Middle Deadman Canyon
ACA Canyon
Rating – 3A III …however
much of these canyons have not been explored
NEVER ENTER ANY
SLOT CANYON WHEN HEAVY RAIN IS IN THE FORECAST…!!!
This photo above shows the Entrada Sandstone upper most beginnings
of Middle Deadman Canyon Slot... underneath Nate, is a 100’ high rappel
All of Middle Deadman Canyon Slot is
shining white alabaster...except for the extreme upper portions shown in the
photo above
These 2 ends (top and bottom) are the only
portions of this canyon that we have actually tread. However we have walked the east-side rim,
occasionally peering into this steep-dropping, narrow alabaster “Hallway”
beta facts:
name- Middle Deadman Canyon
depth of slot portion- up to 75 feet high canyon
walls
length of slot canyon portion- is about a half
mile long
elevation- 8100’ at the top down to 6800’ at the
bottom
GPS coordinates at midway- ±36°25.045’N 106°45.713’W
flow- intermittent
season to visit- drier months of the year, like
May, June, September, October and November… NEVER ENTER ANY SLOT CANYON WHEN HEAVY RAIN IS IN
THE FORCAST…!!!
accommodations- NONE –Chama Canyon Wilderness Area
ownership- Santa Fe National Forest
access- is from either Deadman Peak or the Chupadero Area - see the map below
nearest town- Gallina is
about 15 miles south of here
fun fact- this is mountain lion country
essay bro
All three of these Deadman
Canyons (Little Deadman, Middle Deadman and Deadman Canyons) are reserved for
the hardy... and not for the faint of heart. They are VERY REMOTE and have many dry falls as
down-climbs and rappels. They can
be partially visited without ropes but the climbing out and around are
extremely steep, strenuous and dangerous. There are NO TRAILS in or
around these canyons.
We have only done the two ends of Middle
Deadman Slot. If you beat us in here to
do a first descent, please know that you are required by International
War-Crimes Law, to send us some photo images and a report within 5 working
days. If you fail to do this, you will be banished from
using my website for a LONG TIME...! ! !
Middle Deadman Canyon is very close to and
very much like the lower portions of Deadman Canyon: http://www.dougscottart.com/hobbies/SlotCanyons/Deadman.htm -except it is only about a half mile long.
Access
The Deadman Lookout Road (Forest Road 507)
is accessed from Hwy 112 about 4 miles north of LLaves,
NM to Forest Road 7 one mile to Forest Road 6 followed by about 4 miles to
Forest Road 507. This is where you have
to be careful. Do not take Forest Road
507. Instead drive a few feet past it to
a small 2-track “un-named” road and turn right on this road. In less than a mile this small 2-track road
will reach a flat place, that is actually a saddle,
500’ directly below the Deadman Lookout Tower.
A gentle, quarter mile hike to the south-southwest will quickly drop
into the beginnings of the upper Deadman Slot (@ 36°25.405’N 106°46.187’W) which
can be done as an “all-fours” scramble without rope. This canyon is marked on the map below with the number 500 written
in red. It is very steep and involves a hands and feet
-1000 foot scramble down to the canyon below.
From here you will need strength, stamina, perseverance and excellent
topo reading skills to reach any and/or all of these three wonderful Deadman
Slot Canyons here.
Another way to reach these canyons is from
the bottom... walking along the Rio Gallina. Chupadero Road
access is three and a half miles up the Rio Gallina
from it’s Deadman Canyon
Confluence. A map showing Chupadero Road can be found by clicking this link: http://www.dougscottart.com/hobbies/SlotCanyons/Gallina.htm
- Gallina Canyon is a beautiful creek-side stroll
that will please and amaze you.
Click this link to
access a detailed topo map that shows this entire area: http://www.dougscottart.com/hobbies/SlotCanyons/Gallina.htm
Please be careful of the private here. It is marked as shaded gray on our map
below. It is easy to walk around their
fences.
DO NOT
TRESPASS…!!!
However…
A very pleasant way to maximize enjoying Gallina
Canyon is to plan a vacation at:
Gallina Canyon Ranch
…is
Amazing…!!!
They have
campgrounds and wonderful cabins “just for you” right in the middle of a dozen
slot canyons...! ! !
Click this link: http://gallinacanyonranch.com/
Forest Road 474, Abiquiu,
NM 87510
(505) 490-3333
Gallina Canyon Ranch a great way to visit and
enjoy these amazing “slot canyons” of the Chama Canyon Wilderness. Several amazing slot canyons are easy to visit
with normal hiking from here. In fact,
vacationing at Gallina Canyon Ranch will put you in
the heart of New Mexico’s best slot canyon country...!!! Gallina Canyon Ranch is truly
amazing and is a great access to this western portion of the Chama Canyon
Wilderness.
Enhanced USGS topo map by Doug Scott
The thin Red Lines depict
sections of “slot canyons” and/or “box canyons” the thicker Red Lines show the boundries of Chama River Canyon Wilderness Area
Back to New Mexico
Slot Canyons
Send questions and comments to dscott@themarblesculptor.com