Live and Learn

[rick t]

Had an interesting TG weekend in Zion, not a biggie, but since I had never before made an unplanned bivy in a canyon, OR enlisted someone elses assistance in a canyon, or rather getting out of a canyon, it was not totally insignificant.
Out of boredom and desperation I agreed to go down to Zion on friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and join a bunch of meetupers, a combined group from grand junction- dougs group, and a SLC group, backpackers anonymous, who were convening in zion on wednesday for TG. There were omens. All 5 of my planned companions for the weekend crapped out on me before I left, leaving me driving down alone. And the jeep which I dropped off at the garage on tuesday for a 2 hour repair, didn't get finished until 4 pm friday afternoon. The group camped at the new "mosquito cove", a couple of miles up the Kolob res. rd, on the right, in the drainage flats. After hiking Lady Mountain on Saturday, the next day five of us, all relatively experienced canyoneers, to hike through Hidden Canyon from the top down, starting at the Stave Springs trailhead, up off the Ponderosa. None of us had ever done Hidden before, though I noted that another group had run through there on friday. I was given to understand that it was dry, easy, and that the longest rap was 100 feet. Figuring it had been freshly done and we wouldn't need much we went light, with a 200, a 100, and an 88(?), 100-130 ft of webbing between us, and probably 6 rap rings. I read through Toms beta, and took Lukes with me, but no GPS, it didn't sound that hard to find. We made our preliminary junction points after leaving the car, right on a 3 mph pace, and used time to measure our distance. The last junction was 1.2 miles short of the drop in point, so I figured 25 minutes, but a couple of other things came in to play- the temperatures rose as the morning wore on, and the frozen ground turned to a nasty gooey mud, and we hit a few switchbacks, which I figured may affect lukes distance by GPS computations, so with the perception that our pace had slowed markedly, we hiked past the drop in point, not recognizing it, and hiked across a valley and up the slope on the far side, where I saw steps- waterbars, in a sequence, going up the slope, so I figured the drop in was there, clearly there was a significant drop in to a large canyon there. Two others in the group doubted we were there yet, and hiked on another quarter mile, finding nothing, before coming back and joining us, and we dropped in. More bushwhacky than I had anticipated, and some serious vertical, which we just down climbed. Quite a ways before any rap, which also didn't ring a bell- Luke had promised one not far in. We pressed on, and it got progressively more and more interesting. With some sketchy climbing on the left ledge bench we avoided several pools, and set up and did a few raps. At some point I realized that we were not in the right canyon, but we had seen webbing and anchors along the way, so I figured it must go, others had been through there before us, even if it wasn't two days ago. Some of the webbing was old and bad, and we replaced it. It got more and more technical, and then we were standing on a 100 drop, and saw that we had come in on a right fork (LDC), and we were dropping into the "main" canyon which was much bigger than the one we had come down. I thought for a while that we must have dropped into the wrong fork, and that here, finally, was the real Hidden Canyon. We shredded a new 100 ft'er on this rap, cutting it down to about an 80.

Continuing on down canyon quickly disproved that theory, as the canyon got bigger, deeper, and more technical as we descended. After skirting a couple more pools, we ended up on a chockstone 20 ft above what looked to be a swimmer, with no alternatives. Thinking we were in a dry canyon, we were all in cotton, for abraision and warmth, not really planning on swimming, on dec 1. We dropped our lone woman, who valiantly volunteered, into the water, which was armpit deep, and she took a rope with her, setting up a simple zip line, instead of a guided rappel, since the distance was short, the landing sand, and I had started to realize that time was going to become a factor. Light was fading. Soon we ran into more water, and ended up missing the depths, but all rapped into a knee deep pool. Finally we got to an exit window, where we could see the canyon road below us (about 1000 ft below us), and scouting around at dusk we found a very nice equalized anchor, cordelette style, using new royal blue 9/16ths inch webbing, and three anchor points, a good solid bolt, an old but solid piton (shades of constrychnine), and a climbing nut (!). A climbers rap station. It looked to be less than 200 ft down to a ledge system with a tree or two, some brush and dirt-
lots better than the sketchy bare rock exposed slot window we were in, so one guy rapped down to check it out, as daylight faded to black. He reported back that there was plenty of room for all of us down there, and that he had maybe 20 ft of extra rope, so the rap was 180 ish, so we all proceded down and pulled the rope. We scrambled down 50-100 feet to a small but comfy area, and I saw another ledge/edge down below us another 30 ft, and downclimbed with one other guy, to check it out. A lip over a BIG drop. Threw a rock off to check the distance. Nothing. Cars are driving up and down the canyon road, right in front of us. Grabbed a big rock, bowling ball sized, and hucked it. Still, i didn't hear a thing, although my companion, whoses ears both worked, did. After maybe 20 seconds. Lets see, approx 30 ft per second? 20 seconds? 600 feet? Give or take. At that point we made a decision, to start gathering whatever firewood you can find, we were spending the night right here on the ledge. I had some confidance that there was a route down, other than over that lip, but not knowing where it was, given the distances involved, and the fact that it was pitch black out, it seemed prudent at that point, to hunker down and wait for daylight. Some 13-14 hours away.

