PDA

View Full Version : Knotted Rope - Swellfest 2006



Iceaxe
05-30-2006, 04:34 PM
Below are a couple of my better pictures from Tom's San Rafael Swellfest. These are from the Saturady Knotted Rope Group.

:popcorn:

Scott Card
05-30-2006, 05:12 PM
Looks like a lot more water than what we encountered in Quandary on the same day. Is this normal ?...More water in Knotted Rope than Quandary? Did you go up Ramp? Looks like a fun canyon with a good group. :2thumbs:

Iceaxe
05-30-2006, 05:59 PM
We had a lot of water in Knotted Rope. I'm guessing it was 1/2 full. I would say the dry conditions you encountered in Quandary were unusual.

I just updated a couple of my route descriptions and more pics from the weekend can be viewed there.

Muddy Creek Gorge
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/mcgorge.htm

Knotted Rope
http://climb-utah.com/SRS/knotted.htm

:popcorn:

accadacca
05-31-2006, 06:25 AM
This buds fer yaaaaa'll!! :drink:

Iceaxe
05-31-2006, 07:35 AM
Yeah, a group hiked down the Muddy River Gorge with cold beer and met us about mid canyon...... it was probably the best tasting beer I had all week.

:cheers:

Iceaxe
06-03-2006, 08:56 AM
FYI: Some of the pipes have been removed from Knotted Rope. The canyon is much better without the pipes. Solving the first big keeper is interesting :nod:

There are easy ways to solve the problem that are not obvious and hard ways that are obvious.... :five:

I used to be a fan of keeping the pipes, but after doing the canyon and not using them I now think they should be removed if possible. The canyon is more fun and a little more challenging without the pipes. Only real danger is the first big keeper, and if you can't figure it out you can always turn around, hike back out, and come back anther day after improving your skills.

:bootyshake:

hesse15
07-19-2007, 08:58 PM
ah

FYI: Some of the pipes have been removed from Knotted Rope. The canyon is much better without the pipes. Solving the first big keeper is interesting :nod:

There are easy ways to solve the problem that are not obvious and hard ways that are obvious.... :five:

I used to be a fan of keeping the pipes, but after doing the canyon and not using them I now think they should be removed if possible. The canyon is more fun and a little more challenging without the pipes. Only real danger is the first big keeper, and if you can't figure it out you can always turn around, hike back out, and come back anther day after improving your skills.

:bootyshake:

Scout Master
07-19-2007, 10:44 PM
FYI: Some of the pipes have been removed from Knotted Rope

Any chance Marie Coray would still be alive if the pipes had not been removed?

hank moon
07-19-2007, 10:56 PM
FYI: Some of the pipes have been removed from Knotted Rope

Any chance Marie Coray would still be alive if the pipes had not been removed?

Doesn't matter.

rockgremlin
07-20-2007, 06:04 AM
FYI: Some of the pipes have been removed from Knotted Rope

Any chance Marie Coray would still be alive if the pipes had not been removed?


That was my same question....and I venture that the answer is yes.

rockgremlin
07-20-2007, 06:06 AM
Doesn't matter.


Now we know who removed em. :mrgreen:

hank moon
07-20-2007, 06:52 AM
Doesn't matter.


Now we know who removed em. :mrgreen:

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 07:23 AM
Any chance Marie Coray would still be alive if the pipes had not been removed?

Not if she broke her arm and fell in, climbing the pipes would be much harder then climbing a rope with loops tied into it.

FWIW: Tom has some good pictures of the old pipes in the pothole.
http://canyoneeringusa.com/utah/swell/knotrope.htm
Watch the slideshow in the fourth pictures down. The guy on Tom's site is doing this the hard way, the simple way was to take the tall pipe sticking out and pole vault accross.

