, walk northwest up sloped slickrock to a wide ridge running west following up the north side of Mostly Harmless.

    FOR exiting from mid canyon, walk / scramble east up sloped slickrock to reconnect with the approach route.

    FOR continuing down Mostly Harmless, continue down canyon to the south.

  • MostlyHrmls02       (N37.762164 W-110.974276)
    As the ridge starts to widen out route find southwest staying high and contouring away from the rim.

    Optionally you can go south staying close to the rim of Mostly Harmless but doing this can make it tempting to drop into the canyon too early.

  • MostlyHrmls03       (N37.757498 W-110.978770)
    Approximate top out of the approach up to Mostly Harmless. Route find south down slopes toward the top of Mostly Harmless.

  • MostlyHrmls04       (N37.754258 W-110.977596)
    Small side drainage to scramble down into the top of Mostly Harmless.

  • MostlyHrmlsTp       (N37.754274 W-110.976702)
    Top of Mostly Harmless where a side drainage drops in from the west side. The next 650 feet of canyon is a semi deep feeling with a mix of walking, and easy stemming / galumphing at about 10 feet off the deck in scenic undulated twisting walls. There is also a pothole of waist to chest deep to cross just before the canyon briefly widens.



4 Mostly Harmless: The Canyon
  • MostlyHrmlsTp       (N37.754274 W-110.976702)
    Top of Mostly Harmless where a side drainage drops in from the west side. The next 650 feet of canyon is a semi deep feeling with a mix of walking, and easy stemming / galumphing at about 10 feet off the deck in scenic undulated twisting walls. There is also a pothole of waist to chest deep to cross just before the canyon briefly widens.



  • MostlyHrmlsBdg       (N37.755198 W-110.975081)
    The canyon widens out to a section of small potholes and this very cool natural bridge spanning low across the canyon floor that you can walk under. Shortly down canyon is a pothole that can be a swimmer or easily bypassed on the LDC side followed by about 300 of canyon that is easy to travel with a few small potholes on mostly level terrain.

  • MostlyHrmls05       (N37.755982 W-110.975511)
    Canyon begins dropping into narrow canyon again. The next 80 feet are 4 potholes then a short skinny slot followed by a large pool to swim. The first 3 potholes are bridgeable. The 4th pothole is much larger and drops about 4 feet to a sandy floored large chamber with the exit side going to a short narrow slot where you will need to turn sideways to walk. The 4th pothole could be a little difficult to exit if sand were to scour out deeper.

  • MostlyHrmls06       (N37.756256 W-110.975841)
    Downclimb of about 20 feet into a pothole that is a swimmer when full and has a good catch point for a potshot to be tossed if low water. This is followed by another large swimmer pothole about 25 feet across with a good lip for potshot toss. Followed by a sloped downclimb of about 10 feet to another pothole to swim that would be an easy walk out if empty. Then easy walking for about 90 feet to where the canyon gets skinny again.

  • MostlyHrmls07       (N37.756730 W-110.975961)
    Canyon gets skinny and over the next 500-ish feet you will need to stem / galumph about 15 feet off the deck.

  • MostlyHrmls08       (N37.756670 W-110.974097)
    The canyon gets narrow again and over the next 250 feet are 4 potholes that are swimmers when full and some will require partner assists or possibly potshot toss if low water.

  • MostlyHrmls09       (N37.757163 W-110.973557)
    A large sandy floor area with a large pool to swim just after. The pool is followed by a long semi level wide trough like canyon to walk with water shin to waist deep in places. The LDC side has many places to escape.

  • MostlyHrmls10       (N37.758535 W-110.972797)
    3 rock bottomed waist deep potholes that can be bypassed on the LDC side. The 3rd pothole has a drop of about 10 feet leading down into it. Just after is a steeply sloped downclimb of about 15 feet to a long pool and the top of the next rappel.

  • MostlyHrmlsR1       (N37.758854 W-110.972823)
    Rap 1 (90 feet rope travel) anchored from the LDC rim using a small tree / shrub about 50 feet away and drops down the LDC rim down to a huge water filled chamber. Use a retrievable anchor like a smooth operator and keep the tail short to spare the bush. The actual drop in the watercourse is only about 20 feet. Optionally a watertrap can be used if water is present.

