The Thing About Brimstone

[penmartens]

In canyons like W Lep, Shenanigans, Chambers, and Sandthrax you can go high and find a space in which you fit comfortably. In fact, people will do better if they realize that Sandthrax isn't about being too 'fat'. It is about being too short for the silos. Sandthrax is about exposure while stemming for hours on end.
Brimstone is a different beast altogether. I have been in there with women smaller than me that couldn't make their way through. You can climb high but that section doesn't open up. In fact, it closes in like a subway.
Picture a 3 dimensional chess game. You must micro-route find upcanyon, downcanyon, up in the air and down to the floor. It is a head game in which, at times, you must problem solve by the inch, keep your wits about you, and exhibit patience. NEVER force your way through a pinch.
It is such a great little slot. I wish we had more like it.

Penny

[peakbaggers]

In canyons like W Lep, Shenanigans, Chambers, and Sandthrax you can go high and find a space in which you fit comfortably. In fact, people will do better if they realize that Sandthrax isn't about being too 'fat'. It is about being too short for the silos. Sandthrax is about exposure while stemming for hours on end.
Brimstone is a different beast altogether. I have been in there with women smaller than me that couldn't make their way through. You can climb high but that section doesn't open up. In fact, it closes in like a subway.
Picture a 3 dimensional chess game. You must micro-route find upcanyon, downcanyon, up in the air and down to the floor. It is a head game in which, at times, you must problem solve by the inch, keep your wits about you, and exhibit patience. NEVER force your way through a pinch.
It is such a great little slot. I wish we had more like it.

Penny

I remember you indicating you had done it & don't worry, we're not contemplating trying. (If Scott thinks he''s getting too old for some of these "difficult" ones, what does that make us?) Was mainly just curious about the canyon and where we had managed to get years ago when we scouted out the upper end. Probably a very good thing we did not proceed further. From your description, if you have any claustrophobic tendencies, you'll have to really manage them well. How long does that super skinny section go for?

[penmartens]

If Scott is too old, what does that makes us? Crazy old codgers? Or, perhaps, it is just that our children are grown and on their own. We don't have daily responsibilities towards them.
Scott has had an incredible, fascinating, and enviable outdoor career. He also has an awesome family that goes with him on those amazing adventures. It could be he'll get back to that cutting edge when his son is ready.

Tim, I didn't make Brim sound fun? I had myself so worked up I was ready to ditch school and head out there.

There are plenty of places to stand or sit on the ground, get yourself together and contemplate your next moves. Of course it's tight enough that it is one person per silo.

If anyone decides to go, I would suggest going up from the bottom. If there is water there, I would bag it for the day. If that is dry, head up to the top of the tight slot section. If the canyon seems wet (pools or wet walls) after the 15 foot drop, I would bag it for the day. That section doesn't hold much water but it is really important to have mostly dry shoes and dry walls. If you can't get purchase on the walls, you are going to have a devil of a time progressing down canyon. The drop is pretty easy to upclimb if/when you decide to back out.

Tim: How long is the tightest section?
It sounds like you turned around at the tightest part. I would say it takes 45-90 minutes from the drop to where it starts opening up again at the limestone ledges.


I would suggest going low in the third section of Upper Stair as a good comparison. The main difference being that in Upper Stair you can stem, chimney, claw your way straight up the wall and get out.

Penny

[peakbaggers]

I thought about asking you to lead - but I was afraid you'd say yes!
Great suggestions & advice. I think we'll print this one off and save it for a year or so later when we have a few more skills & tight slots under our belt. Turning back from any mountain or canyon always gnaws at us until we finally relent and go back to try again. So now you've gotten our attention and started us thinking about it once more.

[penmartens]

I'm not quite willing to take you to Escalante, but I'd take you through Upper Stair in preparation of your own trip.
Anyone who would like a lesson in navigating the skinnies can send me a PM. We'll try to find a time before my season ends.

Penny

[Iceaxe]

I think I need some help with the really skinnies..... I've been stuck before and it takes an unimaginable amount of concentration and self control to force the raging fear and panic back down your throat to where it hides behind your soul.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Canyonlight]

I went thru Brimstone solo yrs ago. I had originally planned to do the loop hike to Brimstone A. in Steve Allen's E2 guidebook. At one point he mentions that you reach a point that you can't go any farther in the canyon. This is where things really get interesting. It didn't look too bad so I kept on going. It gets very tight but you usually can get relief by chimneying higher in the slot. A lot of the time you can't turn your head. It's like doing a horizontal offwidth forever. The worst part was not knowing wether I do remember working around a few pygmy rattlers & sections w/ giant daddy longleg spiders. My clothing was shredded beyond repair. I contacted Steve Allen later and he told me about Mae West canyons. He is 6'5''and mentioned that he went thru Brimstone w/ his girlfriend who is 5'5". They stayed at very different levels!