Neon Canyon: How many raps?

[slim]

Well, it's been a while since I've posted here. Thanks for all the great discussions.
I'm planning to do Neon at the end of April and could use a little detailed beta.

Being pretty cautious I sometimes like to leave fixed ropes in canyons where I don't know for certain that I can get through. Then, if you make it, it's fun to go back the next day and do a "speed" version pulling the ropes with a tagline as you go. So I'm wondering about how many rappels there are in Neon (doing the route described in "Climb-Utah" and how high are they. (Not counting the final one) Rope is heavy and I'd sure like to take as little as possible and still be sure of having enough for all the non-reclimbable rappels.

I have another question I'll post as a separate thread.

Thanks,

Mike Jewell
Idaho

[slim]

Ok, I re-read this post of mine and it sounds pretty lame. "Can someone tell me exactly what I need to take to eliminate all thought, problem solving and effort?"
Maybe that's why there are 75 views and no replies! 8^)

It's funny since, like I imagine a lot of you feel, I've always seen it as a fine line between feeling like you're really "getting yer money's worth" by not researching at all and doing too much research (easy to do today with the Web) to the point of it hardly being necessary to actually GO by the time you're ready to.

But, being an engineer and all, I feel like if there is valuable info out there, I would just be being foolish to not obtain it, especially for a hike that is known for containing a relatively high level of real potential danger (and also since I'm going with two friends who are trusting me to not get them killed! ).

Ok, now that I've bared my soul and spilled my guts to you folks........

HOW MANY RAPS ARE THERE AND HOW LONG ARE THEY????!!!!

..... Mostly light hearted and thankful for ANY beta you folks are willing to share,

Mike

[Brian in SLC]

HOW MANY RAPS ARE THERE AND HOW LONG ARE THEY?

Assuming you are doing just the lower part, there's only three, and, I think they're 25, 20 and 80'.

I took a single 50m rope. Not sure you'd need any more than that, and, no real need to leave rope fixed. The first rap is downclimbable (or was) and if you took two 80 foot sections of rope, could bypass the second rap's keeper pothole, then you could yell back up canyon and have your partner pull the rope from the first drop, and, just finish the whole thing without having to fix any ropes.

The technical section of the lower canyon is pretty short.

[slim]

Assuming you are doing just the lower part, there's only three, and, I think they're 25, 20 and 80'.

Thanks for the insight.

I am planning to do the route shown on the map on "Climb-Utah". Is that what you're calling the "lower part"?
And, I assume the 80' rap you mention is the final one into Golden Cathedral.??

The only reason I'd leave the fixed ropes is in case we can't get through the final "keeper" and had to retreat back up canyon. I've read a bunch of good reports here about defeating it in various conditions and will go with several tricks in our back pockets but I know from experience that things can change overnight that offer brand new problems. And being basically a worry-wort, I'd sure be more relaxed if I knew I had an escape if the keeper is impassable. I'll also be checking here just before going down for any late info on conditions.

Mike

[Iceaxe]

I am planning to do the route shown on the map on "Climb-Utah". Is that what you're calling the "lower part"?

For those playing along at home...

[Brian in SLC]

IAnd, I assume the 80' rap you mention is the final one into Golden Cathedral.??

The only reason I'd leave the fixed ropes is in case we can't get through the final "keeper" and had to retreat back up canyon.

The rappels aren't that far apart. If you can pass the second one, then, there's no need to leave anything fixed. And, like I mentioned, it'd be easy to scope that second drop and see if its passable, then, yell back up (or hike back to the base of it) to yank the rope from the first drop.

Yeah, 80 feet is the last rappel.