Freeze Fest VIII (First Post for Updates)

[nat]

Man, I didn't mean to work you all up. I enjoy canyoneering, I'm not trying to say it's too wussy for me you know. I'm just saying, I like to do things to extremes as much as I can. On my snowboard I have made a few descents that are firsts on a snowboard and just a hand full of skiers most likely. Most people would consider them ice climbs, but not me after 17+ years on the thing. I wish I was that bad ass at climbing but I'm just a spec compared to the pros. Best out of most of my firends, and I made it up artist tears with just 1 day of desert climbing experience prior (5.8 A4 and I got the aid cruxes). I had only climbed 2 C3 routes prior to it.
I got into caving this summer and have already seen most of the best caves in colorado. I love all types of outdoor adventure and I'm always just trying to strive for my best and the best in others.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to do canyons for the challenge or difficulty of them. I do canyons for all different kinds of reasons, and it depends on the canyon. I do some for the beauty, some to show friends, some just because I haven't done them yet, and some because others have said they are good . Others I've done because I've been invited by friends. On the other hand, some, especially the high stemming canyons, I search out and do precisely because of the challenge, and because few have done them. It's always a great adventure, and especially satisfying to complete such a canyon, kind of like doing a hard climb. That said, I don't think even the hardest high stemming slots will not compare with the difficulties of serious hard climbs.

If you are looking for greater challenges in high stemming slots, there is public beta on some. Long Branch and Pintac are pretty challenging, much harder in most respects than Sandthrax or E4. Kelsey describes these in his tech guide (2nd edition); in the Escalante. There are also TR's of descents of these in Stefan's Canyon Tales www.canyontales.com.

Nat

[rockgremlin]

When are the dates for the fest this year? I'd like to make a run at PsychoD and a few others...

[CarpeyBiggs]

When are the dates for the fest this year? I'd like to make a run at PsychoD and a few others...

26th - 4th, though I imagine most people will be there around the weekend, 30th-3rd.

[Iceaxe]

[quote=Scott P]Isn

[jb56chevy]

i am pretty new canyoneering and brand new to this board. But, I would like to meet some of you all and find some people to ride, climb, hike with.

[CarpeyBiggs]

i am pretty new canyoneering and brand new to this board. But, I would like to meet some of you all and find some people to ride, climb, hike with.

freeze fest is a great place to meet new folks. there will probably be 30-40 people on the weekend.

[trackrunner]

So I need ideas for a kitchen pass to tell Jen, my wife. The weekend of the 26th is right after Christmas and we always have to visit the in-laws. She would kill me. My son's birthday is Dec 31, again she will kill me. Invite her? Anything below 78 degrees F is too cold for her. Looks like I will never attend a freeze fest.

[CarpeyBiggs]

shaun, just a couple of days somewhere in there? most people only stay a couple nights. only a few stay long.

[DiscGo]

I plan on being there from New Years Eve until the 3rd. I'm way excited.

[Don]

Cody and I will be there Dec 28 through Jan 3. We might leave early, the evening of the 2nd, to visit Mystic Mike's hot springs in Monroe before driving home on the 3rd. Hope to get Josh, Gonzo and maybe one or two others down there with us but it's unlikely they will make it until the 30th or 31st. Cody and I have been considering something like Buckskin Gulch for early that week, then hit Sandthrax campground by midweek to (again, hopefully) meet others. No firm plan except that Cody and I will be down south that week.
We met some cool people last year and hope to hit some canyons with some of you this year too!

[ratagonia]

You know I've been thinking that canyoneering is pretty easy myself lately. But then again I'm pretty new at this stuff with less then 3 years under my belt. I'm sure I've not seen the hardest stuff yet, but probly just about the hardest of what's published on climb utah and on tom's site. (minus canyons that require wet suits mostly). I sure hope I've not seen the outer edge of what's possible around me, I hope that there are canyons still that people think aren't possible to be quite honest. Gotta have something to work toward.

