Hammerhead, Upper Left Fork, Das Boot, Subway

[canyonguru]

I have always wanted to do the full upper left fork. is there any easier way of doing it with out hammer head. I just don't want to try to tackle all of that my first trip down. unless hammer head is just as easy and the direct rout.

[trackrunner]

I have always wanted to do the full upper left fork. is there any easier way of doing it with out hammer head. I just don't want to try to tackle all of that my first trip down. unless hammer head is just as easy and the direct rout.

there are several options that I believe can be found in Tom book.

[deathtointernet]

I have always wanted to do the full upper left fork. is there any easier way of doing it with out hammer head. I just don't want to try to tackle all of that my first trip down. unless hammer head is just as easy and the direct rout.

Tom's book says you can route find through cliff bands from the Das Boot route to the Upper Left Fork, but I can't vouch for it. You can also hike down Wildcat Canyon all the way to the Left Fork. The start of Wildcat is unpleasant due to brush and rocky terrain, but it's just a hike and it does get better further down canyon where a trail develops on the bench on the right side. We spotted a sling around a tree on that side of the canyon right at the Seeps, but at the confluence of Wildcat and the Left Fork you can find a path to walk right down. Personally though I found the Hammerhead to be totally worth carrying the extra rope.

[The Good Cop]

I entirely agree with Jeremy's take on it. While I can't vouch for any other approach, this seemed relatively painless, particularly compared to possibly extended work getting through or around Wildcat. Just a short bushwhack out of Potato Hollow and then down into the Hammerhead, no big deal. Still a very long day though, but relaxing the whole time. Technical difficulty seemed very mellow, although contrast with Imlay the day before might have contributed to that impression And of course having great, fun and very competent companions helped a lot with that! A big thanks to Kip, Bo, Jeremy, Dave, Ram and Dan for a truly amazing day! And great photos Jeremy, thanks for bringing the good memories flooding back!

Wayne

[Brian in SLC]

Wow, nice pic's!

What's the anchor for the first rappel?

[The Good Cop]

I believe it was a sling on a tree on canyon left?

[ibenick]

Awesome photos and trip report, Jeremy.

[ratagonia]

I entirely agree with Jeremy's take on it. While I can't vouch for any other approach, this seemed relatively painless, particularly compared to possibly extended work getting through or around Wildcat. Just a short bushwhack out of Potato Hollow and then down into the Hammerhead, no big deal. Still a very long day though, but relaxing the whole time. Technical difficulty seemed very mellow, although contrast with Imlay the day before might have contributed to that impression And of course having great, fun and very competent companions helped a lot with that! A big thanks to Kip, Bo, Jeremy, Dave, Ram and Dan for a truly amazing day! And great photos Jeremy, thanks for bringing the good memories flooding back!

Wayne

I disagree. The question was how to make this a reasonable day, rather than a bust-your-derriere day.

The answer is, just go in Wildcat Canyon. Many hours shorter. All of the Left Fork. Kelsey shows traversing from the Das Boot approach, but it would not save any time over hiking a solid trail to Wildcat, and would be a total pain.

Hammerhead start seems a little forced to me, not that there is anything wrong with that. Starts in the Right Fork, crosses to the Left Fork.

Tom

[nelsonccc]

We've always just traversed across the cliff bands above Das Boot. It's only like another 20 minutes of hiking on the cliff bands to get to the spring. You have to stay high though and not get towards the edge since the closer you get to the spring the more the slopes above the slot steepen. We've been forced in just below the start of the slot due to not staying high enough. We've always done it this way since when looking down Wildcat it looks like a total bushwhack fest.

[ratagonia]

We've always just traversed across the cliff bands above Das Boot. It's only like another 20 minutes of hiking on the cliff bands to get to the spring. You have to stay high though and not get towards the edge since the closer you get to the spring the more the slopes above the slot steepen. We've been forced in just below the start of the slot due to not staying high enough. We've always done it this way since when looking down Wildcat it looks like a total bushwhack fest.

