Winter Pothole Practice?

[Slot Machine]

Yeah we were actually leaning towards doing that, at least it gives us something to play around with.

Huh, not what I expected you to say, but certainly a safe place to practice.

To spice it up a little, I might try to set a guided rappel across the pothole on Rap #1 using Potshots. Trying to keep your feet dry would make that drop a little more challenging. The geometry on the exit side of the pothole is kind of unfavorable, so it might acturally be a kind of tough...

[burley]

Huh, not what I expected you to say, but certainly a safe place to practice.

Yeah, it's not what we were hoping for, but it seems likely the other options suggested (Dragonfly, Quandary, HH) are likely frozen over or more difficult than we were looking for. That fact, and trying to fit the both of us into that one drysuit, make the North Wash area more appealing

We can always "practice" more seriously later. Unless of course someone suggests a tempting canyon...

[ratagonia]

Well, here's another possibility. Perhaps the Trou Blanc would be a good choice, or the Fleurs Jaunes -




and you probably would not notice that there was not much pothole escape practice involved...

Tom

[burley]

Well, here's another possibility. Perhaps the Trou Blanc would be a good choice, or the Fleurs Jaunes -
Tom

Well I know where we are going now! I just hope the trip comes with the same theme music...

[penmartens]

If you are going to the NW area, I would suggest Woody for its potholes. They may be wet or frozen or dry. They aren't too committing. It is a fairly sunny canyon and it is pretty short.
You could also try escaping the up canyon side of some of the potholes for more challenges.

Penny

[SRG]

I would suggest Woody for its potholes. They may be wet or frozen or dry. They aren't too committing.

I have always wondered about Woody. I think I recall the Kelsey book saying something along the lines of "Woody canyon has a pothole that is impossible to escape under certain conditions"(paraphrase) which had me imagining all sorts of things.

-Sam

[ratagonia]

If you are going to the NW area, I would suggest Woody for its potholes. They may be wet or frozen or dry. They aren't too committing. It is a fairly sunny canyon and it is pretty short.
You could also try escaping the up canyon side of some of the potholes for more challenges.

Penny

I thought about that, but...

There are some sketchy climb-over sections, that would be way-sketchier with a little now or ice on em.

The so-called keeper pothole LOOKS scary, but I have never had any problem with it, in three tries.

Well, maybe it is just that I am a stick-in-the-mud kinda guy. You wanna practice/experience pothole escapes? Best to do that when it is warm, when the clock is not ticking, when hypothermia is not one-bad-decision away...

But that's just me!

Tom

[burley]

If you are going to the NW area, I would suggest Woody for its potholes.

Penny

Thanks Penny. Any Freezefesters go through Woody and care to share conditions?

[ilipichicuma]

From what I've seen (but not done), I thought HH looked fairly tame. That being said, it looks like I've overstepped my bounds. Please ignore my misguided advice on this thread.

Headless Hen has some of the most intense potholes I've ever seen. Plus, whenever I look at the weather conditions in canyon country on my iPod, the Escalante area is always the coldest. I'd guess that place is frozen solid right now. I also seem to recall some pretty steep slabs on the approach, which ice and snow would definitely complicate. Just for a little more info on that one.