The Hype
Yankee Doodle is a short, often dry canyon that makes a great introduction for beginners. The slot is narrow and beautiful with seasonal redbud flowers blooming in spring. Though the canyon is typically dry, after a storm it can hold many deep wades and even a swim or two. The canyon is by far the most popular slot in the Silver Reef area, please consider how you can minimize your impact in the canyon.
Getting There
Take the Leeds/Silver Reef exit off the I-15 north of Saint George (exit 22). Follow the Silver Reef road towards the mountains as it soon turns to dirt. Keep left at a major junction and follow the road up over a hill and down into a lush area with a ranch. After 7.5 miles on the dirt road, you should see a large pullout on your right, big enough for 4-5 cars. From the car park hike west down the road to where the wash cuts across. Hike down the wash a couple hundred feet and you are there! Pat yourself on the back for accomplishing the tuff approach.
The Canyon
Upper Slot: You may set a rope off a tree to rappel (use webbing to prevent damage to the trees), use a 4th class downclimb, or skip the upper slot entirely and rappel off the nose from a pair of bolts 130′ to the canyon floor (left side down canyon). If descending the small upper slot, head down canyon and rappel 70′ to the canyon floor off bolts. The small southern fork of the canyon can also be descended, expect rappels up to 50′ and a possibly wet pothole that may require assistance to get out of.
Main Canyon: Head down canyon and work through many downclimbing challenges up to 15′. Some may wish to rappel or have a belay, and it can be a fantastic place to work on your meat anchor/partner assist skills. Many comically useless bolts will be passed down canyon. The final obstacle will be a chockstone above a possibly deep pothole that will require assistance to get out of. Some have chosen to climb around on the left side of the wall to bypass it. As of early 2013, the pothole is still full of sand and requires no escape technique.
The Exit
From the last obstacle the canyon begins to widen. Look for a drainage coming in on your left. A couple hundred feet up canyon from the drainage is a slick rock slab requiring a few 4th class moves to ascend. Look for small cowboy steps and obvious foot traffic to find the way. Continue up easy slabs and head left for one more 4th class move with a cowboy step for assistance. Traverse above the small drainage on your right until you are in the drainage itself. Head up the middle of the drainage all the way to the road. Please avoid using social trails on the left side as this is contributing to unnecessary erosion. Once at the road, take a left and stroll back to your car a few hundred feet away.
Alternatively, you may head down canyon to the confluence of the large wash, and turn left. This is a longer exit, but a nice hike with no climbing required.
Red Tape
No permits are required at this time.
Please do not leave your ropes fixed on the first rappel/rappels. The canyon is high traffic, and nobody wants to see your rope hanging in the way.
Do not add to the 25 or so bolts already in the canyon.
Avoid using social trails that tread on cryptobiotic soil, stay in water courses as much as possible.
Do not pull your rope around a tree, use webbing and quicklink.
Avoid needing to go poop in the area. Some have used the woods north of the car park and it has become disgusting back there.
