The list is large, but I would appreciate updates if anyone’s been thru any of them lately
SAN RAFAEL Upper Chute, Lower Baptist, Corral, Horse
ROBBER’S ROOST North Fork of RR, Blue John, Twin Box
CEDAR POINT North Wash, Butler, Maidenwater
CEDAR MESA Gravel, Cheesebox, Lower White
adkramoo
If the Shenanigan’s thing feels easy, Trail Canyon and Hard Day Harvey are wonderful canyons too. And Cheesebox is a fun Cedar classic also. Enjoy and report back
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Tom Jones” wrote:
Welcome to the sport, and the group, Michael.
Classics in the Roost I think might be your best bet:
Larry > Alcatraz > Bluejohn down East up Main > Not Mindbender (requires buiding a deadman anchor which might be > hard without experience)
Classics in North Wash:
Leprechaun (East/Main or ?) > Shenanigans (if you’re smaller than 180 lbs) > Monkey Business, Foolin Around, Hog 1, Hog 2 > Maidenwater
Classics in the Swell:
the best stuff is down at the southern tip, Quandary Direct, The > Squeeze, Knotted Rope when full of water. I kinda think these might > be a bit tough for you, and they are further into the backcountry > than the other stuff, kinda sorta.
Down toward Cedar Mesa:
The Black Hole is totally classic swimming canyon, if you gots lots > of rubber to wear.
Overall, I think you would do best to go into the roost, do the > Bluejohn loop, then switch over to Larry and Alcatraz. That’s 2-1/2 > days (Alcatraz is short).
Then… Go down and camp at Leprechaun Camp, do the Leprechauns, > hit the Black Hole the next day on the way back toward Moab.
Tom
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “michael Kistler” > wrote:
Thanks to all who replied previously
Ram suggested I ask the Group for recommendations of canyons to > visit. I
myself must confess to have not done much canyoneering (couple of > drops in
Cedar Mesa), but have been exploring caves for 30 years. And I’m > talking 20
hour trips, in 30 mile long systems, with multiple vertical rope > drops,
involving long swims in 50 degree water (sometimes with only a > couple inches
of airspace). I’ll be accompanied by my friend Tony, another hard > core
caver as well as an excellent rock climber. We were to be > accompanied by my
brother Jim from Phoenix who has done some canyoneering but is now
unfortunately doubtful.
So that leaves just the 2 of us, and although we are more > competent than
your average rookie, and have many technical skills that apply to > both
activities, our experience level in canyoneering is slim. Any
recommendations you make would be appreciated. I’m more inclined > to the San
Rafael, Robbers Roost, Cedar Mesa area as we’ll be coming off a > mountain
bike trip in Moab. Geology and Archaeology are of much interest > to us.
Thanks
>
Tom Jones
Welcome to the sport, and the group, Michael.
Classics in the Roost I think might be your best bet:
Larry Alcatraz Bluejohn down East up Main Not Mindbender (requires buiding a deadman anchor which might be hard without experience)
Classics in North Wash:
Leprechaun (East/Main or ?) Shenanigans (if you’re smaller than 180 lbs) Monkey Business, Foolin Around, Hog 1, Hog 2 Maidenwater
Classics in the Swell:
the best stuff is down at the southern tip, Quandary Direct, The Squeeze, Knotted Rope when full of water. I kinda think these might be a bit tough for you, and they are further into the backcountry than the other stuff, kinda sorta.
Down toward Cedar Mesa:
The Black Hole is totally classic swimming canyon, if you gots lots of rubber to wear.
Overall, I think you would do best to go into the roost, do the Bluejohn loop, then switch over to Larry and Alcatraz. That’s 2-1/2 days (Alcatraz is short).
Then… Go down and camp at Leprechaun Camp, do the Leprechauns, hit the Black Hole the next day on the way back toward Moab.
Tom
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “michael Kistler” wrote:
Thanks to all who replied previously
Ram suggested I ask the Group for recommendations of canyons to visit. I > myself must confess to have not done much canyoneering (couple of drops in > Cedar Mesa), but have been exploring caves for 30 years. And I’m talking 20 > hour trips, in 30 mile long systems, with multiple vertical rope drops, > involving long swims in 50 degree water (sometimes with only a couple inches > of airspace). I’ll be accompanied by my friend Tony, another hard core > caver as well as an excellent rock climber. We were to be accompanied by my > brother Jim from Phoenix who has done some canyoneering but is now > unfortunately doubtful.
So that leaves just the 2 of us, and although we are more competent than > your average rookie, and have many technical skills that apply to both > activities, our experience level in canyoneering is slim. Any > recommendations you make would be appreciated. I’m more inclined to the San > Rafael, Robbers Roost, Cedar Mesa area as we’ll be coming off a mountain > bike trip in Moab. Geology and Archaeology are of much interest to us.