A large fallen pine tree yielded a decent pile of branches, though it retained enough life to keep us from being able to break off anything much bigger around than my thumb. I had brought my cell phone, so i tried to call out to notify wives/partners of our decision to bivy, but was not surprised to have no service. Being unable to reach anyone, I tried 911, and was surprised when somebody picked up. The operator failed in his attempt to patch us through to Zion dispatch, so I told him where we were and what we were doing, assuming that he would pass it on. After my phone call, when I asked why there were only 3 of us around the fire, I was advised that one of the group had not been content to sit and wait out the night, and had headed off in the dark to see if he could find a way down, on his own. And he was accompanied but the wet, and now cold, and desperate woman. Astonishment and disbelief did not change our decision to stay put. Those guys were on their own. Two hours later, with no response or reaction (though it was not like we had called out for a pizza, and wondered where it was), at the repeated urging of some in the group I again called 911, and this time got patched through to the park, and chatted with somebody @ dispatch. By this time we had seen headlamps coming down the trail on the opposite wall, which we figured out was the angels landing/west rim trail, and lights in a building below us, which we took to be the bathroom at the Grotto, so we were able to tell them where we were. After quizzing me on our status- and confirming that there were no injuries, we had food and water, and that we were just checking in- since we had left a car at the weeping rock trailhead, and had a permit that said we were planning to be out that day, and I passed on the information that our group had fragmented, that there were two loose cannons on the mountain, and that while I was comfortable with our situation, I was concerned about the welfare of these two. They said OK, thanks, there wasn't much they could do either way right then, and that somebody would come check on us in the morning. Actually, about a half an hour later, a ranger vehicle came and stopped below us, and put a spotlight on our position, which must have been clear to them due to our campfire. We spotted them back, and they waved and drove off to get some sleep, something that would escape most of us. One guy curled up on the ground next to the fire, and slept on and off during the night, the other two of us sat on/against a 45 degree angle rock slab above and on either side of the fire, which we realized we had to keep quite small, to try and shepherd our limited firewood, to make it last through the night. I had not dropped my fleece jacket in the car at the trailhead, as I had the day before, instead wearing it, in addition to the fleece vest and long sleeved capilene, topped by a light nylon windbreaker, with my Dome Perignon hat, and rappel gloves, so I was pretty warm, save for the wet feet. It didn't start to get real cold until the last hour or two before daybreak.

