Duckett Slot

On August 31st, 2013, Steph, Micah, Tom and I headed through Duckett Slot.

It was a great canyon for a hot and muggy afternoon.

If you go, be sure to tell your friends to bring elbow and knee pads. Be sure your GPS doesn't drown. AND be sure to read ALL of the beta so you will know how to get back up to your car.

You might not be as lucky as me to hike with 3 people that don't mind getting caught in a monsoon downpour.

I was relieved to discover that everyone had as much fun as I did. It was a fine adventure.

Rainbow over Hog Springs.

Fry Canyon

On August 31st, 2013, Steph, Tom, Micah and I took a refreshing lap through Fry Canyon. A storm from night before filled the canyon and we happened to catch it while it was still flowing.

Short and cool, it was a great way to spend a few hours after a hot day of hiking the previous day. The only rappel in the canyon is stunning and worth the effort.

Tom's game face

Steph's game face.

Micah's game face.

East Blarney

On the stormy afternoon of August 30th, Micah, Tom, and I did a quick lap down this scenic, much traveled canyon. It's fun and easy, and I was stoked that Micah and Tom were willing to do this canyon that I had never seen, but they had both done before. Thanks fellas!

Tom converting potential energy into thermal energy.

Micah and Tom.

Messin' Around

On August 30th, 2013, Steph, Tom, Micah and I headed for Foolin' Around Canyon in the North Wash...

... and missed.

A navigational snafu on my part led us into a slot between Foolin' Around and Horse Play. It's a pretty good one; good enough quality that we didn't question that we were in the correct canyon until the end.

The finale was a very nice 90 foot free-hanging drop... into some trees. With no signs of passage, it could be a first descent. Given its location, we realize how unlikely that is.

Either way, it was a very fun and memorable morning with some great new friends. I'm thankful that everyone completed the canyon without incident, that we found our way back to the car quickly (thanks to an outstanding climb by Tom), and that everyone had a great time. We realize how fortunate we were to do this 'exploration' without a major problem.

Does Micah have the skills to do this outward flaring chimney?...

He sure does.

Tom and Micah.

Micah.

The final rap. An optional shorter rap on the RDC side (booooor-ing).

Steph making it look easy.

The following photos were taken by Micah Campbell.

Kolob Canyon

On August 10th, 2013, Steph, my brother-in-law Tyler and I ventured through Kolob Canyon. This was Tyler's first canyon since his accident in Sandthrax, ten weeks ago.

Kolob is a spectacular canyoneering adventure, with stunning views around every corner. There was almost no flow going through the canyon, perhaps one gallon per second (or about 0.1 CFS). For our first time through, the sparse amount of water was fine with us.

Please turn your sound ON and maximize your viewing area before playing this video. You'll have a little more fun that way.

The real challenge came after the last big rappel. We came across 2 rattlesnakes and another unexpected obstacle...

Tyler and I were hiking downstream from the majestic 400 ft spring-fed waterfall when Tyler began swatting at something. I was on the shore of the creek and Tyler was in the main watercourse. Suddenly he started screaming and flailing, sprinting upstream trying to remove his pack and his helmet. As his pack came off his back, 10 bees flew out from underneath. As his helmet came off, 4 more came flying out. Perhaps a dozen more bees were literally chasing him as he retreated up the creek. Quite scary. Unfortunately, Tyler had his wetsuit peeled down to his waist, so he was stung at least a dozen times. Luckily, the bees were not that interested in me or Steph.

Once we retreated upcanyon a bit, we looked around, trying to find the home of the bees. It was difficult to spot, inside of a log that had fallen across the creek. Tyler had stepped on this log, much to the bees annoyance.

Then we realized: While sprinting away Tyler had dropped one of the ropebags directly underneath the doorway of the nest, no more than a foot away. There were about 30 very angry bees attacking it.

It was then I remembered that bees are not too fond of mud. So we proceeded to cover ourselves, like Schwarzenegger in Predator.

Ever since seeing the move back in 1987, I always hoped that the need to copy that method would arrive. Covering yourself with mud for protection is fun. It was even more fun when we realized how well it works. With our wetsuits zipped back up, we covered our faces, necks and hands with mud and proceeded downstream.




The rest of Kolob Creek was continuously beautiful, but also taxing because we underestimated the distance between Kolob and the MIA exit. It was like having 5 helpings of dessert. Even fat kids get annoyed at some point.

And the MIA... oh man. It lives up to the hype. The MIA exit has two halves: The easy half, then the hard half.

The hard half seems as if it were designed by Satan himself. A 5.3 upclimb, 600 feet tall, with dead trees for handholds, covered with a foot of unstable sand. It's pure hell. I've never vomited on a hike before, or from any form of exercise. However, I vomited several times at the top of the MIA.

Amazingly, Tyler carried 400 feet of rope, plus his harness and wetsuit up the MIA, all the way back to the car. :ahnuld: Thank God he did, because we wouldn't have made it up before dark without his Herculean effort. Is Tyler recovered from Sandthrax? You betcha.

Tyler doin' his thing:

Free advice:

We recommend wearing a 2-piece wetsuit for this adventure. Remove your neoprene top and harness after the second big rappel, then put on a quick-dry shirt. A 7mm top with a 5mm bottom would have been perfect for me. The hike from the last big rap to the final 15 foot rap was quite long, but still in the chilly watercourse. It would have been much more fun if I wasn't fighting my wetsuit the entire way.

