Vid: How to escape a pothole out of Imlay

[jman]

From our Imlay trip with Trackrunner about a month ago - a great trip!

Anyways, Jeff got some vids of him escaping a pothole and decided to create a vid of how to escape out of a pothole.

Let me know what you guys think and I'll forward the comments on to him.

[Deathcricket]

Very cool! I actually had no idea that was how it was accomplished, I assumed drilling holes in the sandstone was forbidden and some sort of pack toss was done. Or the sandbags or the grappling hooks or whatevs. So I did notice in one pothole you used a single sided type bend and then in another you used a triple sided "talon". Is there a reason or just demonstrating how the two different tools work which is the same? Or do you need one tool for one pothole and the other tool for another?

Lastly, he makes it look pretty easy, I'm sure it's not haha. Well done!

[jman]

Very cool! I actually had no idea that was how it was accomplished, I assumed drilling holes in the sandstone was forbidden and some sort of pack toss was done.

Yes, generally. However, these holes were already drilled/there and we just used what was available.

Other potholes we did a packtoss for Imlay. Every canyon is different. Just because we had talons and hook doesn't mean that it will work for every canyon.

Or the sandbags or the grappling hooks or whatevs. So I did notice in one pothole you used a single sided type bend and then in another you used a triple sided "talon". Is there a reason or just demonstrating how the two different tools work which is the same? Or do you need one tool for one pothole and the other tool for another?

Yup, just demonstrating the two different tools. Again, not every pothole will be the same. Some potholes in Imlay were easy to escape with no tools (just finger jam the cracks and pull yourself up), and other potholes need a potshot (the easiest way) and others need talons, etc. Different uses.

Lastly, he makes it look pretty easy, I'm sure it's not haha. Well done!

True - he does! He's a natural 5.9-11 climber. He trads and sport climbs. Plus he weighs like 110 lbs. He's our expert climber of the group. I'm just the muscles. hehe

[ratagonia]

Nice!

T

[Felicia]

Very interesting - thanks for the insight. :-)

Felicia

[Iceaxe]

Nice video

FWIW: If you are in a pothole with deep water you had better have the hooks tied to you (or a float). Otherwise you will loose the hook and aider if it pops free (which is not uncommon).

[Kishkumen]

From the video, it looked like he was using one hook. That might be tough for most canyoneers. It is also a good idea to go over to the wall with a hand drill and clean out several of the initial starting holes. If the holes have the bottom edge broken off, clean out or drill new holes. If you have good holes, its easy - if you don't, it sucks. Good tip to tie the webbing so that it pulls the hook into the wall. Another good tip to put a float on it.

[Scott Card]

Nice video

FWIW: If you are in a pothole with deep water you had better have the hooks tied to you (or a float). Otherwise you will loose the hook and aider if it pops free (which is not uncommon).

Don't tell them that! I re-supply my gear stash from dropped stuff in potholes.

[Iceaxe]

I re-supply my gear stash from dropped stuff in potholes.

x2

plus add the extra crap I usually clean from the rat's nest at most rappel stations and my gear stash stays well stocked.

[trackrunner]

there are a few things I would do different

1. keeper leash to the hooks in case its dropped
2. two hooks instead of only one hook used
3. no need for the follower to hook out with someone on top, easier ways to get the follower out.

I didn't make the video but I was there and some things about it. jeff found out why you use an keeper leash up canyon. he choose not to use a leash at this location because the pool was shallow, clean, & sandy. the reason jeff found out to use a keeper leash (some unnamed person) dropped the other hook in a deep pothole while trying to put it back in his bag, hence only one hook. jeff escaped the pothole and handed the hook to me because he wanted to film it from a different location. I think he will correct that when he gets better footage. this was all he had and I know he wanted to make a video.

I assumed drilling holes in the sandstone was forbidden and some sort of pack toss was done.

there are a few canyons with few potholes drilled for hooking. it's the "nuclear option" and good practice to not add holes to potholes/canyons that don't have it. use all other techniques before reaching for the drill to place a hole to a pothole.

this pothole in the video could have been defeated with a couple 40ft pack toss across the pothole, but late in the day & cold it was easier to use the existing holes to hook out.