trackrunner
08-07-2008, 11:50 AM
I finally got to hike Echo with my friend Karl. It was my first time & Karl's second time (first for the year). We started hiking up the East Rim trail starting around noonish. It was hot out but perfect temperature for the canyon.
At the trail junction for observation point we hiked the east rim trail for about a 1/4 of a mile to the first small "shallow drainage." We followed the drainage & 50 feet beyond the drainage looking for an entrance, but alas all ways included a rappel into echo. We hiked back up to the East Rim Trail and continued another 1-2 minutes until we found another shallow drainage. Hiking another 50 feet beyond we found an easy walk down into the drainage and into Echo.
It is surprising how quickly the walls rise to several hundred (if not thousands) feet. For such a short canyon I was surprised how deep it got.
No ice or snow in the canyon. There was a lot of sand, and all the beta said several cold swims. I encountered nice water temps, and only one swim of under 10feet. Most of the early water was clear, and the later dirty but not smelly. The last water pool was full of water skitter and a decomposing frog. I didn't use or need my wetsuit (though I brought one). I whish I would have saved on the weight and brought a smaller pack, for just water & harness.
All rappels (6 I think?) are under 20ft. Karl decided to hand-line each drop while I, knowing I could hand-line, choose to rap.
We only had to escape one keeper pothole. We used the pothole for practice each using as many techniques as possible: pot shot, partner, running/diving beach whale. A bit over kill but we wanted to practice so it was a good opportunity. Don't worry if you go, the keeper pothole is easily escaped with two canyoneers doing a partner assist.
Found a strange lizard in the canyon with florescent orange/yellow stripes & blue tail. Anyone know what it is.
The Echo chamber is cool. We yelled trying to hear how long the echo would carry. We must have ruined someone
At the trail junction for observation point we hiked the east rim trail for about a 1/4 of a mile to the first small "shallow drainage." We followed the drainage & 50 feet beyond the drainage looking for an entrance, but alas all ways included a rappel into echo. We hiked back up to the East Rim Trail and continued another 1-2 minutes until we found another shallow drainage. Hiking another 50 feet beyond we found an easy walk down into the drainage and into Echo.
It is surprising how quickly the walls rise to several hundred (if not thousands) feet. For such a short canyon I was surprised how deep it got.
No ice or snow in the canyon. There was a lot of sand, and all the beta said several cold swims. I encountered nice water temps, and only one swim of under 10feet. Most of the early water was clear, and the later dirty but not smelly. The last water pool was full of water skitter and a decomposing frog. I didn't use or need my wetsuit (though I brought one). I whish I would have saved on the weight and brought a smaller pack, for just water & harness.
All rappels (6 I think?) are under 20ft. Karl decided to hand-line each drop while I, knowing I could hand-line, choose to rap.
We only had to escape one keeper pothole. We used the pothole for practice each using as many techniques as possible: pot shot, partner, running/diving beach whale. A bit over kill but we wanted to practice so it was a good opportunity. Don't worry if you go, the keeper pothole is easily escaped with two canyoneers doing a partner assist.
Found a strange lizard in the canyon with florescent orange/yellow stripes & blue tail. Anyone know what it is.
The Echo chamber is cool. We yelled trying to hear how long the echo would carry. We must have ruined someone