Robbers Roost - Larry Canyon 10/16/2016

[french_de]

Robbers Roost Larry Canyon 10/16/2016

My last memory of Larry Canyon, done years ago, was one of a hard free hang ascension to unstick the rappel rope. Maybe that experience
overpowered the retention of my memories of the rest of the canyon...... Or maybe I'm just getting old.

This last Sunday, it was like doing it for the first time. I had forgotten how wonderful the charms of this canyon are.

Larry canyon has a lot to it, a real classic - Remote location, easy walk in, long walk out, amazing scenery, scenic rappels,
long dark slanted hallways, stinky water, plenty of tricky-fun downclimbs, a 5.1 exit crack, snakes and a final lung popping climb up
and over of the Navajo sandstone canyon rim. It is a tough canyon.

And, if you do the last 500 feet climb out of the canyon in the dark with one headlamp and small flashlight like we did, the excitement level goes up at least two notches.

It is listed in two sets of beta, the bypass left of the last two rappels that is suppose to follow the Keyenta layers down,
but I couldn't find or see a reasonable way down from up there.
I found a lot of foot prints up there going back and forth but they all seemed to dead end up top. Anybody done that bypass recently?

Thanks so much to my canyoneering partners Alijeh, Jessica, Mike and Jeremy for a wonderful time and taking some remarkable pictures

The whole hoard of pictures can be viewed at

https://www.flickr.com/photos/french_de/albums/72157674054983741

Here are some of my favorite pictures

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[moab mark]

It's been 10 years since I've been there. None of that looked familiar, need to go back looks fun.

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[Slot Machine]

And, if you do the last 500 feet climb out of the canyon in the dark with one headlamp and small flashlight like we did, the excitement level goes up at least two notches.

:lol8: :2thumbs:

Glad you got out safe and sound. Nice report Doug! Thanks for sharing.

[flatiron]

We did Larry 10/2. And did the bypass just cause we like to scramble/climb. From the last raps it is hard to see, but there are actually several ways to downclimb - some easy some not so much. We found a spot and went straight down. But i think if you just keep traversing down canyon to the shoulder it becomes very easy.
Agree Larry is a very good canyon. We also did Not Mindbender, No Man's and Alcatraz. All are fun/good canyons. IMHO Not Mind is best - just an excellent canyon. Alcatraz tighter than I remember - anyone over 180 lbs will work hard to get thru.

[french_de]

We did Larry 10/2. And did the bypass just cause we like to scramble/climb. From the last raps it is hard to see, but there are actually several ways to downclimb - some easy some not so much. We found a spot and went straight down. But i think if you just keep traversing down canyon to the shoulder it becomes very easy.
.
Thanks... That is good to know. From my viewpoint I didn't see it from up above. We were running out of daylight and I wish I had a little more time to check it out. Next time.....

[Iceaxe]

The white line in the picture shows the bypass. It's a crappy picture but it's the best I have. You basically just walk the ledge between the upper Navajo sandstone and lower Kayenta sandstone. From the top of the optional rappels it doesn't look like the route works but it does. When walking along the exit it also looks like you will get cliffed out in a couple places, but you won't. If you hike all the way to the shoulder about 1/4 mile down canyon it's a walk down with nothing but minor scrambling involved. I find most people who fail using the bypass do so because they didn't follow the exit ledge far enough downstream (south), or they turned around when it appears they will be cliffed out instead of investigating further along.


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[Iceaxe]

And while looking through my old Larry pictures to see if I could find any of the bypass I found some old video of Larry Canyon that I had never posted. Unfortunately the video if from 1999 or 2000 (The Golden Age of canyoneering?) and was shot in crappy standard definition, which is all we had back then. My partners for this trip and the stars of the video are Emily Bement, Brenden Wikle, Wade and Mika Christensen, Jayson Christianson, Neal Graham and Catherine Waters.

Anyhoo... I though some of you might enjoy it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_XNb58Z5tA

[qedcook]

I've done both the bypass and the regular routes. The regular route with a quick rappel is definitely worth it, imho.

[moab mark]

We did Larry 10/2. And did the bypass just cause we like to scramble/climb. From the last raps it is hard to see, but there are actually several ways to downclimb - some easy some not so much. We found a spot and went straight down. But i think if you just keep traversing down canyon to the shoulder it becomes very easy.
Agree Larry is a very good canyon. We also did Not Mindbender, No Man's and Alcatraz. All are fun/good canyons. IMHO Not Mind is best - just an excellent canyon. Alcatraz tighter than I remember - anyone over 180 lbs will work hard to get thru.
How much water in Not Mindbender?