:cool2:

hesse15
07-20-2007, 07:24 AM
page 46 kelsey book description for miner hollow aka knotted rope
bypass the first group of PH on some narrow ledges to the left ,you will come to a 125 m section with several deep PHs.
in the first 2 PH you will find pipes carried down from above by hikers.use these pipes to help get around two, 3m-deep PHs on the right side

i think will be nice that after something is in a route description in a book it will not modified.
not anybody that go in the outdoors is connected to interet any single day.

could be personal agreement or disagreement of what people write in a book
but regarding bolts or other safety device mentioned to finish an hike safely in a canyon i do not think they must be removed by humans.If is a flood that remove them is an act of God, if is a human act is a act of xxxxxxxx


quote="hesse15"]ah

FYI: Some of the pipes have been removed from Knotted Rope. The canyon is much better without the pipes. Solving the first big keeper is interesting :nod:

There are easy ways to solve the problem that are not obvious and hard ways that are obvious.... :five:

I used to be a fan of keeping the pipes, but after doing the canyon and not using them I now think they should be removed if possible. The canyon is more fun and a little more challenging without the pipes. Only real danger is the first big keeper, and if you can't figure it out you can always turn around, hike back out, and come back anther day after improving your skills.

:bootyshake:[/quote]

ajroadtrips
07-20-2007, 07:28 AM
FYI: Some of the pipes have been removed from Knotted Rope

Any chance Marie Coray would still be alive if the pipes had not been removed?

Doesn't matter.

Huh? I think it does matter as a point for discussion.

If you choose to remove bolts/pipes/whatever from a canyon that have been used in the past to aid in descent, you could cause someone to have an accident. This was an example of worst case.


Not if she broke her arm and fell in, climbing the pipes would be much harder then climbing a rope with loops tied into it.


My 2 cents are that a pipe there would help greatly in a rescue situation, and perhaps would have prevented this accident from occurring. The pipe was originally placed there because other groups had needed it.

Assuming the pipe was there, they may not have tried the slabby traverse that I suspect resulted in the fall, but shimmied over the pipe the way many used to do it. I would do the pipe shimmy over the slabby traverse if it were me.

Nice attempt to dodge the issue Ice. You supposition is correct, climbing the pipes would be hard with a broken arm, but you are assuming the broken arm would have occurred with the pipes in place, which I do not believe, or think is at least debatable.

hank moon
07-20-2007, 07:48 AM
Huh? I think it does matter as a point for discussion.

For discussion fodder, I agree. But...

The reality is the pipe wasn't there. If it had been there, maybe she would have tried to use it to cross the pothole and fallen in a different manner. Maybe the pipe would have broken, shifted, etc. A hold might have broken. Rockfall. Snake startle. Hold broke. Foot slipped. Pipe too hot to hold. Baby eagle attack. The scenarios in which she might have died in a different manner are endless. That is why *in reality* it doesn't matter.

One can spend time debating what would have happened had the pipe been there, sure, and good thoughts may come out of such, but that's about it. This accident was probably caused by the classic cocktail of inexperience, inadequate preparation, lack of attention, human error, etc. In short, the same cause of prolly 99%+ of all accidents.

The pipe is just a pipe. I'm with Shane - get rid of the things. That way the expectations going in won't be (for the conscious person) pipe dependent. What if those pipes had been logs? Would the logs have made it into a guidebook as suggested descent aids? Hope not.



My 2 cents are that a pipe there would help greatly in a rescue situation, and perhaps would have prevented this accident from occurring. The pipe was originally placed there because other groups had needed it.

MayBMayBMayB. But why focus on the pipe? As long as we're in fantasyland, we could talk moki steps, rebar ladders, hammers, hooks, ropes, COMPETENCE, etc. If only the couple had been competent...if only some canyon stud like perhaps a couple of K's eagle scouts, etc. If only...if only...

rockgremlin
07-20-2007, 07:48 AM
Huh? I think it does matter as a point for discussion.

If you choose to remove bolts/pipes/whatever from a canyon that have been used in the past to aid in descent, you could cause someone to have an accident. This was an example of worst case.


Not if she broke her arm and fell in, climbing the pipes would be much harder then climbing a rope with loops tied into it.


My 2 cents are that a pipe there would help greatly in a rescue situation, and perhaps would have prevented this accident from occurring. The pipe was originally placed there because other groups had needed it.

Assuming the pipe was there, they may not have tried the slabby traverse that I suspect resulted in the fall, but shimmied over the pipe the way many used to do it. I would do the pipe shimmy over the slabby traverse if it were me.

