I’m interested in creative – off the wall techniques folks have come up with in the canyons. Duct tape techniques might be another name for it
To start things off I posted two pictures called “Duct Tape Hooker” under a new photo album called ‘Creative Techniques – Duct Tape’.
The story behind these pictures is kind of funny – albeit a bit long.
On my first trip to the Irish canyons last March I took a couple of guys from work for their first canyon trip – along with John Syternol (sp).
On our second canyon of the first day, right fork of Shillehagh I believe, we got to the first rap and I did a toss-n-go using the webbing and Q/L already there. I went down first so I could do a fireman belay for the beginners. While waiting between belays I did something that I used to do but have since kicked the habit. I absent-mindedly practiced tying knots on one of the lines.
As soon as John made it down I told the guys to pull the rope while I headed over to look at the next anchor situtation. As Ross was pulling the rope Rob noticed a knot in the end of the rope slowly being pulled up the wall. He turned to me and asked how the knot would make it through the Q/L. I immediately yelled to Ross to stop pulling but by then the knot was about 20 feet off the deck. Too late to back off and pull the other side.
After kicking myself for leaving a knot in the line I considered the options. I could finish pulling the knot and hope it would hold me as I ascended the rope. We could walk down the bench aways and look for a way to climb back up. We could do the next rap using my 6mm pull cord – not good for beginners – and hike out and back around to get the rope. OR, I could find a way to hook the knot and pull the rope back down.
I did a quick look around on the bench between the first and second rap. Not much in the line of materials to work with. There was a couple small dead bushes – and pretty fraigle bushes at that – but it was all I had – but wait I also had- yes you guessed it – Duct Tape.
I proceeded to break off of about 8 of the thickest branches I could find on the dead bushes and duct taped them together. Then I taped open a light weight non-locking wire biner and attached it to the end of the branches. I used every last piece of duct tape I had.
I then had Ross – the tallest in the party – reach up and grab the knot (an interesting feat of itself with the hooker swaying all over). He just barely could reach it and it took several trys to get it hooked. Then on the count of 3 I would flip the other side of the rope to give it some slack and he would give a small tug on the knot and pull it down an inch or so. We couldn’t pull very hard for fear of breaking the hooker. It took doing this flip-n-pull about 30-40 times to inch the knot down to the point we could reach it by hand. We then untied the knot and pulled the rope.
The grin on Ross’s face in the picture shows our jubliation (and the flimsiness of the hooker). What had started as a moment of fear – especially for the newbies – turned into the highlight of the trip. We still laugh and talk about that experience. I now have one of Tom’s Happy Hookers that would have done the same job (though I don’t carry it that often ) but I always carry Duct tape in the canyons.
Any other stories out there?
oldgator22000
A helmut makes a very good ~shovel if needed, My friends and I used our helmets to move 10 ft^3 of sand to help us “upcanyon” the very easily bypassed drops going up Ramp canyon…… (ok, may not 10 cubic feet LOL!!!!)
Duct tape tie-in…… errrr, IF we had duct taped the vent holes in our helmets then it may have taken only half as long!!!!
Dan
ionsmuse
Anybody know what makes the summit register reportedly so > interesting, never mind I wil find out for myself, I own a fifi hook > now. >
Apparently not a spellchecker.
restrac2000
I tried soloing Mexican Hat more than a year ago and tried something similar. Used an avi shovel handle and cheap tape to cheat clip the first bolt (tape rips and you have your clip back); it was the only success of the day as I had never soloed or aid(A0-fully ovrhung) climbed before, made it to the second bolt and realized why they invented the Fifi Hook.
Anybody know what makes the summit register reportedly so interesting, never mind I wil find out for myself, I own a fifi hook now.
Youth
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Verlyn Hawks” wrote:
I’m interested in creative – off the wall techniques folks have come > up with in the canyons. Duct tape techniques might be another name > for it
To start things off I posted two pictures called “Duct Tape Hooker” > under a new photo album called ‘Creative Techniques – Duct Tape’.
The story behind these pictures is kind of funny – albeit a bit long.
On my first trip to the Irish canyons last March I took a couple of > guys from work for their first canyon trip – along with John Syternol > (sp).
On our second canyon of the first day, right fork of Shillehagh I > believe, we got to the first rap and I did a toss-n-go using the > webbing and Q/L already there. I went down first so I could do a > fireman belay for the beginners. While waiting between belays I did > something that I used to do but have since kicked the habit. I > absent-mindedly practiced tying knots on one of the lines.
As soon as John made it down I told the guys to pull the rope while I > headed over to look at the next anchor situtation. As Ross was > pulling the rope Rob noticed a knot in the end of the rope slowly > being pulled up the wall. He turned to me and asked how the knot > would make it through the Q/L. I immediately yelled to Ross to stop > pulling but by then the knot was about 20 feet off the deck. Too late > to back off and pull the other side.
After kicking myself for leaving a knot in the line I considered the > options. I could finish pulling the knot and hope it would hold me > as I ascended the rope. We could walk down the bench aways and look > for a way to climb back up. We could do the next rap using my 6mm > pull cord – not good for beginners – and hike out and back around to > get the rope. OR, I could find a way to hook the knot and pull the > rope back down.