Thanks
> >
michael Kistler
Thanks to all who replied previously
Ram suggested I ask the Group for recommendations of canyons to visit. I myself must confess to have not done much canyoneering (couple of drops in Cedar Mesa), but have been exploring caves for 30 years. And I’m talking 20 hour trips, in 30 mile long systems, with multiple vertical rope drops, involving long swims in 50 degree water (sometimes with only a couple inches of airspace). I’ll be accompanied by my friend Tony, another hard core caver as well as an excellent rock climber. We were to be accompanied by my brother Jim from Phoenix who has done some canyoneering but is now unfortunately doubtful.
So that leaves just the 2 of us, and although we are more competent than your average rookie, and have many technical skills that apply to both activities, our experience level in canyoneering is slim. Any recommendations you make would be appreciated. I’m more inclined to the San Rafael, Robbers Roost, Cedar Mesa area as we’ll be coming off a mountain bike trip in Moab. Geology and Archaeology are of much interest to us.
Thanks
nat_smale
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “adkramoo” wrote:
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Tom Jones” wrote:
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “nat_smale” wrote:
Went through Alcatraz (AKA NF of Twin Corral Box) last weekend. The
> slot was essentially bone dry. A couple of spots with 2 inch deep
> water, which could be easily stemmed over. The anchors (one chock
> stone at R1, and bolt at R2) and webbing in the canyon seemed in good
> condition.
Nat
> I’d like to point out that “Rappel 2” is easily downclimbed with a
catch. IE, probably have to rope down the first person, but other
members of the party can downclimb to an aggressive spot, for the last
few feet. Probably faster than setting up a rappel for everyone.
Bolt left in place for historical interest.
Tom
> Send one of the 6+ footers down first. A short slide into a stem is > pretty easy and safe. Belay optional and probably smart. > R >
I think this is most easily done if you turn the corner to the left (downcanyon) at the level of the bolt before downclimbing. Then it’s a narrower, more secure downclimb, than if climbing down right at the bolt.
Nat
adkramoo
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “Tom Jones” wrote:
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “nat_smale” wrote:
Went through Alcatraz (AKA NF of Twin Corral Box) last weekend. The
slot was essentially bone dry. A couple of spots with 2 inch deep
water, which could be easily stemmed over. The anchors (one chock
stone at R1, and bolt at R2) and webbing in the canyon seemed in good
condition.
Nat
> I’d like to point out that “Rappel 2” is easily downclimbed with a > catch. IE, probably have to rope down the first person, but other > members of the party can downclimb to an aggressive spot, for the last > few feet. Probably faster than setting up a rappel for everyone. > Bolt left in place for historical interest. > Tom
Send one of the 6+ footers down first. A short slide into a stem is pretty easy and safe. Belay optional and probably smart. R
adkramoo
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “michael Kistler” wrote:
The list is large, but I would appreciate updates if anyone’s been thru any > of them lately
SAN RAFAEL > Upper Chute, Lower Baptist, Corral, Horse
ROBBER’S ROOST > North Fork of RR, Blue John, Twin Box
CEDAR POINT > North Wash, Butler, Maidenwater
CEDAR MESA > Gravel, Cheesebox, Lower White
From recent reports, both public and private….North Wash is dry. Butler is mostly dry with the pools late in Shenanigans (Middle West) and Fooling around (East of West) being the exceptions. Maidenwater had waist deep wade near the bottom a few weeks back. Cheesebox was a tad low….in other words very wet. Expect the same in Gravel. Black Hole section is ALWAYS wet and Cedar mesa will be in wetsuit season soon, with many already donning. Not sure on the others. Shopping for the best trip or going for the full meal there? Nice itinerary. Ram
Tom Jones
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “nat_smale” wrote:
Went through Alcatraz (AKA NF of Twin Corral Box) last weekend. The > slot was essentially bone dry. A couple of spots with 2 inch deep > water, which could be easily stemmed over. The anchors (one chock > stone at R1, and bolt at R2) and webbing in the canyon seemed in good > condition.
Nat > I’d like to point out that “Rappel 2” is easily downclimbed with a catch. IE, probably have to rope down the first person, but other members of the party can downclimb to an aggressive spot, for the last few feet. Probably faster than setting up a rappel for everyone.
Bolt left in place for historical interest.
Tom
nat_smale
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “michael Kistler” wrote:
The list is large, but I would appreciate updates if anyone’s been thru any > of them lately
SAN RAFAEL > Upper Chute, Lower Baptist, Corral, Horse
ROBBER’S ROOST > North Fork of RR, Blue John, Twin Box
Went through Alcatraz (AKA NF of Twin Corral Box) last weekend. The slot was essentially bone dry. A couple of spots with 2 inch deep water, which could be easily stemmed over. The anchors (one chock stone at R1, and bolt at R2) and webbing in the canyon seemed in good condition.
Nat