Nice attempt to dodge the issue Ice. You supposition is correct, climbing the pipes would be hard with a broken arm, but you are assuming the broken arm would have occurred with the pipes in place, which I do not believe, or think is at least debatable.


I can do nothing but agree with this post.

rockgremlin
07-20-2007, 07:51 AM
The reality is the pipe wasn't there. If it had been there, maybe she would have tried to use it to cross the pothole and fallen in a different manner. Maybe the pipe would have broken, shifted, etc. A hold might have broken. Rockfall. Snake startle. Hold broke. Foot slipped. Pipe too hot to hold. Baby eagle attack. The scenarios in which she might have died in a different manner are endless. That is why *in reality* it doesn't matter.

One can spend time debating what would have happened had the pipe been there, sure, and good thoughts may come out of such, but that's about it. This accident was probably caused by the classic cocktail of inexperience, inadequate preparation, lack of attention, human error, etc. In short, the same cause of prolly 99%+ of all accidents.

The pipe is just a pipe. I'm with Shane - get rid of the things. That way the expectations going in won't be (for the conscious person) pipe dependent. What if those pipes had been logs? Would the logs have made it into a guidebook as suggested descent aids? Hope not.



I can do nothing but agree with this post.


:lol8: I'm easily influenced today...

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 07:55 AM
If the pipes should stay or go has always been a point of contention.... All I was stating above was that I had done the canyon with and without pipes and prefer it without..... but a little more on the pipes...

The orginal pipes mentioned in Kelsey's guide became bent into a U shape from use and evenutally became useless to cross the potholes. You can't pole vault or tightrope using a pretzel.

I believe the orgianl pipes were removed because they became useless and dangerous as they provided sharp ends to fall onto sticking out of the pothole. So as far as Kelsey's guidebook goes it was already outdated because the stright pipes he mentioned were replaced by useless pretzels several years ago.... and the couple was not useing Kelsey's guide....

So you guys are arguing over something (useful straight pipes) that has not existed for several years. This is like arguing if a chokestone should be replaced that was washed out three years ago. According to hesse it should be replaced because it was mentioned in Kelsey's guidebook. :roll:
.

ajroadtrips
07-20-2007, 08:04 AM
What if those pipes had been logs? Would the logs have made it into a guidebook as suggested descent aids? Hope not.

Nature removing things is different than a person removing something to meet their own standards and ego. Especially something that had a long standing history of being there.


MayBMayBMayB. But why focus on the pipe? As long as we're in fantasyland, we could talk moki steps, rebar ladders, hammers, hooks, ropes, COMPETENCE, etc. If only the couple had been competent...if only some canyon stud like perhaps a couple of K's eagle scouts, etc. If only...if only...

I focus on the pipes, because had been there traditionally, so were not fantasy. They were in Tom's description, as well as Kelsey's. If nature had removed them, fine. Nature did not.

Bent pipes, straight pipes, who cares? I would take a bent pole for assistance over nothing. The more you have to work with, the more likely you will be successful I think. I believe you are trying to argue you did the community a service by removing the pipes. From my perspective, you did not.

I posted, because the incident gave me pause to realize what I do in canyons anchor wise has an effect on others. I generally try to be a conscientious canyoneer and build (or re-build) solid anchors that are easy for others to find an use. This incident has re-affirmed that, and made me (personally) very unlikely to ever remove bolts or pipes. I don't want other peoples safety potentially compromised because of my judgment that something is or is not necessary.

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 08:45 AM
Nature removing things is different than a person removing something to meet their own standards and ego.

And if the lady had of fell and impaled herself on the end of a bent pipe sticking up your stance would be what?

The pipes were not removed because of ego, I believe they were removed because they had become a serious danger. And since the canyon is easily reversible at this point no trap had been set for the unsuspecting.

