Aardvark Canyon (South Fork)
Two to six rappels depending on how much water the canyon is holding, finishing on a 140 foot drop that takes at least an hour to rig and clear.
Sandtrap and natural anchor skills are the price of entry, and plenty of parties have descended this without placing a bolt. Leave the kit at home. The slot holds water long after the last storm, so wetsuits are recommended even in hot weather. An optional car shuttle saves 1.7 miles of walking and wants high clearance 4WD at both ends. The crypto on top of the mesa is intact; stay on slickrock or in the wash. A October 2017 party did both forks car to car in 8.5 hours and rated the South Fork on its own a poor return on a long drive and a 2.5 hour approach: pair it with the North Fork or skip it. That hour long final rappel is a bad place to be with weather building over the Escalante, so read the whole watershed forecast, not the sky above the trailhead.
Logistics
| Manager | BLM Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument |
|---|---|
| Permit | On public land; no permit required. |
| Distance | 4.2 mi |
| Technical | 2-6 rappels, longest 140 ft |
| Season | Spring or Fall |
| Vehicle access | 4WD - High Clearance |
| Coordinates | 37.8048, -111.2383 |