I did a quick look around on the bench between the first and second > rap. Not much in the line of materials to work with. There was a > couple small dead bushes – and pretty fraigle bushes at that – but it > was all I had – but wait I also had- yes you guessed it – Duct Tape.
I proceeded to break off of about 8 of the thickest branches I could > find on the dead bushes and duct taped them together. Then I taped > open a light weight non-locking wire biner and attached it to the end > of the branches. I used every last piece of duct tape I had.
I then had Ross – the tallest in the party – reach up and grab the > knot (an interesting feat of itself with the hooker swaying all > over). He just barely could reach it and it took several trys to get > it hooked. Then on the count of 3 I would flip the other side of > the rope to give it some slack and he would give a small tug on the > knot and pull it down an inch or so. We couldn’t pull very hard for > fear of breaking the hooker. > It took doing this flip-n-pull about 30-40 times to inch the knot > down to the point we could reach it by hand. We then untied the > knot and pulled the rope.
The grin on Ross’s face in the picture shows our jubliation (and the > flimsiness of the hooker). > What had started as a moment of fear – especially for the newbies – > turned into the highlight of the trip. We still laugh and talk about > that experience. > I now have one of Tom’s Happy Hookers that would have done the same > job (though I don’t carry it that often ) but I always carry Duct > tape in the canyons.
Any other stories out there?
John Styrnol
Hey I remember that. You forgot to tell them that it was getting late and it started to rain.
John
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Verlyn Hawks” wrote:
I’m interested in creative – off the wall techniques folks have come > up with in the canyons. Duct tape techniques might be another name > for it
To start things off I posted two pictures called “Duct Tape Hooker” > under a new photo album called ‘Creative Techniques – Duct Tape’.
The story behind these pictures is kind of funny – albeit a bit long.
On my first trip to the Irish canyons last March I took a couple of > guys from work for their first canyon trip – along with John Syternol > (sp).
On our second canyon of the first day, right fork of Shillehagh I > believe, we got to the first rap and I did a toss-n-go using the > webbing and Q/L already there. I went down first so I could do a > fireman belay for the beginners. While waiting between belays I did > something that I used to do but have since kicked the habit. I > absent-mindedly practiced tying knots on one of the lines.
As soon as John made it down I told the guys to pull the rope while I > headed over to look at the next anchor situtation. As Ross was > pulling the rope Rob noticed a knot in the end of the rope slowly > being pulled up the wall. He turned to me and asked how the knot > would make it through the Q/L. I immediately yelled to Ross to stop > pulling but by then the knot was about 20 feet off the deck. Too late > to back off and pull the other side.
After kicking myself for leaving a knot in the line I considered the > options. I could finish pulling the knot and hope it would hold me > as I ascended the rope. We could walk down the bench aways and look > for a way to climb back up. We could do the next rap using my 6mm > pull cord – not good for beginners – and hike out and back around to > get the rope. OR, I could find a way to hook the knot and pull the > rope back down.
I did a quick look around on the bench between the first and second > rap. Not much in the line of materials to work with. There was a > couple small dead bushes – and pretty fraigle bushes at that – but it > was all I had – but wait I also had- yes you guessed it – Duct Tape.
I proceeded to break off of about 8 of the thickest branches I could > find on the dead bushes and duct taped them together. Then I taped > open a light weight non-locking wire biner and attached it to the end > of the branches. I used every last piece of duct tape I had.
I then had Ross – the tallest in the party – reach up and grab the > knot (an interesting feat of itself with the hooker swaying all > over). He just barely could reach it and it took several trys to get > it hooked. Then on the count of 3 I would flip the other side of > the rope to give it some slack and he would give a small tug on the > knot and pull it down an inch or so. We couldn’t pull very hard for > fear of breaking the hooker. > It took doing this flip-n-pull about 30-40 times to inch the knot > down to the point we could reach it by hand. We then untied the > knot and pulled the rope.
The grin on Ross’s face in the picture shows our jubliation (and the > flimsiness of the hooker). > What had started as a moment of fear – especially for the newbies –
> turned into the highlight of the trip. We still laugh and talk about > that experience. > I now have one of Tom’s Happy Hookers that would have done the same > job (though I don’t carry it that often ) but I always carry Duct > tape in the canyons.
Any other stories out there?
adkramoo
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Verlyn Hawks” wrote: Any other stories out there?
Hey Verlyn. Thanx for the change of mood. How about this one? The all purpose helmet. Aside from saving my head from severe injury on December 27th, last year, it was used in 2004 as……. 1-An ice axe. The edges of a helmet work quite well for cutting steps for those snow chocked early season canyons 2-As a tool for pothole escape. The shape seems to work well in grooves that are quite slanted down toward the pool you are trying to escape. Worked in places sand bags didn’t 3-As a stair step. There is this one spot in Trail Canyon, and now Shenanegans, as I have put on some weight, that placing the helmet on the ground and stepping up on it puts the chest and the hips in just the right place to slip through, in some serious tight spots. Even have used the stacked helmets once, to get up higher. Ram