Classic canyon fun

[Mountaineer]

I wanted to briefly share some of the "classics" many have done before us, but ones we experienced for the first time. Got back just a couple of days ago. The weather was perfect.



N. Fork of Iron Wash

We followed some guides, and did the last climb over the semi-keeper pothole obstacle (this is sketchy). Escaped! But we also wanted to explore what we just defeated...

That last section is dark, slanted, and drops you mercilessly into its mouth. With no light, it is even more difficult to judge what you are up against without dropping in. So we dropped in. The pothole ended up about waist deep, with the lip only ~4' above my head. A simple partner assist would have defeated it.






High Spur

Incredibly beautiful. Not very technical, but just amazing in there. I highly recommend this canyon. I drove our truck on the old Deadman's trail road (there are a couple of steep/boulder spots you have to overcome - yikes). Then took a small ATV back to the trail head. It saved us ~2 miles of road walking.






NotMindbender

There is one tricky spot at the end of the Moki climb! I would rate it as a 5.7. With a heavy pack and clunky/muddy 5.10 shoes, it was a full breath and commitment! Loved the ruins and panel just after that. Great canyon.






Alcatraz

My favorite in the roost so far! Woohoo! Tight, challenging, and crazy fun. The boulder field at the end I suspect has changed, as some betas say you may need to rap it. Easy to downclimb, even for beginners.





NoMans

The last rap is easily done as two stages, where the last stage is 100'. Anchor station here is much better now...ugh (see my previous post). Exit can be tricky, especially in the dark! We finished our last rap around 4 pm, with dusk approaching. We somehow ended up on the other side of a cliff band, looking down into the north fork we just completed. Climbing up to the cap stone was our last desperate move before twilight escaped us..., and that ended us on top of a desolate island in the sky.

Now that it was dark, and we had plenty of time... ...more careful map reading, head lamps, a gps, "bread crumb" tracking, trail up and down error (oops, that is a cliff, oops, this ledge ends here) ... all got us safely back to the truck. We avoided a bivy.

Be sure to continue south after the man made steps, and down into another canyon before going straight east to get out. (Sorry, you have to go down and up a few times). There are cairns to help.

[Iceaxe]

[Taylor]

Awesome. I'm jealous Mark.

[Kuya]

WOW! Very nice! Can't wait to see these canyons for myself!

[Slot Machine]

Nice TR! We can't wait to get out and do those.

I'm looking for some pants that will last more than a canyon or two. What kind of pants are you wearing in your High Spur photo? Are they tough?

[Mountaineer]

What kind of pants are you wearing in your High Spur photo? Are they tough?

They have held up remarkably well. A tough, nylon type fabric with reinforcements in the butt and knees. Quick drying (just slogged through some mud/water in that pic), and velcro at the ankles. I got them at the DI for $2.

I can pull them out of the laundry and take a pic of the label/manufacturer if you want.

[Slot Machine]

I can pull them out of the laundry and take a pic of the label/manufacturer if you want.

That would be cool, I hope they are $2 online too.

Maybe shopping for canyoneering pants at the DI is the most important thing to learn from what you just said...

[Mountaineer]

They have held up remarkably well. A tough, nylon type fabric with reinforcements in the butt and knees. Quick drying (just slogged through some mud/water in that pic), and velcro at the ankles.

No tags anywhere?, just the back that has the logo "RailRiders".

[Slot Machine]

No tags anywhere?, just the back that has the logo "RailRiders".

Thanks for the info, it looks like they are about $100 a pair. Shucks.

Great find on your part though!

[Kuya]

Maybe shopping for canyoneering pants at the DI is the most important thing to learn from what you just said...

GENIUS!

[Scott P]

That last section is dark, slanted, and drops you mercilessly into its mouth. With no light, it is even more difficult to judge what you are up against without dropping in. So we dropped in. The pothole ended up about waist deep, with the lip only ~4' above my head. A simple partner assist would have defeated it.

Cool. It's not always like that. Sometimes it is up to 16' deep.