We were up and at it by 7, though it still was not light yet, and ate and drank what we had, and by clear daylight at 8, headed off to try and find our exit route. 50 ft up, and 100 ft over, we found a drop off of 80-100 ft, to a deck that appeared to be in the watercourse. After reaching that deck we all then rappelled another 20 ft around an exposed corner to another lip, which had another bolted anchor on it, two bolts this time. And a big drop, which though it looked an easy 200 ft, out of sight down into a slot; we decided was less than 200 ft, since our missing overnight 200 ft rope was tied off to the anchor. We set up a pull rope, using our 80, and the remaining webbing, and dropped into the slot. Seventy or so feet on down the slot, past our touchdown point, was a whole bunch of air, and our two missing canyoneers, looking over a big drop- an easy 300 ft to the first ledge of a series of steps or ledges that faded beyond that, and into a hillside that dropped another hundred feet or two to the road level. Since we were not sure of the length of the drop, and had only a single 200, and now two 80's, there wasn't much point in sending anyone down, passing at least one knot, even with a lower, so we broke out the remaining food and drink, laid out our ropes and gear, and just chilled, to see who and what was going to show up on the deck below. The anchor webbing was old tan one inch, and had a cut at one of the hangers, so we replaced it with a new piece. A little while later two guys showed up lugging gear, we tied off our ropes and lowered one end to them, and they tied on a couple of 315's which we pulled up and set up a clean double rappel, using their 9 mil ropes, and we all rappelled out. The rangers said they had never done that particular canyon, and that they had needed to call an outside the park authority to even find out what the canyon was, and how big the exit drop was. According to them it is called Red Canyon, though when I got home and got out my monster Zion topo I found no name at all to identify the canyon. They complemented us on making it through the canyon, and on our decision to stop and bivy when it got dark, but also of course, gave us the obligatory, and certainly justified lecture about us being screwups, for dropping into the wrong canyon, and requiring their assistance to get out, even if it wasn't really a rescue, they didn't want our rope left there hanging- as it would have been had we opted to do the knotted exit rappel on our own, as we lacked the necessary cordage to pull it. An interesting canyon, and adventure.

Notes to self. December is not a good month for canyoneering. Not enough heat, or daylight. If you are doing a canyon that neither you or anyone else in the group has done, you should maybe take your GPS, along with the coordinates, to make sure you drop into the right canyon. More firestarter, and better ignition. The Bic lighter didn't work at all, the matches were old and crumbly, the paper was damp, and it was a real bitch trying to get a fire started. And without the fire the night would have been interminable, as well as MUCH more uncomfortable. My rescue bivy sack was left in my tent. Although I have to say, during the night I was tempted to kill both of my companions due to the noise from their mylar/tinfoil rescue blankets. With the fire I was OK without it. Absent the fire it would have been a more serious omission. In my mind, our most serious problem was the group fragmenting, and the absence of a group discussion about the situation preceding that. Potentially much more serious than it turned out, a bad idea at best. They put themselves at risk in heading off blindly into the night, and could have jeopardized the rest of the group in having taken our 200 ft rope with them. And they suffered through the night, not having been able to make a fire on their own.
Another day, another adventure. Live and learn.

rick

Post script: Tom asks if I have perhaps seen, or read his book, (I have 2 copies) which does list and describe this canyon- Grotto Canyon, btw. Upon then doing so I am unable to recognize it from his description- the unmistakable canyon junction, where he describes a 260' rappel, we dropped in using a 100. And where he lists the exit rappel as a 100 footer, our watercourse exit rap was a good 300' free. Another trip through together next summer is planned to try and reconcile these significant discrepancies.

[Rob L]

Merry Christmas!

Any chance you could put some paragraph spacing in so that we can read it?

[Brian in SLC]

Live and learn to add some space between paragraphs?

Happy holidaze, neighbor!

[DesertDuke]

Thank you Rick T for posting this. I appreciate very much when people muster the modicum of nerve it takes to post details about a problem trip. It sometimes brings harsh criticism but hearing about incidents like this definitely helps me to learn so thanks.

[Byron]

It appears that eventually, every single gully in that canyon will have been descended, intentional or otherwise. Bad timing, as it appears a couple more hours of daylight would have allowed you to pull it off.

[Erik B]

Thanks for sharing! I'd like to think that we benefit collectively from sharing stories like this.

Could have been worse: you could have been the trio that descended into Heaps (without wetsuits), thinking they were up for a fun romp through Behunin. :)

Looks like I need to get a little friendlier with my GPS.

-Erik B.

[ratagonia]

Looks like I need to get a little friendlier with my GPS.

-Erik B.

or perhaps, reading a map.

In both cases, over-reliance on a GPS is the CAUSE of the misadventure.

In the Heaps case, the causation is clear cut. Having a MAP and/or paying attention would have prevented this misadventure.

In the more recent case, Rick was using Luke's beta to navigate. Luke's beta presumes the use of a GPS to get to the right point, and without a GPS on hand in use, his directions are not so good (sometimes).

