TR: Icebox (Zion > Kolob Fingers area) 7/19/09

[oval]

First post here, but figure I'll contribute to some of the fun:

My friend Nick and I (Peter) decided to meet up for a Zion canyon... we were planning on doing Kolob, but since they are releasing until SEPT (ZOMG, way too long!) we opted for Icebox since I've done most of the other Zion stuff.

It was a great time... we got to the trailhead at the crack of 10AM and eagerly started hiking... until we hit the ultra-riparian wash, followed by the mid-day sun on the hill approach up to the slickrock pass.

After catching some lunch and de-heating in some shade at the top of the South Pass, we stumbled on down to the big wall drop in. I wasn't super happy about the single hand line bolt down to the exposed anchors... if I go again, I'll definitely add a second bolt to that anchor. Not a super big deal with the other rap anchors, though the last rap station is an old 1/4" bolt with SMC hanger and 2 pins that are half exposed... another bolt here would be a good idear.

Hit the canyon and got to enjoy some water. Boy was it humid in there! Felt more like a Greenhouse instead of an Icebox! Enjoyed several short raps and swims. However, was disappointed with two single bolts raps that mostly bypassed some easy naturally anchored chockstone drops into the watercourse that would have you swim. I'd consider pulling those bolts the next time through as they are totally unnecessary.

Finally, came to the last series of big waterfalls. Followed a guides advice to hike around the side... which was disappointing. The raps *would* have been the best ones of the canyon, each of them open, and only requiring long bouts of webbing (40'?) from trees to rap. It was hard to tell where they went to, but after hiking through some heinous shrubbery on some talusing slope and looking back up, they looked like two 100' raps with some easy natural anchors.

Blitzed out after we were overjoyed to hit the trail and totally blew by the side canyon to see Kolob Arch... DOH! Made our way to our campsite where we unpacked two beers and stashed them in the stream. It was a beautiful way to unwind, even though we could have hiked out the 6 miles.

The next morning, we blitzed out the trail, some nasty grey medium sized flies nipping our legs and encouraging us to make it out by 10AM. We promptly headed to Cedar City where we got some coffee and beer (just barely, since it was 11AM) and a monster breakfast.

Good times! If I do it again, I plan on taking a bolt-kit for the 3rd rap on the South pass entrance rap station, and perhaps a crowbar for the 2 other single bolt raps :D

Peter

[ratagonia]

Thanks for the TR, Oval Peter. Yup, those flies can be NAAASTY!!!

Tom

[oval]

Thanks Tom! Hey, I really appreciate your webpage guide! Where have you been on the www.canyoneering.net forum lately? I've only gone there sporadically, but it seems much quieter there as of late... I haven't seen you and a few others whose opinions I value posting there.

Peter

[Iceaxe]

Thanks for the TR, and welcome to Bogley.

[ratagonia]

First post here, but figure I'll contribute to some of the fun:

I wasn't super happy about the single hand line bolt down to the exposed anchors... if I go again, I'll definitely add a second bolt to that anchor.

Some comments on "comments on bolts", and comments on bolts in Icebox.

Comments on Bolts

It helps to have "standing" to comment on bolts in canyons. While your comments are appreciated, it is hard for people to put them in context, since this is your first posting here (thank you!) and you are not 'known' to this corner of the canyoneering community (or, at least, by ME).

Also, the rock in question CAN be quite soft, and thus very hard to get good bolts into. Placing bolts is far from easy in Navajo sandstone.

The single handline bolt (under the overlap) was put in by Mr. Cabe circa 2000. The downclimb to the actual anchor is 4th class? ish? And very exposed! I wonder why an anchor is needed at all, but, with heavy packs etc. I suppose many will want one there.

Not a super big deal with the other rap anchors, though the last rap station is an old 1/4" bolt with SMC hanger and 2 pins that are half exposed... another bolt here would be a good idear.

Pins in drilled holes can be deceptive. It is hard to tell how good they are unless you are the one who put them in. Hitting them with a hammer tends to break the micro-bonding that helps make them good (ie, it tends to ruin the placement). That they are sticking out leads me to suspect that the rock is hard in this particular spot, and the pins are quite good. Better if they are tied off rather than clipped to the eye, if they are not all the way in.

Hit the canyon and got to enjoy some water. Boy was it humid in there! Felt more like a Greenhouse instead of an Icebox! Enjoyed several short raps and swims. However, was disappointed with two single bolts raps that mostly bypassed some easy naturally anchored chockstone drops into the watercourse that would have you swim. I'd consider pulling those bolts the next time through as they are totally unnecessary.

The boltage in Icebox is (my guess) set up to avoid the water, because snow persists late in the season in this canyon (many years). Also, many people are doing this with large packs, and doing the difficult-start rappels down a narrow slot into the swim may be beyond many people's capabilites. YOU can always use the chockstones if you wish.

Finally, came to the last series of big waterfalls. Followed a guides advice to hike around the side... which was disappointing. The raps *would* have been the best ones of the canyon, each of them open, and only requiring long bouts of webbing (40'?) from trees to rap. It was hard to tell where they went to, but after hiking through some heinous shrubbery on some talusing slope and looking back up, they looked like two 100' raps with some easy natural anchors.

Could. Have looked at that. As I remember, the tree at the top is right at the edge, and getting started could be exciting. Or could use a different tree back from the edge, and either have an exciting start or a bad pull.

For the second rap, there really is not conspicuous natural anchor. The 'bowl' at the top of the second rap is smoothish rock with no horns or stuff. There are trees to the side, but big enough ones to rappel off of are back quite a ways from the edge.

All the terrain can be visited without rappels. A couple years ago, there was a fairly good trail around the side, though hard to find, perhaps.

Good times! If I do it again, I plan on taking a bolt-kit for the 3rd rap on the South pass entrance rap station, and perhaps a crowbar for the 2 other single bolt raps :D

Peter

Would be nice to put some high-quality bolts into the Big Wall Approach - glue-ins or 1/2" diameter bolts. I think part of "the problem" is that very few (if any) people do this canyon on a regular basis. I have only done it twice in 10 years - once by the big wall entrance and once by the North Pass. So no one has taken 'ownership' of the canyon, and done the hard work to bring it "up to date". You may have also noticed a boltladder up one of the drops in the slot - looks like someone put a lot of effort into climbing UP the canyon a couple of years ago.

In-Slot rappels: I thought I had put in two (or three) bolts in 2001 for these three rappels. They were off single bolts in awkward places. I added another bolt further back so that people who could figure out the ropework could have a two-bolt rappel anchor without leaving behind long slings. You may have NOT seen the furthest out bolt, but the 'new' bolt would have looked new (ie, no 1/4" spinner w/ SMC hanger). So I wonder what happened to the new ones???

Thanks for your report, your interest in keeping the canyons clean and your energies in the community. Welcome to Bogley.

Tom

[oval]

Fair enough; I'll hold off on my comments on the "to bolt or not to bolt" dilemma.

:D