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Thread: Conditions in IMLAY and HEAPS
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04-06-2009, 06:41 PM #1
Conditions in IMLAY and HEAPS
hoping someone has been in imlay recently. trying to get out in about three weeks. if we have time then Heaps as well. Have not been either this early in the season before, anyone have comments or concerns?
Were going early for a few reasons, one of which is were hoping the pot holes are nice and full. of course were prepared for the worse, but can anyone confirm relative levels to this time of year?
last time I took 6m wet suits. worked but very cold. thinking wet suits with dry suits? is this over kill?
its been a while (several years) so if there are any recent obstacles or anything worth noting, please do.
THANKS. brian.
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04-06-2009 06:41 PM # ADS
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04-06-2009, 10:08 PM #2
Re: Conditions in IMLAY and HEAPS
Originally Posted by brian
Snow up high, slowly melting out because it is not that warm out, and still freezing at night. It has been very dry in Zion for 2 months, which means that even with melting, the canyons may not be full. A couple of quite warms days would release snowmelt into the narrows and it will be closed.
Imlay: runs E/W and gets little sun. Usually snowmelt fills the canyon in the spring - might not be the case this year. Hard to say. Might be hard getting in the shortcut - expect snow near the highpoints of the hike in, especially on the north sides. From the top, some of the same problems. I'm thinking there is a little bit of snow on top of the West Rim - but not enough to require snow shoes.
Heaps: very deep, gets little sun. The basin is larger and a little higher, more consistently flows, but I have not heard of the waterfall going off this spring. Might be full, might not.
The water will be VERY cold. Might have ice floating on it.
Wetsuit inside drysuit is unworkable. Way too hot. Bring extra dry clothing for your drysuit. The tendency is to over-dress, but it may take a try or two to get the temperature right. Bring aquaseal with cotol - it works when wet. Bring a stove so you can make hot drinks in the 2 hours it takes to get the drysuit fixed. Small leaks are part of the game, and not usually a problem. bigger leaks - yeah, you need to stop, undress, fix it, dress again with dry clothing.
Stuff comes and goes in those canyons. A lot of that usually happens in winter. Big snowfall, then melt in early winter might have knocked a lot of junk into the canyons. So, hard to say.
But what are you going to do in the afternoon???
Let us know how it goes, if it goes.
Tom
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04-07-2009, 08:54 AM #3
Re: Conditions in IMLAY and HEAPS
Originally Posted by brian
Runoff is way below normal right now. My bet is that as the season starts to heat up, the runoff will start and the Virgin will peak in the next couple of weeks. That would mean the narrows would be closed and you couldn't do Imlay. Also might mean that both Heaps and Imlay could have significant running water. My bet is they usually run in a decent snow year with snow melt and if they haven't yet, then, they will soon.
Both of those canyons are so deep and dark in places, my bet is that there is still significant ice in some of the pools. April/May is just not the season to do either of those canyons. You'd be better off going through something a bit less committing, IMHO.
The fact you don't know what would work for cold water (not just standard summer time cold, but, spring cold, way way colder and more sustained) makes me wonder if you really have this type of gig dialed. Maybe a bit more experience with spring conditions in some of the easier canyons first?
I've been through Imlay several times, in summer and in winter (and Heaps a couple of times in summer). I probably wouldn't attempt either in spring conditions, unless I'd spent some serious time sussing out conditions in the park. I'm not sure anyone does either canyon in April, and, probably only May if its been a really dry, warm spring (and low snow winter).
Could be very risky in the least. You'd better have your "stuff" together!
Cheers,
-Brian in SLC
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04-07-2009, 09:11 AM #4
Re: Conditions in IMLAY and HEAPS
Originally Posted by Brian in SLC
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04-07-2009, 01:22 PM #5
Brian,
FYI, I was in Imlay late-September 2008, and ~ 3/4 of the hook holes were stripped in the first, deepest keeper pothole. The moves in between the usable hook holes were fairly difficult. It took me three attempts to figure out which holes were usable.
If I were to go through again, I would probably consider having a plan for dealing with that obstacle if the keeper is not full.
Kevin
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04-07-2009, 09:02 PM #6Originally Posted by kilo
Tom
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04-08-2009, 07:42 AM #7Originally Posted by ratagonia
-Brian in SLC
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