Photos:
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=1048537007/a=38054161_38054161/
Thursday 4/16:
I put together another trip that was going to be beginner friendly.
We were heading into the Roost with 16 people; 2 of which likely weren't
doing canyons. The weather forecast wasn't that great for the
first day, but it was supposed to clear up for the rest of the weekend.
On the day we were supposed to leave, most folks were planning to leave
early. Good thing too; a big snowstorm was hitting the mountains.
Julia and Rick, who left in the morning, called to say the passes were
getting hit pretty hard. I put out an e-mail to the group to try
to have folks leave as soon as they could. Jen and I headed out
around noon, and the passes were definitely pretty bad. We made it
okay, and I called the others to let them know about conditions.
Turns out that the last of our group made it through just before they
closed I-70. We got to Motel 6; set up camp, and greeted the
others as they arrived.
Friday 4/17:
The weather was pretty nasty; including cold and snow on our approach.
I was taking a group of six through the Squeeze variation of East Fork
of Blue John. We would go down to the confluence, go down to the
big drop, then upclimb back to the confluence and up Main Blue John.
A second group would be going down Main Blue John to the big drop, and
then back up West Blue. Our group consisted of Rick, Lisa, Scott,
Peter, Jen and myself. We left camp around 8:45am and enjoyed the
snow on our approach. By the time we hit the beginning of the
slot, we had some water running down the walls in spots. Not
really anything to worry about in terms of a flash flood; but definitely
made the walls really slick. Fortunately, as we got deeper into
the canyon, the walls were pretty dry.
Squeeze East is my favorite of the Blue John system. It definitely
didn't disappoint. I love that there are some cool sculpted sections,
and some really great tight sections. There are a few spots where
you have to traverse sideways in a constricted area. Definitely
takes some effort. It was a new experience for a few folks in my
group. No major issues though; and we arrived at the confluence
with the Main East Fork around 10:45am, and had a break there for some
food and drink. I was expecting a little water coming up soon, so
figured it would be good to break before we possibly got wet.
All the reports I had gotten of the Roost was that the canyons were dry.
Not much moisture had fallen in the past week, so I had high hopes.
I knew East Blue could hold some water though; so I let people make
their own choices. We decided not to carry wetsuits, but just to
keep moving. It was cold in the morning, but the weather was
supposed to improve even as the day progressed. Good thing too, as
there was a decent amount of water in Main East. We had a few
spots that were chest deep, and many that were thigh deep or less.
Most could be stemmed over, however, it wasn't easy stemming.
Definitely made you use a lot of energy. Most went through the
water, and just kept moving.
We hit the confluence, and hiked down to the start of the lower slot
down to the Big Drop around 1:15pm. We downclimbed down into the
lower section. This is my second favorite section of the Blue John
system. Some great dark and sculpted areas. This is also the
section that Aron Ralston cut off his arm in. We ran into the rest
of our group in here; as well as another group of four. We went
down to the big drop, and looked down canyon. We then climbed back
up to the head of the lower section; now around 2:30pm.
From here, was the hike back up to the confluence of East and Main.
We gathered white rocks and made a white cairn at the intersection, as
well as we sat and took another break; now around 3pm. We hiked up
Main Blue, and finished the technical upclimb section around 5:30pm.
From here, we continued upcanyon; a few of us climbing up the loose
rappel that you can bypass. On the way back, we stopped at an
outdoor groups camp to see if they lost a jacket; we had found one in
the canyon. We found, and returned the jacket to, the happy owner.
We were back at camp around 6:30pm, and had a wonderful potluck dinner.
Most memorable was steak and veggie kabobs that were incredible.
It was really windy outside, so we gathered, cooked, and visited inside
motel 6; joking that were were all going to get Hantavirus.
Saturday 4/18:
We chatted, and decided that we would all go into Alcatraz. There
was only one real beginner in the group; and there were some pretty
experienced folks with many mid-level canyoneers. It's such an
awesome canyon; one that Jonas had wanted to get back into.
Especially since Jonas was moving to Switzerland in June, I figured we
could all do it. It was a big group, but we had all day.
(Jonas and I had done the canyon in around 3 hours before.) We
started driving from Motel 6 around 8am. We saw some burros on the
way and stopped to take some photos of the burros with the Henries in
the background.
