Jehovah 300

Region: Brins Mesa       

Distance: 5 miles +1,100’      

Difficulty: Moderate/Hard  

ACA: 3Alll     

Duration: 3.5- 6 hours

Longest Rappel: 300’

Rope: 1 x 300’ + 1 x 330’ Pull Cord

Anchor Materials: 35’ of webbing + 3 rapides

Parking: Park at Brins Mesa Th, parking pass and pit toilets available at the kiosk.

Overview: Jehovah 300 is a unique cliffaneering style route with a natural arch followed by one of the largest rappels in the area. The approach is rated moderate/hard due to the mandatory rockslide gully to get to the first bench. The technical portion is rated moderate/hard because it features a large rappel of 300’. This is the easiest of the 3 Brins Mesa routes, and possibly provides the most payoff for the least amount of effort. A small team of efficient canyoneers will knock this one out in just a few hours. Larger groups moving at a casual pace can easily turn this into a half day adventure.

• Scenic Approach

• Seldom Seen Arch

• Big on wall rappel

• Low flash flood potential

• Great with runoff or precipitation

Approach(1.5-2 hours):  Starting at Brins Mesa TH hike 1.18 miles to the top of the mesa. Once atop Brins Mesa, identify a faint social trail on the right or north side. Follow this trail just over half a mile towards the overlook with views of the seasonal waterfalls and towering cliffs of Wilson mountains South face. The overlook is a great spot to view Jehovah 300 and enjoy a snack before continuing up to the first bench. The overlook can be bypassed by hiking across the flat mesa to save time and distance. From the overlook trail navigate through dense foliage and fallen trees, over another ditch, and toward the alcoves and cliff band to the West. A prominent sandstone nose hides the gully used  to gain the first bench of Rainbow Ridge. The rockslide gully follows the often shaded West side of the nose up loose terrain. The gully is rather steep and will require tip-toeing around large dead trees and crumbled boulders (helmets recommended). The ascent is just a few hundred feet and will land you on the first bench in close proximity to the Jehovah arch and start of the route. From the top of the gully, traverse north a short distance up and over a short hill towards the arch located in the Jehovah 300 drainage.

Descent(1-2hrs): The descent starts at the natural bridge which can be downclimbed around on the left side or rappelled. A retrievable anchor can be placed off the small sapling on the arch if one is not currently in place. Local hikers have been frequenting this secret spot for years and sometimes this anchor is tampered with. If you do rappel this arch please be mindful of your impact on the arch and the environment around it. We use a fiddle stick or retrievable anchor to prevent rope grooves or damage to the sandstone.

R1:  70’ of small sapling or downclimb LDC.

Downclimb next drop on the left side

R2:  300’ from a pine tree RDC near the edge. (Edge protection is useful here)

R3:  25’ off a rock pinch in a boulder pile close to the edge.

Exit(1- 1.5hr):  The exit through Mormon Wash is fairly straightforward. Gear down after the last rappel and continue down the drainage to the confluence with the main Mormon Wash. Take a Right into the main wash, if darkness is approaching you may want to break out your head lamp for the mile long section of boulder hopping in the wash. The wash continues all the way to the parking lot, but depending on the conditions in the wash you may want to exit early. There will be a small ditch on your right and faint game trails connecting back to the Brins Mesa trail. If exiting the wash please be mindful of sensitive soils and terrain.

Coordinates:

Approach Turnoff: 34.90027, -111.77930

Approach Gully: 34.90986, -111.77536

Natural Bridge: 34.91033, -111.77170

Exit Mormon Wash: 34.89455, -111.77293  

Route Established By: Jay Wisocki, Erek Burek, & Todd Holmes