Canyoneering Trophy

[Iceaxe]

Are you a Trophy Hunter?

I know many of the Zion Canyoneers consider Heaps and Imlay to be a trophy. I think one of the main reasons these two canyons have become more popular is canyoneers wanting to add them to their resume or trophy case. Thinking back to when I first descended these two canyons I believe my number one objective might have been to add them to my trophy case. More then anything else I wanted to be able to say I had done them.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about this the past couple of days. I know I am still somewhat of a trophy hunter, but with seasoning my idea of a trophy canyon has now changed and is not what it once was.

Looking over other canyoneering websites and blogs I notice a high degree of what I would call Trophy Canyoneering. Hanging pictures or a short story on the web has become the equivalent of a big game hunter hanging a head on the wall....

So my question is do you consider yourself a trophy hunter? What is a trophy to you? What are your thoughts on Trophy Canyoneering?

:popcorn:

[rockgremlin]

I consider any canyon to be a trophy for me. I only get in about 10 canyons a year, and I try and make each one count! I like to do canyons that are high on the adventure scale in order to make the invested time and effort worth it. I figure if I'm gonna spend time away from the family, and log a bunch of miles on my vehicle, I wanna be dazzled.

[marc olivares]

any canyon i can bring back scenic photos for my lazy coworkers to gawk at i consider a "trophy", but i agree w/ Rock, i like em' all.
as a relative new comer to this sport, there are canyons that do have that appeal. heaps and imlay are both right up there for me.

[Scott P]

So my question is do you consider yourself a trophy hunter?

Not by the definition above. I do tend to stay away from the

[Alex]

I would not consider myself a trophy hunter. I am not as uber as some of the others in other sports, so no reason to compete with people who have much more time and experience than me.

I get out to enjoy the outdoors, I prefer going with the group who shares my love for the outdoors. I work in the air conditioned office, commute to work almost an hour and live a city life. So when I do get out, everything counts, especially being with like minded folks. I hate going out into the wilderness with people who would prefer to sit home and watch TV.

The last few trips I took with the uutah gang was the most enjoyable. So I would say I "Trophy" those moments and trips, rather than locations. :2thumbs:

[stefan]

it all depends on the person's motives.

i don't think you can look at every blog,photojournal, journal writing, and what not, and simply cast them as trophies. trophy, as you've defined it and as generally defined, is quite restrictive and casts someone's purpose in a specific light. sharing on the web (with others, family and friends) can come to represent far more than simply trophy showcasing.

but i suppose it all comes down to how you perceive it, which may not match with the presenter's motivation.

on the other hand i think the notion of trophy can be confused with someone's concentration on a project. if they have spent time researching or planning a long backpack loop, canyoneering route, or whatever, it's been on their mind for some time ... it becomes full of life and vigor as it is in the forefront of their attention. should they choose to write about it or share photos, their excitement for it and wanting to create some sort of recollection/impression of it on paper or silicon could easily be confused wit showcasing trophies. i am not saying it doesn't happen, but i am saying there are many motivations beyond trophy showcasing, and shouldn't necessarily be the explanation one gravitates towards.

my 2

[price1869]

Definitely a trophy hunter. I'll never do Hugh Spir again. It was pretty, and we were the first to really bag it. But I don't think I'll go back unless it's just to photograph.

Canyons I'd consider doing twice are Imlay, P.C.(of course) and . . . Alcatraz. I had to do middle Lep twice because that little irish bastard stole my wallet and I had to crush his shamrock head against the canyon wall.

I like doing the tick list thing.

Price

[stefan]

Definitely a trophy hunter. I'll never do Hugh Spir again. It was pretty, and we were the first to really bag it.


first to bag it? i don't think so :nono:

[Scott Card]

Trophies seem valuable for two reasons. They show achievement in something well beyond the norm and they show off something to others that THEY think is cool. Given the fact that most of my family and friends think I am crazy for canyoneering, doing a canyon is not something they think is cool so the trophy thing doesn't apply in that regard. Also, either every canyon is a trophy to those who don't do this stuff or it is a reason to be committed to an institution and not admired. At least that is my experience when I tell folks about my little hobby. Along the same thinking as Stefan, my motive is really not competitive nor is it for looking cool (except in the Narrows). Again, most around me think me insane. I do canyons for me, for the personal challenge, for the mental and emotional break from the crap I deal with on a daily basis at work, and most importantly, just to have fun with others.

