Mystery Canyon... or How A Tourist Almost Killed Me

[deathtointernet]

...or some way to clip into the anchors quickly so you can focus on doing rope work on the edge without facing a catastrophic fall if you slip?

Yeah, I do, and certainly used it at Mystery Springs and the first rappel into the slot section where the anchors are fairly exposed. The trick was that I wasn't actually at the edge of Mystery Falls... I stepped back into the tiny pool before it while working with the rope, and that was the problem. Since I wasn't near the edge I wasn't clipped into the anchor, and I never really thought about how the rope changed the circumstances... in essence putting me at the edge even though I wasn't standing at it. Had I been on the edge not clipped in I might very well have gone over... but the fact that I wasn't at the edge allowed me time and rock to brace myself with.

[deathtointernet]

har har...

I deserve that. Funny thing is he actually did kind of look like me in that shot... he had on a bright blue shirt and a white hat. Other than that, well, he scampered out of there once he saw us coming down.

[deathtointernet]

You didn't come out of Mystery on Sunday, did you? I happened to be passing the base of the last rap as a group was setting their ropes, some kid was standing right in the fall line as they were trying to toss. I left before whomever was leading came down so I didn't see any shenanigans.

No, I did Mystery last week Tuesday. That was actually my biggest concern at the time, not hitting anyone with the rope or anything. I was more worried about what I might do to the tourists instead of what they might do to me... From the sound of it this is not the first time people have had trouble with the hikers in the Narrows... it would seem like the best possible thing to do would be to not toss the rope at all, but instead let the first person down carry it from their harness. That way there would be no taking chances with someone stupid doing something unexpected.

[Bubbles]

I also hiked by on Sunday (around 5 ish) there was a group just pulling their moderately stuck biner block down, they had 3 people pulling on it to get it loose. I have always wondered about people being jackass's by pulling on the rope hanging there...I have considered making up a velcro warning for the end of my rope just for mystery.

We probably saw the same group. We may have passed by each other! Notice any people in helmets and wet suits trying to float down The Narrows?

[Deathcricket]

Hehehe cool story bro. I appreciate you sharing it so we can all learn. And it takes a certain amount of humbleness to admit an error IMO. You're cool in my book!


Not that it counts much.

[sarahlizzy]

Wow, glad you're OK. We had a tourist messing with our rope at Mystery Falls back in June too. I guess it pays to remember that it's a spot where one might encounter people unfamiliar with canyon etiquette, who will do strange and unpredictable things.

[hank moon]

I deserve that. Funny thing is he actually did kind of look like me in that shot... he had on a bright blue shirt and a white hat. Other than that, well, he scampered out of there once he saw us coming down.

All in fun...thanks for posting your story, Jeremy - hopefully it was instructive for someone out there...

[asdf]

Hiked the narrows this weekend with my kids thought of this post as we past mystery. Considering the caliber of people we saw in there your lucky to be alive. In fact I was thinking you really could start a website like peopleofwalmart.com but with a Zion theme.