Echo. 6/27/12

[2065toyota]

4 of us made a trip down echo. Unfortunately I forgot my camera so I have no pics. We planning on starting the switchbacks at 6am, but when it got be midnight I postponed it a little and we didn't get of the shuttle until about 8. We were moving a little slow after doing Fat Man's Sunday and then Keyhold/Pine on Tuesday. There was still shade so we decided we better hustle to beat the sun. It worked, and we didn't get the heat until after we croosed the lower echo entrance and exited the canyon. It seems that most people are skipping the Echo experience by entering the canyon too early. There is an extremely broke in social trail entering Echo about 3 drainages too early. By doing this you miss some spicy downclimbs, awkward raps, 2 dead man anchors, and a pothole escape. Thats the fun stuff, but that is only my opinion. We used both previously built dead man anchors, with the second one almost failing on us. Sometimes it takes a close call the reinforce what you know to do, and that is rebuild it every time. As Tom explained in previous Echo post, PF (progessive failure). No matter how strong its built, each time it gets used it gets weaker. Kind of like the helmet thing. Just Do It. Had a great time. Pot hold escape was empty, I stacked rocks and was able to get out myself, but I am 6' 5". The rest of our party needed assistance. Good advice to not do this canyon alone. My wife was trying to prove how tough she was by claiming she would make it through without suiting up. She made it the pool with the log climb and because of her height, spent almost 5 minutes before she was able to get out. At that point she found it prudent to suit and glove up because she got pretty chilled. Had she been able to get out faster I think she would have made it. The water is fairly low but not very dirty yet. There is a large rock slide that has damed up a new swim section. At least I don't remember it being there before and some large trees that have fallen into the canyon. Helmets. We had rocks fall on us in Mystery a couple of weeks ago and also in Birch last year. I always find it enjoyable to exit Echo and watch the tourists sit there and wonder why the wetsuits when its' 100 degrees outside. My in laws are hooked now even then they live in Indianapolis. They have already been online looking at gear and are planning their next trip back. Sorry about not having any pics. But it does give me an excuse to go back again

[SlickRock]

Thanks for the the info on the social trail, drainages upstream, etc.!