We got to the start of the canyon, and set three ropes onto our vehicles
for the rappel into the canyon around 9am. We got all 14 people
down pretty efficiently, and started into the canyon. We were all
down the second rappel, which is from a pothole that was completely dry,
around 10:15am. The rest of the canyon had some water, but none of
it was all that deep. Not more than knee deep, and most you could
easily stem over. A few of the group decided to take their shoes
off and do some barefoot canyoneering. I just stayed high.
We made it through most of the technical section and to a nice spot for
lunch around 12:30pm. This was a quicker time than I was expecting
for such a big group. The bummer was we were then going to be
doing the ascent up in the hottest time of the day. Because of
this, we lounged around a while for lunch; and even did some practice
challenging climbs.
We started moving again around 1:30pm, made it through the last of the
technical spots, down the rockfall, and through the open area of canyon.
We went farther than we needed to; got to a dryfall that I didn't
recognize. We weren't the only ones, as there was a trail going up
from there. Started the ascent around 2:30pm, and were back at the cars
around 3:45pm.
We drove back to camp, and again had a potluck dinner. The wind
had calmed down too, so we had a campfire. We spent the rest of
the evening eating great food, chatting about the days adventures, and
the plan for the following day.
Sunday 4/19:
We would be taking a few cars over near the White Roost area. We
first packed up camp, and headed over. Jen, Julia and Rick would
do Main White Roost, while Lisa, Brian, Stephanie and I would continue
down the road to Chambers. We started the approach to Chambers
around 10:45am. We headed higher, so we could do the slot sections
above the main Chambers canyon. I figured it would be a good warm
up. There are some nice sections too, and some pretty burly
downclimbs that can be skirted if you prefer.
We started the main section of Chambers around noon. Chambers is a
great canyon. The first section is tight, and just drops and
drops. Fun elevators, and some really tight spots. It then
brings you to a bombay/subway section. We had a bite to eat in
this section around 12:45pm. From here, the canyon has some open
areas, has some stemming and more downclimbs. This section also
has some sandy downclimbs, as well as some strenuous upclimbs; not for
beginners. We hit the end of the slot around 2pm, and hiked
downcanyon.
There is a wonderful amphitheater which was very nice, with a moist and
cool air flow. We reached the normal exit around 2:30pm, and Brian
realized he had left his hat at the entrance to Chambers. He
headed up, and would go get his hat and meet us at the car.
Stephanie, Lisa and I continued down to the Dirty Devil. There are
some brushy sections, with a nice hidden pool on the way. At the
river, now 2:45pm, we relaxed, rinsed off, cooled down, and wet our hair
down in anticipation for the hot hike back up.
We found an entrance onto the slickrock near the river, started the
ascent around 3pm, and were back at the cars around 3:30pm. We
drove back to the White Roost trailhead, and the other group wasn't back
yet. Hmmm. Hope nothing went wrong. We still had some
time before we reached the time we agreed on when were going to head in
to find them, so we just relaxed, changed and had a bite to eat.
Before long, we saw them hiking the road back to the trailhead.
They had some navigational decisions, and had done some backtracking to
make sure they were in the right canyon. This was the first time
that Julia, Jen and Rick had done a canyon on their own. They had some
adventures, but had a fun day. We all packed up, and headed out.
Stopped at the usual Mexican spot in Glenwood on the way home. A
great way to cap off a great weekend.
Hope you enjoy the pics!
A.J.
Photos: http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=1048537007/a=38054161_38054161/
Group Room (multiple albums): http://ajoutdoors.snapfish.com/snapfish
Planning Info:
This trip is geared for beginners. It will likely be held in the Roost (weather permitting) and it will be suitable for all in decent physical shape. It will be on April 16-19. Very likely won't require wetsuits. (See below for details.)