That being said, in the canyoneering community, I think there are true trophy canyons like Heaps and Imlay due to difficulty and skill sets necessary to complete the beasts. I have to admit, I was pretty proud of myself when I touched down at the Emerald Pools after doing Heaps. Also, I think most would admit that they consider themselves looking pretty cool all decked out in packs, ropes and wetsuits rapping into the Narrows to the delight of multi-national photographers at the bottom of Imlay or Mystery. Also, Sandthrax is a trophy canyon. A canyon that I will probably never do. Some put Kolob and Choprock in the Trophy canyon category 'cause folks died in those. Others even consider Blue John a trophy 'cause that is were Raulston did his deed. Again, like Stefan said, motive is key. So yes, I guess I have my personal trophy canyons and I even have a tick list but truly, my trophy canyons are not for display purposes but for personal reasons. Canyons become my own self-imposed challenges I guess. I know I can't compete with many of you either in the volume of canyons done, new canyons "discovered", Beta posted, skill set....etc. And I am not competing. So if competition is the reason for trophies, I have none. Like I have said before, I am perfectly comfortable following you Columbus types. I like being the second ship.

So, if I canyoneer for me and my group's fun, why do I post TR's and photos? Well, several reasons I guess. 1. To share with my group the trip photos for them to access and show co-workers. 2. To share with all of you some photos and stories for your entertainment. Sort of a golden rule thing. I appreciate the mental break in the day when I read your TR's and look at your photos and I assume that you also enjoy the entertainment also. 3. I do canyons and share TR's to provide information about current conditions for those going out shortly after. Again, golden rule. 4. I share because I have so darn much fun I just can't help myself. Anyhoo....Enough.... :blahblah:

[rockgremlin]

So, if I canyoneer for me and my group's fun, why do I post TR's and photos? Well, several reasons I guess. 1. To share with my group the trip photos for them to access and show co-workers. 2. To share with all of you some photos and stories for your entertainment. Sort of a golden rule thing. I appreciate the mental break in the day when I read your TR's and look at your photos and I assume that you also enjoy the entertainment also. 3. I do canyons and share TR's to provide information about current conditions for those going out shortly after. Again, golden rule. 4. I share because I have so darn much fun I just can't help myself. Anyhoo....Enough.... :blahblah:


These are exactly the same reasons why I post all my TRs too. A lot of times co-workers and/or family and friends will ask about my hobby, and it's much easier to refer them to this site, than it is to tell the same story a hundred times.

[jb]

Definitely a trophy hunter. I'll never do Hugh Spir again. It was pretty, and we were the first to really bag it.


first to bag it? i don't think so :nono:

They weren't even the first to report about it. It's been published for a year now.

[Brian in SLC]

Are you a Trophy Hunter?

Absolutely. Both with climbing and canyoneering.

Life is too short to pick at the left overs. Center punch the main course.

There's a reason these canyons are coveted descents. Or several reasons, actually.

-Brian in SLC

[Brian in SLC]

[quote=Scott Patterson]I

[stefan]

Definitely a trophy hunter. I'll never do Hugh Spir again. It was pretty, and we were the first to really bag it.


first to bag it? i don't think so :nono:

They weren't even the first to report about it. It's been published for a year now.

sure, what i was referring to. though i am sure it was descended (multiple times) before that in the past 25 years, if not many times earlier.

[rockgremlin]

Definitely a trophy hunter. I'll never do Hugh Spir again. It was pretty, and we were the first to really bag it.


first to bag it? i don't think so :nono:

They weren't even the first to report about it. It's been published for a year now.

sure, what i was referring to. though i am sure it was descended (multiple times) before that in the past 25 years, if not many times earlier.

Not meaning to be inflammatory here, but if it was descended before....then by who? I know Kelsey wrote up the first half of the hike, but he doesn't mention that he went all the way to the bottom.

