Heaps

[Slot Machine]

“Have you done Heaps?”

I have been asked this question a hundred times. Every reply in the negative has bothered me a little bit. I’ve felt ready for Heaps for the past two years, but have never taken the time to make it happen. This week the stars aligned; the right team, the right weather, the right conditions. If not now, then when?

On September 3rd, 2016, Tom Jones, Tom Collins, Meg Allyn, Steph and I took a journey through this legendary canyon.

Heaps is simply amazing in every way. It is hands-down the best canyon I’ve ever done. It is better than Big Tony. It is better than Upper West. A foregone conclusion made several hours before the end.

The logjams throughout were a riot to climb over; never hard, but never easy. The jumps into seemingly bottomless potholes unearthed our inner children. Hours of swimming flew by in what seem like minutes. Alien moss-covered walls that bled rust redefined my definition beauty.

Heaps is just so dang good. Better than French food. Better than 20 year single-malt Scotch. Better than sex. I don’t know what else to say.

It was such a treat so experience the famed Knife Edge Ridge, the Hop Across, and the Iron Room. I was far enough behind the group that I even got to experience the confusion of the Devil's Pit by myself, heading all the way into the seemingly dead end- which was aggravating at the time, but an experience that I treasure now.

The final sequence was outstanding. I’ll tell you more about it later.

To be continued…

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Knife Edge Ridge
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A tree that seems to grow out of a rock, smack in the middle of the watercourse. Photo taken using a vertical panoramic.
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The Hop Across
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The Iron Room
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Special thanks to Tom Collins @TommyBoy (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=20959) for carrying the 200 footer, getting our camping spot, for lending out warm clothes, and for picking up the permit.

Special thanks to Levi Fackrell @levifackrell (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=20798) for lending us his 400 foot rope.

Special thanks to Tom Collins and Meg Allyn @Megeggleg (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=30267) for stashing the 400 footer.

Extra special thanks to Tom Jones @ratagonia (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=32) for his execution at the final rappel. Your amazing rope skills, cool head under pressure, and selflessness added greatly to the group’s safety and to the overall experience of the day. It was a real pleasure to share this day with you Mr. Jones, I simply can’t thank you enough.

http://amazingslots.blogspot.com/2016/09/heaps-canyon.html

[moab mark]

Great pictures, did you do it in one day or two? I'm getting old need to get my shizz together and go do it.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Slot Machine]

Great pictures, did you do it in one day or two? I'm getting old need to get my shizz together and go do it.

Thanks Mark! We did it in one long day. I hope that you get to it, you'll be glad when you do.

[Iceaxe]

Heaps is just so dang good. Better than French food. Better than 20 year single-malt Scotch. Better than sex. I don’t know what else to say.

One of us is doing sex or canyoneering wrong....... :roflol:

[Iceaxe]

Thanks Mark! We did it in one long day. I hope that you get to it, you'll be glad when you do.

Did you start from the Grotto or Lava Point?

[SlickRock]

Water levels looked pretty well topped off from the pics - was there a recent rain?

[WorkBad]

Thanks for posting another great trip report Bob and welcome to the Heaps club. How did you manage to limit the drops on the camera lens (housing)? :2thumbs:

[Slot Machine]

Did you start from the Grotto or Lava Point?
Iceaxe , Lava Point.


Water levels looked pretty well topped off from the pics - was there a recent rain?
SlickRock

Yes, totally full. It looked like the entire canyon flowed the day before we went through. The end of the canyon was still flowing a tiny bit while we were finishing the final sequence.


Thanks for posting another great trip report Bob and welcome to the Heaps club. How did you manage to limit the drops on the camera lens (housing)? :2thumbs:
WorkBad

Thanks! I have a strip of Absorber (https://www.amazon.com/Absorber-Synthetic-Drying-Chamois-Natural/dp/B0000AY69V) tied to the inside of my pack, and also a small square of it inside my camera case. When I go to take a photo, I rinse off the small square in a pothole to remove any sand, wring it out, then wipe the lens. If I lose the small square, then I simply tear off another one from the inside of my pack. It works like a charm.

[dakotabelliston]

I need to lose my heaps-virginity. I have felt more than ready for the challenge but either have gear issues (I shot my 300 ft rope) or my group falls through. This trip looks absolutely incredible. Enough to make me salivate & sit restlessly at my work desk....

Thanks for sharing !!!

[nkanarik]

Awesome pictures! Did Heaps earlier this year for the 1st time, and your TR brought up a lot of good memories :)