:cool2:

Jaxx
07-20-2007, 08:58 AM
I think the general feeling of everyone is, Go expecting no anchors or pipes or bolts, if you run into one of these then you don't have to figure out a different way. I hate to think that people are going into canyons ill prepared because of what is in a book.
Canyons change daily it seems, get the best beta you can but expect some differences.

disclaimer: I am a canyon noob so take everything I say with a grain of salt... :haha:

hank moon
07-20-2007, 09:12 AM
Nature removing things is different than a person removing something to meet their own standards and ego. Especially something that had a long standing history of being there.

ha ha...you need to change your password - looks like hesse's pirated your account. :mrgreen:

The pipes are prehistoric and thus fall into the same category as a log, rock, or other canyon variable. Just because MK chose to put them into a guidebook (and maybe Tom, Shane could be lumped, too, but thankfully they can update their descriptions immediately) doesn't make them sacred.

Whether nature or humans (who are a part of nature, but have the choice to exist outside of it) removes the pipes is immaterial. The FACT is that if the pipes were not there, there would be no reasonable expectation on the part of would-be descenders that the canyon contains "permanent" aid. I would not go into a canyon without preparing for contingencies. One such contingency in KR would be prepping for pipe absence or just simply pipe non-use. What if the pipe had a couple dead deer wrapped around it?

Or, for my best friend Alicia: dead snakes? :haha:

The flipside FACT: regardless of whether the pipes stay or go, one should go prepped for a pipe-free descent. It's just common sense.



If nature had removed them, fine. Nature did not.

Sorry, i must have missed something. Can you tell me how the pipe was removed with any certainty?

ajroadtrips
07-20-2007, 10:04 AM
Stop the slings and arrows and answer the question:


If nature had removed them, fine. Nature did not.

Sorry, i must have missed something. Can you tell me how the pipe was removed with any certainty?

Unfortunately I cannot find the original information I had on it. In addition to the post Hesse linked to, there was discussion from someone on the group who did the removal of the pipes. I thought it was Ice's group. The WHO doesn't matter, but I am certain someone either posted on the group or e-mailed me a trip report about.

There is a post on the canyons group from April 06 saying the pipes were there in 99 (Tom Jones), and insinuating they were still there in April 06 (Brent), but I believe they were removed by the time I did it in late spring 06, because we did not find any at the big keeper. I would speculate they have been missing a little over a year.

Nature did not remove them, or nature did and someone else told me they did to brag.

:roflol:

hesse15
07-20-2007, 10:30 AM
Shane I did some research, and I CANNOT find A single posting about the pipes been UNSAFE

but mostly these ones
do you have any single oneabout danger?
:ne_nau:
from egroup
apr 10 06"There was plenty of "plumbing" to help us through the tight
spots, especially for some of the more "waistline-challenged," me
included. "

"With the pipe in place, the canyon is a cool romp, and quite unlike
other Swell Canyons. Without the pipe in place, the canyon is a cool
romp with some interesting obstacles"

"The pipes really don't bother me much. They are more durable and
easy to evaluate than ropes and are interesting historical trash from
nearby. "

"I am somewhat sad that the standard of the canyon is reduced
somewhat by the pipes"



And if the lady had of fell and impaled herself on the end of a bent pipe sticking up your stance would be what?

The pipes were not removed because of ego, I believe they were removed because they had become a serious danger. And since the canyon is easily reversible at this point no trap had been set for the unsuspecting.

:cool2:

hank moon
07-20-2007, 10:36 AM
And if the lady had of fell and impaled herself on the end of a bent pipe sticking up your stance would be what?

Wish i'd thought of that one...

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 10:42 AM
Shane I did some research, and I CANNOT find A single posting about the pipes been UNSAFE

The old stright pipes were ruined and bent beyond practical use. And you know this because I just told you... after that you can spin the details any way you wish.

Now if you want to argue against bending pipes left in canyons feel free.

If you want to argue if the pipes are thrash or ancient artifact be my guest.

I'm of the mind set that commonsence dictates you go prepared for conditions to have changed from the beta/guide/forum post you are using.... I also warn the readers of my website that this is a good idea.

"The information listed is the conditions we found on the day we did the adventure, conditions in the outdoors change, use caution and go prepared."

I believe every other sprayer of beta has a similar warning....