SA and his band of eletist goons maybe?

[Scott P]

Not meaning to be inflammatory here, but if it was descended before....then by who?

Hmm, I know several people who have done it. I don't remember who was first to tell me about it. Could have been Steve Mestag? :ne_nau:


I know Kelsey wrote up the first half of the hike, but he doesn't mention that he went all the way to the bottom.

I believe he has, but is saving it for his new tech guide. It's a sure bet he won't talk about it until the book comes out and I can't really blame him.

[jb]

I can't really think of a county or state highpoint that is a waste of time. Its, "something to do".

I can. At the very least, for me, some high points are a waste of time compared to usually-available alternatives. What about your "center-punch the main course" philosophy? Reaching a vague spot partway up a ridgeline in a nondescript section of mountains on an utterly arbitrary county boundary? Nothing against high-pointers, but that sort of tick item strikes me as a little boring. At least go for the high point of a range, or a place with good and unique scenery. I don't know--I guess I assemble my lists based mostly on places I want to see, and then figure out the best way to see them, rather than things I might want to do (like knock off a list of CHP's).


I've always found the process folks go through to develop their "tick lists" interesting. I have my criteria and spend endless amounts of time putting together plans, lists, etc. Fun process for me, to be sure.

Me too.

[Scott P]

[quote]You are the master of the "tick list

[ajroadtrips]

Not meaning to be inflammatory here, but if it was descended before....then by who? I know Kelsey wrote up the first half of the hike, but he doesn't mention that he went all the way to the bottom.

SA and his band of eletist goons maybe?

Kelsey had done the whole thing well before Shane did it recently.

I would bet others had done it years ago. Lack of anchors doesn't mean it hasn't been descended.

Hope Shane wasn't trying to convince his group it was a first decent... :bs:

[price1869]

Not meaning to be inflammatory here, but if it was descended before....then by who? I know Kelsey wrote up the first half of the hike, but he doesn't mention that he went all the way to the bottom.

SA and his band of eletist goons maybe?

Kelsey had done the whole thing well before Shane did it recently.

I would bet others had done it years ago. Lack of anchors doesn't mean it hasn't been descended.

Hope Shane wasn't trying to convince his group it was a first decent... :bs:

No no no, I bagged it. Took off my pants, dipped up and down. See urban dictionary's definition of teabagging.

One of the first groups, first group from UUtah, first group that wasn't totally gay. It's my job to call the bs around here. Thank you very much. It was nice to see so many people load their drawers over my "first to bag it" statement.

as far as trophy's go, maybe I misinterpreted that. I don't have any trophies up in my place, nor would I if I had won any. They're trophies for me, in my mind. I don't care how many people know that I decended middle Lep by myself. I had fun and I'm glad I did it. I keep track of the problems and routes I climb, the trails I bike. I just post the canyoneering and hiking TRs because the photos are pretty.

:nod:

[Iceaxe]

Just to clarify.... I got the initial High Spur location from Kelsey's hiking book. MK's hiking map shows the tech route but no info is provided. MK was nice enough to supply me with the height of the rappels so we would not have to pack unknown canyon amounts of rope.

We were aware of the fact that at least a handful of folks did High Spur before us. We had some beta but did not have paint by numbers info.

The only thing we were first at is broad banding pictures of the entire canyon and a complete tech route description.


http://www.bergintoys.com/sp_related/2005-Feb/details/detail-Space%20Captain%20Trophy%202.jpg

[Scott P]

Kelsey had done the whole thing well before Shane did it recently.

I would bet others had done it years ago.

If one is looking for "new canyons", the Roost isn't the place to go, especially next to the road.

Although it is possible that some of the really remote stuff hasn't been done, or in certain areas such as Dinosaur NM or other less known areas, for some reason it is considered taboo to claim any type of first descent.

For sure, High Spur has been done years ago.

I assume that we may have been first to do some canyons such as the one we found Outlaw Arch in, but there is no way to tell for sure and I would bet it would upset someone if we claimed it as so on the canyons group or here.

