Malan's Waterfall/Waterfall Canyon, Ogden

[jman]

Last Saturday (09-03-2011) 4 of us attempted to rappel Malan's Waterfall up in Ogden. The information that we had from a ice-climbing site was that the entire waterfall was 180 feet in length. I did some other searching and found on another reputable website, showed it listed at 175 feet. And scouring Google for any reports of rapping this baby...I figured this was best guess to length that we could go off.

Anywho, so we climbed to the the very top in about an 1 1/2 from the bottom of the trailhead. As we were looking at the falls, however, it didn't look like 185 feet at all. It looked more like 250-300feet, but decided lengths are deceiving and what the heck, let's give it a shot. So we brought up our 220 ft rope and pull-cord.

The hike to the top of the falls is fairly easy, although it will require some Class 4 climbing for about 15 feet as you drop down into the "gorge" of it.

We didn't realize that there would be a gorge before the main falls, but it is about 40-50 feet in length. So we rapped that from some nice sturdy trees above it, but left it fixed until we had confirmation that it hit the bottom of the falls after the gorge.

In the the gorge there is no trees or bushes, but tons of good-size boulders to build a deadman from. The boulders are about 3-4 feet in the length, and we spent about 10min building it up and preparing to the throw the rope down.

We had a friend at the bottom of the falls, and communicated with him to confirm we had touchdown and to tell people to back up 50ft or so.

We tossed the rope, and it didn't even reach a 3/4 of the way down! lol. And if we would of brought a 2nd rope, we would of passed the knot and been fine.

So we jumar back up and hiked back down to the base of the waterfall. Too bad! We were close, but not nearly enough. And those falls are definitely NOT 200 feet. It's closer to 350 ft!

We will attempt this again, we just need to bring 2 ropes. Doh...should of done that in the first place...oh well. Good adventure otherwise!

Here's a few pics:

[spinesnaper]

I don't know what you call this activity but--you go ladies.:haha::haha:

Ken

[jman]

I don't know what you call this activity but--you go ladies.:haha::haha:

Ken

Huh?

[SlotRat]

Thanks for sharing. It looks like a great drop. Troy

[nelsonccc]

Huh?

Looks cool. Ignore the spinesnapper "pro" above. Some people are simply amazing on the internet and become instant bad asses.

[spinesnaper]

Exactly

Ken

[DRobb]

Fun idea. It is almost like a slot canyon at the top. Malan's is a two-pitch ice climb, but most people never do the second pitch because it's significalntly harder and rarely in good condition. The information you had on the length is probably correct, but only for the first pitch. There's an anchor at the back of the big ledge just above and west of where you drew in the end of your rope in the third photo. You should be able to descend the falls if you swing into the ledge and do it in two rappels.

[jman]

Fun idea. It is almost like a slot canyon at the top. Malan's is a two-pitch ice climb, but most people never do the second pitch because it's significalntly harder and rarely in good condition. The information you had on the length is probably correct, but only for the first pitch. There's an anchor at the back of the big ledge just above and west of where you drew in the end of your rope in the third photo. You should be able to descend the falls if you swing into the ledge and do it in two rappels.

Wow thanks for the info. It's strange because we kept looking at it thinking there is no way that is below 200 feet. That makes sense that the guide was referring to just one pitch and we somehow assumed it was the entire length. Hmm...

That's what we are thinking of next time actually, is do it in two rappels.

That "slot" is only a slot for maybe 100 feet or so, and above it it's nothing too impressive. Above, I just called it a gorge.

But that would of been a really high, fun rappel though for sure...We're thinking of hitting it up next month.

[jumar]

Looks like a blast. Do you have Dave Black's ice climbing book for beta up there?

[jman]

Looks like a blast. Do you have Dave Black's ice climbing book for beta up there?

No, although that would be great.

However, 4 of us attempted it again this last saturday and successfully descended it. The anchors referred to by DRobb was one very old piton, and extremely old webbing that was falling apart. One pull on the webbing and it came loose.

So the actual waterfall, is about 297 feet. Although this can be adjusted by 5+/- feet how much webbing you use on the deadman anchor.

It is incredibly fun, although, it's a "long" hike for just 1 LONG water rappel. My friend Jeff is editing our two GoPro sources right now and should be done by tonight.

[DesertDuke]

OK, its tonight! Post already.....I want to see. This sounds awesome! Great idea!

[jman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAWnOwGdYeg

The waterfall was great, although the last 40+ feet is rappelling/jumping down the slippery rock wall. And there is about a 40ft free hang, about half-way down which adds to the excitement.

(I apologize for the tardiness on the video. I've been busy packing up for our families Kauai'i vacation in 2 hours!)

[jumar]

Awesome!

[Dan-wild]

“What does it feel like to be alive?
Living, you stand under a waterfall. You leave the sleeping shore deliberately; you shed your dusty clothes, pick your barefoot way over the high, slippery rocks, hold your breath, choose your footing, and step into the waterfall. The hard water pelts your skull, bangs in bits on your shoulders and arms. The strong water dashes down beside you and you feel it along your calves and thighs rising roughly backup, up to the roiling surface, full of bubbles that slide up your skin or break on you at full speed. Can you breathe here? Here where the force is the greatest and only the strength of your neck holds the river out of your face. Yes, you can breathe even here. You could learn to live like this. And you can, if you concentrate, even look out at the peaceful far bank where you try to raise your arms. What a racket in your ears, what a scattershot pummeling!
It is time pounding at you, time. Knowing you are alive is watching on every side your generation's short time falling away as fast as rivers drop through air, and feeling it hit.”
― Annie Dillard, An American Childhood