:cool2:

hesse15
07-20-2007, 11:01 AM
perhaps adding the following
"conditions in the outdoors change because dammn people go out changing canyon conditions (pulling out bolts /pipes whatever) ,because THEY THINK if you are not skilled enough, like they are, you are not suppose to be there."


THAT IS A MORE TRUE STATEMENT
so condition change because damn people decide what is the standard for others whithout taking in account the consequence of their act and the responsability with that.


[quote="Iceaxe"]
"The information listed is the conditions we found on the day we did the adventure, conditions in the outdoors change, use caution and go prepared."

[quote]

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 11:06 AM
THAT IS A MORE TRUE STATEMENT

What color is the sky in your world? :ne_nau:

One major storm system through the state changes the canyons much more then all the humans do in 20 years time....

:popcorn:

hesse15
07-20-2007, 11:14 AM
I agree with that
a flood change the high spur hike in a rappel,
and i do not blame weather,weather does not do thing with INTENTIONS
but i still blame human actions because are VOLUNTARY taken

if wind put a tree on the highway i will not blame it
if a damn dude put a tree in the highway I WILL!!!

still is the same tree just THE INTENTIONS are different. :roll:





THAT IS A MORE TRUE STATEMENT

What color is the sky in your world? :ne_nau:

One major storm system through the state changes the canyons much more then all the humans do in 20 years time....

:popcorn:

Brian in SLC
07-20-2007, 11:38 AM
if wind put a tree on the highway i will not blame it
if a damn dude put a tree in the highway I WILL!!!

I always shudder to think of the consequences of folks removing or changing anchors. Sure, nature could do it and be prepared, yada yada.

Just like some folks removing bolts and using deadman anchors, if someone removed the pipes, who knows? Did they directly cause a death? Probably not. Would, on some level, they feel guilty about it, or, have something to do with it? Their actions resulted in a difference in the canyon. Not nature. That difference may have played a part in the accident.

I've done Knotted Rope and the pipe was there. Made it easier, no doubt.

Whether or not the pretzl configuration was usable is subjective, too. When no alternative was left in place other than to "get some skills", then, I don't know. I guess I'm glad its not me having to think about some measure of responsibility.

I always think of worse case, for some reason, as a guide to what might or might not be my actions, when I think of my actions affecting another person's safety or sense of aesthetics (two wildly different things sometimes!). Best to not, usually. But, really, could the person(s) who removed the pipe stand up at the funeral and say something comforting to the friends and family of the deceased? Probably not. So I'd say, as a measure, if you don't have the courage to stand up at a funeral, maybe don't mess with removing (or adding, for that matter) anchors or other safety oriented items in the field. Something to think about.

Maybe too daunting. Sobering to ponder. Unfair assessment? Yeah, probably too harsh.

To me, its a huge responsibility not to be taken lightly.

-Brian in SLC

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 11:44 AM
if wind put a tree on the highway i will not blame it
if a damn dude put a tree in the highway I WILL!!!

Yes... but you are arguing it's OK for a dude to put a tree in the highway but not OK for a different dude to remove it....

:ne_nau:

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 11:51 AM
One other thought.... its not like there is a shortage of pipes in the Knotted Rope area. You walk by half a dozen on the way to the first pothole. If a pipe could have been used to rescue the woman why did the man not hike 1/4 mile back up canyon and fetch one?

:popcorn:

rockgremlin
07-20-2007, 11:59 AM
I suppose it would be pretty easy to get away with homicide in a slot canyon. Nobody around to see you give your partner a shove into a pothole and then wait for nature to take it's course. Sooooo....anyone wanna accompany me down Quandary direct this weekend? Shane?

Brian in SLC
07-20-2007, 12:22 PM
One other thought.... its not like there is a shortage of pipes in the Knotted Rope area. You walk by half a dozen on the way to the first pothole. If a pipe could have been used to rescue the woman why did the man not hike 1/4 mile back up canyon and fetch one?

Well, because the press said there was nothing the guy could do.

Kind of a grim scenario. I can't imagine.

The problem solving side of me wants to go do a practise rescue there. The superstitious side of me doesn't want to go anywhere near that place.

Kinda does make you wonder how much extra gear to have with, always, for any canyon, even an easy one. In my mind I've run through dozens of "what would I have done" type situations.

