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Thread: Heaps Canyon Rescue?

  1. #21
    If they carried The Book, they would have known they could have escaped out Isaac Canyon.
    Or had known not to start a one day Heaps trip at ~9:30 AM in October.
    Utah is a very special and unique place. There is no where else like it on earth. Please take care of it and keep the remaining wild areas in pristine condition. The world will be a better place if you do.

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  3. #22
    Same story with a little different spin from KSL

    Park rangers rescue stranded canyoneers in Zion
    By McKenzie Romero

    ZION NATIONAL PARK — Vigilant park rangers may have saved the lives of two inexperienced canyoneers who got stuck attempting to traverse Heaps Canyon over the weekend.

    The pair, a 41-year-old man and 26-year-old woman, had picked up a wilderness permit and entered Heaps Canyon on Saturday morning. Park rangers warned them their late start might necessitate staying overnight in the canyon.

    The two were never reported missing or overdue, but rangers noticed their vehicle at a trail head Monday morning.

    Aly Baltrus, spokeswoman for Zion National Park, said the successful rescue can be credited to the information the visitors had provided on their permit application and the observations of the rangers who took note of their absence.

    "Had rangers not noticed the canyoneers' vehicle at the trail head, it is unclear when or if the two would have been reported overdue," Baltrus said.

    The canyoneers were spotted by helicopter late Monday. They were a little more than halfway through and said they were unable to finish the route. The chopper returned Tuesday morning and was able to land on a canyon bench above the group.

    A six-person rescue team helped lower a ranger 125 feet down from the bench into the canyon, then hauled the pair and the park ranger back up. Neither of the canyoneers required medical assistance.

    Heaps Canyon is a challenging route in in the increasingly popular sport of canyoneering, park officials said. The canyon is 11 miles long and includes a 300-foot free hanging rappel, swimming through cold water and slick rock potholes.

    The two stranded canyoneers lacked the experience necessary to successfully complete the route, the release stated.

    http://www.ksl.com/?sid=22507431&nid...&s_cid=queue-4

  4. #23
    KSL comments are pretty mild so far.

    Interesting that someone posted a good measure for being ready for Heaps is if you've done the technical part of Pine Creek in 45 minutes. Seems average at best to me. And, like someone else stated, not a decent measure.

    I've always liked the way Tom has treated both Imlay and Heaps in his canyon beta. Shane too. Good advice. Climbers always do well to heed advice such as "the Road to the Nose" type stuff. What needs to be done to prepare.

    Hey, its just rappelling...(ha ha!).

    Come on, who knows these folks? Let's have some perspective from the victims, here!

  5. #24

    Re: Heaps Canyon Rescue?

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian in SLC View Post
    ... Let's have some perspective from the victims, here!
    The only victims of this are the people who actually go into these canyons prepared for the conditions. I'm glad that they were saved (from their own stupidity) but these people cost us all... The resources that were used to rescue these people could have been better spent.
    :mad:

    Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
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  6. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Brian in SLC View Post
    KSL comments are pretty mild so far.
    Hmmm...searching for Heaps on KSL does not bring up the desired results.

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  8. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by burley View Post
    Hmmm...searching for Heaps on KSL does not bring up the desired results.


  9. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by burley View Post
    Hmmm...searching for Heaps on KSL does not bring up the desired results.
    I don't know.... hard to tell one disater from the other....

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  11. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by burley View Post
    Hmmm...searching for Heaps on KSL does not bring up the desired results.
    OK, that was funny.
    Life is Good

  12. #29
    The mishap, drama, SAR, speculation re who he/she...if they come out as "known quantities" or friends of prime canyoneers, there will be excuse and explanation plenty. (The dry suit leaked, we ripped the wet suit, we lost a rope in the water, we slipped on a climb or drop/injured arm/leg). If they continue to be unknown or turn out to be rookies, the rapturous, rancorous barking will continue - justifyablly I suppose. (and I wonder what the talk within Zion Park is, who paid for the chopper/time/gas..those blankety canyoneers- rescues, Heaps, Subway.) So many angles....another view though; the internet, web sites, books, hype?
    There is plenty of watch out/prepare on some sites, but still the lure, allure and quest to match the big boys/girls by doing the big stuff in zion -doesn't matter that fall conditions - cooler water, and abnormal log jams are present. Wonder wonder, how many more rescues, what's the future consequence? Park imposing (like some counties) rescue impact fees. Or maybe more deaths to ramp up the notoriety of the place(s). Sprinkle their ashes in the canyon? It's a chaotic barrell of twisted interests. If the two come out, maybe they get poked (speak) and to some degree, there is more insight...otherwise, all speculation and gunfire. Load up folk, the irresponsible ride, entering the Heaps carousel, not paying for the ticket (dues) and putting the sport in disrepute. Ah, but we taxpayers pay taxes, that'll cover all the rescue operation? Is that Tea Party talk or what? OOPS forgot, maybe they were friends of "Lance" & neglected to boost (blood cells) EPO; or testosterone or blood infusion? Maybe that's the excuse or call? (the party line is to deny that). I'm sure there are warm bodies out there, that know who and what put them up to it - too bad these same clarion callers didn't put a stop or stall to it - their effort. Stick with an amusement ride elsewhere; or make a trip to the therapist or psychologist; questing, what's that inner pull or drive; why didn't we stay out of harms way? Dave Black, barking dog, younger women...Heaps...rescue (of the dog)...Death in Heaps, a while back...the stories, do they have meaning or is the 20 minute (day long) splash of notoriety "entertainment tonite", or just wistful drama in the rear view mirror?