In most years, the upper mile in Wildcat is overgrown with roses and is quite unpleasant. Can be avoided by going down "Little Blue", but if coming from the Wildcat Canyon trailhead this would add extra mileage.

After the first, "over-grown" section, there is generally open walking on the right hand bench. But, this year, lots of growth in places in Zion where stuff has not grown before, so...

Tom

[canyonguru]

So it sounds like the quickest time is going down Wildcat but will be unpleasant due to the rose bushes, but doing Hammerhead takes more time but you have longer ropes to carry.

Does Hammerhead drop straight into Left Fork or do you have to traverse over to it. I like the all down hill approach that Wildcat sounds like it is. They both sound like a great hike i pretty country.

[ratagonia]

So it sounds like the quickest time is going down Wildcat but will be unpleasant due to the rose bushes, but doing Hammerhead takes more time but you have longer ropes to carry.

Does Hammerhead drop straight into Left Fork or do you have to traverse over to it. I like the all down hill approach that Wildcat sounds like it is. They both sound like a great hike i pretty country.

As much as I am loathe to provide information to those too lazy to do a simple google search, in this case, oh guru, I shall do so nonetheless. Here's a link for you:

http://tinyurl.com/3h3kpad

Tom :moses

[ratagonia]

So it sounds like the quickest time is going down Wildcat but will be unpleasant due to the rose bushes, but doing Hammerhead takes more time but you have longer ropes to carry.

Does Hammerhead drop straight into Left Fork or do you have to traverse over to it. I like the all down hill approach that Wildcat sounds like it is. They both sound like a great hike i pretty country.

Or, even easier, here's the map...

[Sombeech]

I don't think Trip Reports from the Subway will ever get old. Nice work

[deathtointernet]

Or, even easier, here's the map...

That map is actually not an accurate representation of the route we took, which might explain some of the negativity towards the Hammerhead. There is no need to go down any part of the Right Fork upon exiting Hammerhead. Instead we worked up canyon on the slopes above the drainage for about five minutes before finding an easy crossing point, then spent another five minutes ascending out. From there we crossed some flat terrain and dropped down a ridge to the Seeps. The terrain was mostly open with little brush or obstacles. Looking back over my photos, it took us about five hours from the West Rim Trailhead to enter the Left Fork via Hammerhead. Earlier this year it took me about three and half hours to hike from the West Rim Trailhead to the Left Fork via Wildcat Canyon. Times will vary; we were moving quickly in Hammerhead but there were seven of us, in Wildcat Canyon I was taking my time but I was solo, had no technical gear, rope, or wetsuit to carry. But the hour and a half difference for me, personally, and carrying the extra rope, was worth it to get in another excellent canyon in its own right. Not to say that Wildcat doesn't have it's moments, but I think it's safe to say that Hammerhead is certainly the more interesting route. Anyway, personal preferences will vary, I think the goal of the trip wasn't to suggest a perfect route, but to get in some nice canyons.

[ratagonia]

That map is actually not an accurate representation of the route we took, which might explain some of the negativity towards the Hammerhead. There is no need to go down any part of the Right Fork upon exiting Hammerhead. Instead we worked up canyon on the slopes above the drainage for about five minutes before finding an easy crossing point, then spent another five minutes ascending out. From there we crossed some flat terrain and dropped down a ridge to the Seeps. The terrain was mostly open with little brush or obstacles. Looking back over my photos, it took us about five hours from the West Rim Trailhead to enter the Left Fork via Hammerhead. Earlier this year it took me about three and half hours to hike from the West Rim Trailhead to the Left Fork via Wildcat Canyon. Times will vary; we were moving quickly in Hammerhead but there were seven of us, in Wildcat Canyon I was taking my time but I was solo, had no technical gear, rope, or wetsuit to carry. But the hour and a half difference for me, personally, and carrying the extra rope, was worth it to get in another excellent canyon in its own right. Not to say that Wildcat doesn't have it's moments, but I think it's safe to say that Hammerhead is certainly the more interesting route. Anyway, personal preferences will vary, I think the goal of the trip wasn't to suggest a perfect route, but to get in some nice canyons.

