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04-04-2006, 10:20 AM #1
how difficult is the right fork of Leprechaun??
In a week my two brothers, father, and I are coming out to utah for a week. We will be backpacking in Slickhorn Canyon and doing some day hiking in the Cedar Mesa.We are also interested in hiking the Right fork of Leprechaun Canyon. My father has never seen a slot canyon before. One of my brothers has done rappeling in the past, the rest of us (including my 67 yr old father) have not. Is the trip down the Right fork that challenging? Are there any true "free" rappels or are the rappels more along the lines of walking down a slope with the aid of a rappel rope? I think my dad could do the latter but not the "free" rappel. Yes, he is in fairly good shape. Another thought was for my dad to hike to the junction by himself or with one of us and the others meet him there from the top.
We are also planning on hiking Lucky Charms while there. Any thoughts will be appreciated.
Thanks
David Heape
DavidHMD@aol.com
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04-04-2006 10:20 AM # ADS
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04-04-2006, 11:22 AM #2
It's not very difficult. You may want to try it.
As an alternate in the area, if you are worried about the raps, try lower Maidenwater below the highway. It only has one short drop and is a pretty interesting canyon.Utah is a very special and unique place. There is no where else like it on earth. Please take care of it and keep the remaining wild areas in pristine condition. The world will be a better place if you do.
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04-04-2006, 12:02 PM #3
i drug my 4 year old and 56 year old dad through Lucky Charms last week, and w/ it's current amount of water, it makes for a more than challenging hike. bunch of stemming or wet to the waist.
there are also a couple of spots that do require a fair amount of strength to get up.
@ 67 i can only hope your dad is up to the task. my dads in better shape than me and it tuckered the both of us.
although keep in mind, we carried a 4 year old through most of it.
which i wouldnt recommend to anyone.
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04-04-2006, 02:10 PM #4
Lucky Charms...
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04-06-2006, 05:38 AM #5
My wife and I went down right fork two weeks ago, it was alot of fun. We are noobs, and it was a good break in canyon for us we thought. If you go all the way to the top to drop in, don't pull your rope until you make it down the second drop. We pulled ours and in between the two drops is a pot hole. I hunkered down in the pot hole and anchored for my wife, and then had to climb out and throw my long rope to get get down.
Have fun, we did!
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04-06-2006, 08:23 AM #6Originally Posted by Caddis
Now.... if you are talking about the rappel and pothole just before Leprechaun junction we pull our ropes in the pothole and downclimb the remainder. It looks a little scary peeking over from the top but it is amazingly simple with almost no exposure. This is a good section to teach noobs about downclimbing.
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04-06-2006, 12:46 PM #7
Re: how difficult is the right fork of Leprechaun??
Originally Posted by davidheape
Scott CardLife is Good
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04-06-2006, 01:02 PM #8
Below is a picture of the only "required" rappel in the RF of Leprechaun. it's about 20'. I have lowered non-techies and kids down this section so they didn't need to rappel. The RF can be done by most groups with one competent climber or canyoneer along. YMMV
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04-06-2006, 01:34 PM #9Originally Posted by IceaxeLife is Good
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04-06-2006, 01:45 PM #10
Scott, I thought your post was great. Mostly I just wanted to provide a picture of the biggest obstacle the group would face.
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04-06-2006, 02:11 PM #11
Here are three photo albums with some excellent pictures of Leprechaun Canyon. Just remember a lot of these pictures were taken in the Middle Fork, which is much more difficult then the Right Fork.
http://canyonquest.com/leprechaun
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04-06-2006, 02:52 PM #12
Thanks everyone for taking the time and effort to respond. You'll have been very helpful. This however, is with the exception of the "response" by rock_ski_cowboy which I donot know how to interpret.
Three of us do have some slot canyon experience in the Hole in the rock road area of Escalante (Egypt 3, etc.). I am new to the forum stuff. can I ask what YMMV means?
Thanks again.
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04-06-2006, 03:12 PM #13Originally Posted by davidheape
Oh yeah... and welcome to the forum
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04-06-2006, 03:29 PM #14
ymmv means "your mileage may vary". Shane, that is a fantastic photo. My comments to you were only because I have a father-in-law in pretty good shape and who is in that age category and would make me a bit concerned to take through this canyon. I misinterpreted your post as meaning that there was only one real obstacle. Sorry. Yes, it is one of the tame canyons in the area. I didn't want Mr. Heaps to think no big deal for an older but new canyoneer.
Life is Good
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04-06-2006, 03:57 PM #15Originally Posted by davidheape
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04-06-2006, 04:01 PM #16Originally Posted by Scott Card
Recommending routes for seniors and children is extra difficult because of the wide difference in abilities.
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04-06-2006, 04:08 PM #17Originally Posted by rock_ski_cowboy
But it is much better then that butt crack that you are calling Little Leper
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04-06-2006, 04:27 PM #18Originally Posted by Iceaxe
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04-06-2006, 04:39 PM #19Originally Posted by rock_ski_cowboy
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04-06-2006, 05:39 PM #20
Ouch, I didnt mean to stir up that hornet nest.
My understanding of the entry into the east fork is that it is a scramble descent and not a lengthy rappel as in the other two forks. Correct? I donot think we will have difficulty with the squeezing and downclimbing (assisting with a handline at times). Short stretches of stemming shouldnt be a problem either. I was mainly concerned about there being a length undercut rappel.
Concerning Lucky Charms, we will not be prepared for wading in waist deep water so if it is wet as mentioned by Marc we will do something else.
My alternative plan all along has been to hike up canyon as for a possible in several different slots if we were not able to decend the East Fork. We must think alike afterall rock, thanks for the info.
Thanks again everyone
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