Questions from a Novice

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Originally Posted by Brian in SLC

My opinion? If you're driving from SLC leaving at 5am, then you should just hike up from the bottom.

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Good advice. :2thumbs:

Don't most epics begin with: "We got a late start..."

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Originally Posted by shaggy125

Don't most epics begin with: "We got a late start..."

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...and the weather was iffy....

:haha:

As of a couple weeks ago, there were strategic logs in place, where the skilled could downclimb all the drops. That being said, I'd definitely still recommend bringing the 60' rope along. Better to have it and not need it.

Also, if you are getting a later start, I'd consider just driving up and starting from the upper trailhead (Wildcat.) Leave the car there, do the canyon, and then one person can hitch with a group that is going up to retrieve thier car from up there. I was solo last week when I did the full left fork, and there were plenty of folks still in the Subway that I'm sure I could have gotten a lift with. (Ended up finishing the end hike with one person that gave me a lift back up to Wildcat. Was pretty easy.)

Overall, I'd recommend what others had. Get as early of a start as you can. That will beat the heat, give you extra slack time in case you run into navigation issues, etc. Worst case, just pick a place in the canyon to take a nice nap during the day. My favorite is just after the final rappel, (with the waterfall you can walk under) and just down past the tiered pools. There is a bit of sloped slickrock there on the left (looking down canyon) that is awesome for drying out gear and relaxing. There is a spring around 100 feet farther down on the right (LDC).

As Shane mentioned, everyone is just being conservative (including me) because none of us know you or your capabilities. Plenty of folks make it in fine though; so you should be fine. You should see plenty of tracks on the way in. If you don't, you are probably going the wrong way...

Have a blast! Subway is great!
A.J.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AJ

As of a couple weeks ago, there were stragegic logs in place, where the skilled could downclimb all the drops. That being said, I'd definitely still recommend bringing the 60' rope along. Better to have it and not need it.

Also, if you are getting a later start, I'd consider just driving up and starting from the upper trailhead (Wildcat.) Leave the car there, do the canyon, and then one person can hitch with a group that is going up to retrieve thier car from up there. I was solo last week when I did the full left fork, and there were plenty of folks still in the Subway that I'm sure I could have gotten a lift with. (Ended up finishing the end hike with one person that gave me a lift back up to Wildcat. Was pretty easy.)

Overall, I'd recommend what others had. Get as early of a start as you can. That will beat the heat, give you extra slack time in case you run into navigation issues, etc. Worst case, just pick a place in the canyon to take a nice nap during the day. My favorite is just after the final rappel, (with the waterfall you can walk under) and just down past the tiered pools. There is a bit of sloped slickrock there on the left (looking down canyon) that is awesome for drying out gear and relaxing. There is a spring around 100 feet farther down on the right (LDC).

As Shane mentioned, everyone is just being conservative (including me) because none of us know you or your capabilities. Plenty of folks make it in fine though; so you should be fine. You should see plenty of tracks on the way in. If you don't, you are probably going the wrong way...

Have a blast! Subway is great!
A.J.

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Agree 100% :nod: Some people can handline others can not. Since I don't know you I'm giving you advice better to be safe than sorry.

If you ever lose the trail hed back to where you knew you were on the trail and go from there. FYI lost people build cairns too. As of last April lost people had built carins on the approach hike to the Subway. Including one that led to a very bad unsafe location.