Hammerhead, Upper Left Fork, Das Boot, Subway

[Bo_Beck]

Had a great time yesterday with Kip "Bushwacker", Ram, Dave, Dan, Wayne and Jeremy. Wish Jenny could have joined, but not to be. Started hiking just after 6AM from the West Rim TH and finished up at roughly 6:30PM at lower LF TH. First time for me for the Hammerhead and Upper so difficult for me to compare, but Ram stated that it's the most rappels he'd ever done in Upper and Das Boot? What a gorgeous combo platter. The amount of swimming and beautiful slot rivals Heaps in my estimation? Anyway.... I'm sure Jeremy will post pictures eventually?

[Felicia]

Sounds like a great day Bo! I'm looking forward to the pictures. :-). -Felicia

[tanya]

Awesome guys! The beauty compares to Heaps, but not the difficulty? right?

[Bo_Beck]

With my current physical condition......hmmmmmm? Let me think? I'm hobbling a bit today for sure! It is longer mileage, and quite a bit less physical, but stamina counts for sure, and I'm lacking in the stamina dept.

[tanya]

Yeah... something in the comparison to an ultra marathon runner.

[deathtointernet]

Give me another day on the pictures, Bo, I'm working on it! Too bad work keeps getting in the way.

[Scott Card]

[Bo_Beck]

Give me another day on the pictures, Bo, I'm working on it! Too bad work keeps getting in the way.

Yeah...work can do that! Seems like an important piece of the puzzle though?! Wondered why I struggled so much coming out of the ditch??? Blown out left knee!!!!! Need for work to get in the way for a few days now!

[tanya]

Whats wrong with your knee Bo?

[Bo_Beck]

Whats wrong with your knee Bo?

I think just some stretched tendons and or ligaments? Nothing a little rest and ice can't cure!

Some links to some pictures dnally and bshwkr took for now!

https://picasaweb.google.com/1026167...TGmZIjzSJQmCOA


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...9334907&type=1

[deathtointernet]

Watching the sun rise after about an hour of hiking in the dark along the West Rim Trail, heading towards Potato Hollow.



Bo leading the bushwhack up the slope out of Potato Hollow towards The Hammerhead. Seems like that should be Kip's job...



Looking down into The Hammerhead from the top of the first rappel.



Wayne rappelling third down the first rappel, the longest on the adventure.



After another rappel the canyon takes a big turn to the right. It's extremely deep, straight, and narrow. Ram explained that the canyon had changed quite a bit from last year.



A third and fourth rappel are made, and some fairly straightforward downclimbs.



At the end the canyon begins to widen.



Looking back at The Hammerhead while exiting to the Right Fork.



As long as Bo is in the lead instead of Kip, we felt free to find a nearly-brush free route along the righthand rim of the canyon to a convenient log that allowed us to cross and exit the Right Fork.



North Guardian Angel from the hike to the Left Fork.



Our first glimpse of our destination, the Upper Left Fork.



After a brief break to munch on some food and suit up, we're heading down into the Upper Left Fork.



Ram enjoying a small arch near the beginning of the canyon.



The upper canyon had excellent slot sections, better than I expected, and it was much longer than I expected as well.



The first slot section had a short rappel, and lots of water. The canyon was in perfect condition, full of nice clean, cool but not particularly cold water. I was fine in a 4:3 suit; I usually get cold, but never had to put on the 3mm vest I brought.



Dan swimming out of the first slot section.



A good-sized arch a short ways up a tributary.



Entering another slot section. Ram informed us that this part has great quicksand early in the year.



This slot section had several significant logjams. This large log held as the first several members of the group passed over, but collapsed to the canyon floor as Dan 'The Lumberjack' tried to negotiate it. If he hadn't moved fast could we have had another epic canyon story to tell?



The slot section ended with a longer rappel off a logjam into a pool. Kip rappelled down, and Wayne got on rappel and then had to listen to us discuss the strength of the anchor, which was flexing alarmingly. We changed it to a sturdier log for the rest of the group.



Several long sections of mellow canyon followed, low slots with some small downclimbs and lots of water to wade or swim.



One of my favorite spots, a long swim under a large logjam that felt almost like a cave.



Bo 'kayaking' down the canyon.



The final slot section was dark and narrow, with one final short rappel off a logjam.



Now we're in familiar territory (for me at least), as we start down Das Boot.



Love the green moss on the gray walls, great contrast.



The small 'window' near the beginning of Das Boot.



The usual dark watery narrows of Das Boot. Great to have all the water topped off from the recent storms.



A couple of rappels (though I'm tall enough to cheat on one of them) off logjams take care of most of the technical challenge of Das Boot, followed by lots of downclimbs and swims. Admittedly I'm starting to feel the length of the day.



Near the end Das Boot widens, with the sun just hitting this eerie corridor right. One final rappel into a deep pool of water takes us to...



The Subway! We took a brief rest, removed most of the gear and headed down. We downclimbed the boulder jam and ran into two separate groups of people just starting down the Subway, at 3:30! What were they doing with the rest of their day?!? We were moving fast and were experienced and in the end still barely made it out before dark... these guys asked us if they were in the Subway yet. Hope they had a good evening!



Downclimbing Keyhole Falls.



Great, crystal clear water... what more can you ask for?



Coming out of the Subway. We got out of our suits and started the long haul out to the trailhead.



Big trout in the pool near the dinosaur tracks.



We made it up the cliffs and to the trailhead just in time to watch the sun set. Long day, but it sure was an adventure! Can't imagine better conditions in the canyons. A big thanks to Kip, Ram, Bo, Dave, Dan, and Wayne for an excellent trip.

[bowjunkie]

AWESOME !!!!!

[deathtointernet]

Some video from the trip:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

Bo rappelling down one of the longer rappels in the Upper Left Fork.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

Swimming underneath a logjam in the Upper Left Fork... one of my favorites of the whole adventure.

[Scott Card]

Excellent!!!! Thanks.

[ilipichicuma]

Great pictures! Looks and sounds like an awesome trip!

[ghawk]

Great pictures! Looks and sounds like an awesome trip!

Cliff, I'm thinking end of October... lets do it!

[Felicia]

Excellent!!!! Thanks.

X2

[Cirrus2000]

Great photos, Jeremy! I like the shot of Bo "kayaking" - and the disembodied head of Ram!

[tcott]

Looks like a great trip!

[ilipichicuma]

Cliff, I'm thinking end of October... lets do it!

I like it.