I first heard of SF Choprock in the early 1990’s from an acquaintance and for years after I have avoided doing SF Choprock because I heard that there was poison ivy in there.  I finally did the canyon last week and it is probably my 2nd favorite canyon to date.  The poison ivy was easy to avoid and in the sections of the canyon that did have poison ivy, we were wearing wetsuits.  There is some ivy below the falls, but I stayed a long way from it.  Now I am apparently starting to get a poison ivy rash (usually it doesn’t get bad until a week or two after a trip).   It’s behind my knees.  How can this be? I never touched the stuff.  I’ve have heard (from someone; I don’t remember from whom or where) that the oils can stay in the water.  Is this really true?     Even if it was true, could it really get through a wetsuit (not a shorty; a full one)?  I am also home sick today from eating something on the way home.    It was such a good trip, but it’s the aftermath that seems to be wearing on me.  Just bad luck? ÂÂ
Yahoo Canyons Group
chris
For the stomach problem, it could have been something in the water, Scott. I’ve been suffering a bit over the last couple of days, but have blamed it on a combination of too many Clif bars and the poor choice of a gas station chicken salad sandwich. No PI reaction on my part (but we know that doesn’t mean much with me)
Chris
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, scott patterson wrote:
I first heard of SF Choprock in the early 1990’s from an acquaintance and for years after I have avoided doing SF Choprock because I heard that there was poison ivy in there.  I finally did the canyon last week and it is probably my 2nd favorite canyon to date. >  > The poison ivy was easy to avoid and in the sections of the canyon that did have poison ivy, we were wearing wetsuits.  There is some ivy below the falls, but I stayed a long way from it. >  > Now I am apparently starting to get a poison ivy rash (usually it doesn’t get bad until a week or two after a trip).   It’s behind my knees.  How can this be? I never touched the stuff. >  > I’ve have heard (from someone; I don’t remember from whom or where) that the oils can stay in the water.  Is this really true?     Even if it was true, could it really get through a wetsuit (not a shorty; a full one)? >  > I am also home sick today from eating something on the way home.    It was such a good trip, but it’s the aftermath that seems to be wearing on me.  Just bad luck? > ÂÂ
>
Mark Rosen
I feel for you. I’m broken out right now from cleaning debris from Little Cottonwood Creek in prep for the spring run off. I thought that I had avoided the stuff too. I really think that it was the poison oak not the the PI but same difference. I also didn’t have much skin showing but when you are sensitive I don’t think that it takes much.
I might have to look into a way to rap into Chop after the riparian section to avoid the PI. As the flow is low I would think that I could decrease my chance of a reaction just by avoiding that section.
If you wash your whole body with alcohol and then soap and water within about 10 to 15 minutes of exposure it can prevent an attack.
That must explain why Randi brought so many bottles down to Fence canyon camp and then had to go back up after the clothes that she had left in the car on my first trip through Chop.
Mark >
Gordon
PI can get in the water. I did Death Hollow a few years ago with a friend who is also sensitive . We’re both positive that we avoided all of it, but he got the rash everywhere that his clothing chafed him and I got a whole-body reaction requiring prednisone. It was fall and there were a few leaves in the water ….
Gordon
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, scott patterson wrote:
I first heard of SF Choprock in the early 1990’s from an acquaintance and for years after I have avoided doing SF Choprock because I heard that there was poison ivy in there.  I finally did the canyon last week and it is probably my 2nd favorite canyon to date. >  > The poison ivy was easy to avoid and in the sections of the canyon that did have poison ivy, we were wearing wetsuits.  There is some ivy below the falls, but I stayed a long way from it. >  > Now I am apparently starting to get a poison ivy rash (usually it doesn’t get bad until a week or two after a trip).   It’s behind my knees.  How can this be? I never touched the stuff. >  > I’ve have heard (from someone; I don’t remember from whom or where) that the oils can stay in the water.  Is this really true?     Even if it was true, could it really get through a wetsuit (not a shorty; a full one)? >  > I am also home sick today from eating something on the way home.    It was such a good trip, but it’s the aftermath that seems to be wearing on me.  Just bad luck? > ÂÂ
>