Quandary Direct

[Slot Machine]

On June 13, 2016, Tom C ( @TommyBoy (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=20959) ), Cristina ( @hesse15 (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=172) ), Micah ( @MiCamp (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=24411) ) and Meg ( @Megeggleg (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=30267) ) and I splashed our way through Quandary Direct.

This canyon frightened me when I first got into canyoneering. Keeper potholes? Gosh, they sounded intimidating. Skeleton soup? Gosh, I don't want to be an ingredient. So, I put it on my 'do not attempt' list.

A few years later, and a few potholes later, it had became a canyon that I'd left to the cosmos to arrange. Finally this week, things came together. (Thanks @Mountaineer (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=19072) , sorry we missed you.)

Today there is no intimidation. Quandary was a insanely fun splash park; a relaxed laugh fest led by the skilled and talented Tom Collins, who had been through Quandary a couple of times before. I'm still smiling as I write this, it was such a great day.
______

Meg playing the flute at dawn. A great way to start a day of canyoneering.

https://youtu.be/HZUAXV5lk3k[/url]

84127

84128

84129


https://youtu.be/hz8lwIM-i_U[/url]

84130

84131

84132

84133

84134

Tom using The Force to help rinse potshots and bag rope.
84135

84136

84137

84138

84139

84140

84141

Tom Collins doing an epic slide.

https://youtu.be/nm_l1ZzydsI[url]

84142

84143

84144

[Scott P]

Cool. It must have rained. Someone said that it was pretty dry in late May.

Good report.

[ratagonia]

Cool. What was the anchor for the first rap in the direct? Into the first big keeper?

Tom :moses: the deep nose explorer.

[Slot Machine]

Cool. What was the anchor for the first rap in the direct? Into the first big keeper?

Tom :moses: the deep nose explorer.

I rapped off meat, Cristina did too. Then the others jumped.

[Mountaineer]

Ugh. Wish I would have been there.

Very strange to organize a trip, and then not be able to go at the last minute. Rare for me, as I always find a way to move heaven and earth to make a canyoneering trip. Excluding weather, I think my first miss. We were actually driving later that day to still make it, but had to turn back around. Not in the "cards" so to speak for me this round.

However, I was confident you would still have a blast, and glad it turned out!

I'll see you on the next one! :nod:

[TommyBoy]

I like the way the series of photos showing me downclimbing eliminate all the indecision and going back and forth trying to find the holds, it makes me look cooler than the video.:haha:

[Iceaxe]

Quandary waterpark is a great canyon. It's one of the first technical canyons I took my kids through. They were 5 and 7 :-)

[hesse15]

the exit was brutally hot

Sent from my Venue 7 3730 using Tapatalk

[Slot Machine]

I'll see you on the next one! :nod:

Sure hope so!


I like the way the series of photos showing me downclimbing eliminate all the indecision and going back and forth trying to find the holds, it makes me look cooler than the video.:haha:

I had a front row seat, and your execution looked pretty cool to me. :cool2:

---

@MiCamp (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=24411) , @TommyBoy (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=20959) , @Megeggleg (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=30267) , @hesse15 (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=172) ,

I'm dying to see your pictures. You got some eye candy for Bogley?

[hesse15]

Yeah I was worried as usual but it was executed perfectly and confident with great style.

Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk

[Taylor]

Awesome. A Quandary/Squeeze weekend ranks super high on our list. Did you exit up Ramp?

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[Slot Machine]

Awesome. A Quandary/Squeeze weekend ranks super high on our list. Did you exit up Ramp?

We did. It is a nice way to get back to the camp.

But real climber must be in your group in order to get past the crux. It's harder than the pictures make it look.

[Scott P]

But real climber must be in your group in order to get past the crux. It's harder than the pictures make it look.

When I was first there with my friend and my 8 year old kid, I started to climb it very carefully, but my 8 year old ran up the thing around me and without a rope. I was actually pretty mad at him at the time.

[Iceaxe]

We did. It is a nice way to get back to the camp.

But real climber must be in your group in order to get past the crux. It's harder than the pictures make it look.
I never considered the ramp much of an obstacle. I know my wife and kids all walked up it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[jman]

I never considered the ramp much of an obstacle. I know my wife and kids all walked up it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

When it's dry...

If it's rainy or muddy - it ramps up the difficultly significantly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Slot Machine]

When I was first there with my friend and my 8 year old kid, I started to climb it very carefully, but my 8 year old ran up the thing around me and without a rope. I was actually pretty mad at him at the time.

Curious, did he go across the top, where it looks smooth? I seem to remember seeing a photo of your son on that climb.

[Iceaxe]

A picture of the 'ramp" in question. You just walk up the seam between the two canyoneers. When my kids (5 and 7 at the time) and wife walked up l did spot them from below in case of a fall. Not sure I could really help much other than making sure they didn't land on their head. And yeah, snow, mud, rain changes things, both those should not be considered normal conditions and should be taken into consideration before doing any canyon if they are expected.

http://climb-utah.com/SRS/Files/quandary7.jpg

Hey Bob, have you ever considered the fact that you just might be a great big pussy? :roflol: :roflol::roflol:

[Slot Machine]

:lol8:

It's impressive that your family made the climb. I'll give Shauna a high five the next time I see her.

Well, we had something happen while we were there that prompted my recommendation to bring a real climber. While Micah was traversing the climb, he lost his footing but held on with his right hand. As he fell, his momentum dislocated his right shoulder. Amazingly, he pulled himself back up then finished the climb.

Everyone left at the bottom was psyched out by this, me included. Micah is a much better climber than me, so if he slipped, then I thought I'd surely slip. The rest of us didn't even try the little ramp. We elected to go up through the crack on the left. I jugged/climbed (ugly), Tom pulled up the ladies on a 2:1 haul (elegant).

