[Trip Report] Imlay Sneak 08.15.2010

[Bubbles]

Did Imlay Sneak route over the weekend as an overnight. 7 hours on the approach, did "Variation 1" according to the Tom Jones book. After going over the first pass and down into the following drainage, make a LEFT to get up to the second pass.

Started the lower half of the canyon at 0800. All potholes completely full, and full of driftwood, decaying organic matter, and other assorted detritus. Stank like Hell!

Wore 7mm suits and it was overkill. I would have been okay with a 5mm, and 3mm would have been doable, although uncomfortable. Air temps in the low 90s.

Had no issues through the canyon. No hooking or pot shots required. One of our group lassoed a log to escape a pothole, but the rest of us just climbed it. :haha:

All four of us were on the deck at 1600 and tried our best to float down the Narrows, with mixed results.

I was surprised at how easy it was relative to the way its been built up, in my mind and elsewhere. But we had a very competent and fit group, all the right gear, ideal weather, high water, and a siege mentality with overnighting it.

I can easily see how a group attempting it for the first time trying to do it in one day with low water and too little wet suit could run into serious problems.

Great fun!

[Iceaxe]

I was surprised at how easy it was relative to the way its been built up, in my mind and elsewhere.

FWIW: Imlay filled with water is not the same animal as Imlay in low water.....

[ratagonia]

FWIW: Imlay filled with water is not the same animal as Imlay in low water.....

And... Imlay in warm conditions is not the same animal as Imlay in cold conditions... :crazy:

:moses:

[Bubbles]

FWIW: Imlay filled with water is not the same animal as Imlay in low water.....

I know.

"...But we had a very competent and fit group, all the right gear, ideal weather, high water, and a siege mentality with overnighting it.

I can easily see how a group attempting it for the first time trying to do it in one day with low water and too little wet suit could run into serious problems.

[Iceaxe]

OK.... now on to the real business.... Any pictures????

[Ryebrye]

If you are going to take all the effort to do it as an overnighter - why not do the fully imlay? I don't see any benefit from sleeping close to the start over sleeping farther from the start, getting up and hiking earlier and not having to carry all your camping crap. (If you ask nicely you can get a pass to drive your car up before the shuttles start - which also means when you get out you just have to take the shuttle back to where your car is parked)

also...

Let me translate for Shane:

:worthless:

(Did I do as good a job translating as :moses: usually does? :lol8:)

[ratagonia]

If you are going to take all the effort to do it as an overnighter - why not do the fully imlay? I don't see any benefit from sleeping close to the start over sleeping farther from the start, getting up and hiking earlier and not having to carry all your camping crap. (If you ask nicely you can get a pass to drive your car up before the shuttles start - which also means when you get out you just have to take the shuttle back to where your car is parked)


Allow me to translate for Ryebrye...

For the Brye of Rye, it seems if going to the effort to overnight Imlay, you might as well do the Full and catch the interesting upper section of the canyon. Then again, RyeBrye appreciates that this is America, and the choice is up to you, and people's taste may vary... but perhaps, consider the Full.

:naughty: Tom :moses:

[Scott Card]

Early start, full Imlay in a day with lighter packs is my preferred method in that most lovely canyon..... :2thumbs:

[Bubbles]

If you are going to take all the effort to do it as an overnighter - why not do the fully imlay? I don't see any benefit from sleeping close to the start over sleeping farther from the start, getting up and hiking earlier and not having to carry all your camping crap. (If you ask nicely you can get a pass to drive your car up before the shuttles start - which also means when you get out you just have to take the shuttle back to where your car is parked)

There was one member of our group who had done Full Imlay a few years prior. This time around, he wanted to try the Sneak Route in and beta it. None of the rest of us had ever done Imlay so we wanted to approach it somewhat conservatively. As far as pack weight, I cant speak for anyone else but I packed as if it was a day trip. Slept in an emergency bag and used my wet suit as a pad.

Now that we know what to expect and where to go, doing the sneak as a day trip by setting off early with a Red Pass would be very straightforward, and its probably how we'll do it in the future.

Stand by for pictures...

[blueeyes]

:popcorn:

[Bubbles]

Bah! I'll have to try a different uploading site...

[Iceaxe]

Bah! I'll have to try a different uploading site...

Just upload directly to Bogley... with the new improvements you can upload a large number of pictures all at one time.

I usually upload my pictures first, hit preview so I can see where they ended up, and then comment on each picture. It works pretty slick.

:nod:

[Bubbles]

Here we go again. Pictures are not in chronological order.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150411.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150416.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150425.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150474.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150045.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150128.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150195.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150213.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150335.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac338/Corvette1987/Imlay%20Canyon%20August%202010/P8150366.jpg

[Iceaxe]

Awesome! you got some good pics. :2thumbs:


Except I like to take my helmet off in the pictures so Tom has something to whine about. :lol8:

[ratagonia]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Soup!

T :moses:

[Brian in SLC]

Some of those shots of muddy soup look like there's a giant snake in there (Anaconda!).

Yikes!

Nice pic's.

[accadacca]

Good hell! Garbage pit shots and snakes! :lol8:

[blueeyes]

That looks a bit like a grabage compactor... all that debris. Think I would be worried about a Dianoga. :haha: "There something alive in here."

[tanya]

Good hell! Garbage pit shots and snakes! :lol8:


That was my thought too! Looks like there are snakes in there! :eek2: