I was reading a recent TR about a recent trip to what is known as the Great White Icicle in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Some of the pictures in this trip report were outstanding! I commented and thanked the author of the trip report for his stunning photos and then thought: “Hey, this will be the perfect week for me to go do that! My wife is gone to girls camp and I will need somthing to do. This adventure sounds perfect!” With that thought in mind I was shocked to see in my email a personal invite to go with the guy (Slot Machine) whose TR I had liked and commented on.
The planning happened very quickly (which I prefer). The TR was posted on the 4th of July. I commented on the post on the 6th. On the 8th I found myself making some new canyoneering friends on the top of a beautiful waterfall!
The Great White Icicle is better knowns as a winter ice climbing route, but during the summer it is a wonderful 3C II canyoneering/cascading adventure! And a wonderful and very beautiful adventure it is!
It took about an hour to get to the trail head where I was to meet Bob (the guy who was gunna guide me through the falls) It was a great meeting. It is so nice to put a real person to the internet avatars I communicate with on the canyoneering interwebs. Bob is known to me as the Slot Machine (his Bogley name), and truly, in his few years of canyoneering he has gained a lot of experience in the canyons. I learned a lot from just being around him and watching his group manage the drops and rappels. He has some pretty awesome stories to share as well. All in all, it was a very pleasant experience for me to meet this canyoneer and his friends.
The hike to the top is a bit technical. It requires some steep scrambling and some good route finding. (luckily I was with a group that has done it a few times and had the route dialed in pretty well.) The falls were beautiful! It is pretty much a 650ish foot waterfall that you rappel down in stages. It is the first waterfall I have ever done this way. Needless to say, it was a very unique and very beautiful experience! Like all waterfall rappels, it seems that the closer you get to the falls the prettier it is! The view of the waterfall from the road is cool, but the view ya get while rappelling down in the waterfall is so much better. The way the water falls down the side of this granite canyon is very pretty. I love the cascades, and the dripping vibrant green moss. I love the way the water twists, falls and shoots off and around the rock. I love the way I get splashed as I rappel down the falls.
Here are some pics of our adventure! Huge thanks to Bob the “Slot Machine”! It was awesome to get to meet and learn from him!
John Styrnol
I’d also would be up for another descent of TGWI, it’s been a few years.
Mountaineer
Here is the totem locking off.
Blake Merrell
ya beat me to it. I like to rappel the way that you showed in your picture. Not sure why I did it so many different ways! ok that is a lie, I know why it happened that I used my totem in so many different ways. I guess that is teh beauty of the totem. It CAN be used successfully in different ways.
I prefer the method you (@Mountaineer) showed with your pictures. I like it for exactly the same reasons you mentioned but, locking off can be done both ways (the same way), which is nice too. I don’t really notice a difference when rappelling with the 8 close or “further” away.
You got a keen eye Mark
Mountaineer
All good, I think either way (flipped) in figure 8 mode would work OK. I just think when it is flipped (opposite of the pic I posted), it would be much harder to lock off or add friction on the device. Maybe better to using an extension if you want the rope twist further away from you, rather than extending it by just flipping the totem.
Of course, even flipped, you can use other methods (biner on a leg loop, or leg wrap) to add friction or stop.
Blake Merrell
It isn’t much harder, but the potential of the rope slipping over the horn is greater.
Mountaineer
Here is how I use it. You used it flipped (so the rope is farther away from you, and your carabiner is clipped into the other side):
[EDIT]: You actually use it both ways in your pics.
Mountaineer
Hi Blake,
You flipped the Totem in figure eight mode? Harder to lock off that way, or do you use an alternate lock off method?
Blake Merrell
By “flipped the Totem in figure eight mode?” do you mean: rappelled with my totem in figure 8 mode with the stitch plate end on the outside?
if that is your question, then yes I usually rappel that way. I find more comfort in havin the longer section of the totem there incase i need to add friction. It seems that the rope owuld hav less chance of slipping off the “horn” that way.
as far as locking off the figure 8, it is super simple with the the totem. How do you do it?
Mountaineer
Yes, when using it with the longer part of the totem above the tie in point. That gives you the entire upper totem to wrap with the rope if you need to.
In your pics, you are rapping with the totem attached to your harness, but then the tie in with the figure 8 at the other end (away from your harness). Never seen it setup this way, and wondering how it worked out.
Blake Merrell
i’m not sure I understand exactly what you are saying. BUT now that you have brought to my attention how I rigged my totem for these rappels , I realized I used it in about 3 different ways LOL
I like rigging in figure 8 mode this way: the rope threads OVER the neck of the totem.
Or this way. But I like the other way better.
I don’t like doing it this way: the rope threads UNDER the next of the totem thus being more susceptible to binding with a girth hitch.
Totem in ATC mode:
Cañonero
Nice TR Blake, I’ve actually watched your youtube vids on stewart and bridal veil as well, but I’d never heard of White Icicle before. I’d love to join in on other cool adventures like this in the future!
Jorge
Blake Merrell
glad you liked the videos. Bridal Veil and Stewart Cascades are wonderful adventures. lets get together sometime and do em
Cañonero
For sure, I live in Draper, and would be free even on weekdays after work, so keep me in mind, thanks!