Newbie/Trip Report (James Canyon, Flagstaff AZ)

[mmac]

Hello All!

My name is Mike, and I'm relatively new to the canyoneering scene. I've been going to Zion with my mom and her husband since last summer. My girlfriend Maria and I are expanding our horizons and trying some things out ourselves. I'm a systems analyst at Northern Arizona University, and enjoy hiking, climbing, photography, and all kinds of nerdy stuff!

Anyway, on to our trip and photos.

We used the new Arizona Technical Canyoneering guide by Todd Martin and some hear-say from friends to get an idea of what to expect.

We dropped the car just off of I17 at exit 331 (about 15 minutes South of town)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0907.jpg

Started hiking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed :)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0908.jpg

After about ten minutes of hiking we got to the head of James Canyon and a few deep pools (easily scrambled around)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0909.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0910.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0911.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0912.jpg

This pool was almost a swimmer... We ended up wading around one edge using some slippery submerged rocks. http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0914.jpg

Most of the canyon looked a lot like this (or more overgrown)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0915.jpg

First real down-climb and swim.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0916.jpg

I left my camera put away for the first rappel because the launch was a bit precarious and the bottom required a floating-disconnect... But here's a cute shot just around the corner.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0917.jpg

One of the narrows sections
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0919.jpg

Me and Maria. We both wore our helmets, but she was more interested in tuna than de-gearing (note the can on her knee)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0920.jpg

It got kinda chilly, so Maria donned a beanie she knitted, which turned out to match her wetsuit quite nicely.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0921.jpg

More narrows
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0922.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0923.jpg

At this log, we set up a hand line. Just around the corner is an 8ft downclimb that was severely underhung - hence the line.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0924.jpg

A view from the top of the second rappel.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0925.jpg

And from the bottom.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0926.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0927.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0929.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0930.jpg

The rap avoids a neat little dry fall
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0931.jpg

There was a lot of in and out of the water, scrambling over rocks, and generally not camera friendly terrain...so pics of a couple sections are a bit lacking.

We found a really big log jam though!
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e44/Akatihsa3400/20080806macphee0932.jpg

This hallway is referred to as a "particularly chilly 8ft wide hallway" in the book and was about 10

[Sombeech]

Excellent first post! Welcome to the forum. Very cool pics, thank you for sharing. :2thumbs:

[Don]

I can only wish my first post had been so cool. Welcome! :five:

[mmac]

Thanks! I really love taking photos, so I have lots to share :D

[Felicia]

I can only wish my first post had been so cool. Welcome! :five:

I agree! It has taken me a year to get this far! :2thumbs: :2thumbs: :2thumbs:

[abirken]

FABULOUS!!! Keep it up. The folks on this site will eat it up! :2thumbs:

[rockgremlin]

WoW! Nice work!

I look forward to seeing more canyons "south of the border." Interesting canyon - I'm not used to seeing so much vegetation in my slot canyons.

[mmac]

I forgot to include an important piece! The guide book was pretty darn accurate. The beta was easily understood and dead-on for the most part. There were a few minor obstacles that they didn't mention (forgot?). The only thing I would've changed about the book itself is the labeling of the major obstacles/landmarks on the trail map. It wasn't too hard to figure out where we were using the topo and milage estimates, but some waypoints would have been really nice.

The canyon was pretty overgrown which was interesting. All of the canyons we've done up to this point were in Zion, and fairly clear of plants. We ended up doing a decent amount of bushwhacking as the current switched sides of the canyon bottom.

[denaliguide]

nice trip report. looked like you had a fun day. next time more pics of maria and fewer of you. :naughty: :roflol: :roflol: oh yea, welcome to the forum!