UT: Escalante – The World of X: From a Vertically Challenged Perspective

Let’s be honest here. Being 5’1 with a stocky build and being considered a size LARGE in Japan, I have short Asian woman syndrome. I use the great outdoors as my personal therapy; to unwind from that long work week, to collect my thoughts, to reflect and think about current and upcoming challenges in life. Although I have the physical strength, my height often hinders me in making that sketchy up climb/dino move, safety landing on my feet without busting my ankle, or bridging across that bigger-than-life pothole. On the flip side, I can fit in some places where the average 6 foot male cannot. So the story commences . . .

It’s 7:00 AM on a Saturday morning. The sun had just risen over Escalante, its rays dancing off the red sandstone. The warmth is welcoming. Today’s goal: Mumbai. My interest for descending this canyon ignited after I had read a trip report detailing Ram and Aaron’s first (and epic) descent. I was uncertain of my ability but, not so much my endurance (I am not the speediest of people but can last for hours), but my height impairment. I am with a strong team who happen to be much more experienced than I: the quick and agile Mike Schasch, Big John who towers over me at 6’7, climber / ZAC guide Robby, and of course, the “infamous” Gnome. He was kind enough to ask John if I could tag along for the ride, and I hope it’s not because I am the “girlfriend” of “The Gnome”. Fast forward to the present. We are through sorting group gear. Robby asks, “What is the longest rap guys?” Eyes shift, shrugs ensued, followed by a nonchalant, “120 feet SHOULD be enough”. And off we go, 5 miles into the vast, cow dung covered desert before us.

After a few hours of straightforward overland travel, we arrive at our destination. Mumbai canyon looms ahead, a menacing dark slot snaked perfectly around towering sandstone walls. We hike down into mid canyon and drop our gear. Schasch runs up canyon and examines the exit point of the upper half. He determines the safest point to drop down in order to avoid being belled out into the Bombay section. This drop in point is marked by a rock. A quick snack and we venture along the rim up to the top of the slot in order to begin the canyon. Easy down climb in, and the canyon appears to get physical instantaneously. No time to get nervous. Stem, stem, stem, scrape, scrape, scrape, higher and higher we go, until you find yourself 60 feet off the deck. Voila, we have entered the X section. I stop and admire the view below. The canyon below looks like an abyss with an endless drop to the floor. Schasch, Robby and John are up in front, Gnome and I are in the back. With every twist and bend a childlike curiosity begins to develop. The first obstacle is a silo. Schasch, up ahead, communicates that it should be simple for me. I am intimidated by the penalty points involved, and although I have crossed silos in the past, this one seems intimidating. I request a belay from the Gnome and he puts me on rope while wedged into the canyon; knowing full well that if I happen to fall he will risk his own life by possibly taking a whipper. I galumph across it with ease, my reach posing no issues. A sigh of relief. Now being fully aware of my capability and how far I can reach, I determine that it was a mental mind fuck and trudge on. Before we know it, we are back on the sandy ground devouring our lunches.

Cloudy skies had decided to threaten us so we hustled out of the mid section in order to tackle the lower half of the canyon. After a rappel down a sculpted tube, we are greeted with a pothole full of murky green water. “Damnit! We don’t want to get wet!” Diener volunteers to be the sacrificial lamb. The water is only waist deep (on him). After fabricating a tensioned traverse and some fancy footwork, the rest of us make it across bone dry. What you do to avoid water! The lower section welcomes us with some high stemming, sandy-at-times-choosey-walls, and some decent places to wedge yourself in for the occasional breather. We move toward another silo. Robby goes high. Schasch points out the line he used. I replicate his actions and cross safely. Mr. Gnome notices a pink golf ball lodged between the canyon walls and revels at how it even got there! Another obstacle greets us. With my newfound awareness, I decide to go low and worm my way back up 15 feet. Watching the 6 foot Gnome stride over the silo with ease I realize I had to exert more effort but at least I did what worked for me.

After some grunt work, we finally reach the elusive Bombay section. Robby provides a meat anchor for Schasch and he rappels down into obscurity. “Holy f**k!” and some other words of excitement escape his lips. From below he then locates the proper route to down climb through the area. Once the down climb was completed, we are greeted with an exquisite scene. As we stop for a moment to admire the extraordinary view, we realize we were actually stemming over a length of a tunnel with many of these crazy Bombays! Photographs did not do this landscape justice.

We stroll through a pool, over a sandbar and enter the final angulated section. The magnificence of the mossy green walls and curvy sandstone were truly awe inspiring. Larger footholds were accessible and the crew went up and over a few spicy areas where a simple fall would be agonizing. John pulled me across a large exposed pothole. A voice echoes from down canyon. “Uh, I don’t know if we have enough rope guys”. Schasch is at the last rappel, looking down on what used to be Lake Powell. A sand bar cluttered with debris and logs greets us from below. A questionable arch is pretty much the only option. We back it up and rig the Smooth Operator. The 120 foot rope is tossed and silence ensues… *Smack!* Cheering erupts. One by one we rappel down and feel the elation of touching the muddy floor. The slog out of the stunning Fiftymile creek was captivating for a few miles; then the constant hiking over boulders, sand, mud and water initiate the thoughts of, “turn it off!” With tired legs and sore bodies, we reach camp before sunset. We break open the chips and celebratory red wine as we reflect upon this memorable day. Thanks to all involved!

Until the next adventure…

(Photography by: Michael Schasch, John Diener, Luke Galyan & I)