    Escaping the pothole below is easy when water filled but may become a challenge with low water. After getting up out of the chamber you are greeted with an elongated water filled pothole to swim that if low water you could bridge over. Continuing down canyon is a narrow watery swim before getting to a wide sandy area about 200 feet down canyon.

  • MostlyHrmls11       (N37.759247 W-110.973364)
    Large sandy floor area. Canyon gets skinny here again with low stem / galumphing to a downclimb of about 15 feet to a long pool to swim with a sandy exit to a short section of level-ish trough shaped canyon to walk.

  • MostlyHrmls12       (N37.760210 W-110.973798)
    Section of pools to galumph and swim through with one downclimb of about 12 feet mixed in.

  • MostlyHrmls13       (N37.760763 W-110.974016)
    Downclimb of about 12 feet down to a pool to swim. Over the next 700-ish feet the canyon is a fun watery slot that can be a little physically demanding as you work through narrow slot with a lot of silo like features but you are on the ground walking / wading / swimming through it. This section has a few short downclimbs into potholes and a couple short climbs up out of potholes into skinny v-shaped slot which can be awkward. One drop in this section is about 10 feet to the water when full but may require some creativity to get down safely if the pothole is low or empty. Have a potshot on hand for this section just in case the water is low to assist with pothole exits.



  • MostlyHrmlsR2       (N37.761904 W-110.973752)
    Rap 2 (50 feet rope travel) anchored using a sandtrap about 30 feet back in a pothole then drops about 20 feet into a chamber with a 12 foot easy upclimb on the other side. In high water conditions you swim right over the top of this rappel and never know it is there.

  • MostlyHrmls14       (N37.762338 W-110.972891)
    Canyon opens up here to wash walking and is easily escapable on the LDC side if you want to go around a short section of slot. Continue down the wash about 400 feet to the start of more slot as the canyon turns hard right to begin travel south.

  • MostlyHrmls18EE       (N37.762298 W-110.971712)
    Open area and a sharp right bend in the canyon that allows easy exit and entry if needed. This will also be the place you retreat to and exit the canyon if the keeper in the lower canyon is not escapable.

    FOR following up the approach to Mostly Harmless, walk northwest up sloped slickrock to a wide ridge running west following up the north side of Mostly Harmless.

    FOR exiting from mid canyon, walk / scramble east up sloped slickrock to reconnect with the approach route.

    FOR continuing down Mostly Harmless, continue down canyon to the south.

  • MostlyHrmls15       (N37.762026 W-110.971747)
    Start of the final slot section where it starts to drop quickly through a series of potholes. Potholes 1, 2 and 3 can be downclimbed through. The down canyon side of pothole 4 has a drop of about 20 feet that can be done as 2 partner assist downclimbs followed by gently sloped v-slot running down to pothole 5 which can be a keeper in low water.

  • MostlyHrmlsR3B       (N37.761895 W-110.971853)
    Rap 3B optional (110 feet rope travel) anchored using a black brush bush high up on the RDC (west) side and drops down into pothole 6 bypassing the first keeper, pothole 5. Leaving someone at the anchor is useful for sending people in to evaluate pothole 7 which is the monster keeper.



  • MostlyHrmls16Keeper       (N37.761834 W-110.971743)
    Pothole 5 in the lower canyon which was a swim when full and a keeper in med-low water. In med-low water we had a 3 foot exit lip and few features, so potshots required. One person completely under water was still unable to touch bottom so this pothole could get quite deep. At the exit lip of this pothole is a rappel down into pothole 6.

  • MostlyHrmlsR3       (N37.761783 W-110.971755)
    Rap 3 (25 feet rope travel). Anchored using a watertrap or pack-drag anchor in pothole 5 and drops about 12 feet into pothole 6. The exit from pothole 6 is into an awkward tight v-slot which can then be downclimbed down into pothole 7 which is the monster keeper.

