Undercover Work

[peakbaggers]

Okay - so this is my first attempt at a trip report -so if I do something incorrect, just straighten me out.
Took a group of 6 to Undercover Canyon last Saturday (5/14). A little background. 8 years ago, for our 25th anniversary, my wife chartered a high-wing plane out of Grand Junction for a 2 hour flight. We wanted to fly over to the Maze District and back in Canyonlands and of course view the terrain in between, especially the stuff around Moab where we have spent years exploring, hiking, biking, etc. On the return trip, we flew directly over Delicate Arch and then the flight path took us over the Lost Spring Canyon complex - which we were entirely unfamiliar with at the time. We could see a number of enticing canyons in that area so within a few weeks, I had some maps and off we went to explore this outstanding canyon complex. Our first forays consisted of hikes into the main canyon bottom and then exploring up the side canyons. On our first hike, we walked down the Fish Seep branch and found the sudden drop off of about 75 feet or more. We located a route down along the slickrock into the bottom of Fish Seep and then hiked into the main canyon. Subsequent hikes with friends and family took us to the bottom of Undercover and MMI - to us, nameless side canyons at the time that we wanted to descend but did not have either the equipment, skills or beta to do so, but definitely planned to come back to some day.

Jump forward 8 years and a few months ago, I "discovered" these canyons written up on Shane's site. Now with all the right stuff, we planned to get back there this spring. From our scouting efforts years ago, we could tell from walking along & above Undercover that there would be 3 rappels. Shane's info confirmed that. The six that we took were myself & wife (Iron Woman), my son & daughter-in-law (she's a fearless little climber) and some friends of ours name Mark & Leslie. (Leslie is still rather timid about not being tied or clipped into a rope so doesn't like too much exposure. Relevence to be seen later.)

We dropped into Undercover as described and began the hike down canyon. We noticed that in the upper canyon, if you timed it right, you could see a lot of desert Penstemon in bloom - but we were too early. We came to the 1st rappel and located the bolt up on the wall. Replaced the webbing (seemed a little brittle - also forgive me for the bright blue. If someone doesn't like it, go ahead and replace) and easily got everyone down. The narrow opening created by the so-called arch made it difficult to rap down through if you had a pack on, so we lowered most of them.

On to the second rap. The two bolts here have a lengthy sling attached to them that allows getting into the rap from a lower location, maybe about 8 feet below the bolts, in a little pocket that holds about two people at a time. Really liked this rappel. It was easy to get into and very smooth following about an 85 degree angle down into another small pocket nestled into the rock wall, probably about 75 feet down. Beyond this pocket, the canyon constricts and drops maybe 12 more feet. Just above the constriction, there are two logs lodged in the narrow slot and creating a false floor above the slot. We found the constriction below the logs too small to get down through, so we went up and over the two logs. Since we had all six of us down, but had not pulled our rope, we continued to use the rope so people could just walk over the two logs & short, false floor and rap down the last 12 feet. When everyone was down we pulled the rope. Once the rope clears the sling above, it falls randomly to the pocket floor above the two logs, so as we began retrieving it, it of course got caught on one of the logs, so we had to send one of our party members back up to free it. This last 12 feet can be stemmed free anyhow, so the better choice might have been to pull the rope earlier. Nevertheless, we got everyone down and proceeded down canyon for the final rap. After the 2nd rap, you might be inclined to believe you're done, but soon the canyon constricts again for the "cave" section.

The so-called cave section is where the canyon narrows considerably with chockstones overhead that create false floors at times. I dutifully crawled along (not easy with a pack), but we found that going over some of the first obstacles and then dropping in at another opening was easier for the group. After this drop-in, the canyon drops even more and you have to do kind of a body-jam to lower yourself down the last 15 feet or more. It won't do any good to stay up at this point. Just keep going down with the canyon and that will lead to the "platform."