[TommyBoy]

A few more pics

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dive5B4qsnA/V2MNSOpqR2I/AAAAAAAAFAQ/Hrj5diDKIVcmXt4eQl8YwyEofa33dNRnQCCo/s640/P1030806.JPG
Slot Machine climbing out of the pothole
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uKWXyiHW7Og/V2MNTxJPAEI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/rKKHGoya-MAJIeQSmSac_R2zF2kmpJoVgCCo/s640/P1030808.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9y_sXg4sXjo/V2MNU5340nI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/DUf6qlmA1sc-O7RP_3PqADC3l5PjCA-dQCCo/s640/P1030809.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iX0PbmRK06s/V2MNW-tcFAI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/7LyDTqbMrmYN00apE7cSPawQ9ipfQknXQCCo/s640/P1030811.JPG
Megeggleg going for a wide stem for her first time
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nGWzT-X8WJE/V2MNamaCHoI/AAAAAAAAFAU/ARABSZhAE7I5m83OmTG4QMBFvAIaTsMvwCCo/s640/P1030814.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R4AHxrYzA-g/V2MNgK2X2qI/AAAAAAAAFAU/TXj4p89AMyYozHEsJKjrt5IaD0k5TNU6ACCo/s640/P1030818.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1yvb3DHGG_M/V2MNiXiRT5I/AAAAAAAAFAU/kFIuTUSrVN8IY_jdt6-R_neDMZ0lhT24ACCo/s640/P1030820.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7BpV4W1Gi0I/V2MNpc2ZPUI/AAAAAAAAFAU/oNopryvqsk8yh2GvPiFp43gxJMqRreyDgCCo/s640/P1030825.JPG
MiCamp in motion
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-keWZBtOGZ14/V2MNuMAtXzI/AAAAAAAAFAU/tqOvh-FD2mME40LznZSF2URjdE8MhMV1QCCo/s640/P1030829.JPG

[hesse15]

:lol8:

It's impressive that your family made the climb. I'll give Shauna a high five the next time I see her.

Well, we had something happen while we were there that prompted my recommendation to bring a real climber. While Micah was traversing the climb, he lost his footing but held on with his right hand. As he fell, his momentum dislocated his right shoulder. Amazingly, he pulled himself back up then finished the climb.

Everyone left at the bottom was psyched out by this, me included. Micah is a much better climber than me, so if he slipped, then I thought I'd surely slip. The rest of us didn't even try the little ramp. We elected to go up through the crack on the left. I jugged/climbed (ugly), Tom pulled up the ladies on a 2:1 haul (elegant).
I was for a pleasant stroll been under lot of stress lately and Tom deliver a full low key outing to a water park and actually was highly efficient and fast been haul up like potatoes bags!!! I always love to make my partners practice rescue skills in non rescue situations

Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk

[Iceaxe]

Well, we had something happen while we were there that prompted my recommendation to bring a real climber.

The kiss of death is if the first person over an obstacle makes it look difficult.

When I'm "guiding" I like to always pick someone to go first over an obstacle that will make it look easy. If the first person through makes it look easy there is a good chance everyone else will just blow over the obstacle with relative ease. If the first person struggles it's a safe bet many of those following will struggle. It's just the nature of the beast.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[jman]

The kiss of death is if the first person over an obstacle makes it look difficult.

When I'm "guiding" I like to always pick someone to go first over an obstacle that will make it look easy. If the first person through makes it look easy there is a good chance everyone else will just blow over the obstacle with relative ease. If the first person struggles it's a safe bet many of those following will struggle. It's just the nature of the beast.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

That's an interesting concept and I can see why that would work.

I will test this out with future noobs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[darhawk]

A picture of the 'ramp" in question. You just walk up the seam between the two canyoneers. When my kids (5 and 7 at the time) and wife walked up l did spot them from below in case of a fall. Not sure I could really help much other than making sure they didn't land on their head. And yeah, snow, mud, rain changes things, both those should not be considered normal conditions and should be taken into consideration before doing any canyon if they are expected.

http://climb-utah.com/SRS/Files/quandary7.jpg

Hey Bob, have you ever considered the fact that you just might be a great big pussy? :roflol: :roflol::roflol:
Fatigue matters too. And general attitude to risk. Seems a difficult climb from bottom at end of a longish day. Someone competent and experienced when physically drained is certainly a good idea. I am 50 and bring 20 year olds. They're often awesome and a highly recommended tool.

[dakotabelliston]

Think I'd rather nock this one out earlier in the year. Looks like an amazing trip !!!

[Iceaxe]

May is usually a really good time of year for all the Hidden Splendor canyons.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Scott P]

I agree with Shane, especially for early and mid May. Late May can be buggy, but May is a good time to go. Late September to mid October can be pretty good too.

[MiCamp]

Kinda late for pics but here's a few.

84366



84367



84368



84369



84370



84371

[RelentlessHiker]

Wow. That looks like an awesome trip! I guess I'll get to experience my first "keeper" next year. I'd be nervous but I trust the guys that we go with, so I'll try not to think about it too much. Love those stripped leggings, gonna have to find me a pair of those :)

[Slot Machine]

These are too good to look at sideways...

Stong work MiCamp !

84372

84373

84374

[Slot Machine]

Wow. That looks like an awesome trip! ... Love those stripped leggings, gonna have to find me a pair of those :)
@RelentlessHiker (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=27945)

Thanks! It was great. It is pretty easy to defeat those potholes with a little teamwork. I think you'll be surprised.

Cristina's signature leggings are both stylish AND functional. They protect the skin, plus wetsuits go on over them in a flash.