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Iceaxe
01-03-2006, 05:52 PM
Since someone inquired elsewhere about the name "Mae West" for canyons and since I'm probably partly responsible for the name propagating I thought I'd tell you what I know.....

Joe Wrona was the first person I heard use the term. The term was used long before I came along by members of the senior canyoneering community. When I asked the senior members why "Mae West" I was told because you have to search up and down the slot vertically to find a spot wide enough to fit through.

:hail2thechief: Joe Wrona introduced lots of interesting vocabulary into the canyoneering community. "Rap-N-Swim Kiddie Canyoneer" is one of his concoctions. He was also the person who introduced me to the term "Bunny Strap".

The first time Joe told me to bring a "bunny strap" because we were doing a "Mae West" I had visions of canyoneering into the grotto at the Playboy mansion.... didn't know I was going to get worked instead.....

Here is a picture of Hank Moon in Sandthrax

http://climb-utah.com/Powell/Files/sandthrax2.jpg

Sandthrax is one of the more famous and nasty of the publicly known Mae West canyons. If you look close you can see Hank's pack is suspended from his harness with a bunny strap.

Benny (aka: Rock Ski Cowboy) in a mae west using a bunny strap
http://uutah.com/forum/files/bennystems_small.jpg

"When I'm good, I'm very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better." Mae West :2thumbs:

:duel:

shaggy125
01-03-2006, 05:59 PM
The video I just posted from freezefest features a Mae West section in Stair Canyon. We had to stem about 40 feet off the deck, a new and slightly unnerving experience for me. I'm just stupid enough to do another canyon like it this coming weekend :jump_nutt: Check out the thread here:

http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1526

Iceaxe
01-11-2006, 02:34 PM
Here is a pic of a "Bombay" because someone asked. This is a small one but its easy to see.

The other nasty thing you will find in a slot is called a "Bell" or "Silo". I don't have a good pic right off hand but.... Think of a cement grain silo and you are standing in a window mid way up and you must cross to a window opposite you. Its not to bad if you can bridge.... it gets harder if its a 12' diameter silo and you are 50' off the deck.

jumar
01-11-2006, 03:49 PM
Where's that bomb bay at? Zero Gravity?

Iceaxe
01-11-2006, 04:00 PM
Where's that bomb bay at? Zero Gravity?

Yup.... that Bombay is at the finish of Zero G. Skinny guys can actually squeeze down the crack and avoid the Bombay. Big guys have to go over the top. There is a chokestone about 10' up stream that you can sling and rappel from. You rig the rappel, squeeze out horizontally and drop down when you think you have enough room. Not too difficult because of the location of the chokestone, without the chokestone the ante would go up.

Iceaxe
01-11-2006, 04:21 PM
And just to keep the definitions flowing.... this is what we call a "Subway" which is a wide section underneath a mae west slot. A subway allows for easy passage under a mae west.

jumar
01-12-2006, 06:17 AM
Didn't someone try a zipline in Zero G to get past the bombay? How'd that work out?

Iceaxe
01-12-2006, 08:13 AM
Didn't someone try a zipline in Zero G to get past the bombay? How'd that work out?

Canyon Sparky and his brother zip-lined it with their wives. Worked pretty good, but it was more of a stunt then a tool to use at a bombay. I have a DVD of the zip-line that were working on putting up on the web. Stay tuned.....

James_B_Wads2000
01-12-2006, 09:27 AM
And just to keep the definitions flowing....

What about some pictures of those silos. I have yet to see a good picture that shows one of those well.

James

RAM
01-12-2006, 09:51 AM
And just to keep the definitions flowing....

What about some pictures of those silos. I have yet to see a good picture that shows one of those well.

James

A mae west with silos.
Enough new folks around to bring this video up again. Apologies to
those to which it is old news. Courtesy of Stevie B. The web site is
grand also. Enjoy
Ram

http://cerberuscanyons.com/cpg132/thumbnails.php?album=27
:ahhh:

Iceaxe
01-12-2006, 10:16 AM
Good video of bells/silos and a mae west. I have found the bells/silos you can bridge to be scary and extremely dangerous. But the bells/silos that force you down are the ones that I find most difficult, but perhaps not as danerous. Other opinions?

:popcorn:

James_B_Wads2000
01-12-2006, 12:21 PM
A mae west with silos.
Enough new folks around to bring this video up again. Apologies to
those to which it is old news. Courtesy of Stevie B. The web site is
grand also. Enjoy
Ram

http://cerberuscanyons.com/cpg132/thumbnails.php?album=27
:ahhh:

I have been to this site before, I can't get the video to play. I click on the icon and it brings up a new page but nothing happens.

WTF?

James

Iceaxe
01-12-2006, 12:41 PM
I have been to this site before, I can't get the video to play.

I assume you know its a "Quicktime" MOV file, which means you have to have all the latest and great plugins from Quicktime to watch it.

I hate MOV files.... always a pain in the :bootyshake:

jumar
01-12-2006, 01:32 PM
Canyon Sparky and his brother zip-lined it with their wives.


Precisely what I'd want to use it for. Then I could take my wife down Zero G :2thumbs:

shaggy125
01-12-2006, 01:54 PM
Ok I thought I would take a few minutes and convert the Psycho D video so it will fit on here for those that can't get it to work from the other web site. I split it into two very crappy quality videos, almost unwatchable, but you can see the silo pretty good. A good shot if it is right at the end of the first segment.

Eric.

Iceaxe
01-12-2006, 03:30 PM
Ok I thought I would take a few minutes and convert the Psycho D video so it will fit on here

Not to be an ol' stick in the mud and I never looked to see if these video's are copyright or not ....but.... Just to be a good neoghbor its probably a good idea to obtain permission from the video owner before posting them on anther site.

Linking to anther site is the standard acceptable practice.

:rockon: