Quandary & Knotted Rope Exits

[Spiderzak]

In May, 2014 our group did Quandary & Knotted rope and we ran into minor navigational challenges on each exit. I thought I'd share our experience in case someone else may be able to benefit.


QUANDARY
We exited the reef and turned right. Happy with our success thus far, our attention to detail was low, so we just followed the dry drainage along the reef until we hit flowing water, then walked up stream. We did not realize that our route took us to the confluence of the Muddy and Salt Creek, and we mistakenly followed Salt Creek upstream for a bit before realizing our error, then returned to the confluence and correctly followed the Muddy upstream. The beta we had showed the route crossing a low point between the reef and a hill, thus avoiding the confluence. The aerial view below shows the beta route in green, and our route in red. You could take the route we took, but then make sure to NOTE the confluence and follow the correct fork upstream. (FYI, following Salt Creek upstream would eventually take you to Cable Canyon).





KNOTTED ROPE
The problem here is obvious under normal conditions, but with less than ideal conditions (in the dark, for example), the exit is less obvious. The beta had us looking for an easy trail at a right turn in the canyon which ends in the 300' drop to the Muddy. After the last (gigantic) pothole, the drainage takes TWO right turns; one gentle and then one sharp. The sharp right turn does end at the 300' rappel, but there is no trail continuing straight at the sharp right turn, nor even a reasonable exit. The first right turn was so gentle, we did not even realize we had curved until we returned later after failing to find a trail at the sharp right turn a few minutes farther down canyon. The noticeable trail starts BEHIND A TREE. Continue from the last pothole in a straight line to the tree and the exit trail should be visible. It is well enough defined that the beginning of the trail is actually visible on aerial imagery.