Choprock and Neon 3/22/2010

[CarpeyBiggs]

Had a whirlwind couple of days getting out to Escalante after a Grand Canyon river trip, but the stars aligned and I was able to hook up with Rick Green, Ram, Aaron, and Jenny West for a very cold and very early trip through Chop and Neon (Kaleidoscope and Edge of the Earth).

Escalante is still not in spring conditions. It was below freezing a few nights, and none of the trees have started to bud. Seems about 3 weeks late getting here. The forecast for us was relatively good, however, so with about 8 pounds of neoprene a piece, we set out.

We broke from traditional plan and did Choprock first, mainly because of a possible storm coming through. Ended up being a wise decision, even though I was personally concerned about the exposure, as we were fairly certain it was going to be tip-top full in there.

Approaching the choprock bench we only got a few hints about just how cold it was going to be, with isolated snow and ice here and there. The entrance to the canyon had a couple large patches of snow, and we all did the double take, "are you sure, I thought freezefest was over?" this spring is like one perpetual freezefest...

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Ram at the canyon floor of choprock

So, we all suited up. Proper neoprene was absolutely critical on this trip. I had a 4/3, with a 1.5 top, and a shorty over the top of that, with neo shorts. I don't know what the total was, but it was barely sufficient. Place was damned cold! Good full suits with shorties over the top was the norm.

The biggest surprise besides the cold, was just how beautiful the place is in March. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the canyon lit up, and despite the riparian foliage, it was fantastic.

Water levels were high, but not dangerously high. However, all of the swim sections in the grim were full to the top of the bombays, meaning you had to stem from the bombay in water, up into the narrow crack to get out. We had pretty ideal conditions. A little more water and the place will be scary. A little less and it might be doable staying low, but the climb out could be harder. Good news is, the logjams seem to be pretty minimal and stable right now.

It was a cold cold trip through, but a very memorable one.

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swimming the riparian ballroom


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early downclimb in the riparian.


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entering the happy's

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more happy

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big streaked wall swim in the happy's

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room of doom, water levels are high, but not TOO high


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post-grim smile from aaron



Neon

The next day we approached neon from the triborough bridges entry, expecting again to have lots of water. What we encountered was still very surprising. Neon has more water than we could've imagined. From triborough down to the sport routes, we had water continually, with multiple swims, and very long corridors of knee to waist high wading. It was tiring and exhausting. Below the sport routes we encountered very high conditions, which required at least two 5-10 minute swims, and many more short ones. It was the longest sustained water I've seen in any canyon in some time. Both potholes are under a couple feet of water, and easy to negotiate. However, big thick wetsuits are going to be mandatory in there for the next month I would guess. Did I mention it was COLD?

Oh yeah, and I swamped my camera in there... Dammit! So only a couple photos.


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endless hallways of wading in neon

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[DWayne27]

Oh yeah, and I swamped my camera in there... Dammit! So only a couple photos.


In a canyon like this where you know you are gonna be in and out of water constantly, what do you shoot with? Are you bringing a full dSLR and just putting in a dry bag or two constantly? Do you have a good, functioning water proof case for it? Or do you have a lesser, back up type camera you will bring along when you know there is a serious potential/likelihood of getting your camera 'swamped'?

Also, looks awesome, and of course your pictures are always fantastic and make me jealous of both your canyoneering trips and photography skills.

[Cirrus2000]

Gorgeous photos as always, Dan. Neon and Choprock are on my very very very short list right now.

The camera is toast? Totally shot? That sucks.

[Stick]

The water levels sound like they were when I went through choprock for the first time in April 2007. I remember thinking it wasn't too difficult, but had the water level been a foot higher we would have been forced to climb over some of those log jams instead of swim under them, and then it would have been really hard.

Where is the triborough bridges entry to Neon? Is is farther upcanyon from Tom's 'more fun route' on his description?

[Jaxx]

Beautiful pics. Choprock and Neon are on my "when I'm a better canyoneer" list. Thanks for the post!

[River]

Awesome pictures Dan. Bummer about the camera. Hopefully insurance will cover it again - they're not going to like you soon! Ran into Ram and Jenny in North Wash last week. Jenny is great. And I hear you on the cold and wetsuits. I wore a 3/2 through Merry Piglet and about froze.

I need to visit Neon and Choprock soon.

[Felicia]

Beautiful pics. Choprock and Neon are on my "when I'm a better canyoneer" list. Thanks for the post!

X2

[uintahiker]

Beautiful shots. I was salivating looking at them. :hail2thechief: :hail2thechief:

[CarpeyBiggs]

In a canyon like this where you know you are gonna be in and out of water constantly, what do you shoot with? Are you bringing a full dSLR and just putting in a dry bag or two constantly?

i shoot with a psuedo-slr, a panasonic gf1 as of late. i put it in an ortlieb camera bag that is a dry bag as well, with a big thick "ziploc" on top. i've used it three years with no issues. this was my first failure, after carrying many slr's through canyons. i imagine i crushed it up against a wall while swimming, and it burst the ziploc.

