an oldie but goodie…
Two Canyoneering Groups Enter Wrong Canyon and Need Assistance
March 22, 2015 Posted by: Zion National Park
Over the last week, two canyoneering groups required assistance because they entered the wrong canyon.
On the evening of March 18, 2015, a canyoneer contacted Zion Dispatch because the other two members of his party were stranded 400 feet above the Riverside Walk. The group had intended to descend Mystery Canyon but ended up in the next canyon to the south which culminates in a 375 foot rappel. One party member had been able to exit the canyon by rappelling to a small ledge, pulling the group’s rope, and then rappelling to the ground. On March 19, rangers traveled through the canyon, which is closed to the public due to the danger caused by rappelling directly above the Riverside Walk, and provided rope and assistance to the stranded canyoneers.
On the evening of March 21, 2015, Zion Dispatch was contacted by cell phone by a stranded canyoneering party. The group was fortunate to find a location with cell service which is not common in Zion’s canyons. The party of four had intended to descend Hidden Canyon but misread their map and rappelled into the next canyon to the south, Red Arch Canyon. Red Arch Canyon culminates in a 280′ rappel. The party did not have enough rope to complete the final rappel, but were able to lower enough material tied together to reach the base of the rappel. Rescuers at the base of the rappel tied long enough ropes onto the party’s ropes. The party pulled up the longer ropes and safely rappelled to the ground.
Canyoneers are reminded to check their map and route description thoroughly before beginning a first rappel. Once you complete the first rappel and pull your rope, you must complete the canyon whether or not it is the one that you intended to enter.
Pictish
A good friend of mine was on that epic through Red Arch/Grotto Canyon. It was his first canyon and it indirectly got me involved in canyoneering. I don’t remember enough of his account to make a detailed trip report but I’m pretty sure he wrote it down. I’ll try to get what he has and make a post. It’s a pretty good story.
Yellow Dart
It has already been posted, I remember reading it within the last few months.
Edit:
Oops, I guess it was a report from a different group that did the same thing back in November 2013.
http://canyoncollective.com/threads/live-and-learn.18983/#post-79092
dakotabelliston
I rather enjoy reading EPICs in hope that I will never have to add a TR report to them lol. May I learn by others mistakes.
townsend
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townsend
Cogent use of reductio ad absurdum . . . I recant.
ratagonia
or 1350 feet of rope, in case one misses the trail and does the exit down the watercourse at the End of Hidden, with its 450 foot rappel…
(just to prove I can reductio ad absurdum with the best of ’em (excluding Presidential candidates, of course)).
Kuenn
Now that’s what I’m talk’n bout!
in that vein…
Why not just take a few bundles of sisal and twist it up on the spot? Or better yet, prolly got the raw materials growing right there in the wild… like the Anasazi did it.
Rope Maker
Sorry, couldn’t help myself.
ratagonia
Thanks to your suggestion, I have started a project to plant Agave sisalana at all rappels, so that in the future, people will be able to do so. I think twining sisal ropes will become the next level of ghosting for canyons… however, people will need to post their descents so we can keep track of when there is enough fiber in each canyon for another descent. Troglodytes who still use plastic ropes will be publicly shamed as PLASTICIZERS – ugh, so unnatural!!
Tom
townsend
IIRC, I have read that one should carry 3x the rope length of the longest rappel:
1) one 100′ needed for the rappel
2) second 100′ for pull cord
3) third 100′ for top belay (or possible rescue if needed)
Total: 300′
I know that would be inconvenient, so is unlikely to be done. Easier to learn to read the map, as Tom suggested.
ratagonia
By this reasoning, one should carry 900 feet of rope to be “safe” in the case that one wandered into the next-door canyon.
T
ScottM
Fortunately, I was able to find the approach to Mystery on Thursday, Tom. Which meant I could pay you that beer on Saturday!
ratagonia
(Upper) Hidden Canyon longest rap is 100 feet. Red Arch / Grotto Canyon is 280 feet.
Unlikely to convince people to carry a 300 foot rope on a 100 foot max rap canyon “just in case”.
I think the three points are:
1. find current information (the Park changed the location of the access trail which is not reflected in older beta).
2. read the map
3. if the canyon does not match the description, you are in the wrong canyon. Go back. (The two canyons start WAY differently).
Tom
townsend
While we are at it, why not bring a little extra (length of) rope on canyoneering trips? It might come in a little handy.