First or not, it was a trophey for me (and the others) since I was trying to get into the canyon for three years before finally succeeding. :2thumbs:

Now, back on topic....

[Iceaxe]

Now that's settled..... let's get back to "What is a Trophy" :2thumbs:

:popcorn:

[price1869]

Now that's settled..... let's get back to "What is a Trophy" :2thumbs:

:popcorn:

Are you sure you don't want to bring up rapping on hooks? :five:

[Cirrus2000]

No no no, I bagged it. Took off my pants, dipped up and down. See urban dictionary's definition of teabagging. :nod:

Cool. In the mouth of the canyon? At the crack of dawn?

[stefan]

Now that's settled..... let's get back to "What is a Trophy" :2thumbs:

:popcorn:

for some, a great photo from antelope canyon

[Iceaxe]

for some, a great photo from antelope canyon

And hanging the picture on the wall or posting in a website I would consider to be the same as a big game hunter mounting the head for display. :2thumbs:

Hey.... I think we all take trophies. Picking up a pretty rock and bringing it home to show the wife and kids is taking a trophy. I was just wondering what others thought of the idea and what they considered their canyon trophies to be.

:cool2:

[Sombeech]

Here's a canyoneering trophy for you


http://uutah.com/forum/files/plumbers_crack.jpg

[Iceaxe]

Here's a canyoneering trophy for you

Never a moderator around when ya really need one.....

.

[stefan]

for some, a great photo from antelope canyon

And hanging the picture on the wall or posting in a website I would consider to be the same as a big game hunter mounting the head for display. :2thumbs:

Hey.... I think we all take trophies. Picking up a pretty rock and bringing it home to show the wife and kids is taking a trophy. I was just wondering what others thought of the idea and what they considered their canyon trophies to be.

:cool2:
[b]
Trophy

[i]

[Cirrus2000]

All I've ever brought home from the canyons I've been in (so far) is a couple of rocks for my kids, and a whole bunch of photos.

The photos are for 2 general primary purposes:1. To remind me where I've been. Not that I'll forget, but rather to remind me of the beauty or the experience. Viewing photos takes me back to the place and time they were taken. I love to look at old shots from various hikes, rides, and trips.2. To show others where I've been. I don't think that my wife will ever fully understand my fascination with the desert, with canyons, with climbing, any of that - but I'm going to do the best I can to convince her that the difficulties/trials that I go through are made worthwhile by the magic and beauty that I see. That, and to share with friends who would like to see/do the same things one day, or, with those who already have, to give us something to discuss.

[fourtycal]

Now that's settled..... let's get back to "What is a Trophy" :2thumbs:

:popcorn:

http://uutah.com/forum/files/noname4.jpg

[Cirrus2000]

fourtycal wins!

[fourtycal]

fourtycal wins!

I borrowed this picture from the Iceaxe collection http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1862&highlight=hesse
he always posts the best trophies :hail2thechief:

[price1869]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/422243578_ac6c34624d.jpg

This comes from my own collection.

[rockgremlin]

This comes from my own collection.

Hot damn! :eek2:

I'll bet she won't fit through Shenanigans. Why don't ya bring her down this weekend to find out? :naughty:

[marc olivares]

This comes from my own collection.

oh my, doesn't she have a nice "personality" :naughty:

[Iceaxe]

oh my, doesn't she have a nice "personality" :naughty:

And a great sense of humor :lol8:

At least now we know that Price is a stalker... :haha:

:nod:

[price1869]

oh my, doesn't she have a nice "personality" :naughty:

And a great sense of humor :lol8:

At least now we know that Price is a stalker... :haha:

:nod:

You didn't know that? I thought you were an engineer or something smart. Just not very observant I guess. :fart:

[rockgremlin]

Well of course he's a stalker. Look at his avatar. That's a picture of him window peeping in someone's backyard.

[accadacca]

Well of course he's a stalker. Look at his avatar. That's a picture of him window peeping in someone's backyard.
:roflol: :roflol: :roflol:

[Sombeech]

So where's hesse anyways? I tried to brown nose to her and keep her active by throwing her up on the Image Bar.