Unlike climbing, canyoneering has little to no emphasis on mastering difficulty. At least not, all the time, every canyon. If this is really your main focus, this will not be a good sport for you. Partly because there are very few 'difficult' canyons, and partly because you are soloing, all the time. One little error and...

Perhaps the challenge of having a good time despite doing canyons that are just fun (but not challenging) could keep you engaged. Not trying to cop an attitude on your attitude cop, but I don't think you will find the sport engaging if your sole focus is on difficulty. And especially at Freezefest, when pushing limits is so much more dangerous than during more benign times of the year.

Tom

[ratagonia]

Tom

Oops, late the party, again!!!

Tom

[ratagonia]

Anyway, the big event is the New Year's black hole. For this people will need enough protection to swim in icewater for a couple hours. Generally double wet suits or a dry suit will do. Learning how to function in the cold and wet is an interesting challenge.

Very few raps in the Black Hole, as in zero. couple of downclimbs. Great fun had by all, usually canyon-gang-warfare.

The other big event is the sitting around the fire telling stories into all hours of the night, well, at least until 9 pm, the mandatory stay-up-till hour.

Tom

[trackrunner]

I might actually be able to make a kitchen pass for a couple days. Now have to find out which days to fit this in.

[ScoutColorado]

Anyway, the big event is the New Year's black hole. For this people will need enough protection to swim in icewater for a couple hours. Generally double wet suits or a dry suit will do. Learning how to function in the cold and wet is an interesting challenge.

Tom

Hey Tom,
You said double wetsuits? I have a 3mm full and a 7mm full. Will the 7mm be enough? I can put them both on (just tried it), but I look like the Michelin Man, and if I fall over I'm not sure I can get up.
Thanks, Randy

[CarpeyBiggs]

Anyway, the big event is the New Year's black hole. For this people will need enough protection to swim in icewater for a couple hours. Generally double wet suits or a dry suit will do. Learning how to function in the cold and wet is an interesting challenge.

Tom

Hey Tom,
You said double wetsuits? I have a 3mm full and a 7mm full. Will the 7mm be enough? I can put them both on (just tried it), but I look like the Michelin Man, and if I fall over I'm not sure I can get up.
Thanks, Randy

7mm is probably good. i wore a 4/3 and 2/2 last time. i get coldest on my hands and feet, so i think 7mm socks and some neo gloves would be helpful too. but i get cold easy.

[ScoutColorado]

Thanks Carpey,
I'll try to get some thicker socks and gloves.
BTW, loved your Cricket B&W photo. Excellent!
Randy

[stefan]

Anyway, the big event is the New Year's black hole. For this people will need enough protection to swim in icewater for a couple hours. Generally double wet suits or a dry suit will do. Learning how to function in the cold and wet is an interesting challenge.

Tom

Hey Tom,
You said double wetsuits? I have a 3mm full and a 7mm full. Will the 7mm be enough? I can put them both on (just tried it), but I look like the Michelin Man, and if I fall over I'm not sure I can get up.
Thanks, Randy

7mm is probably good. i wore a 4/3 and 2/2 last time. i get coldest on my hands and feet, so i think 7mm socks and some neo gloves would be helpful too. but i get cold easy.

indeed, the gloves make the difference between fully enjoying it and enduring the cold.

[cookiecutter]

Thanks Tom for giving me a heads up about Freeze Fest, it looks as though there is a strong chance of 3 or 4 of us coming down. we have lots of fire wood available to us...not too many wet suits. We'll figure it out though

[CarpeyBiggs]

cc - i just got a smokin' good deal on a wetsuit at recreation outlet for $60. it's a real nice 4/3 salomon suit. deeps told me about it. might be worth checking into. they are "at the warehouse," so you have to ask specifically for them. i'm on my way to alaska, so i don't remember the exact model. something like endo 4/3 or something?

that said, if you can't find rubber for the black hole, there will certainly be people who will do other canyons that day. so it's still worth being around for the party.

i will have 2 extra wetsuits i'll bring down. both fit about 6 foot, 175-190ish. if it comes down to that, you're welcome to borrow one. one is 4/3, one is 2/2, both fulls.