Fill up with water at the huge waterfall spring on the LDC wall, just after the last big rappel.

If the longest rappel is 170 feet, then bring two ropes of that length. The rap pulls are very straightforward, as long as you don't twist your ropes. Carefully separate your ropes before your last person commits to each rappel, even if it means floating in the water while you hold them apart.

Be sure to have a good meal and drink plenty of water before the MIA exit. Cramping and vomiting could have been easily avoidable if we had taken a little extra time in this department.

Enjoy!

Stewart Falls

On July 29th, 2013, I used up one of my 9 lives. My pictures suck, but the story is pretty good.

On our way down to Capitol Reef, we stopped and met Blake and his crew in Provo Canyon. Oddly I'd never visited Provo Canyon before and was impressed with it's beauty. Our objective for the day: Stewart Falls.

We start loading up gear for the hike and I notice that my helmet is missing, forgotten at home. This was the first of several mishaps.

We hike up the side of the falls without incident. Blake is an excellent leader and the ascent is very efficient. Once we reach the top of the falls everyone begins pulling out wetsuits. "Wetsuits?", Josh and I both proclaim. The need for neoprene was news to us on this warm July day.

If I had done my homework, like I normally do, I would have quickly learned that the falls are fueled by almost frozen water. I stick my hand in the creek. It is colder than the coldest water that comes out of your shower at home. "Josh and I will tough it out.", I say.

I go first down the initial rappel. The water is unavoidable. Instantly, I'm drenched with ice water. I quickly set up the next rappel....

Down we go, setting up and tearing down rappels as quickly as we can in order to complete the route by dark. Josh and I are very cold. We arrive at the final rappel and are greeted by webbing that has been set up by chimpanzees. I cut it all out and rebuild it. Soon the 300 foot rope arrives and we get the rappel line set. We turn on the walkie-talkies and Blake heads down with one of them.

Just as he arrives at the bottom, the walkie talkies die.

We all look at each other and take turns pulling on the rope to see if Blake is done. It's tough to tell; the rope is heavy and the falls are pulling hard on the rope. Cautiously, the other members of the group rappel down the 250 foot drop.

I look at Josh and say, "Shoot man, what else can go wrong?", then thunder rumbles around us. I look above him and see a HUGE thundercloud rolling over the mountain. It begins to rain just as it is my turn to rappel. I work my way towards the edge and it begins to POUR.

I look over the edge and try to see the team at the bottom. So much rain was hanging in the air between me and the ground that it was difficult to see anything at all around the base of the falls. It was impossible to see people. It was pouring THAT hard.

So, I decide that I want to get to the bottom fast. I set up my ATC with minimal friction. Another mistake.

It starts raining even harder. I step over the edge of the falls; the sight I see is surreal. An ENORMOUS 250-foot waterfall covered in a foot of moss. I feel like Luke Skywalker when he first met the Rancor; overwhelmed by the daunting power of the falls. There are strips of moss falling off my feet the size of doormats, then falling out of sight, obscured by the water. To my side, an astonishing display of water accelerating off the lip of the falls then away from me.

A LOT of water that will be hitting me very hard, very soon.

I clip a biner into my leg loop and reach for another, in case a Z-rig is needed. Then I discover I have no more biners... they've all been used for biner blocks and are now safely at the bottom of the rappel with my other teammates. Half Z-rig will be good enough, right?

No. Not right.

I head down knowing that if I pull a rock from above, I could die. If I get stuck on rappel, same result. This must be fast and perfect. My hands are frozen and almost useless.

I get halfway down the rappel and clip into my leg loop and pull up. HARD. NOT enough friction. The waterfall is pummeling me and I begin to loose control. I'm still at least 100 feet off the deck.

I scream to Blake, "Fireman!! Fireman!!", but he can't hear me over the roar of the falls, over the thunder, and the rain. I manage to stop myself and scream for assistance some more. Blake then realizes I'm in trouble and quickly bolts for the rope. He pulls with a few pounds of tension via fireman belay and assists me to the bottom.

Josh quickly and skillfully follows me then we pull the ropes in the freezing rain. We bolted quickly back to our cars and cranked up the heaters, happy to be alive.

_________________

Thanks to Blake and his team for inviting me on this adventure. I'm fully accountable for forgetting my helmet, my wetsuit, my biners and my common sense. The thunderstorm was terrible luck. We all did our homework on that one, just hours before, and it still snuck up on us.

Thanks again Blake for saving my bacon! I would have cratered without your assistance, and I am grateful.

Bob

Top Half of the Final Rappel

Bottom Half of the Final Rappel

Josh on Rap #3

Sulphur Creek

On Monday, July 29th, 2013, Steph and I took our son John down Sulphur Creek in Capitol Reef National Park.

At the time of this hike John was 27 months old. He is a real trooper, and shares the same stoke that we have for the outdoors. He hiked as far as his little legs would take him, and replied with an emphatic “YES!” every time we asked if he was having a good time.

Sulphur Creek is a GREAT hike. It’s very scenic and peaceful. We didn’t see another person in the canyon. Our car-to-car time was 4.5 hours at a very leisurely pace. Hitchhiking to the top TH was easy. The deepest water we crossed came up to our knees.

Caution: With a toddler strapped to your back, there will be one tricky downclimb that skirts a waterfall, then later on, a challenging traverse on a different waterfall. Please, DO NOT imitate our actions by doing this route with your toddler. This is not an infant/toddler friendly hike. However, kids that have the ability to make most of the downclimbing moves will likely have a great time.