Not sure the body weight difference between the two. Without rigging a haul, I might have tried to raise directly by rapping or lowering into the pool, slapping a Prusik or two on the rope, and, just like a "pick off" rappel type rescue, but, opposite. Jug out with the person's body weight added to your own. Almost makes me want to practise it though.

Could have also gone to pool height, and, with an assist, clipped the person into a harness and have them help climb out by grabbing the harness, a loop of webbing, while pulling with two arms and pushing with legs. Clip in short as progess is made. Ugly, but, might be functional.

Not sure how hard it would have been to either drop a loop with a biner on it (2 to 1 minus the friction loss aka Canadian Drop Loop system of raising) or to rig a quick 3 to 1 Yosemite raise. Even without a self minding Prusik, might have been able to get enough throw distance for a single long raise enough to clear pool height. I've pulled a partner out of a crevasse with a Canadian drop loop system. Super quick and efficient. Must faster to rig (basically nothing more than a loop with one side of the rope fixed, pull on the other side) than either a self Prusik or a Z or C or Z by C from above.

Dunno. But, the problem solver in me is intrigued...

-Brian in SLC

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 01:11 PM
I suppose it would be pretty easy to get away with homicide in a slot canyon. Nobody around to see you give your partner a shove into a pothole and then wait for nature to take it's course. Sooooo....anyone wanna accompany me down Quandary direct this weekend? Shane?

My wife said the same thing.... and just after I upped my life insurance.... Now I'm truly scared.


Well, because the press said there was nothing the guy could do.

:roflol:


The problem solving side of me wants to go do a practise rescue there. The superstitious side of me doesn't want to go anywhere near that place.

This has been my thought exactly.... I figure a practice rescue might answer a lot of questions.

.

hank moon
07-20-2007, 01:12 PM
if wind put a tree on the highway i will not blame it
if a damn dude put a tree in the highway I WILL!!!

Hesse, your analogy does not hold up. Give up before it's too late!

Or take a sincere stab at explaining why your analogy doesn't hold water. This little exercise might help expand your viewpoint a little... <smile>

hesse15
07-20-2007, 01:47 PM
So i was thinking people can understand a comparizations whithout spending multiple words,
apparently not
you need lot of words
ok i will try to explain to you using more words

if a modification happen in the canyon because of natural unwilling events such us :wind, rain, water flood ,sun hearthquake, twister, fire and such.
I will not blame and accept us NATURAL EVENT that modify a canyon.
If a damn dude decide for estethic reasons, ego reason , having a very little brain reason, to modify the canyon and make it more dangerous to the people after him, and cause consequence injury or death ,directly because of his acting and decision, I WILL NOT AGREE WITH HIM AND I WILL NOT ACCEPT IT

disclaimer:i do not have time to check spelling grammar mistakes and because is a second language to me leave me alone.
otherwise i can write in perfect lovely correct Italian, but i think i will be either more difficult to understand me.

by the way if a dude remove a barricade on the highway that is put because the highway on the back collapsed , but this dude has a 4wd so is not a big deal for him.
this is another scenario of dude with very little brain (and perhaps some other little part on his body) decide what is right for the rest of the people.

somebody mention the cartoon to me i like it





if wind put a tree on the highway i will not blame it
if a damn dude put a tree in the highway I WILL!!!

Hesse, your analogy does not hold up. Give up before it's too late!

Or take a sincere stab at explaining why your analogy doesn't hold water. This little exercise might help expand your viewpoint a little... <smile>

Iceaxe
07-20-2007, 02:03 PM
hesse.... we understand what you are saying.

My question to you is why is it OK for a dude to place a bolt (or pipe) but not OK for anther dude to remove it? Both are human modifications to the canyon.

The way I see it you want to pick and chose which human modifications are acceptable?

:popcorn:

hank moon
07-20-2007, 02:19 PM
If a damn dude decide for estethic reasons, ego reason , having a very little brain reason, to modify the canyon and make it more dangerous to the people after him, and cause consequence injury or death ,directly because of his acting and decision, I WILL NOT AGREE WITH HIM AND I WILL NOT ACCEPT IT

ok, now you're making sense. I agree those are detestable motivations for modifying canyons in an unsafe manner.