[CarpeyBiggs]

Where is the triborough bridges entry to Neon? Is is farther upcanyon from Tom's 'more fun route' on his description?

triborough is 1.5 hours upcanyon from the tom "sport" routes. it adds at least 2x more slot to the day, makes it a full day affair, instead of a 5 hour canyon.

[CarpeyBiggs]

Awesome pictures Dan. Bummer about the camera. Hopefully insurance will cover it again - they're not going to like you soon! Ran into Ram and Jenny in North Wash last week. Jenny is great. And I hear you on the cold and wetsuits. I wore a 3/2 through Merry Piglet and about froze.

I need to visit Neon and Choprock soon.

thanks eric. no insurance on this one this time... may be for the better anyways, as i won't have to file again. probably lose my policy! :lol8:

[River]

thanks eric. no insurance on this one this time... may be for the better anyways, as i won't have to file again. probably lose my policy! :lol8:

Think you'll replace it with another GF1 or is there something else out there now?

[CarpeyBiggs]

thanks eric. no insurance on this one this time... may be for the better anyways, as i won't have to file again. probably lose my policy! :lol8:

Think you'll replace it with another GF1 or is there something else out there now?

already overnighted a used G1 for the weekend, which is a slightly larger version of a micro 4/3 camera. fortunately, all the lenses seem to work fine still, so i just got a cheaper version to replace the body. no video on the g1, but it was much less expensive.

[FOX]

Nice to read a meaty TR again. Thanks Dan! :2thumbs:

[DWayne27]

In a canyon like this where you know you are gonna be in and out of water constantly, what do you shoot with? Are you bringing a full dSLR and just putting in a dry bag or two constantly?

i shoot with a psuedo-slr, a panasonic gf1 as of late. i put it in an ortlieb camera bag that is a dry bag as well, with a big thick "ziploc" on top. i've used it three years with no issues. this was my first failure, after carrying many slr's through canyons. i imagine i crushed it up against a wall while swimming, and it burst the ziploc.

a psuedo slr? i need to learn this stuff better. how does the panasonic gf1 compare to a canon g10 or g11? i am assuming by the price difference there is something worth the upgrade. i have always been hesitant to bring something with multiple lenses into a canyon, what with the dust and water and climbing and whatnot

[moab mark]

Dan,

What lense or lenses did you haul on this trip?

Oh, nice pics as usual.



Mark

[CarpeyBiggs]

the gf1 is like a G10 or G11, only it has interchangeable lenses, and a bigger sensor, and it is slightly larger.

this trip i took a 14-45 kit lens, as well as the 20 1.7, which is what most of the photos are on.

[Sombeech]

Excellent. :cool2:

[moab mark]

the gf1 is like a G10 or G11, only it has interchangeable lenses, and a bigger sensor, and it is slightly larger.

this trip i took a 14-45 kit lens, as well as the 20 1.7, which is what most of the photos are on.

noob question, do you use panasonic lenses, or do your canon lenses go on it?

[DWayne27]

And also - I am assuming that it does require a lense? That is one thing I like about the g10 is the low profile without having a lense attached

[CarpeyBiggs]

it's all a trade off between camera size and quality ultimately. i like micro 4/3 because it is a good trade off for me. i do carry extra lenses, but the pancake lens is tiny. it's maybe 50 percent total bigger than a G10. But, the G10 takes some great photos. All about compromise and what works for you.

Mark - with an adapter the gf1 can take pretty much any manual lenses, but the EF lenses from canon won't work. But I don't mind, the reason i use it is because the equivalent canon lenses are 4 times as heavy.

[forum8fox]

Nice Dan,
Wish I could be getting out these days... Damn economy has got me only working 1-3 days a week and left me broke as hell! Oh well, still hoping for a miriacle so I can get out in May with RAM.

It's interesting hearing about what you shoot with as I was wondering at FF. In the past before it self destructed I was shooting with a G9 which I loved, untill caving and canyoneering totally destroyed the opperation of the lense. I need to send it in to get fixed which I think will cost me about $150 but is well worth it IMO. I've been using a cheapo replacment recently and have been mostly dis-sattisfied with it.

Just a FYI for anyone, The G9 can use other lenses too, I know they make kits for different lenses. They also make waterproof housings which I think I will invest in the second time around.

Pseudo slrs are the shit! I virtually stopped using my rebel xti after I got the G9.

[DWayne27]

I am not sure if there is another G9, or if you are talking about the Canon G9 that preceeded the G10. As far as waterproof housings for that camera (G10) I bought it and tried to use it, but there is no way to adjust the wheel on the back of the camera, which controls pretty much everything like shutter speed and apeture and what not... So it didnt really work for me.

[forum8fox]

Yea I was talking about the canon G9 that preceeded the 10 & 11. I didn't know that about the housing, but it doesn't really bother me as I rarely shoot out of auto mode when I would need a housing.

Either of you consider using a D10?

[CarpeyBiggs]

D10's are good, but they don't have a wide angle on them.

the waterproof housings on the G10's are supposedly fantastic. todd martin uses it exclusively, and his photos are unbelievable.