TR: Sandthrax revisited

[forum8fox]

We decided to head back out to the North Wash again for Halloween weekend. We had a group of 4 after a bunch of my friends bailed on me. The plan was to let the friends do something easy while Eric and I would go back to sandthrax. We really wanted to push for speed this time and figured we would do great just the 2 of us. Well things changed and now it was to be the 4 of us in sandthrax. Eric and I were confident (although I had a very short lived period of uncertianty a few days prior as to how it would be), our other 2 members seemed confident enough despite having no idea what they are about to do.

Erics friend Ben had never been down a slot before but niether of them seemed worried about it. My friend Nathan made up the 4th member of our group. Nate had done the squeeze with Eric and I over labor day weekend, as well as going up east leprechaun with us the same weekend.

He was feeling good about it and just as excited as I was so niether of us was worried about it either.

We met up at the campground (I rolled in at like 2 am) on Saturday and started getting our stuff together somewhat liesurely. A group of 6 rolled up while we were getting ready and jumped on the trail ahead of us on their way to east leprechaun. Eventually we got moving and dropped in at about 11-11:30.

Things were going smoothly as Nate and Eric raced in the lead while Ben and I slowly got ready and followed them. I found the movement at the begining is nice to warm up for what's to come. I'm moving along and helping coach Ben a little so he know's how things work. It's the perfect place to teach him how to move as he can do it hands on with way less exposure then what's to come.






We make our way down to the first rap and Eric and Nate have left the rope set for us as they went ahead. Shortly however they call up to us, Eric "was there water in here last time?", Me "NO", "I didn't think so, HUM...." We work our way down off the rap and into the next constriction staying high as the floor now has water.



We arrive to see Nate jump this pothole to dry ground. Eric works down to it and get's a hand from Nate.

I go next and I'm way low and I have my pack on and camera around my chest. I'm totally looking for a soaking but luckily I don't get it as somehow I manage to get my pack off and toss it over and then my camera before I slipped down the steep walls into the water.

I worked up and out onto the percarious edges that had to be used to get across. One of them was half decent but the other was barely existent. I think the only reason the lesser hold worked is because of the stemming oppositional forces. I got a hand and got across dry.
Ben went next in the same fashion and we all made it dry.





We continue on doing a downclimb into the begining of all the mae west fun to come.

And so the fun begins, we start moving along up high. We are all pretty comfortable from the get go which is good because it's not going to end any time soon.



Moving along in a pretty efficient fashion we all hone our ability to pick the right technique for the stretch of fun at hand. After reading about spidey's solo trip I decided I was going to really dial my galluping in as well as my stemming and bridging to try to make things faster. I think the feet and back and knees and back style wedgesque technique is a bit slower. I'm guessing it's best for insecure spots and a rest from time to time it seems, or simply when it's just most efficient.






Eventually we come to the bombay section and climb on down into it.

Looking out above the bombay:

Looking back up the down climb:

We catch a quick breather on the sloped ledge at the bottom (Nate and I had to medicate ;) and we all drank some water).

Shortly we're moving along again at a good pace, we encounter our first little mini silo which proves to be no big deal. and then we are at a wide spot where you have to go down and back up(I tried to not go down as far so I would have less up to get out the other side which worked ok but it was a little hard working into the chimney to up climb it).















We continue on in the same manner as before untill shortly we arrive at the first real silo (the one with the fixed pin).





We get out the rope and Eric rig's it like a rap like before. He's on a self belay steming to the other side and gone in a flash, across and down into the next crux silo.

I go next in the same manner with a huge knot to back up my self belay. The knot gives me enough rope to get to security on the other side but no more. If I slip and I don't get my belay device locked off in time I will stop at the knot. This methoud worked alright, but you had to feed the rope which was a pain, probly better to just belay it. Everyone worked their way over the silo with no issues (I gave a firemens belay just incase though).










We were talking (after the fact) and it was understood that this thing could be ghosted, the pin could be pulled and the webbing left down canyon could be ghosted. The lower section would probly be bad as it would put more un-needed wear on already delicate anchor points. Maybe not much extra wear but still.

Over and down we go again, into the crux silo.





Eric has talked me into leading it this time. I'm not sure how, or what convinced me but it didn't take much. I think I just wanted to test myself. Anyway I'm not exactly a 5.10 OW climber but I'm confident that I can probly do it even in my hiking boots! Sure enough I was right but it was no easy task, I thruched, heel toed, back step/knee bar wedged, inverted and regular arm barred, and sloppy chicken winged my way up the beast. Eventually I could get my torso in and do a little sidewinding before it allowed regular chimneying. I made it to the top with just 2 pieces of gear placed (a 5 near the bottom and I just slid the 6 up with me till it seemed it was getting too small). Everyone else came up in short order and we were on our way again.


The landing zone/ belay area:











Onward with more mae west and wide sections and up climbs to cross, we make our way to the next silo which has the webbing around the colums. We rap in and I go first hoping that it will be dry and I'm in luck minus a short section that can be stemmed above. I like the subway section at the bottom as it's about the only walking in the whole canyon besides the begining. The orange rope was still fixed from last time and this time it was not burried in the subway so we cleaned it out on our way through. We decide to stop and eat some food and drink some water and medicate again.















Probly stopped about 1/2 - 1 hour and then raced out to the end in the same fashion as we had all day to the down climb.. I decided to stay out on the edge for fun on the down climb, I guess I didn't get enough exposure this time. We all made it in good style and time. It was about 3-3:30 when we got outNate and I got back and drank some beer and tequilla and passed out till about twilight. Meanwhile Eric and Ben ran to Hanksville for some clothes and food and to do some homework (they were hoping for wireless internet but never found it I think).
















Turns out we beat the group in east leprechaun by about 30 min/ 1 hour.

We woke up made a fire, ate and hung out, Eric and Ben joined us shortly. We were all psyched! We had big plans for sunday so we all tried to get to bed somewhat early (pre midnight).

I'm dubbing this weekend Freak Fest seeing as we're a bunch of freaks doing 2, 4 X slot's in one weekend. Most people would freak, seems fitting (especially since it's was Halloween weekend).

[Iceaxe]

Thanks for the TR and pictures. Your TR is by far the best photo documentation of Sandthrax that I have seen. Some of your pictures really do a great job of showing what high stemming in an X-rated canyon consists of. Thanks...

And a little FYI: you can get internet at the Whispering Sands Motel in Hanksville. It's free for guests and something like $5 per hour for non-guest.

[forum8fox]

Thanks Shane,
Glad you liked it. So what did you think compared to our last outing?
Keep and eye out as I'm posting up a really wild No Kidding TR here pretty soon this afternoon.

[Riseforms]

That is really, really cool....but hell no.

[accadacca]

Bitchin'

[Don]

Cool pix, great description. Thanks for posting!

[Sombeech]

Dang Photobucket...

[forum8fox]

I know it blows, it was alot of work to get all these tr's up and for only 3 days before I over used the bandwidth for my photo bucket account. my storage useage is at 96%, I guess I have to upgrade or spend more time uploading to a different hosting site, LAME!!!!!

[forum8fox]

Pics back up, I upgraded.

[bruce from bryce]

I agree on the TR. The most comprehensive photos of a canyon that I will never be in. Gives the feeling of being with you the entire canyon. Thanks.

bruce from bryce

[Iceaxe]

Pics back up, I upgraded.

Awesome

[hank moon]

Nice travelogue w/great shots!

[Iceaxe]

I think this picture gives a great understanding of the penalty points possible with a slip in an X-rated slot.

[forum8fox]

May you live forever through these TR's my friend.