This was our 3rd time hiking and rappelling this picturesque canyon. We met up with fellow canyoneers in March as part of the 2015 Rendezvous. This is a popular canyon in the Sierra Ancha wilderness with several waterfall rappels, slides and stunning canyon vistas. The final rappel is 80' and is usually very windy at the top. To get near the trail head, a high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicle is necessary and preferably one that you don't mind getting scratched all to heck since there are many desert tree branches to drive through. For more info on this canyon see: http://www.toddshikingguide.com/Hikes/Arizona/Tonto/Salome1.htm
For the second day of the 2015 Rendezvous Paul Pastore and I met up with our fellow canyoneers to hike and rappel Waterslides Canyon. This canyon is best know for it's many waterslides which are best experienced in the Spring when the snow melt creates good water flow. The total distance of the hike/canyon is approx. 5 miles one way. We parked 3 vehicles at the end so that when we finished we could shuttle everyone back to their cars. We had a group of 16 people so it made for a very long day! The rappels were fun and we usually rigged up two lines so we could get all 16 of us down safely and more quickly. The slides were incredible! Long, steep, fast and dangerous! With so many of us there it was easier to get the courage up to go down after watching several others make it down alive. The water was cold and we all wore wet suits. We made it to our shuttle vehicles around 8 PM and then it took 2 hours to shuttle everyone back to their cars (10 miles on a dirt road). One car had a flat tire which seems common at this canyon. A high clearance vehicle with good rugged tires is recommended but not entirely necessary.
