Highline - Devils Canyon near Lovell, WY

My brother-in-laws family owns the only access through the bottom of Devils Canyon, WY (it can be accessed on public land from the top). He recently showed me some photos he took of what looks like web style highline they spotted a summer or two ago and they didn’t have a clue what it was.

I’m hoping I can track down whoever set it up and get some info on it. Not sure if it’s a local or someone who was just traveling through.

If you or someone you know put it up please let me know so I can pick your brain about the exact location and anchors. 

I’m close, but not involved, and actually have no knowledge of it. But I am curious about your motivation for posting here.

That said, I’m a staunch advocate for private landowners, and for public access to public lands.

I really just want to find it and know more about how it was setup. The landowners aren’t upset at all they just didn’t know what it was. The access to the canyon rim is public land as far as I know so it was done legally and with full respect to the landowners in the area.

Honestly MP was the first place that came to mind since I figured the person who built the line was likely a climber as well.

I’ve got permission to climb in the canyon and plan to spend quite a bit of time in there next spring and summer. 

How is the rock in the canyon? I have only visited once and it looked only “ok” from afar.  Also, any ice lines ever form in the canyon? 

jon jugenheimer wrote: How is the rock in the canyon? I have only visited once and it looked only “ok” from afar.  Also, any ice lines ever form in the canyon? 

Jon,

Where are you located? 
The canyon runs for 3 miles and then splits where Deer Creek canyon heads in another direction. The rock in Devils Canyon varies from crumbling choss to really clean looking crack systems to massive limestone faces. There is potential for a lot of multi pitch trad and sport lines including a few huge overhanging amphitheaters with some interesting features. There is also some decent looking boulders about halfway down the canyon and a large enough clearing to camp out and explore them for a day or two. 
We found 2-3 potential ice lines in Devils Canyon but the week of warm weather immediately prior to my visit made it difficult to tell if they would get any better or if what you see in late November is what you get. My brother-in-law believes that the larger one was runoff from an irrigated field above the canyon and it likely wouldn’t see much more water throughout the winter.
Deer Creek on the other hand is better shaded and had several promising ice lines that come in quite nicely. One was a very well formed column where the other was about an 80 foot wide area of ice with several possible lines. I didn’t get close enough to either on this trip to determine ice quality but I marked the location for next time. I believe a snow machine or a long ski in will be necessary any later in the year since we were lucky to drive the UTV in as far as we did. 

Is this where Mule Creek Falls is?

Mike McNeil wrote: Is this where Mule Creek Falls is?

Its gotta be up-stream in one of the smaller branches.   The true devils canyon is about 1/4 mile wide and over 500 feet deep.  Getting a slackline across that would be amazing.

mike gibson wrote:

Its gotta be up-stream in one of the smaller branches.   The true devils canyon is about 1/4 mile wide and over 500 feet deep.  Getting a slackline across that would be amazing.

Devils Canyon begins high in the Bighorns at Devils Gate, roughly 8700' near Porcupine Campground. It winds it's way north and west for roughly 17 miles to the Montana line and continues another five miles to its juncture with Bighorn Canyon. Bucking Mule Creek and its falls can be found downstream of Porcupine Falls and way upstream of the Deer Creek confluence. It sounds like William B is referencing the area around Deer Creek as there is a road through the canyon in this section. 

I have been around there snit and it looks like there are some amazing canyons on the west side of the big horns.  Would love to check them out sometime.  Anyone know if five springs is in?