The map is for the Right Fork via the Hammerhead, thus, it is not expected to show the Left Fork via the Hammerhead explicitly. I would expect the Full Left Adventurer would be capable of reading a topo map and figuring out where to go. Sir.

You Hammerheaded with an extra-competent group, devoted to speed. You did not do the same in Wildcat, thus... as you mention, not an apples to apples comparison.

and, to add some content, not just snarkiness, to this post:

Full Left could be hiked from the Wildcat Trailhead, thus saving perhaps an hour on the car fetch. Yeah, the hike is a little further, maybe even an hour more, but a good tradeoff, I would think.

Tom

[deathtointernet]

The map is for the Right Fork via the Hammerhead, thus, it is not expected to show the Left Fork via the Hammerhead explicitly. I would expect the Full Left Adventurer would be capable of reading a topo map and figuring out where to go. Sir.

That sounds like the start of another great SAR story The question was asked what the route was, you provided a map with a route marked on it and nothing else. Now I know that the route marked was to the Right Fork and not accurate for the Left, but I'm going to assume not everyone does or the question wouldn't have been asked. Yes, I would hope that anyone trying this one would know better, and if nothing else would be able to adjust accordingly when confronted with reality. But I thought I'd take a little extra time to make sure that the best information is out there.

Anyway, I believe that the whole point was that it was a great trip, a neat way to do it, and something I would repeat again. For me that's pretty much the end of the story.

[ratagonia]

That sounds like the start of another great SAR story The question was asked what the route was, you provided a map with a route marked on it and nothing else. Now I know that the route marked was to the Right Fork and not accurate for the Left, but I'm going to assume not everyone does or the question wouldn't have been asked. Yes, I would hope that anyone trying this one would know better, and if nothing else would be able to adjust accordingly when confronted with reality. But I thought I'd take a little extra time to make sure that the best information is out there.

Anyway, I believe that the whole point was that it was a great trip, a neat way to do it, and something I would repeat again. For me that's pretty much the end of the story.

Au contraire, cher Jeremy -

The question was:

Does Hammerhead drop straight into Left Fork or do you have to traverse over to it.

- though many would have put a question mark after it, ya know, ye olde grammar thingeemabob.

I provided a handy map titled "Right Fork - Middle", a map with the Hammerhead route marked, and the Left Fork marked. And actually, a valid, though longer than required, route from one to the other...

what was the point you were trying to make again? People are idiots, and when provided even with a map, Canyonguru would have wandered off into the Right Fork and been surprised by??? Or something???? Perhaps Canyonguru could pipe in and tell us whether he can read a topo map or not. With a name like Canyonguru we would HOPE he can!

My belief is that Canyonguru was just lazy, not that he could not read a map - that he was asking an off-hand question in the hope that it would save him 30 seconds of googling... But you may be right.

Tom

[Bo_Beck]

As much as I am loathe to provide information to those too lazy to do a simple google search, in this case, oh guru, I shall do so nonetheless. Here's a link for you:

http://tinyurl.com/3h3kpad

Tom :moses

[canyonguru]

I will go with Lazy on this one, and yes i can READ a TOPO Map thank you very much. I guess when i read these trip reports my mind thinks of questions to ask and instead of looking them up i figure i will just ask the source for the answer. Thanks you so much, All Mighty for the information that i asked for, you are super awesome and cool to provide me with Beta on a canyon that i might do in the future. Thats you Tom cause your buff and awesome. (for some reason my animations aren't working) anyways thanks again for the map i really like hearing about different ways to do the same thing, makes it interesting.