Going:
| # | Name | Drive or Need Ride? | When Leave? from Where? |
| 1 | A.J. | Driving Purple Grand Cherokee | Thurs 2pm; Boulder |
| 2 | Jen | Riding in AJ's Purple Grand Cherokee | Thurs 2pm, Boulder |
| 3 | Jonas | Driving Green Subaru Legacy Wagon | Thurs 4pm; Boulder |
| 4 | Misty | Riding in Jonas' Green Subaru Legacy Wagon | Thurs 4pm, Boulder |
| 5 | Lisa | Hiking In From Hayduke | Already Out There |
| 6 | Doug | Driving Subaru Forester | Thurs 3:30pm, Boulder |
| 7 | Brian | Driving White Pontiac Vibe | Thurs 3:30pm, Boulder |
| 8 | Jody | Riding in Doug's Subaru Forrester | ? |
| 9 | Stephanie | Riding in Brian's White Pontiac Vibe | Thurs 3:30pm, Boulder |
| 10 | Scott | ? | ? |
| 11 | Peter | Riding in Mark's Black Dodge Pickup | Thurs Afternoon |
| 12 | Julia | Driving Julia's Black Pathfinder | Thurs Morning |
| 13 | ? | ? | |
| 14 | Rick | Riding in Julia's Black Pathfinder | Thurs Morning |
| 15 | Adrianna | Riding in Mark's Black Dodge Pickup | Thurs Afternoon |
| 16 | ? | ? | |
| 17 | Mark | Driving Black Dodge Pickup | Thurs Afternoon |
| 18 | Mike | ? | Fri am. |
Waitlist:
| # | Name | Drive or Need Ride? | When Leave? from Where? |
| 1 | ? | ? |
3/6 Update:
Here’s more details for the upcoming April 16th canyoneering weekend.
Timeframe:
We’ll head out on Thursday morning/afternoon/evening 4/16, and return on Sunday 4/19. We’ll drive to, and meet at, the Motel 6 campsite Thursday night and set up camp. Plan on the drive out there taking 8 hours; should take less. We’ll do canyons through mid-day Sunday and be back Sunday night.
Itinerary:
So, the plan is that we will hit the Roost canyons. We are planning to have 3 groups of 6-ish each. The leaders of the groups will be: AJ, Jonas and Mark; with sweeps of Doug, Mike and Peter. We are planning on having three different levels for the groups; depending on how aggressive some folks want to get. Here's the current planned canyons for the different groups for Fri, Sat and Sun. They may change prior to the trip (or even at the trip); but it will give you a good idea on which canyons to look at if you want to do some research.
We will likely just break into the groups when we are down there; as it will be easier to answer questions, organize, etc in person.
Least aggressive: ( Mark )
Buck Loop
7 miles, 1500 gain/loss
8m rap, short downclimbs that some may need ropes
Main Blue John
6 miles, 1000 gain/loss
6m rap, short downclimbs that some may need ropes
East White Roost (Maybe West)
4 miles, 1100 gain/loss (West: 3.5 miles, 1000 gain/loss)
20m, 15m, 14m, 10m into Pool - can stem (West: 3m, 2m, 12m, 22m; then dark/slanted slot dc)
Intermediate: ( Jonas )
Main/West Blue John Loop
6.5 miles, 1200 gain/loss
6m rap, short dc's that some may need ropes; 2 uc's in West that some may hl or belay
No Mans North Fork (may add some of South Fork if time permits)
3.5 miles, 1300 gain/loss (Adds another 3.5 miles and 700 gain/loss; not doing the big drop.)
7m, 8m, 16m, 40m raps (South is 7m, 20m, 10m, 25m)
North Fork Robbers Roost (West White Roost Backup)
7.5 miles, 1800 gain/loss (West is 3.5 miles, 1000 gain/loss)
15m, 7m, 5m, 11m raps. Fairly strenuous uc; approx 5.5 rating. (West: 3m, 2m, 12m, 22m; d/s slot dc)
Aggressive: ( AJ )
Squeeze East/Main Blue John Loop
7-9 miles, 1000-1500 gain/loss; could add approx 3 miles and 300-500 gain/loss to big drop
Several short DC or raps, strenuous, knee/waist deep water, then uc Main Blue approx 4 miles.
Alcatraz (North Fork Twin Corral Box Canyon)
4-ish miles, 1200 gain/loss
50m Free entry rap, 8m, 5m; strenuous
Chambers (South Fork Bull) - backup is NFRR; see intermediate description above.
