Bobcat’s
Region: Bear Mountain
Total Distance: 2.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 600’
Difficulty: Easy
ACA: 3All
Duration: 3-4 Hours
Longest Rappel: 200’
Rope: 1 x 200’ + 1 x 200’ pull cord Anchor Materials: 45’ webbing + 3 rapides
Parking: Park at Bear Mountain TH Pay for parking at kiosk, additional parking available along the road.
Overview: Bobcats Canyon is a good beginner classic in the Red Rock Region and features a relatively easy 200’ rappel. This route also features scenic slick rock watercourses, easy downclimbs, and can be escaped with little effort making it a safe and enjoyable route for those new to Sedona Canyoneering.
Easy/ Quick Approach
On wall 200’ Rappel
Good for larger groups with varied skillsets.
A fun option during precipitation/ runoff
Approach (1 hour)- From Bear Mountain Trailhead cross over the road and through the gate heading North towards the First Bench. In just under a mile or about 25 minutes at a casual pace, you will reach the top of the Rancho Rojo layer. This first plateau is referred to as the First Bench. The trail will go up just a bit more and toward a large sandstone tower on your right/ East side. The trail will soon cut left or west and you will pass huge boulder on your left side. Continue as the trail takes a bend right again keeping your eyes peeled for a faint social trail on the left. Bobcats turn off is just past the Miyagi turnoff/ drainage. If you missed the turnoff you can approach from the head of the drainage before continuing up to the 2nd bench.
Descent (1-2 hours)- At the Head of Bobcats you will downclimb easy terrain as the canyon begins to form. Soon you will arrive at a drop with a large chockstone and 15’ drop that can be downclimbed on the left side. Please be mindful of lichen growing on this shelf. The first anchor is located under the large chockstone.
R1: 85’ from large chockstone. Set back from edge.
R2: 20’ from base of a bush on the left with an awkward dismount.
Hike the watercourse
The next drop can be bypassed on the right or downclimbed in the watercourse.
continue down the slickrock.
R3: 200’ from large boulder RDC. This rappel is set back from the edge and starts as a gradual slope but ends with a small overhang. Last shelf can be exited LDC if there are issues with rope length. It is recommended to walk out from the last rappel to be seen and communicate with the party. Be mindful of rockfall while other are on rappel as the rock quality up top is often littered with debris.
Exit (<1hour): Gear down at last rappel and head down the drainage soon coming to the confluence with Miyagi on your left. Continue down the wash a short distance until you begin to move away from the cliffs on the south face. Take a left up a 15 foot hillside and out of the drainage. Hike a short distance through sparse cat claw and patches of prickly pear cactus, avoiding deep trenches on your right or south side. Keep Left and soon you will Re-connect with Bear Mountain trail. Trying to cut across the meadow to the right and back to the road is not recommended. A series of deep trenches protect this terrain and will make this seemingly short and direct passage less enjoyable.
Coordinates:
Turnoff: 34.90147, -111.87189
** Bobcats conditions checkpoint: 34.892534, -111.873563 During Precipitation the last rappel can be seen from the road just past the Bear Mountain TH. Just before the pavement ends and turns to dirt the last rappel of Bobcats can be seen on the Right and assessed.
Route Established By: Garrett Bennett, Dave Malpas, and Josh Kingbell