  13. #30
    Uhh, try using a paragraph or two, Steve, easier to follow your point (whatever it is...ha ha!).

    Some schadenfreude, some "there but for the grace go I", some pure entertainment value.

    Climbing last weekend at Tahquitz, my partner and I, someone I'd never roped in with, got a classic afternoon "Southern California alpine start". 7 pitch route, one I hadn't done before. She casually mentions she forgot her headlight. Chuckle. Have to admit the idear of a forced bivy sorta sounded appealling... Alas, was not to be as we car-to-car'd it in a few hours.

    Bitin' off more than can be chewed...happens to the best of us. No medical attention needed?

    Glad they were ok.

    I think back on the folks who made the NPS morning report (I'll pass, knock on wood!), and wonder, for the most of them, was that it for canyoning for them? Wonder what percentage stayed hooked?

  14. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by Iceaxe View Post
    So how does a man who is 41 get a woman who is 26 to have a sleep over?

    A friend wanted to know.....

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    Another older man getting in trouble with a younger woman. Some things never change. I want to know what he's going to tell his wife.

  15. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by Brian in SLC View Post
    Climbing last weekend at Tahquitz,
    In my neck of the woods eh? Ever weekend I am hiking those mountains, still have yet to climb on Tahquitz or Suicide.... I really should do it sometime.

  16. #33
    Is it possible they were planning on spending a week in Heaps and ZNP rescue messed it up for them?

    "But wifey nothing happened, we were *stuck* in Heaps!"

  17. #34
    The point, sir Brian - it's a muddled mess - conjuring or figuring out the hows and why's re some folk in the outdoors. And so when a certain politician or two "turned on his mouth and didn't stop", I thought well - I'll purposely let the lines run today, with no intent to stop or shift a paragraph. But then you have a style too, at times, which I won't talk about, publicly.

    Half way into Heaps - cold water season and more debris this year - and the folk take a ride "up the rope" into the helicopter. So convenient that a spartan SAR crew is around. And the unknowing public - it's a 20 second splash on the TV or news and then folk (mentally) move on. But for those of us that have been in Heaps, more than a few times, we kinda wonder....I've had enough of this cold and climbing up and over and outa potholes; I'll sit and wait for the calvary? But then again, maybe an injury or calamity, or some some screaming or crying; a big emotional dip?

    These days, folk hike a mountain, give out, patch the cell phone to 911 and ask for a helicopter. If it's a legitimate break of an arm or leg, we give them a pass, but those that didn't measure the stick before they did the deed and gave out? What gives there? Canyoneering vs. climbing. The former - in many cases -so easy. Drop the line, go down and have a blissful day. Then if drama or tension arrives - in climbing there is a retreat (if possible); in canyoneering, once the ropes are pulled, one drops into a potential pandoras box; (water, cold, fatigue). And the hows and whys and whats and whos - one can imagine and wonder? Or is that illegal sir? And wasn't it quite obvious that the writer was tapping at a constellation of maybe's, or possibly it's best, counseler to simply - they bit off more than they could chew - and leave the other landscape/background, out of the discussion?

    Maybe it was an uncle and niece, or a teacher and student (that would be livelier chat) Whatever. Bri climbing with still another woman, that's more interesting/compelling, I suppose, than a mini Heaps drama? Oh the notoriety. (Ha Ha ?), sorry I don't use that ha ha banter. When the "insight" re the incident lapses, folk back into the shallow water....and the day draws on, another climb, hike or canyon (report in the dark tonite?) No, I'll be w/my mum at a senior living center; maybe we'll look at the book - Who Stole My Hat? That's a good one, with plenty of "real" wonder.

  18. #35
    Content Provider Emeritus ratagonia's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by reflection View Post
    The point, sir Brian - it's a muddled mess - conjuring or figuring out the hows and why's re some folk in the outdoors. And so when a certain politician or two "turned on his mouth and didn't stop", I thought well - I'll purposely let the lines run today, with no intent to stop or shift a paragraph. ...
    I too listened to the ... so I wanted to interrupt you so many times... Thankfully the Interwebs forces more politeness, at times.

    I think they should cite them. And bill for the rescue.

    Tom

  19. #36
    I do very much hope that Bogley flushes out the story on this pair of canyoneers like it has done so many times before. I for one do not question the need to rescue a party that is 2 days over due in the canyon. I salute the National Park rangers for doing their job and getting these hikers out without harm.

    Ken

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  21. #37
    be checking for "like new" gear for sale.

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  23. #38

    Re: Heaps Canyon Rescue?

    Post removed.
    Last edited by mtthwlw; 10-12-2012 at 04:32 PM. Reason: I self-moderated. I was not promoting civil discourse.
    --
    Matthew

    "If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously reexamine your life."

  24. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by ratagonia View Post
    I too listened to the ... so I wanted to interrupt you so many times... Thankfully the Interwebs forces more politeness, at times.

    I think they should cite them. And bill for the rescue.

    Tom
    Yeah, normally I'm a softy about these things. Lots of things can go wrong in a canyon, but here, I definitely think that they should be billed for this. Starting after 9AM, and thinking they were going to get through in a day?

    Nat

  25. #40
    Content Provider Emeritus ratagonia's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nat View Post
    Yeah, normally I'm a softy about these things. Lots of things can go wrong in a canyon, but here, I definitely think that they should be billed for this. Starting after 9AM, and thinking they were going to get through in a day?

    Nat
    Actually, do we know that (that they started the same day)? They picked up their permit at 9:30 am - was it for the same day, or the next day? This was implied in one news report, but I'm not sure that was based on more information than we have - I think that is lost in the murk of the reportage/facts interface.

    Tom

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