Overview

Hype:

Lucky Charms is a short mostly-non-technical canyoneering route in North Wash. The typical route goes up the East Fork then down the West Fork. Groups may want a rope to use as a handline for the top climb in the East Fork and for two of the drops in the West Fork. The canyon is usually dry. The East Fork is mildly scenic, but the West Fork is not very.

Canyon Rating: 3A

Time: 1-2 hours

Length: 1.6 mile loop

Longest Rappel: N/A

Gear: 50 foot rope for a handline. No other gear required.

Fees: None

Recommended Ages:

0-3
4-11
12-19
20-49
50-69
70+

Recommended Months to Visit:

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Features:
  • Downclimbs
  • No Drinking Water
  • Slot Canyon
  • Wayfinding
  • No Restrooms
  • Road Access is Paved
  • Access Road is 2WD Accessible

Links: https://www.roadtripryan.com/go/t/utah/north-wash/lucky-charms

Getting There

Navigate to 38.022069, -110.561174.

Park on the shoulder of the road.

Route

Approach

Follow the highway southeast then hike up the wash to the bottom of East Lucky Charms.

Canyon

Hike up East Lucky Charms canyon. This is the best part of the route, so enjoy it. There are a few small drops you'll need to climb up, but the canyon is very straightforward.

You'll soon arrive at the bottom of a dryfall. Most beta sites say that this drywall is impassable and tell you to go down canyon for a minute to where you can hike up to a ledge on the west canyon side and bypass the dryfall. That's probably good advice. However if you're looking for a challenge and don't mind the danger factor, this dryfall is climbable. The crux is at the top where the crack flares open. If any members of your group are wanting to attempt the climb, it would be a good idea to have a meat anchor at the top with a handline in case the climber needs it.

Near the top of East Lucky Charms, there is one more climb. This climb is easy 5th class. Some people may want a rope for a handline, but most canyoneers should be fine without it.

Once at the top of East Lucky Charms, hike over to the top of West Lucky Charms. Don't accidentally drop into Middle Lucky Charms. That fork has a number of large rappels. 

At the top of West Lucky Charms, there is a cairn anchor at the top of the canyon that can be used to rappel from, but it's not necessary for most groups. The drops are all completely doable without rappelling. This first drop consists of two stages. The top stage is about 5 feet tall and you just walk/slide down it. The second stage is about 7 feet and is nearly vertical. There is just barely enough friction that you can climb down, but most will choose to use a handline or a partner assist or will just walk around the drop.

The second and final drop is a 15 foot slide that goes nearly vertical at the bottom. Most will choose to walk around the drop, but you can also meat anchor and partner capture.

After a few minutes, you'll get down to the wash and will soon arrive at the confluence with Middle Lucky Charms. 

Exit

Follow the wash down to your car.

Maps

Closest City or Region: North Wash, Utah

Coordinates: 38.025240, -110.556866

Interactive Guide Map

Download Guide Map

View map fullscreen.

May 23, 2020 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Ondylyn Wagner, Shawn Wagner,

Logistics

Start: 4:50 p.m.

End: 6:10 p.m.

Story

After splitting up and doing East Leprechaun and West Leprechaun earlier in the day, we left most of the group at camp and the four of us set out for Leprechaun Canyon. Definitely the most adventurous part of the canyon was the first upclimb in East Lucky Charms. We knew there was a walk-around, but we tackled the dryfall head on. I climbed up first without a rope. Ondy wanted to try it as well, but she was nervous about the exposure. She tried to throw a piece of webbing up to me, but it landed on a ledge where I couldn't reach it. I didn't feel like downclimbing the drop unprotected, so Tara took the bypass route up to me. She meat-anchored me while I climbed down to get the other piece of webbing. I then climbed back up. We tied the two pieces of webbing together so they were long enough then lowered it to Ondy. I acted as meat anchor for the hand line and also pulled out the drone and took some video of Ondy and later Shawn climbing up with the rope. The whole climb was totally avoidable, but we had fun challenging ourselves.

The rest of the trek was pretty straightforward. While descending West Lucky Charms, most of the group just walked around the little drops.

View map fullscreen

Video of Trip

Pictures