Baptist Draw Conditions?

[pup]

Has anyone been in Baptist draw recently? I want to take some friends and my daughter on the 27th but don't want a swim or even deep wade.

Also, we will have a large group in Blue john's on Sat (3/28). We don't mind sharing but if your looking for solitude that might not be a good day.

[James_B_Wads2000]

I havn't heard of anyone down there yet this year. I would guess that there is a good chance of some water or mud on the Babtist-Fault Line route.

Canyoneering and wading go hand-and-hand. Saying that you want to go canyoning and not see water is like wanting to go flying but don't want to see clouds.

As soon as your skills get to the point where you prepare for the worst and hope for the best you will find the whole experience much more enjoyable...



James

[pup]

Thanks for the reply. While I have only been canyoneering for 3 years I do have some experience and am generally prepared for water (thank you Northwash Outfitters). My concern is that this is my 13 yo daughters first trip more difficult than the Subway and I don't want it to turn into an epic like I read on the trip reports section, esp. this early in the season (eg. cold).

[Iceaxe]

Chute Canyon is a strange animal... it can be totally dry or deep pools, depending on how the last storm rearranged the canyon.

I don't have a TR from Baptist/Chute yet this year.... but if it helps... Right now everything down south is really dry. Potholes that normally have water are dry.... but that could change with this next storm which is supposed to pound the middle and southern end of the state. And of course you get the standard "I could be totally wrong warning".

One thing I have found with my kids.... I often carry them through deep pools (provided I can touch bottom) when the weather is cold. Anything to keep the kids comfortable makes the trip more enjoyable. Best of all it reaffirms their belief that dad is Superman.

Hope that helps... post conditions on your return.

[qedcook]

If the water is a concern, Little Bluejohn might be a good 'second day' option. Also the North Wash canyons. You can walk up either fork of Shenanigans and see pretty much the entire canyon up to the entry rappel. Walking up Leprachaun is also a popular option.

Arscenic might be a good canyon after Subway, if your daughter can handle the three opening rappels, each around 65'. She can rappel all the hard downclimbs using you as an anchor. When I did the canyon, I followed Kelsey's advice and used a single-line 60 meter rope for the first three drops, left it tied on top, and retrieved it later. Much easier to only carry a short rope through the canyon. I would NOT suggest doing the other poison springs canyons until you've done that one.

I would suggest Bluejohn but you're already doing it.

I've done all the canyons I suggested above recently and they were all completely dry.

[pup]

One thing I have found with my kids.... I often carry them through deep pools (provided I can touch bottom) when the weather is cold. Anything to keep the kids comfortable makes the trip more enjoyable. Best of all it reaffirms their belief that dad is Superman.

Thanks for the responses - they are exactly what i was looking for. I did the Subway 2 years ago in April with my daughter. We found out in the canyon that her rented dry suit didn't fit. We made it through the mandatory swim with her standing on my shoulders and me walking through the pool. I don't know if I was completely underwater but it was over my eyes for a few steps

The only part of her that was wet at the end of the canyon was her feet...

[Iceaxe]

The suggestion to go do the Right (East) Fork of Leprechaun with your kids was a good one. The canyon is perfect for kids and is in prime condition right now. Baptist sits a little higher in elevation and it will probably still be a little cold. Might even still have some snow, which is not uncommon for that canyon clear into May.

[shaggy125]

You can walk up either fork of Shenanigans and see pretty much the entire canyon up to the entry rappel.

Hu? Shenanigans? Do you mean either fork of Shillelagh? Shenanigans can't be walked up from the bottom to the first rappel.

[qedcook]

yeah, i meant shillelagh. sorry.

[qedcook]

Pup, did you end up going to lower baptist? How were the conditions.

Current update on the roost. The sand dunes on the roads are getting progressively worse. Alcatraz canyon was bone dry saturday.

[pup]

Ironically, we ended up doing Water Canyon on Friday and Blue John's on Saturday. There was no water in either. The ranger at Hans Flat said they got a trace of snow on Thursday. We got some great pics of the exit rapell in water and the porcupine we encountered at the Ralston narrows in Blue John's. I'll post some pics as soon as I get caught up on work and figure out how.

Thanks again for the info...

[pup]

Alright, here's the write up:

We left Utah County between 6 and 6:30 and drove to Motel 6 only to find a large group of cowboys from Wyoming camped there. No room for us, so we went to the West Fork drop in and set up a couple of tents. We then finished the drive to the top of water canyon (very rough road) and set up the shuttle. I would recommend setting up a shuttle but do it in your buddy

[pup]

Sorry, hit submit too fast, here's the pics.

[CarpeyBiggs]

awesome! how were the anchors in water? we had to replace a few in october. did you do the rap off the dead man in the first short pothole section?

[pup]

Anchors were all good - It seemed like they all required quite a bit of webbing which looked new. We missed the first section so we didn't see the deadman. We did see your pictures and wanted to get the same exit shot. The edge there was sharp! I couldn't find any hose to cut up so I ended up packing 2 pieces of cardboard.

[CarpeyBiggs]

Anchors were all good - It seemed like they all required quite a bit of webbing which looked new. We missed the first section so we didn't see the deadman. We did see your pictures and wanted to get the same exit shot. The edge there was sharp! I couldn't find any hose to cut up so I ended up packing 2 pieces of cardboard.

seriously. that might be one of the scariest rappels i've ever done, just because the angle of the rope, and that nasty nasty edge. great rappel though. long old slog out of there back to the cars. did you do a shuttle by chance?

[pup]

We did do the shuttle but didn't make it all the way to the rim. We eventually decided it was just too rough for the outfits (a Jeep and a Tundra) and parked about a mile and a half past the old well, right next to sugarloaf butte. It turns out we had already conquered the worst part of the road and just had to blast through some sand to make it to the rim. I was impressed that you guys did the full loop. The side trip to the great gallery was worth it. The pictographs aren't as good as the ones right by water canyon but the setting is spectacular. The alcove they are in is huge.