Scott P
04-17-2011, 04:01 PM
There is a new semi-keeper pothole in Quandary Canyon just before the "genuine keeper" section.
Unless you are alone, getting through the pothole itself isn't that big of an issue , but it throws off the current route description in the guidebooks and websites.
Since the pothole is located right before the standard bypass of the keeper section, by using current route descritions, it "tricks" people who are doing the canyon for the first time into thinking that they have reached the keeper section and looking for the exit a little too early. There is a steep gully just after the last rappel on the standard route, but it's the wrong one and leads to a dead end above the cliff. We went up it and found slings left by (at least) two different parties, but we were wondering why anyone left there slings on the ascent. Once you get cliffed out, you either have to downclimb or rappel back down the steep chute (which is why the slings were there).
Anyway, it's not a life threating obstacle, but it's worth passing on the info (it cost us 2 hours and is evident that others are making the same mistake). If you are doing Quandary and reach a semi-keeper, the real exit is after the keeper (until it fills up with sand again). The semi keeper is a struggle to get out of, but it's nothing like a real keeper. The real exit only requires climbing up 100 feet or so, so if you are climbing up several hunder feet, it's the wrong one.
Again, it's not life threatening, but worth passing on.
Anyway, a coworker and my 8 year old son did the Quandary Canyon/Ramp Canyon Loop yesterday. It was a lot of fun and a full report with photos will follow.
Unless you are alone, getting through the pothole itself isn't that big of an issue , but it throws off the current route description in the guidebooks and websites.
Since the pothole is located right before the standard bypass of the keeper section, by using current route descritions, it "tricks" people who are doing the canyon for the first time into thinking that they have reached the keeper section and looking for the exit a little too early. There is a steep gully just after the last rappel on the standard route, but it's the wrong one and leads to a dead end above the cliff. We went up it and found slings left by (at least) two different parties, but we were wondering why anyone left there slings on the ascent. Once you get cliffed out, you either have to downclimb or rappel back down the steep chute (which is why the slings were there).
Anyway, it's not a life threating obstacle, but it's worth passing on the info (it cost us 2 hours and is evident that others are making the same mistake). If you are doing Quandary and reach a semi-keeper, the real exit is after the keeper (until it fills up with sand again). The semi keeper is a struggle to get out of, but it's nothing like a real keeper. The real exit only requires climbing up 100 feet or so, so if you are climbing up several hunder feet, it's the wrong one.
Again, it's not life threatening, but worth passing on.
Anyway, a coworker and my 8 year old son did the Quandary Canyon/Ramp Canyon Loop yesterday. It was a lot of fun and a full report with photos will follow.