The platform for the last rappel is dramatic. There was plenty of room for the six of us. The view down canyon is mesmerizing. The tiny boxelders a hundred feet below create a nice perspective. The giant chockstone with the sling around it was still in place, but there was a surprise here, that probably won't please some. On the righthand wall, someone had recently placed two bolts and a chain and hanger.The chain & hanger are so massive, I don't think even Mr. T would wear something so gaudy. You could lower a small vehicle on this setup. The sling from the chockstone had been fastened in as a backup I suppose. This was evidently all very new. At least the bolts are well-placed to help reduce rope wear & drag.

The rappel here was one of the most enjoyable we have done. It's never quite free, but smooth and direct and easy to get into and the view is hard to describe. Everyone really enjoyed it. Once we had all down, we took a lunch break. A thin cloud cover had kept the direct sun off of us and cooler to this point. As we consumed our lunches, another group arrived at the platform above and began tossing their ropes down. We later surmised they must be from Grand Junction as well because of their license plates on their vehicle. They called out to us and asked if we had installed the bolts. We quickly denied - don't even own a bolt kit. About the time they were setting up their ropes, we departed for the exit.

We found a couple of small rock cairns that marked to route out, but concern about how Leslie would react to the exposed friction section led me to head us a little farther up MMI to the other side of the side drainage and then up a broad slickrock ridge. The route up was a little convoluted, but generally just followed the easiest path we could find.It was almost all on slickrock. There was one place where the rock steepened enough that you had to make a go-for-it move, but no real "penalty" points if you slid back. We got a couple team members up and then they asssited the rest of us with a foot grab. Leslie handled all this very well. She just refused to look down and kept moving up, so it worked great for her. The sun also had to comed out for this climb up - so it all got really sweaty. Up on top, we found the "trail" others use and went over to see Covert Arch before heading back to the vehicle park at the fenceline. Total trip time was 5.5 hours. Over all, we found this to be a very nice canyon. To anyone who has not visited the Lost Spring Canyon complex, this entire area is worth a dayhike or two. There is non-technical access from the north end of the main canyon. On the topo map, a road leads in from an area called on the map, "The Highlands" and takes you in near "Lost Spring." A trail goes down all through the main canyon. The slickrock here is beautiful, photogenic and there are coves with unique formations including a dramatic spire further down canyon and in a cove on the east side. I highly recommend this area for hiking & photography as well.

[Felicia]

Very nice trip report! The pictures are beautiful.

[moab mark]

Nice report do you by any chance do you have a picture of the new bolts?

[peakbaggers]

Should have taken a photo of the new bolts but didn't. Only have one photo that just shows a portion of the chain. Rest of the view is blocked by one of the people in our group. Could hardly believe how massive the chain and hanger were. Wouldn't have wanted to carry that in myself.

[Iceaxe]

If you are going to bolt... at least do a good job of it.

The normal problem with bolts is that they are placed by some gumbie with no skills at bolting (or canyoneering).

Nice TR, thanks.

[accadacca]

Great TR!

[Don]

Nice write up and labled pictures! Great TR! Already looking forward to your next one...

[RyanGJ]

The Grand Junction folks you were talking about was us! Got a kick out of reading your trip report. I had just been through Undercover (aka Lost and Found) hardly a week before and there were no bolts, quite surprised to see them. They looked so new I though maybe the group just in front of us that just placed them, glad it wasn't you! We did a quick trip to Winter Camp after, what a perfect day trip from Junction!

If your interested we found an alternative exit the comes out under Covert Arch that is pretty easy to do and really doesn't add any time:

Go to end of Lost and Found and instead of turning left (to the typical exit) go right down canyon (this is essentially MMI canyon). Watch for the arch about 5- 10 min on the left. When you can barely see the arch look for a small drainage coming in on the left. You should be able to see only half the arch as you go up this small drainage. You will have to bypass some tumble weeds and a small pour off on the left, but keep heading down the drainage. When you hit the slick rock keep heading up the drainage. You will have to climb up and over an obstacle and enter into a kind of mini-canyon. This will end in pour off, don't go past the pour off. Just before the pour off is an easy boulder move on the left (V easy, 5.5) into a small bowl.