  • MostlyHrmls17Keeper       (N37.761585 W-110.971819)
    Pothole 7 is the huge monster keeper that may be impassable by some parties in low water conditions. The down-canyon side of the monster keeper has a smooth rolling undercut lip to a flat patio with a small depression on the LDC side where potshots can get minimal holding power. The toss for the monster keeper can be done from ledges on either side well above the pothole and will need to be tossed about 45 or 50 feet to get to the LDC small depression. The toss is awkward and many people will be unable to get potshots thrown far enough. In low water this keeper can be difficult or impossible for some parties. Bring your best potshot throwers on your trip in the event you find low water.

    After the monster keeper is a short section of trough shaped canyon to a long swim then a short section of sloped v-slot to scramble down to the final drop.

  • MostlyHrmlsR4       (N37.760929 W-110.971961)
    Rap 4 (35 feet rope travel) anchored using a pack drag and drops about 35 feet down a steeply sloped slickrock. The pack drag anchor makes this more of a downclimb than a rappel. Some skilled slab climbers can downclimb this drop unassisted.

    Continue down canyon walking wide sandy floor as the canyon sweeps to the left.

  • MostlyHrmlsBt       (N37.759916 W-110.967691)
    Bottom of Mostly Harmless where it opens up to wide wash. Walk about 0.3 miles down to Halls Creek or walk up the sandy slope on the left going up to the northeast to reconnect with the approach route, which can be followed in reverse to exit back to the trailhead.

5 Mostly Harmless: Exit
  • MostlyHrmlsBt       (N37.759916 W-110.967691)
    Bottom of Mostly Harmless where it opens up to wide wash. Walk about 0.3 miles down to Halls Creek or walk up the sandy slope on the left going up to the northeast to reconnect with the approach route, which can be followed in reverse to exit back to the trailhead.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp8       (N37.761106 W-110.965801)
    Open area at a corner of a minor wash on the west side of the red hill. This is where the entry and exit routes briefly meet.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, leave the wash and route find northwest up white slickrock up a trough-like depression.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, leave the wash and route find east out into Halls Creek then continue east Halls Creek to a weakness on the other side, which allows a scramble up to the next level.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp7       (N37.761873 W-110.960725)
    Chossy weakness allowing scramble up or down.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, walk west directly across Halls Creek toward Mostly Harmless staying just left (south) of a red dirt hill. As you get near the red hill, leave Halls Creek by route finding west up dirt slopes along the south side of the red dirt hill and into a minor wash.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, route find northeast up the slopes to a weakness to scramble up.



  • MostlyHrmlsAp6       (N37.768768 W-110.956460)
    Weakness allowing a scramble up or down between levels.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, scramble down the weakness then route find down to the southwest about 0.5 miles to a weakness allowing a scramble down.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, scramble up the weakness then route find north about 500 feet to the base of a rubble pile.



  • MostlyHrmlsAp5       (N37.770091 W-110.956721)
    Bottom of a rubble pile.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, route find south about 500 feet to the top of a weakness allowing a scramble down.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, go northeast up the rubble pile about 250 feet to its top.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp4       (N37.770607 W-110.956230)
    Top of a rubble pile.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, go southwest down the rubble pile for about 250 feet to its base.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, route find north contouring roughly along the base of the cliff band. Travel is rough, loose and sloped making it awkward.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp3       (N37.772235 W-110.956567)
    Going around a point and crossing over a small gully.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, route find south about 600 feet to the top of a rubble pile.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, route find northeast following close to the base of the cliff band.



  • MostlyHrmlsAp2       (N37.772838 W-110.956103)
    Short steep slope while contouring along the base of the cliff band.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, scramble down the steeper part then continue southish hugging close to the base of the cliff band.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, scramble up the steeper part then continue northish hugging close to the base of the cliff band.

  • MostlyHrmlsAp1       (N37.774262 W-110.955230)
    Weakness allowing scramble up or down from open rolling desert.

    FOR going to Mostly Harmless, scramble down from open rolling desert down to the base of a cliff band then contour south following close to the base of the cliff band.

    FOR exiting back up to the trailhead, route find east-ish about 0.6 miles back to the parking area.

  • pkMostlyHarm       (N37.772238 W-110.944756)
    Park here at the end of a small side dirt road. To go to Mostly Harmless, route find west-ish through rolling desert to the weakness allowing a scramble down.

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