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Thread: Echo Cyn Zion June 7, 2016 new Bolt, new Rap, KEEPER pothole

  1. #1
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    Echo Cyn Zion June 7, 2016 new Bolt, new Rap, KEEPER pothole

    Someone recently posted a picture somewhere of a bolt that pulled out in Echo Canyon (Zion). The bolt was backed up by a modern bolt, so no animals were harmed, but that leaves a single-bolt anchor behind. We like two-bolt anchors, partly because bolts are very difficult to inspect. The problem is not strength, the problem is reliability.

    I rallied some troops from ZAC to run up there and fix it. Gordy, Abby and Cassy came out for this after-work canyon, and we met at 5:30 pm - me not realizing that the official Last Bus was at 9:15 this year. (This year, buses start an hour earlier and end an hour earlier than in previous years; although, this change could have been made last year or the year before - this detail is not high on my radar screen of things to keep track of).



    Thus, we were left doing Echo (Middle Echo) AT SPEED. Hike up fast, drop in, fix the bolt, run through the canyon, make the last bus. we had 5 minutes short of 3 hours, bus stop to bus stop. A tight schedule.

    It was hot. We 'ran' up the switchbacks, sweating heavily, broke through to the upper bowl. Hiked fast fast fast to the "Tom's normal dropin point". boulder hopped down the canyon to the first water. Time to put on the wetsuits.

    First rappel is now off a very solid pinch, though the rap start is rather awkward. Down into a pool of water and a swim around the corner. MAN, that water is COLD!!!! All the holes in my best wetsuit quickly identified themselves. And two the second rappel, where the bolt was pulled out.

    This was one of the first canyons in Zion that I added bolts to, in Y2000 or so. At that time, it had single, old bolts at most of the small rappels, and I generally added one "modern" bolt to each location, while the Mayor of LaVerkin and his son played music. Superfun trip. 15 years later (or so), Here we are. The bolt I put in was looking good. One of the few times that I used chains, and that they worked and did not bang against the rock and cause damage. The old bolt was pulled out entirely, and shown to be a splitshank buttonhead, one of the weakest and least reliable bolts ever used, which I hope no one is still using. Perhaps OK for a temporary body-weight thing on granite... but not for sandstone. I am told the person who put these in never expected canyoneering to become a "thing" - really expected that the canyon would likely only be done again a couple of times. BEWARE the splitshank buttonhead!

    The splitshank comes out clean, and leaves nothing behind. We were able to drill out the hole to 3/8", then to 1/2", and placed a galvanized steel 1/2" x 2-3/4" Powerbolt (new style), with a Petzl Couer 12mm stainless steel hanger. I was unable to open the rapide that held the splitshank bolt to the chain, so I added a new rapide to join the new bolt to the chain. Game set match - time to move on. (I do notice in the picture that the hanger on the old new bolt is set at an undesirable angle. It is unlikely that this can be fixed, and it is unlikely that it is a real problem).



    We moved on. The water continued to be very cold. I had not done this part of Echo in a long time, and it has changed considerably. The little keeper pothole was down a bit, but I had the advantage of a rope hanging from the 2nd rap anchor to pull up on. Rap into the pool, and swim around the corner. Cassy is trying to scramble out of the pothole, and just an inch short of getting a secure knee in the bottom of the crack. The water is cold, and the pool is devoid of places (on the exit end) that are not full swimmer. (in the past, seems like there was more gravel in the bottom, and places to stand not fully swimming). We had almost no gear in our drybags, so they had almost no flotation in them. I tried using Cassy's pack as a foot-boost, and it helped, but not much. I too ended up about 1" short of getting my knee into a good place. Finally, Gordy came over and 'showed us how its done', then hauled me out, then Abby, then Cassy. CHILLY!

    We proceeded downcanyon. After the 4th rap, Gordy and Abby took off running to catch the last bus, while Cassy and I carried the ropes and had a slightly slower pace. And there is now a 5th rappel - a large amount of log debris has washed down and become lodged at the beginning of the Echo Chamber, and a rappel of the bottom end of this log jam is required. Cassy and I boulder-hopped at speed in the gloom. Popped out into the dusk, stripped off the wetsuits. Trotted down the switchbacks... to find a bus after the Last Bus, which is the Sweep Bus! We made sure the bus saw our lights coming down the trail, and the driver waited for us (about 5 minutes) - thank you! A pair of fellas from New York had done Mystery with a late start, and shared the last last bus with us. Gordy and Abby HAD driven in to find us, but we were already out. I left the Museum parking lot at 10:30 to drive home...

    Quick trip. Just three pics (it WAS dark).

    Tom




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  4. #2
    I'm glad you were able to catch the canyon with a decent amount of water !!! That keeper pothole I feel will catch someone in the future when the water levels re just right.

  5. #3
    When dry there are large rocks on the bottom you can stack and make a stairway to get out or just partner assist up. I don't think it could ever get anyone but a solo. I'm not a fan for solo because it's not as much fun and it's unsafe

    Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

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