Quandary/The Squeeze/Knotted Rope

[Erik B]

Had a great triple header out in the Swell this weekend. Met up with some folks from the canyon collective forums from SLC. I flew down from Seattle area, rented a car and drove out in the middle of nowhere. Much to my surprise, after 30 miles of dirt roadway I came to find hoards of people at the Hidden Splendor Airstrip at dusk when I arrived. I should have suspected it on Memorial Day.


Day 1: Quandary (Direct). Exit up Ramp Cyn. Encountered a number of cold looking groups in shorty suits and one clan of high-school age kids with no suits and a couple of harnesses between them. Ugh! Conditions at http://www.candition.com/canyons/quandary. Great fun. Two legit keepers defeated by pack-toss and partner assist. Beautiful!!! Wishing things were a little lower for Imlay prep.


Day 2: The Squeeze: (miners approach) Got good beta from a day earlier so we dropped the hand drill and hooks. Two KPH, again defeated by pack toss. Perfect temperature. Wore 4/5mm suites and were quite comfortable. Lots of water!!! http://www.candition.com/canyons/the-squeeze


Day 3: Knotted Rope: suffered pretty significant blisters and bruised toes thanks to steel toed 5.10 canyoneers. Apparently my feet are too wide and my pinky toe spills slightly outside of the steel which means that it bangs up against it repeatedly. OUCH! Changing to non-SAR shoes ASAP! Limped through knotted rope. Scenic canyon! Not as technically challeging as the previous two but BY FAR more scenic! http://www.candition.com/canyons/knotted-rope


Day 4-7: Zion NP!!! Echo, Subway, Behunin, Keyhole. Limped through all of those too... Time for new shoes.


This was my first experience with the swell and IT IS TERRIFIC! I CANT WAIT for fall!.


Thanks to some new friends for a terrific weekend.