Bringing a map, following it and knowing how to read it are skills that work without batteries.

Tom

[Iceaxe]

Bringing a map, following it and knowing how to read it are skills that work without batteries.

I find the argument of "bring a map" to be silly. There is no different between bringing a map and compass and knowing how to use them or bringing a modern GPS with mapping software and knowing how to use it.

For every dumbass statemant like "what if your battery goes dead", I can bring up an equally asinine statement such as "what if your map gets wet".

Where is the difference in bringing an extra battery or bringing and extra map? Both modes of failure are equally as likely to occur.

If map and compass were still the best mode of navigation that is what most folks would still use, but it isn't. Time to park your automobile will never replace the horse and buggy argument and join the 21st century.

With that being said.... your best chance of success is to be skilled at multiple methods of navigation, be prepared for the unexpected, and study your routes before embarking.

YMMV


Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[ratagonia]

I find the argument of "bring a map" to be silly. There is no different between bringing a map and compass and knowing how to use them or bringing a modern GPS with mapping software and knowing how to use it.

For every dumbass statemant like "what if your battery goes dead", I can bring up an equally asinine state ment such as "what if your map gets wet".

Where is the difference in bringing an extra battery or bringing and extra map? Both modes of failure are equally as likely to occur.

If map and compass were still the best mode of navigation that is what most folks would still use, but it isn't. Time to park your automobile will never replace the horse and buggy argument and join the 21st century.

With that being said.... your best chance of success is to be skilled at multiple methods of navigation, be prepared for the unexpected, and study your routes before embarking.

I have found that many people think they can just buy the GPS, and the rest is all taken care of. People don't usually have that self-deception with a map.

Tom

[Iceaxe]

I have found that many people think they can just buy the GPS, and the rest is all taken care of. People don't usually have that self-deception with a map.

You must not have hiked the easy shit like Little Wild Horse or Grand Gallery lately.... I have hiked LWH at least 10 times and I have never hiked it without rescuing at least one person who was lost and carrying a map. Now mind you it's usually some lame ass piece of shit map from something like a Kelsey book, but they had a map and considered themselves prepared.

So bottom line.... you can't fix stupid. Having a map and not knowing how to use it or understand what you are holding in your hands is no different from having a GPS and being clueless.... as I mentioned from the start... For every dumbass statement like "what if you don't know how to use a GPS", I can bring up an equally asinine statement such as "what if you don't know how to read a map".

Come to think of it.... I believe both death's in The Wave last year were carrying a map.... not saying a GPS would have made a difference. If you don't know how to use the tools in your hand it doesn't matter what you are holding...

I believe the percentage of clueless people in the outdoors hasn't changed, it's just more of them are carrying a GPS these days. If they had a map and compass the end result would probably be the same.

YMMV

[flatiron]

I believe the percentage of clueless people in the outdoors hasn't changed, it's just more of them are carrying a GPS these days. If they had a map and compass the end result would probably be the same.

YMMV

Don't want to get in the middle of a 'map vs GPS dispute'. But --- seems like I read they took neither, which is kinda risky, yes? Unless you've done the canyon b4- oh wait.
But instead 'used time to measure our distance', which is kinda tricky, yes?
I appreciate Rick putting this and himself out - sometimes by writing things down and being honest about their mis/adventures a person more readily learns. Glad everyone is safe - dropping into unknown canyons is scary anytime, let alone Dec.
I knew it as gonna be a good story by his 2nd sentence when he mentioned "meetupers". I'm thinking "Oh boy here we go again - this should be fun!!"

[Iceaxe]

I appreciate Rick putting this and himself out - sometimes by writing things down and being honest about their mis/adventures a person more readily learns. Glad everyone is safe - dropping into unknown canyons is scary anytime, let alone Dec.

x2

The "we screwed up and lived" threads are some of my favorite.