I love communication - it's such a time saver.


disclaimer:i do not have time to check spelling grammar mistakes and because is a second language to me leave me alone.

Sorry, not leaving you alone...if you want to be alone, what are you doing here? Good EN lessons abound 'round here! The extra words help my understanding - thanks.


Awesome cartoon!

hesse15
07-20-2007, 02:43 PM
by the way I am technically only half sardinian , so a mellow one.... :popcorn:

Sardinians are strong, proud, attached to land and tradition, small in number, not in spirit. Long isolation and a past marked by foreign dominations and invasions have left them friendly, yet a bit cold. However, after a first impact, they turn into a hospitable and generous people. Thus, for example, primarily in hamlets, you are often invited immediately to an event like a birth or marriage or simply to taste special, home-made food . Indeed, due to harsh life conditions, traditional Sardinia puts strong emphasis on rituality and ceremonies such as baptisms, engagements, illness-deaths, identified as the key steps of the

stefan
07-20-2007, 03:39 PM
:popcorn:

hank moon
07-20-2007, 03:47 PM
by the way I am technically only half sardinian , so a mellow one....

Yikes! thanks for the warning. I'll be sure to invest in a kevlar codpiece when i visit.

off to BIFF

see y'all next week...

oldno7
07-21-2007, 06:16 AM
What if rescuee were unconscious?
would make a broken arm seem quite minor.
theres always got to be a solution but without facts
our speculations are unending.
I think it is just our nature too think that we could/would do
something that would save ones life in a like situation but having not been there at that time no one can say for sure.

hank moon
07-23-2007, 01:28 AM
I will not blame and accept us NATURAL EVENT that modify a canyon.

http://en.ce.cn/National/Local/200706/02/t20070602_11578106.shtml

KillEmAll
07-23-2007, 08:37 AM
I talked to my bro in law who lives in Mona and know the couple quite well. He said the hole was deep enough he had to hold her up out of the water to keep her from drowning. Unfortunately this meant he could do much rigging without leaving her. Also, the man is tiny and wasn't able to lift her out. Apparently he spent about 4 hours doing this. He wasn't sure what happened in the end. Most likely the guy became exhausted and she drowned. Sad.

rock_ski_cowboy
07-23-2007, 11:19 AM
I realize I'm a little late on this one but I will backup Ice that the pipes had become completely bent and basically useless as a pothole crossing aid. In a trip through KR some time in the last year or so(I don't remember if the pipe was there when I upclimbed it in Oct or not, I think it was my previous trip), I got to the pothole in question. I and others in my group tried to figure out how to use the bent pipe as a "pole vault" or as a "traverse aid" as it had been suggested and the pipe was too bent to be useful so we climbed around sans pipe. Picture a shallow U or the smile on an exaggerated smiley shape. Thats all. I guess everyone can argue whether or not it was the canyoneering community's moral duty to replace the useless pipes with fresh straight pipes. No one should be blamed for carrying the now useless pipe out and cleaning up the canyon.

Ben

bruce from bryce
07-29-2007, 06:29 AM
KillEmAll - Question:

so he rappelled or jumped into the pool to assist his wife but the water was so deep that they could not reach the bottom?

a solution might have been to set up a prussik with fa ootloop in an attempt to get her out of the water and then tying her onto the rope in some way. but with having to hold her and then tying it one handed would have been very difficult even for the best of us.

Shane: is tthis he same pothole that MK shows in his book? the one where Tom is climbing out?

tough situation all around and one that I hopefully would never have to encounter.

Iceaxe
07-29-2007, 03:38 PM
KillEmAll, thanks for the additional information. As is normal with this type of thing the more details that come out the more you understand what happened.

I do know that SAR found the woman rigged in ropes to try and keep her out of the water. I didn't ask about the particulars of the rigging.

Bruce, below is a pic of the pothole where the accident occured. MK has no pics of this pothole that I'm aware of in his book. The pothole was down about 3' from what is shown in the pic below.

http://climb-utah.com/SRS/Files/knottedrope2.jpg

bruce from bryce
07-29-2007, 04:29 PM
thanks for the clarification on the photo.

when reading the news reports details that showed the effort he exerted are usually ommitted. I'm sure that he did everything in his power to save her life given what he had to work with.

