Free (abandoned) Rope: Gifford Canyon exit

[Glenn]

As of early Saturday (April 23) there was 100 feet of 8mm dry rope, doubled, suspended from a small juniper bush on the cliff to the west of Gifford Canyon dryfall (visible from parking lot or in Clear Creek below). It's light sand-colored.

Story later, but I had to abandon it late Friday and couldn't retrieve it Saturday. It's free to whomever wants it. Great rope; only purchased last week.

My apologies for leaving equipment behind, but my loss is your gain.

-Glenn

[Taylor]

The rope has been removed. We are here to do some climbing and renew our express membership. Got rained/hailed/blown off the route we were climbing so had time to see if your rope was still hanging there. It was easy enough to walk around and above the Gifford (wet)fall and pull it off the tree.
Can't wait to hear the story.

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[Glenn]

Thank you for removing it! I hope it's still in good condition and usable for you. I used it twice to lower my pack (once in Crawford Canyon and once at the end of Gifford where you found it) and then for me to downclimb.

Here's the story (bracing for a verbal lashing from Tom!):

After finishing my Trans Zion Trek, I went for an overnight trip into Crawford Canyon via Cockeye Falls. The next day, I scrambled out of Crawford to the west (about 600' class 2/3) and entered Gifford, expecting to exit via the bypass at Clear Creek/Hwy 9. I've never been in Gifford or seen the entrance/exit from the bottom, but I knew there was a bypass to the east of the final dryfall.

I got to the dryfall just before sunset: still good light. I could see RV's and cars waiting to get in the tunnel. Looked to the right (east), saw nothing in terms of social trails; looked left (west) and just saw a slightly less-steep cliff. I headed back up canyon, looking for the exit (i.e., trampled soil, disappearing footprints), but couldn't find it. I went back to the dryfall prepared to whistle for help from the tunnel rangers. But the traffic was gone, and so were the rangers. It was around sunset now.

A couple of guys had seen me earlier and stuck around at the parking lot. I scrambled along the left (west) cliff down maybe 5-6 feet. By then, one of the guys scrambled down to Clear Creek. We started up a conversation and he and his buddy offered to stick around and help if they could. <<It didn't occur to me until later that they could have gone up creek with my whistle and I could have tried to find a way over there.>>

So, I got out the rope (just purchased from The Desert Rat a week before), wrapped it around that small juniper, and dropped it down to make sure it was long enough. Probably ten extra feet (so, maybe 30 feet down?). I hauled it up, loaded up my backpack, put on my headlamp, then lowered the pack down. The other guy took it to the other side of the creek.

I improvised a harness but it had way too much friction, so I simplified it (couple loops around my waist and a loop of rope over the top to brake). Lots of friction, but I could control the feed. And I had gloves on, which I always have when any scrambling is involved.

I commented that I was glad it was getting dark so I wouldn't see how far down it was. The first guy - who did most of the talking - was very encouraging the entire time and really helped my spirits. When I went over, it swung me to the right a bit, but otherwise, I was able to keep my feet/legs against the cliff as I inched down.

About 15 feet down, I lost my footing and ended up back-to-the-wall. The rope slid up my torso and bound up, For the first time, I was in a bit of a panic - and pain. The first guy tried to climb up a bit and push on my feet so I could turn around, but he could barely touch them. After about a minute, I finally released my upper hand and pushed hard on the rock to turn and get my feet back on it. It worked, but it was harder to descend since the rope had slid off my waist.

Nevertheless, I was able to finally make it down. It probably only took five minutes, but felt a lot longer. I ended up jumping down the last five feet right into the sand - I wanted out of that mess. I was so dehydrated and cotton-mouthed that I sounded drunk and the other guy gave me his Gatorade. It was like a shot of whisky.

We scrambled out (the wrong way - to parking area) and they drove me back to my rental Jeep. They were incredibly nice and had they not been there, I probably would have spent a miserable evening at the mouth of the canyon until I could get help the next day. I'm still getting the heebies thinking about all those mountain lion prints along the floor of the canyon...

=================================
I am incredibly lucky I wasn't badly injured. I thought I'd prepared well - and most of this backcountry trip was right on plan, if just a little slower than I thought. I wish I had thought to check out firsthand the exit of Gifford days before, but it was the least-concerning part of this trek. Something similar happened to me exiting Separation Canyon a few years ago and it took me an hour to find my way down (which, from the bottom, was an easy route up). Dangme.

