forum8fox
05-12-2010, 09:51 AM
It’s about 3:30 on Friday afternoon, and as is often the case I’m very anxious. I’m hanging out getting medicated in the parking lot of my work place, I can’t stop thinking about what grand excitement I am to experience this time as I wait for my ride to arrive.
Moments later Ben arrives and we load his car up, and hit the road. We have a fair drive ahead of us as we’re headed out to the north wash again, to repeat a canyon that many people consider a test piece of sorts.
The goal was a little different this time however… We wanted to do it in a way that it had never been done before. You see, Ben is the only person to ever fully ascend Sandthrax. He did it solo and rigged a line or two up on the top as a safeguard incase he couldn’t climb the final moves out. He used a prussic as a solo belay as he free climbed out the crux, but stated that he wasn’t sure that he would bother with it the second time around.
So that was to be the goal, to ascend all of Sandthrax with out the aid of any fixed protection. We would not fix the crux climb out as the landing was flat and sandy (albeit around 20’ below the crux). We also would bring no rope or cams, just 2 pot shots, a slim harness, and over 40’ of webbing as a limited safeguard. The idea being if we couldn’t climb the crux we could lob the shots up behind the boulders that make up the first rap going down canyon.
So we arrive late as usual to the Thrax camp site, I think we noticed 2 other groups as we came in but I don’t recall if anyone was awake. It sure wasn’t the social circle around the fire that I witnessed at freeze fest. I don’t remember if we stayed up long or if we had a fire, I think we had a short fire then passed out.
The fact that I was all medicated and drinking may have played part in the lack of memories during that time period. However I think a big part of it may have been the fact that “I was like a school girl in a biker bar”, as Mr. burrows once explained how he felt when he was around the beast.
It was almost the exact same feeling I had when Eric, Steve and I had first decided to pony up and go down this thing. Anxiety flooded my system as I pondered what I was getting myself into.
Soon enough the morning rolls around and the bright yellow tent is lit up like the sun. To my surprise however, when I open it up and look outside it’s not nearly as bright. Either way I get up and start moving about with Ben not long behind me. We have some tea and hydrate pretty good then suit up and head out.
I have a pack but no food as the gas station was closed as we rolled through Hanksville. I decide to bring some water along with the webbing, pot shots, harness, shot of tequila, my meds and camera.
Oh yea and I had some new approach shoes to try out! We’re at the slot in no time flat and I’m quite happy with how well my new shoes are gripping. I have to stop and dump some sand before I start heading up the first 5.7 chimney for maybe 25-35’. I got a picture of Ben as he went up in front of me, and then start climbing. I used a different method to get up then I had used back at FF. This time instead of back and feet chimneying, I galloped because I had my pack on my back and didn’t feel like rigging up my harness and dangle strap.
This method worked surprisingly well for the majority of this climb besides some slight insecurity in a few spots. I ended up using the “lame” feet and back technique near the top. Next thing I know were motoring along at a pretty good pace (after I stopped and put on my harness and daisey on a chock stone), trying our best to stay as high as possible.
We also try to gallop as much as possible and do what ever possible to avoid the extremely slow “lame” feet and back technique, or the even worse feet and knees and back tech.
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080070.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080071.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080072.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080073.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080074.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080075.jpg
In no time flat we’re at the subway, and we have to walk through some narrows filled with quick sand! I kind of thought we should have gone up before the narrow section to keep our feet dry.
Turns out we end up wiggling our way up through a narrow constriction to a wider opening (with shoes covered in quick sand).
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]I was working pretty hard because of the width of the constriction, and the fact my pack was hanging from my harness which was getting snagged on the wall in front of me. I get up to Ben eventually and realize we’re not getting up above this opening. So we head back just a little bit at the height we’re at and then I start chimneying strait up(Ben let’s me go first while snapping some pics with his camera). I find I’m working really hard, once I’m about
Moments later Ben arrives and we load his car up, and hit the road. We have a fair drive ahead of us as we’re headed out to the north wash again, to repeat a canyon that many people consider a test piece of sorts.
The goal was a little different this time however… We wanted to do it in a way that it had never been done before. You see, Ben is the only person to ever fully ascend Sandthrax. He did it solo and rigged a line or two up on the top as a safeguard incase he couldn’t climb the final moves out. He used a prussic as a solo belay as he free climbed out the crux, but stated that he wasn’t sure that he would bother with it the second time around.
So that was to be the goal, to ascend all of Sandthrax with out the aid of any fixed protection. We would not fix the crux climb out as the landing was flat and sandy (albeit around 20’ below the crux). We also would bring no rope or cams, just 2 pot shots, a slim harness, and over 40’ of webbing as a limited safeguard. The idea being if we couldn’t climb the crux we could lob the shots up behind the boulders that make up the first rap going down canyon.
So we arrive late as usual to the Thrax camp site, I think we noticed 2 other groups as we came in but I don’t recall if anyone was awake. It sure wasn’t the social circle around the fire that I witnessed at freeze fest. I don’t remember if we stayed up long or if we had a fire, I think we had a short fire then passed out.
The fact that I was all medicated and drinking may have played part in the lack of memories during that time period. However I think a big part of it may have been the fact that “I was like a school girl in a biker bar”, as Mr. burrows once explained how he felt when he was around the beast.
It was almost the exact same feeling I had when Eric, Steve and I had first decided to pony up and go down this thing. Anxiety flooded my system as I pondered what I was getting myself into.
Soon enough the morning rolls around and the bright yellow tent is lit up like the sun. To my surprise however, when I open it up and look outside it’s not nearly as bright. Either way I get up and start moving about with Ben not long behind me. We have some tea and hydrate pretty good then suit up and head out.
I have a pack but no food as the gas station was closed as we rolled through Hanksville. I decide to bring some water along with the webbing, pot shots, harness, shot of tequila, my meds and camera.
Oh yea and I had some new approach shoes to try out! We’re at the slot in no time flat and I’m quite happy with how well my new shoes are gripping. I have to stop and dump some sand before I start heading up the first 5.7 chimney for maybe 25-35’. I got a picture of Ben as he went up in front of me, and then start climbing. I used a different method to get up then I had used back at FF. This time instead of back and feet chimneying, I galloped because I had my pack on my back and didn’t feel like rigging up my harness and dangle strap.
This method worked surprisingly well for the majority of this climb besides some slight insecurity in a few spots. I ended up using the “lame” feet and back technique near the top. Next thing I know were motoring along at a pretty good pace (after I stopped and put on my harness and daisey on a chock stone), trying our best to stay as high as possible.
We also try to gallop as much as possible and do what ever possible to avoid the extremely slow “lame” feet and back technique, or the even worse feet and knees and back tech.
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080070.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080071.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080072.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080073.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080074.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/canyons/P5080075.jpg
In no time flat we’re at the subway, and we have to walk through some narrows filled with quick sand! I kind of thought we should have gone up before the narrow section to keep our feet dry.
Turns out we end up wiggling our way up through a narrow constriction to a wider opening (with shoes covered in quick sand).
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]I was working pretty hard because of the width of the constriction, and the fact my pack was hanging from my harness which was getting snagged on the wall in front of me. I get up to Ben eventually and realize we’re not getting up above this opening. So we head back just a little bit at the height we’re at and then I start chimneying strait up(Ben let’s me go first while snapping some pics with his camera). I find I’m working really hard, once I’m about