4-ish miles, 1000 gain/loss
No rappels, strenuous, very tight, some high stemming
Other resources:
Michael Kelsey’s book: (1st or 2nd Edition) Technical Slot Canyons of the Colorado Plateau
http://canyoneeringusa.com/utah
http://www.canyoneering.net/content/index.php?categoryid=60&f=location.php&loc=20040203165958
Canyon Info:
EVERYONE should be familiar with the canyons they are planning on going on at the very minimum. Please use the resources above to make sure you know the day’s plans; as well as make sure you are capable of them. If possible, we’ll try to read the descriptions aloud before heading in. I'd like to run the trip by reading the descriptions of each trip in the morning, and then people can decide which trip they want to join for that day. If you don't have access to Kelsey's 2nd edition; and aren't a member of the Climb-Utah site; send me an e-mail asking for the beta and I can send it to you.
Carpooling:
I'm keeping track of driving info as people tell me they are interested (see chart above.) When we are about a week out, we'll start an e-mail barrage and will solidify rides. A tradition is that drivers do not have to pay for gas; and it's a nice gesture to buy the drivers a dinner as well if circumstances allow.
Roads:
The roads that we will use to access the canyons should be passable by any mid to high clearance vehicle. Subarus are a good choice.
Maps:
I will have a printout of the route descriptions for the canyons my group is doing (as well as I have done each of the canyons several times.) The other leaders should have info on their canyons. I’ll also have a printout for some other options in the area. If anyone has time to do research to see if they can find other people's trip reports, buy/print their own topo maps, etc; please do so. The more beta we have, the better.
Guidebook/Maps:
I am using the guidebook "Technical Slot Canyon Guide to the Colorado Plateau" by Michael Kelsey (2nd Edition). You can get this guidebook at any outdoor store. If you want your own maps, you can get them at the Boulder Map Gallery, or print them out from Topo or similar program.
GPS:
I have a GPS with me; but if you have one and want to bring it; feel free. Note, the GPSs probably won't work in the canyons (definitely not in the slots) but we can waypoint our camp and car location...
Camping:
It will be car camping at it’s finest. There is a large camp area and we will hang out at the big campsite at night. Bring a camp chair, and pick up firewood if you can. (Firewood is available in Green River. Check the gas stations.) If you need to share a camp stove, or can share your camp stove, then email everyone when we are solidifying rides. I will have a whisperlite camp stove with me and don't mind sharing. I'll have plenty of fuel. Note: They are good for boiling water and high-heat cooking; they don't simmer well.
Campsite Location:
Motel 6: I-70 West to Exit #149/Highway 24 towards Hanksville. Near mile post 136, turn left and head East on the road heading to towards Canyonlands. RESET YOUR ODOMETER HERE!!!! (There is a sign which I believe is on the South side of the road.) The east road will turn south then go back east, and will take you past Jeffrey Well, through the Flat Tops, to the top of Texas Hill (none of which you will know if you haven’t been here before, so use your odometer). You will hit a junction with an information board at 24.4 miles. Turn right and drive the road to the highest point around, this is called Burr Pass, and should be around 31.6 miles from Highway 24. (There should be a sign there too.) At Burr Pass, veer left and head South on the Maze road for another 2.6 miles (34.2 miles from Highway 24) and turn left into Granary Springs and Motel 6. You will know you are in the right place if you soon come to a large open area with an old wooden structure. Set up camp and we'll organize everyone in the morning.
Our weather-contingent backup plan will be to go to the Sandthrax campsite and do North Wash canyons. Here's directions to the Sandthrax site: I-70 West to Exit #149/Hanksville. South on UT-24 to Hanksville. Turn left to go South/Southeast on Highway 95. Shortly past the junction for 276; watch the mile markers. Around mile marker 28.3, there will be a dirt road on the left (north) side, take that in and the road will turn right. Just after that will be a large open camp spot.
Water:
There is NO water in the area. Bring enough water for the weekend. I’ll be bringing a 7 gallon container. Remember that you can fill up or purchase water in Green River. There is a water spigot outside of both gas stations in Green River (ask before using.) There is also a well with super-high power water (fills seven gallon jugs in no time flat) on the right hand side; with the Subway. It’s out in the parking lot area, near four red posts and the sign. Look for the pipe coming out of the ground; no need to ask if using the well.
