Any plans?

[Alex]

So any plans for a trip to "Take uutah canoyneering newbies out" yet?

[Iceaxe]

How about someone around here.... Adopt a Newbie!!!

I'm kinda booked up with other obligations for the next month.... but newbies are usually good for carrying ropes or providing 1/2 the car shuttle. Maybe get him to cook dinner for the privilege of being tortured all day in a canyon.

Come on.... I'm sure one of you guys can find a good use for a newbie

[rockgremlin]

I've got my eye on a bunch of north wash routes I've never done...Blarney, Leprechaun, Trail, HDH, GDJ, the Hogs, etc, etc.

If you can provide the ropes, and are willing to travel this far south, then let's plan a day.

Anybody else in?

[Alex]

How long of a rope(s) does it need to be? And how far south is it?

PS: I am looking at the UofU Canyoneering class in September, is it a good way to get into the sport?

[rockgremlin]

I have heard the U of U canyoneering class is pretty decent.

What kind of canyoneering experience do you have?

The drops in the North Wash area aren't very high - most of all of them don't exceed 100 feet. A 60 meter rope would probably work for most canyons. Actually, I'm looking to purchase a 200 foot Canyon Pro from "The Emperor" here pretty soon.

North Wash canyons here - they're mostly around the area just south of Hanksville, and east of the Henry Mountains.

[Alex]

I have climbed in the past (when I was young and skinny). I hike and backpack quite a bit. Been doing a lot of scrambling and from the pictures you guys post, I am confident I can do everything on my own. But I am also smart enough to know better not to do it on my own :)

I have rappeled, know the basics and the safety of it. So I wouldn't consider myself a newbie really, but was just looking to find someone to follow and watch the lead for first time.

It's like rafting, you can scout the rapid all you want, but once you see the boat in front of you take a leap you know what to do right (or wrong).

I have a rope, I believe it's a 100m (don't remember anymore), have a harness and some carabeiners.

PS: I am going to look at that class in September unless I hook up with some of the folks on here.

[Iceaxe]

I am looking at the UofU Canyoneering class in September, is it a good way to get into the sport?

I have canyoneered with several U of U Canyoneering graduates. I have never done the course but once did several canyons with one of the instructors, a fella by the name of Lloyd Bush and a group of his young rope guns. I learned an incredible amount about canyoneering teamwork and execution while with his group. The teamwork of the U of U group was poetry in motion.

IMHO: U of U canyoneers do not seem to have the rope skills of an ACA graduate. But the teamwork skills they learn are vastly superior. Where an ACA graduate will tend to solve a problem with advanced rope work or in what I call a guide/client method, the U of U graduate will use less equipment and more teamwork to solve the same problem.

Honestly I didn't even know the U was still teaching a canyoneering class. My last experince with them was 5 or 6 years ago. I'm happy to hear they are still around. I hope they are still teaching the same skills. The canyoneering community would greatly benefit from are larger understanding of the teamwork taught at the U.

Also, the U of U canyoneers were the guys that told me about Music Canyon http://climb-utah.com/SRS/music1.htm . It was often used as their school room canyon.

I wouldn't consider myself a newbie really

Oh yeah... forgot to tell ya

[hesse15]

I have climbed in the past (when I was young and skinny). I hike and backpack quite a bit. Been doing a lot of scrambling and from the pictures you guys post, I am confident I can do everything on my own. But I am also smart enough to know better not to do it on my own :)

I have rappeled, know the basics and the safety of it. So I wouldn't consider myself a newbie really, but was just looking to find someone to follow and watch the lead for first time.

It's like rafting, you can scout the rapid all you want, but once you see the boat in front of you take a leap you know what to do right (or wrong).

I have a rope, I believe it's a 100m (don't remember anymore), have a harness and some carabeiners.

PS: I am going to look at that class in September unless I hook up with some of the folks on here.

kazac usually in canyoneering they use static ropes so if yours is a climbing one could be a little heavy and too rubber band for canyoneering.
in north wash i strongly suggest you go to walmart and buy soft knee pads and elbow pads
and to DI (deseret industries ) for a pair of pants and a long sleeve t-shirt
and make sure have good sticky rubber shoes ,no teva or chaco sandal for canyoneering and an helmet also a biking one could be a good idea

[Alex]

hesse, thanks for the list. I think I do have the rubbery rope, I can get the rappeling rope as well. What exactly am I looking for in a rope?

The rest of the stuff you listed I have laying around the house.

[stefan]

in north wash i strongly suggest you go to walmart and buy soft knee pads and elbow pads

or if you don't believe in shopping at walmart, there are many stores which carry athletic gear that have good kneepads. when getting kneepads make sure that they are relatively sung. your sweat will stretch them and when stemming/downclimbing you don't want them shifting too easily.


ps. i didn't know there was a walmart in north wash?

