Stuck Ropes

[nathandonny]

Before I go into the details of my stupid mistake let me explain what I'm hoping to get help on. I have two 300 ft ropes hang on the last two rappels in Heaps. One yellow (9.6 mm) and one blue (8 mm). If the next person to descend can give turn them into the rangers I'd be very grateful.

Here are the details of what happened. We descended Heaps yesterday (Saturday 9-20). As we got into the 3rd narrows the sky went dark and the Thunder started going crazy. At that point we were doing everything to descend and get out of the canyon as quickly as possible. I reminded my group that even though we were trying to hurry we couldn't afford any stupid mistakes (I should have taken my own advice). As we got to the bird perch I was setting up the last rap and started pulling the 2nd to last rap which I was going to use as my pull side for the last rappel. I mistakenly tied the wrong side off and got the pull side about 80 ft up. It had been raining on us at this point and I didn't feel it was a good call to start ascending the rope at this point. I chose safety over the ropes at that point. Sorry to whoever runs into the rope there and thanks for the help!

Nate

[TommyBoy]

Sorry about the stuck rope, and I can certainly understand being nervous hanging there in the rain, but didn't you know that the final sequence for Heaps is out of the watercourse?

[nathandonny]

Sorry about the stuck rope, and I can certainly understand being nervous hanging there in the rain, but didn't you know that the final sequence for Heaps is out of the watercourse?

Yes of course, but I didn't want to try to ascend while being rained on with extra slick rock and having two people on the bird perch. I felt like it added more risk that I wasn't willing to take for a couple ropes.

[taatmk]

Yes of course, but I didn't want to try to ascend while being rained on with extra slick rock and having two people on the bird perch. I felt like it added more risk that I wasn't willing to take for a couple ropes.

You did good. Safety first.

[hank moon]

Curious - did you consider ascending to the bird perch today (Sunday) to retrieve the white/blue rope? If so, what were your thoughts about that?

pix of the rope, taken today


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[spinesnaper]

Curious - did you consider ascending to the bird perch today (Sunday) to retrieve the white/blue rope? If so, what were your thoughts about that?

pix of the rope, taken today

Whoa, bro. There's football on Sundays.

[jman]

Whoa, bro. There's football on Sundays.

Haha

[harness man]

Hi Nathan
We were also in Zion for the weekend and took note of a very high probability of thundershowers for Saturday afternoon- so we scrapped plans for any big Zion canyons.
Did you check the forecast?

[nathandonny]

Hi Nathan
We were also in Zion for the weekend and took note of a very high probability of thundershowers for Saturday afternoon- so we scrapped plans for any big Zion canyons.
Did you check the forecast?

We sure did and always do. The forecast we got when we started up Friday was good enough that we made the call to go. As you know the forecast can change quickly. We didn't have any updates after we started our hike and I'm sure the forecast got worse after we headed up.

[nathandonny]

Curious - did you consider ascending to the bird perch today (Sunday) to retrieve the white/blue rope? If so, what were your thoughts about that?

pix of the rope, taken today


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We had to get back and couldn't hang out until Sunday to ascend the ropes.

[oldno7]

hmmm-I can almost see the Park Service charging someone a lot of money, involving a rope rescue, for a rope left dangling above Emerald Pools.

[harness man]

By the way- really glad you all made it down safe!
Stray ropes are a tiny issue compared to that.
And the Heaps final rappel sequence is a WILD place.

[spinesnaper]

Ropes still up?

[spinesnaper]

Probably a dumb question-Seems pretty wet out there.

[nathandonny]

Probably a dumb question-Seems pretty wet out there.

They were taken down, thanks.

[ratagonia]

"Curious - did you consider ascending to the bird perch today (Sunday) to retrieve the white/blue rope? If so, what were your thoughts about that?"

Not like anyone asked ME, but I would consider it only marginally safe to ascend ropes left hanging overnight. If it was me, I would not.

Word is another party rescued that rope - perhaps returned to the OP?

Then another party left a stuck rope.

Then another party cleaned that one, confused, because it was not actually secured to the anchor (?)

The Fall Follies.

Tom

[ratagonia]

hmmm-I can almost see the Park Service charging someone a lot of money, involving a rope rescue, for a rope left dangling above Emerald Pools.

The Park Service does not rescue inanimate objects. Nor does it rescue non-human animals. People only.

T

[hank moon]

Not like anyone asked ME, but I would consider it only marginally safe to ascend ropes left hanging overnight. If it was me, I would not.

Prolly me neither. Unless I could scope the rope and anchor thoroughly in advance with something much better than the 7x monocular that I used to check these out.

Hey, maybe the park could install a good viewing scope* at the UEP ?


* $0.25 w/o rope; $25.00 w/rope

[oldno7]

The Park Service does not rescue inanimate objects. Nor does it rescue non-human animals. People only.

T

hmmmm---maybe rescue is the wrong word, here.

The park service DOES remove nuisance items from canyons, ie elk antlers in das boot.

they also put down(kill) injured animals in a canyon, ie elk in das boot.

yea, rescue was indeed the wrong word.....

[oldno7]

Das Elk