This is the short crux. Its a short but exposed friction on sandstone climb. I think getting out on the left is easier, it is steeper at first but eases up. The right looks easier and is less exposed but gets steeper higher up. It gets easier from here. Just head up to the arch keeping to the left. This is about the same exposure and difficult as the other exit.

Go under and through the arch and continue along the slick rock for another 5 min. You will eventually see an obvious exit the consists of a rock pile leading to the rim with a small climbing move at the top. This is a very easy exit and is not exposed. Head back to the arch for a sweet simultaneous rap, leave one person under the arch for photos and to tell you where to place the rope to get it in the middle of the arch! Don't pull your rope and leave grooves, just collect in when you head back to the rim.

I have done this exit twice, but I have not had anyone give feedback on my directions yet, so these this is untested beta! I found it about the same difficulty as the exit described by the usual websites.

[ratagonia]

Go to end of Lost and Found and instead of turning left (to the typical exit) go right down canyon (this is essentially MMI canyon). Watch for the arch about 5- 10 min on the left. When you can barely see the arch look for a small drainage coming in on the left. You should be able to see only half the arch as you go up this small drainage. You will have to bypass some tumble weeds and a small pour off on the left, but keep heading down the drainage.

I think you mean "keep heading UP the drainage", right?

If you are going up-canyon and come to an obstacle, the obstacle would be a "dry-fall". If going down-canyon and come to the same obstacle from the top, it would be a "pour-off" or a dry-fall.

When you hit the slick rock keep heading up the drainage. You will have to climb up and over an obstacle and enter into a kind of mini-canyon. This will end in pour off, don't go past the pour off. Just before the pour off is an easy boulder move on the left (V easy, 5.5) into a small bowl.

This is the short crux. Its a short but exposed friction on sandstone climb. I think getting out on the left is easier, it is steeper at first but eases up. The right looks easier and is less exposed but gets steeper higher up. It gets easier from here. Just head up to the arch keeping to the left. This is about the same exposure and difficult as the other exit.

Go under and through the arch and continue along the slick rock for another 5 min. You will eventually see an obvious exit the consists of a rock pile leading to the rim with a small climbing move at the top. This is a very easy exit and is not exposed. Head back to the arch for a sweet simultaneous rap, leave one person under the arch for photos and to tell you where to place the rope to get it in the middle of the arch! Don't pull your rope and leave grooves, just collect in when you head back to the rim.

I have done this exit twice, but I have not had anyone give feedback on my directions yet, so these this is untested beta! I found it about the same difficulty as the exit described by the usual websites.

Thanks for the alternate exit.

Tom

[RyanGJ]

Tom, thanks for the help in clarifying.

Its actually a strange area to describe, seems so easy until you put it into words for others to follow! You initially head UP the small drainage on the left off of MMI canyon. Then you head UP a watercourse on slick rock, then you go up and over a dry fall that divides the drainage, the water would pour in different directions on either side of the "obstacle" or dry fall. This is easily passed on the right. Once over the "obstacle" then you are traveling DOWN canyon again for a short bit that ends at a pour off. The exit out of the drainage and onto the slick rock ramp is on the left just before the pour off.

I hope that is clearer and more precise! Always open to improvements!

[peakbaggers]

We were back in this area last Saturday to do MMI (I'll try to get a report out on that in the next day or two) and took the same exit out that I mentioned before. It's a little up canyon from the one described on Shane's site. It's on the other side of the small drainage he mentions. We've done this exit twice now and I wouldn't say there's anything more difficult than 4th class. Suffice it to say that there's more than one way to skin a cat here. The route is almost all slickrock and difficult to describe, but I may try to see if I can copy a Google satellite photo and draw the route. Years ago, when my wife & I were exploring that area from the Lost Spring access, I remember hiking up near to the base of Covert Arch, but never tried going on up to the rim.

Hey RyanGJ, drop me a PM some time. We'd like to know more about some other GJ canyoneers.