Wake-up Times/Timing of Day:
We will be leaving camp relatively early every day. We’ll wake up sometime around sunrise, and be moving shortly thereafter so we can utilize the most of the daylight. (I'd rather be back at camp early than be struggling in the dark.) First light is around 6:15am, Sunrise is around 6:45am, sunset is around 8pm and civil twilight ends around 8:30pm. Plan on waking up around 6:30am, having breakfast and being ready to go at 7:30am - we'll have a conversation on the canyons at 7:30am; leaving shortly after. (Wake up earlier if you will need more than an hour to be ready.)
Anchor gear:
I don't know the current conditions of anchors in the canyons, but it’s a moderately popular location so they should be good. The leaders will have all the anchor material we will need. If you want to bring additional stuff, you are more than welcome to. We will likely be spreading some group gear amongst the group, so save a little room in your pack. (2-3 Nalgene's worth.)
Wetsuits:
These canyons are normally dry. I don’t expect anything more than a wade, so wetsuits will not be required. I will e-mail a couple of canyon groups to see if I can get info on current conditions about a week before we are heading in, but go with the assumption that a wetsuit is not necessary. If you have a 2mm or 3mm Farmer John or shortie, wouldn’t hurt to have it with you on the trip; just in case. Those who are doing the aggressive canyons may need a wetsuit as East Fork Blue John and Alcatraz have a tendency to hold water. Also, if the outside temperatures are colder, a wetsuit can help keep you warm.
Ropes:
I’m planning on bringing all the ropes necessary; but they will likely be 8mm ropes. If you haven’t rapped on 8mm line, it can be fast. Very fast. I recommend having 2 carabiners on your belay device to add more friction, a jaws-type ATC/belay device helps too, and definitely bring a pair of gloves so you don’t burn your hand. A pair of bike gloves works fine; as do gardening gloves. There is a thin pair of Nitrile gloves made by Atlas that work well in warmer canyons (Nitrile is sticky enough to still climb with them on) and a thicker pair of Atlas gloves (Therma or Therma-Fit’s) that work better for colder canyons. Ask me if you have questions or concerns.
NOTE: Atlas gloves can be found at most hardware stores; they help protect your hands, and are sticky enough to climb with. Highly recommended.
Meals:
We'll just do most meals on our own, but let’s plan on doing a potluck dinner on Friday 4/17 and Saturday 4/18.
Weather:
Hanksville:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/tenday/USUT0101?from=36hr_topnav_outdoors
http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USUT0101?from=search
Green River:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/tenday/USUT0094?from=36hr_topnav_outdoors
Right now, it's looking like mid to upper 60's during the day and around 40's at night. Very nice weather. However, It's likely still too early to really tell what the weather is going to be right now, so make sure you CHECK THE LINKS AGAIN just before leaving! Dress appropriately.
Here's the temperature spread:
Town Rec High Avg High Avg Low Rec Low
Hanksville 98 71 37 16
Green River 93 70 38 15
Group gear:
Everyone should plan on carrying a little something extra; as we’ll have some group gear and emergency gear to carry for the canyons. Plan on around two to three nalgene’s worth of space; so make sure you have some room in your pack for that. We’ll divide the group gear up just before heading into the canyons.
Recommended Canyon Gear:
Lightweight, non-cotton clothes. Recommend long sleeves and long pants, but as durable/light as you can be. Good to go to Salvation Army, Savers, or similar and pick up stuff there. There will likely be a lot of scraping against rock, and much better to be cheap clothes than skin. Especially if we end up in the North Wash area; the canyons have some tight spots and some abrasive sandstone.
Elbow pads and knee pads. Just cheap volleyball ones. I’d stay away from the plastic ones, as those could slip if you are using it to brace yourself against rock (as well as they leave unsightly marks on the rock.) Walmart makes some good cloth ones for $6 per pair that I have been using for a long time.
Gloves. You will likely be stemming/chimneying in the canyons, so again, better to tear into gloves rather than skin. The Atlas Nitrile ones, or the Therma/Therma-Fit gloves mentioned above work well. You can get them at most hardware stores; McGuckins definitely has them. Bike gloves work okay as well.