[peakbaggers]

Rick -thanks for the write -up. Learning from others mistakes is always a useful tool& your analysis of what was done wrong and/or right was good. thanks for being willing to share this.
As for the map/GPS situation, if I read this correctly, the only beta/map youhad was Luke's. While Luke's written descriptions are finely detailed, I don'tlike the maps. (Note to Luke if you're following this.) As Tom points out, theyare intended to be used with GPS. I would typically not do a canyon using hisbeta without taking at least a quality survey map. And of course, had yourgroup taken a GPS, you could have avoided the entire ordeal by confirming thedrop-in point. But I state the obvious. My wife and I have hiked/climbed Coloradomountains for over 35 years now and never used a GPS on a single one, nor evenfelt the need for such. The 7.5 ' USGS maps were always our faithful guide. Butin just a few short years of canyoneering, we have now experienced 3 times inwhich we almost made a wrong canyon start and one in which we did head down thewrong canyon. Fortunately, good map reading skills and analysis kept us fromdoing the wrong thing, but it became clear that having a GPS and using it at aminimum to at least confirm the correct canyon drop-in point, was becoming anecessity. SO - a new GPS was my main Christmas present this year. I enjoy thechallenge of map-reading skills etc., and will continue to rely on such, but incanyoneering, I intend to use GPS to confirm and even direct at times. I saythis not for Rick's sake - he has abundant experience, but maybe for otherslike us.
The decision to spend the night on the ledge - correct. Darkness &continuing could have turned this into a disaster.
The group splitting and even without discussion, very unfortunate, and couldhave again turned out much worse. In so many disaster/survival stories, thereal mistakes begin when the group splits. A few years ago, three family skierswent for a day trip cross country skiing on the Grand Mesa. "Just a 3 hourtour." Weather moved in, they got lost & confused. Found an old cabinor shelter. The father left the mother and daughter there and headed out to seeif he could find a way back to the highway - in the dark. Thought he could seeheadlights. The two women were found & rescued. They never found thefather's body until early next summer. I'm sure he thought he was doing theright thing.

[harness man]

Well I am a dinosaur who swears by map and compass, but...there is NOWAY to make some canyon drop in points, especially by headlamp (better to start in the dark than finish In the dark) without GPS assist. For those who have become GPS dependent without the map skills? Get a unit with a big screen (Garmin Oregon) and track yourself on the onscreen Topographic map. Going back and forth between the paper map and the virtual one (which shows you exactly where you are) is a great learning tool and the map is an important backup.
One of the WORST difficulties to overcome in the canyon is an incoherent group. Been there!!!! I guess that is why most of us hang with our "crew". Or check out new friends in easier canyons.
Thanks Rick.

[reverse_dyno]

I have had 2 GPSs in my life, and they have both failed me. The sceen on the first one died after less than a year of use. The second GPS was less than a month old and it lost all my waypoints that I created at home for my 4 day backpacking trip.

I have never lost a map or had a compass fail. GPS units fail far more often than a map and compass.

Sent from my SM-T210R using Tapatalk

[Brit Beermonster]

But instead 'used time to measure our distance', which is kinda tricky, yes?

I only use paces to measure distance. 120 paces on level ground for me, equates to 100 yards. I guestimate the effect of inclines and find I'm accurate to within 50 yards per mile.

Paced out Obs Point to cairn entry of Mystery Canyon to 17 yards, don't have a GPS and can map read, which is an essential backup for pacing, (ex military see!).

[Iceaxe]

I bet I have easily ruined over 100 maps canyoneering. My biggest problem is they get wet and the ink smears. I have been using a GPS for the past 15 years and in all that time I have never had one fail, although I did lose one once by dropping it in a pothole.

FWIW- I carry both a map and a GPS and know how to use both, but the GPS is a so much faster, easier and more accurate.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[ratagonia]

Paced out Obs Point to cairn entry of Mystery Canyon to 17 yards

????

Tom

[Iceaxe]

????

I believe he is saying that by pacing he only missed the top of Mystery by 17-yards.

FWIW: I HATE using time estimates, they vary greatly. Personally I'll take any type of distance estimate over a time estimate. Anyone who has spent any time in the outdoors will has a good felling for how far they have walked.

[Brit Beermonster]

????

Tom

First time I did Mystery I was concerned about missing the entry, so paced the distance from where the trail splits left, towards Observation Point and the 3 foot high cairn at Mystery. After I'd paced the required distance I noticed the cairn, 17 steps ahead.

Tom, I'd used your and BluuGnome betas but used pacing to confirm the correct entry point - belts and braces!

Matt