[just kiddin' christina ]

[rock_ski_cowboy]

I can get the rappeling rope as well. What exactly am I looking for in a rope?

The rest of the stuff you listed I have laying around the house.

You are looking for "static" rope. Polyester is better than nylon in that it absorbs less water. 9 mm is probably the recommended thickness for starters. Its thin and light, but not too thin for most. I bought 10 mm when i started out and now i feel its too heavy and stiff and never use it any more even though its still mostly in tact. 8mm is nice and light, but is sometimes a bad idea for a beginner, since its easier to get out of control. 2 ropes i would consider are:

BlueWater Canyon (9.2mm) or Canyon Pro (8mm) (the DS versions are more durable)

or Imlay Rope (comes in both 8 and 9 mm versions)

The Bluewater Canyon ropes are the rope against which all canyoneering rope is measured, but you pay for the extra quality. Canyon Pro is 8mm and has spectra core (stronger and even less stretch than other static ropes). DS means double sheath-- which add a lot more durability to the rope.

Imlay Rope works awesome! (its the rope featured in Eric's videos) Not as durable as the BW though, but definitely the best bang for your buck if your looking for something economical that works well.

Depending on availability, Imlay ropes can be purchased from our friend tom at www.canyoneeringusa.com and BW ropes can be purchased from our friends at the mountain shop in cedar city (although i'm having trouble getting their web store to come up this morning.

YMMV with other static ropes, although any static will work (even dynamic (climbing) rope works ok, but the thickness and bounciness become annoyning and liabilities though and you'll want to move on as soon as you know you'll be doing more than just a few canyons).

For good gear checklists, see:

http://www.climb-utah.com/Misc/gear.htm

http://canyoneeringusa.com/utah/intro/gear.php

[mra243]

How about someone around here.... Adopt a Newbie!!!

I'm kinda booked up with other obligations for the next month.... but newbies are usually good for carrying ropes or providing 1/2 the car shuttle. Maybe get him to cook dinner for the privilege of being tortured all day in a canyon.

Come on.... I'm sure one of you guys can find a good use for a newbie

I would love to get in on the "Adopt a newbie" program sometime. My fiance and I are really new to the sport. We got started doing the Medevial Chamber trip in Moab, and have done Larry Canyon and Constrychnine so far. We usually go out with a group of about 5 or 6 friends who look to me to lead them down a canyon, but I'd love to get out and learn from some "old pros" sometime. We have a 200' 8mm static rope along with a pull cord and plenty of other gear, like to drink beer and tell stories around a campfire and can make a pretty mean breakfast burrito in the morning. We're going to be in Zion this weekend to do a couple of canyons, but would love to get out with some other people.

We even have a Jeep Rubicon to get to those "hard to reach" trailheads!

[stefan]

Depending on availability, both Bluewater and Imlay ropes can be purchased from our friend tom at www.canyoneeringusa.com

Also black diamond sells imlay ropes, even on dowels, so you can specify the length. since you're in salt lake this is a good place to go to avoid the shipping costs of mailing such heavy ropes.

[Alex]

I guess I got to do some shopping before hitting the slots. I live really close to Black Diamond, I will stop by there and chat with them.

Thanks guys

[rock_ski_cowboy]

I guess I got to do some shopping before hitting the slots. I live really close to Black Diamond, I will stop by there and chat with them.

Thanks guys

Or hold off... chances are the newbie adopter that picks you up will already have rope, so you can see what you like.

[Alex]

Or hold off... chances are the newbie adopter that picks you up will already have rope, so you can see what you like.[/quote]

heh, that was my original plan.

[rock_ski_cowboy]

heh, that was my original plan.

If you're patient, I'm sure you'll get on some trips... for many, summer is kind of the off season. Zion is the only place thats really good when its hot, and for me my 2 or 3 zion trips each focus around one "big" canyon like Kolob or Heaps since I hate to compete for permits in the more popular canyons.

You may have some luck posting a "Canyon virgin wanting one or multiple experienced partners" request on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canyons ... the other prominent utah-centric canyon dating service on the net.

[rockgremlin]

I'm looking to hit the North Wash sometime in early August (first or second weekend). I'll be bringing a 9mm Imlay Rope. Let me know if that works out. Any other takers?

[rock_ski_cowboy]

I'm looking to hit the North Wash sometime in early August (first or second weekend). I'll be bringing a 9mm Imlay Rope. Let me know if that works out. Any other takers?

Pray for clouds! North Wash is one of my favorite places to go.... in the winter!

[stefan]

Pray for clouds! North Wash is one of my favorite places to go.... in the winter!

you know, i was there last year with nat and his family in late june and, surprisingly, none of us thought it was too bad....and i have a low tolerance for heat (conversely very high for cold). it definitely helps being in a slot, and, i agree rock, the cooler times of year are better.