Packs. You won’t be carrying a lot; so you will want a small pack that can get worn/shredded/possibly destroyed. Probably around 1000-1500 cubic inches would be a good size. A larger camelback could work too. You need enough to carry some approach/emergency clothing (ex: windbreaker, possibly windpants, etc), some webbing, group gear, water, and some food. You can use a webbing harness for these canyons, but remember that there are some bigger drops depending on the canyons you choose to go in; so a real harness is likely more comfy. Make your pack size as small as possible.
Everyone will also need a short piece of webbing or cord so they can lower their backpack if necessary. I use a 15ft piece of parachute cord, with loops tied into it. You can use 5-6mm cord, or webbing too; a daisy chain works really well too. Make sure you have at least a 10 ft piece that you can tie to your pack to lower it.
Shoes. Bring shoes that you don’t mind getting trashed. When I do aggressive canyons; a pair of shoes lasts a weekend if I’m lucky… The stickier sole, the better; approach shoes work well but pretty much any kind of tennis shoe will work. NO SANDALS!
Rappelling Gear:
- Harness
- Belay device
- 2 large locking carabiners (mandatory), 2-4 normal sized carabiners – locking or non (optional)
- A small sling/cord/shoelace to secure your belay device, so you don't drop it (optional, not really needed for these canyons)
- Some kind of a rappel glove is recommended; the Atlas ones mentioned above will work, however they are pretty sticky so they will wear quicker than a leather glove
- Helmet: bring some kind of a helmet, a bike helmet works too. A helmet is MANDATORY. You don't have one, you aren't going in the canyon with me.
- Prussik slings: I would also like everyone to bring prusik slings. These are just two loops of cord that you attach to your harness. They allow you to climb up a rope if you need to. They are also useful for connecting yourself to an anchor. They are very easy to make. Just go to any mountaineering store and buy *two different colors* of 6 or 7 millimeter climbing cord (one should be ~6 ft, one ~10 ft). (around $5) I can show you how to make the slings when we are out there.
Dry Bag:
Likely not necessary here. I’ll try to find out current conditions just before we head out, but normally one is not recommended as you could tear a hole in it. For now, if you have one, plan on bringing it, and we can determine if it will be necessary. If you do bring it along; just make sure it is well protected inside your pack.
Recommended Non-Canyon Gear and other info:
Be prepared for possible cold weather at night; check the forecast just before leaving. Bring enough water for the weekend. Bring firewood if you have room; and hopefully we can have a fire in the evenings.
Pitching In:
I usually ask for a $5/day for gear used/destroyed on the trip. Plan on pitching in $15-$20 for the whole weekend and the way it will work is that the people that provide ropes will get some money; regardless of signs of wear. If a rope gets a coreshot, etc; then they will get more money. Those who leave anchor gear in the canyons will be re-imbursed (webbing, R/QL’s, etc.) I keep a kitty of money from canyon trips; and the rest gets saved for the next trip. If we have other group gear destroyed (water filters, etc. – shouldn’t on this trip) then we’ll pitch in more so that person isn’t footing the bill by himself.
Disclaimer:
The people organizing this trip will do everything they can to help keep you safe. However, the outdoors are unpredictable, and anything can happen. Ultimately, YOU are responsible for your own safety. Make your own choices; about what canyons you feel up to, as well as your actions in the canyon. If you see something that you don’t agree with, bring it up. Everyone makes mistakes, and I’m sure nobody will have an issue with discussing why we are doing a certain thing. Better that than the possible alternative if something is truly wrong. You should know enough about the canyons through your own research to know whether it’s something you can handle. Nobody else takes responsibility for you, your actions, or even their (or anyone else’s) actions, decisions or gear. You and you alone have the responsibility for keeping yourself safe. Read this disclaimer, and interpret it in the context of this trip: http://www.nelsonrocks.org/disclaimer.html
E-mail me if you want my cell phone number (I don't want to post it on the internet.) We definitely won't have a cell signal out there. As always, feel free to e-mail me or give me a call prior to departing to discuss any questions you might have.
Looking forward to a fun time canyoneering!
A.J.