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[flatiron]

Some waste deep wading as worst. Mostly ankle/knee deep.
Much better than last time few years ago after flashflood blew thru it. Several swims then.

[flatiron]

The white line in the picture shows the bypass. It's a crappy picture but it's the best I have. You basically just walk the ledge between the upper Navajo sandstone and lower Kayenta sandstone. From the top of the optional rappels it doesn't look like the route works but it does. When walking along the exit it also looks like you will get cliffed out in a couple places, but you won't. If you hike all the way to the shoulder about 1/4 mile down canyon it's a walk down with nothing but minor scrambling involved. I find most people who fail using the bypass do so because they didn't follow the exit ledge far enough downstream (south), or they turned around when it appears they will be cliffed out instead of investigating further along.



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Exactly ! We went straight down right where his arrow is, but later saw if we had kept traversing it would have been easy stuff.

[ActionPacker]

Great TR.
Hey commenters...
I am headed down to the RR area in a couple of weeks and trying to pick a few canyons.

On the list:
Alcatraz
Larry
Mind Bender
Not Mind Bender

I have a small, fast moving group. Can any of these be linked in 1 day?
If you had to pick, which is your favorite?

Thanks for the input.

[moab mark]

Haven't done Alcatraz, but of the others Not Mindbender.

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[Slot Machine]

Great TR.
Hey commenters...
I am headed down to the RR area in a couple of weeks and trying to pick a few canyons.

On the list:
Alcatraz
Larry
Mind Bender
Not Mind Bender

I have a small, fast moving group. Can any of these be linked in 1 day?
If you had to pick, which is your favorite?

Thanks for the input.
ActionPacker

Alcatraz is by far the best, then Larry, then NMB. I have not done Mind Bender, but have heard it is mediocre.

I would not plan to link any two of those in one day. Perhaps have the Smallcatraz beta handy if you want to add a couple more hours of fun to the end of a day.

[Iceaxe]

I have a small, fast moving group. Can any of these be linked in 1 day?

The only canyons in the area I can think of that a small fast group might combo is Alcatraz and No Man's as they are both 4 hour routes for a talented group. Everything else on your list is a day. The key to success this time of year would be starting at first light. I'd start with Alcatraz as you can camp at the trailhead and have your first rappel set and ready to go at the crack of dawn. Pack a headlamp in No Mans.

No Man's Beta:
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/nomans.htm

http://climb-utah.com/Roost/Files/nomans01.jpg

[flatiron]

The 4 on your list have pretty straightforward exits. No Man's exit route is a little convoluted - so might take longer than 4 hrs figuring it out 1st time.

[Scott P]

If you had to pick, which is your favorite?

Alcatraz and Larry are the best.


Unfortunately the video if from 1999 or 2000 (The Golden Age of canyoneering?) and was shot in crappy standard definition, which is all we had back then.

2003, I believe.

[moab mark]

The only canyons in the area I can think of that a small fast group might combo is Alcatraz and No Man's as they are both 4 hour routes for a talented group. Everything else on your list is a day. The key to success this time of year would be starting at first light. I'd start with Alcatraz as you can camp at the trailhead and have your first rappel set and ready to go at the crack of dawn. Pack a headlamp in No Mans.

No Man's Beta:
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/nomans.htm

http://climb-utah.com/Roost/Files/nomans01.jpg
I can't believe I've never seen this on your site. Got to go do it looks cool.

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[Scott P]

I can't believe I've never seen this on your site. Got to go do it looks cool.

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Larry is way better than No Man's. No Man's might have the least bang for buck value of the betaed canyons in the Roost. Buck comes close.

It's still worth doing though, but several other canyons in the area are better.

[moab mark]

Larry is way better than No Man's. No Man's might have the least bang for buck value of the betaed canyons in the Roost. Buck comes close.

It's still worth doing though, but several other canyons in the area are better.
I didn't think Larry was that great. Maybe it was because I had a group of 15 scouts?[emoji13]

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[Iceaxe]

If you are doing No Mans Canyon I suggest you read this story first as I believe it really adds to the canyon to understand the tragedy that unfolded there. I only knew Louis casually but we often corresponded through email discussing canyons and routes so descending No Mans now comes with a spiritual aspect for me.

No Mans Canyon Tragedy
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/nomans2.htm

RIP Louis Cicotello
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/Files/nomans101.jpg