The normal approach to Coffin Canyon requires a long car shuttle and, of course, two or more vehicles. Rick Kent and I were determined to find a better way to knock off this canyon.
Knowing that the upper canyon had only one so-so rappel, and the middle canyon was merely wash walking, we were focused on finding a way to access the good lower canyon just above the best of it.
Rick, DB and I first tried to find a shortcut to the "goodies" a month or so earlier. Eventually turning around to go after other objectives, DB and I left Rick to continue on the exploratory alone. Clearly, he was more motivated than we were. But, he reported back later that he'd found a way...and the canyon was good!
Setting out one morning with DB, Rick, Mike Cressman, Mike Schasch and Cathy from Vegas, I was thrilled that Rick had enjoyed the canyon enough to do it again with us. We weren't to be disappointed.
With several good rappels and downclimbs, the day's showpiece was a fabulous, refreshingly clean, 190-foot vertical rappel. Truly aesthetic.
And when all's said and done, the Death Valley canyoneer once again finds himself at, near or below sea level.
*Photos courtesy of Rick Kent
Coffin Canyon
