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shaggy125
03-26-2006, 09:15 AM
Ok this TR is going to be pretty worthless since I don't have any photo's or video, but I'm posting it anyway (Ben will have plenty of photo's I'm sure). Ben (rock_ski_cowboy) had a big crew down at Robbers Roost doing some canyons Fri - Sun. I could only make it for Saturday, but I figured one day in the canyons was better than none, so 4 of us drove down late Friday. We searched high and low and couldn't find their campfire (turns out they were pooped from Friday's canyon and had all gone to bed so we just didn't see them off in the distance).

We ended up sleeping at the head of Alcatraz then waited for them to show up. Another group dropped in around 8:15 and our crew was supposed to be there by 10:00. 10:15 came and we got tired of waiting so we divvied out gear and were about to drop in when up pulled the car around 10:45.

We ended up with a group of around 12 or so, split into groups of 4 and spread out. Group 1 (my group) was to speed down the canyon and set the ropes, group 2 had it easy and just got to cruise down the canyon without setting or pulling ropes, and group 3 pulled all the ropes.

There were 8 guys and 4 girls, we were a little concerned about the girls doing such a physical canyon, but they did awesome and really enjoyed themselves. I was the more experienced guy in my group so I was spending most of my time setting ropes, giving belay's, teaching partner assist techniques, helping people up and down, etc... so I didn't take any video. :ne_nau:

Alcatraz was awesome, short but deep and really beautiful. Twisty curvy narrows throughout, no easy walking allowed, you were constantly squeezing, stemming, climbing, wading, or doing something physically exerting non-stop. Great fun!

Eric.

stefan
03-26-2006, 09:37 AM
awww, too bad, i was hoping for video :popcorn: (next time i suppose).

i really enjoyed that canyon a lot, you're totally right, physically demanding fun from the get-go and continuous throughout!! :2thumbs:

did you all do the rap-off-the-wheel-thang?

rock_ski_cowboy
03-27-2006, 08:29 AM
awww, too bad, i was hoping for video :popcorn: (next time i suppose).

i really enjoyed that canyon a lot, you're totally right, physically demanding fun from the get-go and continuous throughout!! :2thumbs:

did you all do the rap-off-the-wheel-thang?

Josh has a video clip, and a funny one at that. :haha:

Yes we all did the rap off the wheel thing. Quite an experience for some who had never done a long or free-hanging rappel.

Pretty continuous water in there to thigh deep, but never deeper. A wetsuit would've been nice this time of year, lots of numb feet.

Its been said before, but Alcatraz is a tough canyon. Not for the weak-- there were a couple of times where I was doubting my judgment in bringing a few if my invitees in there, but everyone did well. I would say it is a little harder or about the same as Middle Leprechaun, and is definitely the best canyon in the area-- and one of the best around.

On Friday we did NFRR. It was a very nice canyon and a good intro to canyoneering for some of the people that were new to it. The crack exit was more challenging than the canyon itself and was pretty tough for those that had never stemmed before.