Checkerboard. 5/25/14

[2065toyota]

Checkerboard 5/25/14

[2065toyota]

sorry they are out of order and sideways, not sure why

[Slot Machine]

Sick! Nice photos!

How did you exit?

Is that Micah, wading like a boss?

[TommyBoy]

Yep that's him, and thats my foot in the corner. Micah had worn the wetsuit all day because he was worried about cold water and we had finally convinced him to take it off about 15 min previous to the picture becuase there was no water in the canyon. So I stemmed up to wait for him so I could get a picture of him swimming through the PH.

[Taylor]

Nice. That final rap is awesome.

[jman]

sorry they are out of order and sideways, not sure why

Fixed the sideways part, but not sure about the out of order part. I'll take some screenshots and show Sombeech.

[2065toyota]

It only does it when I use my laptop running 8.1. It doesn't work well with collective either


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[2065toyota]

Yep that's him, and thats my foot in the corner. Micah had worn the wetsuit all day because he was worried about cold water and we had finally convinced him to take it off about 15 min previous to the picture becuase there was no water in the canyon. So I stemmed up to wait for him so I could get a picture of him swimming through the PH.

There would be more pics of Tom if he wasn't always standing at the bottoms of raps waiting for us to set ropes after he downclimbed them :haha:

[nelsonccc]

Looks much cleaner than the last time I was there. It was a pitiful mess of fire debris after the fire raged up there. The one thing I remember most was the super sticky, thick black ooze in every crook and cranny.

[2065toyota]

Looks much cleaner than the last time I was there. It was a pitiful mess of fire debris after the fire raged up there. The one thing I remember most was the super sticky, thick black ooze in every crook and cranny.

Ya, no real remnant of the fire damage inside the canyon other than the charred trees on the approach. Most of that is gone also, nature cleans itself up and regrows really fast.

[Slot Machine]

TommyBoy told me that you exited UP the narrows, saving TONS of time. Kody, could you share how you set this up, and the total amount of time you spent, car-to-car?

Then perhaps, I might do Checkerboard again... :slobber:

[2065toyota]

Traveling up the Narrows above Big Springs is against Zion regulations. Therefore it is not suggested to go upstream. If you were to travel up the Narrows, I was told by a reliable source that it takes 4 hours at a good pace to reach the shuttle vehicle that could be placed there which is only a 30 minute drive from the approach vehicle.

I plead the 5th as to which way we traveled.

With a group of 6 we were 11 hours car to car. We didn't necessarily hurry, but we did keep a good pace to and from the canyon. For ropes we had 2 @ 200', 1 @ 90', 1 @ 60w/pull cord. No wetsuits needed

[2065toyota]

Then perhaps, I might do Checkerboard again... :slobber:

It is a very good canyon, but it does comes with a penalty. Quite a few raps and lots of downclimbing. 4 1/2 hours of canyon with 6 1/2 hours of hiking. And that was with us doing a very efficient approach and exit hike

[TommyBoy]

Traveling up the Narrows above Big Springs is against Zion regulations. Therefore it is not suggested to go upstream. If you were to travel up the Narrows, I was told by a reliable source that it takes 4 hours at a good pace to reach the shuttle vehicle that could be placed there which is only a 30 minute drive from the approach vehicle.

I plead the 5th as to which way we traveled.

With a group of 6 we were 11 hours car to car. We didn't necessarily hurry, but we did keep a good pace to and from the canyon. For ropes we had 2 @ 200', 1 @ 90', 1 @ 60w/pull cord. No wetsuits needed

Its not against regulations, you just have to get a narrows permit, but you need one whether you go up or down since you enter above big springs.

[2065toyota]

Ya. That. :)


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[Taylor]

I think y'all are making it too complicated. You pick up a permit to do Checkerboard(they probably won't know where that's at), say which way you will exit if asked, done. That's how we did it last year. If it's changed and they are now adding a second permit, ala Englestead/Orderville, that's too bad. One more layer of b.s. In the permit system.

[2065toyota]

I don't think I / WE are making it complicated.

Are you implying that it is our choice to get a narrows permit or are you implying you will help pay my fine for not getting a narrows permit?

Just clarifying your statement


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[2065toyota]

It is made very clear that any canyon that comes into the narrows above Big Springs requires a separate Narrows Permit.

Any canyon coming in below Big Springs does not. The lower section is day use area.

I have received these rules very clearly from the officers. :)

This is not a new rule either.

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[ratagonia]

Its not against regulations, you just have to get a narrows permit, but you need one whether you go up or down since you enter above big springs.

Actually, you also need a waiver on your permit to go UP Stream. It is possible to get it, but you have to ask and be polite about it.

Has to do with the Park's relationship with Chamberlain Ranch.

I have gone up after Checkerboard too, and ... and... it really, REALLY sucked. Going down and doing the car shuttle is way better.

Tom

[ratagonia]

Traveling up the Narrows above Big Springs is against Zion regulations. Therefore it is not suggested to go upstream. If you were to travel up the Narrows, I was told by a reliable source that it takes 4 hours at a good pace to reach the shuttle vehicle that could be placed there which is only a 30 minute drive from the approach vehicle.

I plead the 5th as to which way we traveled.

With a group of 6 we were 11 hours car to car. We didn't necessarily hurry, but we did keep a good pace to and from the canyon. For ropes we had 2 @ 200', 1 @ 90', 1 @ 60w/pull cord. No wetsuits needed

Just to be clear - Kody's posse is skilled and efficient. Dey move Quick!

T

[2065toyota]

My posse is whoever will let me go with them. My list shows 52 different people so far this year that I have went with :)

[TommyBoy]

I have gone up after Checkerboard too, and ... and... it really, REALLY sucked. Going down and doing the car shuttle is way better.

Tom

Differing opinions then, I agree that going up sucked, but I felt it sucked about the same as going down and if you go up the car shuttle is MUCH easier.

[Taylor]

I don't think I / WE are making it complicated.

Are you implying that it is our choice to get a narrows permit or are you implying you will help pay my fine for not getting a narrows permit?

Just clarifying your statement


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I don't think I'm implying either. I'm telling what our experience was last summer. We were issued a permit for Checkerboard at the Kolob desk(that may be relevant). Showed the ranger where it was on the map, was never told we needed another permit for the narrows. She knew we would be hiking down the narrows. We never saw a ranger all day which is typical of my experience in Zion.

[2065toyota]

There are rules. I don't agree with them, but they are there. I just don't like encouraging others on an open forum to do something against park policy. My ticket is $175 for not having a narrows permit. Everyone has a choice as to whether or not to get permits, but there is a consequence.

We got checked again the following weekend also right where Das Boot and the standard Subway entrance meet. 2 weekend in a row with rangers in the canyons checking permits.


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