Three Canyoneers Rescued From Heaps Canyon

[Iceaxe]

NPS Morning Report
Friday, July 12, 2013
Zion National Park (UT)
Three Canyoneers Rescued From Heaps Canyon

On Monday, July 8th, rangers and helitack crew members completed three short-haul evolutions to rescue an overdue party of three canyoneers from Heaps Canyon, one of the most difficult canyons to navigate within Zion.

The three men had obtained a day permit for Saturday, July 6th, but started their trip the prior evening. The family reported them overdue early Sunday morning and rangers began to monitor the canyon exit. Due to thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon, rangers were unable to fly a reconnaissance flight, but began to plan for a search on Monday morning.

During one of the search flights on Monday, rangers spotted the trio on a bench above Heaps Canyon. They later reported that they

[Taylor]

[Mojave Silence]

[earwig654]

I havent done heaps yet, so I'm wondering if I'm reading this right. does heaps have the potential of having a 30' keeper in very low water conditions? EEK and if so does anyone have pictures?

[Iceaxe]

Perhaps the mysterious devil's hole has returned?

http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/history/heaps82.htm

I've done Heaps and tried to understand the devil's hole story.....

Here is my best guess of why some find a devil's hole.... Heaps consists of numerous long fault line hallways you walk down, which always end at an extremely sharp bend. The bend is normally skinny (by Zion standards) and contains a tech challenge. Often the sharp bend opening is clogged with debris because of the entrance constriction. Occasionally the sharp bend is not located at the very end of the long hallway. I believe those who encounter a devil's hole are in one of these hallways and the side exit is slightly upstream and is camouflaged with debris.

That's just my guess.... but really after doing Heaps a couple of times I still don't understand how anyone could be stopped by a devil's hole. It will be interesting if one of the rescued tells their tale....

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Jolly Green]

I hate those dead ends that randomly pop up in canyons. Especially in canyons someone in the group has done before. Such a nuisance!

[Iceaxe]

Pssst... follow the watercourse.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Absolute Gravity]

Weird story. Wonder where they climbed the 100ft? I would think that gaining 100ft might give you some options for getting past the 30ft "dead end". Curious as to where they thought they were if not in Heaps.

[Udink]

Must've had Bear Grylls in the group. http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...l=1#post309459

[Byron]

I think this "30 foot wall" story is just B.S...I reckon they got in over their heads, unprepared, and freaked out. So the "leader" went through it full and it was cake, now he goes back and guess what...not so easy.

I figure they hit a keeper and just found a place to climb up out of the gully to wait it out until rescue. Do the rangers these days tell folks about the gear they NEED TO TAKE when going through the keeper slots?

Even so...you would think someone that's been through it before would know what the deal is. "Potshots? Hooking gear? We don't need to carry any of that crap...LET'S JUST GO FOR IT!" Friggin' meatheads...

[TommyBoy]

I hate those dead ends that randomly pop up in canyons. Especially in canyons someone in the group has done before. Such a nuisance!

Don't you know that canyons can change with each storm

[spinesnaper]

The truth always bubbles up on Bogley.

[hank moon]

Time to fire up the "charge for rescue" engine again?

[Jolly Green]

Don't you know that canyons can change with each storm

Conditions change. Skills change. Exactness of memory changes. Confidence changes. All these can be for better or worse.