I wish I could say that the lesson is to study and trust the beta (in this case, Joe Braun's description/map of the exit), but in the moment, I was filled with such doubt that only the most-obvious exit would have got me scrambling up and out of Gifford. I couldn't wrap my head around going UP 20-25 feet to then go DOWN 50-60 feet. But, apparently, that's how you do it.

@Taylor: I'd like to hear a description of your entrance into Gifford and where you ended up descending into the canyon. There was a fallen tree across it with a deep, sandy pot of water/quicksand that I almost fell into. I'm wondering how far from that obstacle the entrance is, because I went back up canyon about 200 yards from it looking for it.

[hank moon]

Missed it by *that* much. Went up there yesterday and no rope. Happy to hear it was retrieved and curious about the make and model of the rope.


Re: Gifford access/egress:


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Zi...2e3a15aa3656f5

Attachment 83554

[Glenn]

DOH! I was afraid of something like that. But I honestly don't remember seeing it. Maybe I was too fixated on the road ahead.

I'd tell you about the rope, but I can't find my receipt with Desert Rat. Maybe Bo can tell you.

[hesse15]

uchh feel painful just reading it!!!! glad you made it out all one piece!!!

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[ratagonia]

Glad you made it out OK. Good job. From your story, I conclude that you are not a technical canyoneer, more of an adventurous hiker, and that rappelling is new to you.

Criticism?

If you are going bring a rope, to rappel, you should carry a small bit of equipment and learn some skills. You did well for a novice. My great concern here mostly is in choice of anchor.

Your feet do not need to be against the wall to rappel. Just go down.

The trail over to the climb down is very small and inconspicuous from the top. Easy to miss. Yes, woulda been a good idea to check it out beforehand. From the wash, it is up about 4 feet from the wash bottom, so really, at the wash level.

Tom

[Glenn]

Glad you made it out OK. Good job. From your story, I conclude that you are not a technical canyoneer, more of an adventurous hiker, and that rappelling is new to you.

Criticism?

If you are going bring a rope, to rappel, you should carry a small bit of equipment and learn some skills. You did well for a novice. My great concern here mostly is in choice of anchor.

Your feet do not need to be against the wall to rappel. Just go down.

The trail over to the climb down is very small and inconspicuous from the top. Easy to miss. Yes, woulda been a good idea to check it out beforehand. From the wash, it is up about 4 feet from the wash bottom, so really, at the wash level.

Tom

The rope was strictly for hauling/dropping my pack; I had no notions of rapping until the very last minute.

I feel badly about anchoring on that small juniper and hope I didn't damage it badly, although I'm sure it is impossible to not have. There is a larger juniper next to it, but right on the edge, so that seemed sketchy.

Putting it out there: I promise that I will take climbing and rappelling lessons before my next trip, if just to be more conscientious and confident. I'm really hoping to try some basic canyoneering in the next year and obviously, need to get educated and practiced.

[Taylor]

Aww, sorry Hank. We just happened to be right there Friday and I couldn't resist. My best guess, after looking through several rope catalogs online, it's a New England Maxim nylon accessory cord. It's tan/gold with a purple tracer, 7mm. I know Glenn wrote 8mm in the o.p. but it's really thin. I would only rap on it doubled. It's in good condition and we will put it to good use until Glenn joins us in a canyon someday and reclaims it.

@Taylor: I'd like to hear a description of your entrance into Gifford and where you ended up descending into the canyon. There was a fallen tree across it with a deep, sandy pot of water/quicksand that I almost fell into. I'm wondering how far from that obstacle the entrance is, because I went back up canyon about 200 yards from it looking for it.

We spotted the rope from the parking lot and scrambled down to Pine Creek, which was flowing nicely. My first idea was to climb up the cliff right under the rope but I gave up when I hit a short off width section that I really didn't want to fall from. Scrambling back down, looking at the waterfall coming out of Gifford, it looked like the ramp just east of the waterfall would go. It did and I ended up perhaps 20' above the pour off. Jumped the creek, scrambled up and over to the rope, which was girth-hitched around the small tree.

Thanks for sharing the story. I imagine if you were looking up at the dryfall from the creek in daylight you would see the obvious and easy exit. Sorry you lost your rope! Happy you didn't have to spend the night above the creek, looking at the road.