Scott P
05-07-2008, 05:43 PM
Old thread, but just in case anyone is interested, here is a current photo I took Saturday of where the death occured.

http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/401872.JPG

We took ful crevasse rescue gear, aiders, etc just in case. The traverse was easy, but the pothole and most of the canyon was dry. If you had muddy or wet shoes though that would be different and I can see how a fall here would be pretty nasty and how it could be difficult.

Anyway there were only a few pipes in the canyon. There were some below the canyon so its possible that some were actually washed out naturally. The places were the pipes currently are aren't really needed and in fact they are quite slippery, bent and getting quite rusty and corroded. I would go prepared to do the canyon without the pipes since even if they are there they are eventually going to corrode to the point that they will become useless.

Iceaxe
05-07-2008, 09:11 PM
I call this a moderately difficult move... with high penalty points for messing up....

From the pic it appears the water in the pothole is really low?

Scott P
05-07-2008, 09:23 PM
I call this a moderately difficult move...

I assume that could jump to quite difficult with muddy shoes or perhaps even wet ones.


From the pic it appears the water in the pothole is really low?

It's actually bone dry. We only had to wade two waist deep pools farther down.

Iceaxe
05-07-2008, 09:37 PM
It's actually bone dry. We only had to wade two waist deep pools farther down.

How deep is the pothole? I've never seen it dry.

:popcorn:

Scott P
05-07-2008, 09:45 PM
How deep is the pothole?

I believe about 8-9 feet on the down canyon side and perhaps a tiny bit higher on the upcanyon side. Since the bottom was sandy I guess the depth could change a bit from time to time.

tanya
05-08-2008, 08:11 AM
I call this a moderately difficult move... with high penalty points for messing up....

From the pic it appears the water in the pothole is really low?

:eek2: I call it scary! :haha:

Iceaxe
05-08-2008, 08:46 AM
:eek2: I call it scary! :haha:

It's not as bad as it looks in the picture.... there are waco's to stick your hands in to hold on... see where his hands are in the picture?

but you still don't want to fall.... this reminds me of some of the high stemming we do in canyons.... It's not as hard or dramtic as it looks in the pictures.... but you do not want to fall.

Teaching moment.... in the picture the canyoneer in yellow would do much better if his foot was flat against the sandstone.... you want as much rubber in contact with the sandstone as you can get.

:cool2:

ratagonia
05-08-2008, 08:49 AM
:eek2: I call it scary! :haha:

It's not as bad as it looks in the picture.... there are waco's to stick your hands in to hold on... see where his hands are in the picture?

but you still don't want to fall.... this reminds me of some of the high stemming we do in canyons.... It's not as hard or dramtic as it looks in the pictures.... but you do not want to fall.

:cool2:

Hueco, my friend Shane. The whacko's go home on most days, so they are not a reliable thing to stick your hands in.

Tom

Don
05-08-2008, 09:37 AM
I missed this thread before going down knotted rope a few weeks ago (see earlier TR) I was unaware as to where the accident had occured. Honestly I don't even remember that particular pot. Would have been nice to know.

Scott P
05-08-2008, 10:34 AM
Honestly I don't even remember that particular pot.

First pothole. Judging by the footprints, some recent groups have gone right through it since it was dry. When dry there are actually a few good footholds to get out on the down canyon side, but we did the traverse anyway.

Don
05-08-2008, 10:48 AM
First pothole. Judging by the footprints, some recent groups have gone right through it since it was dry. When dry there are actually a few good footholds to get out on the down canyon side, but we did the traverse anyway.

That explains it. Almost no water in canyon when we went through. We did go right in, walk across and out the other side of this. Weird to think how easy a time we had with it...

Iceaxe
05-08-2008, 10:57 AM
First time I did Knotted Rope the canyon was flowing at about 1 or 2 cfs. The canyon was super simple that day as well.

I have now done Knotted Rope 5 or 6 times.... I really like it.