Short Story: I received my new copy of Michael Kelsey’s “Slot Canyon Guide, 2nd Edition” and perused the pages to see what he had for new canyons. Upon coming across Woody Canyon(AKA Pothole Fork Woodruff Canyon [PFW]), I was mildly irritated that it was suggested that a G-Pick not only be carried and perhaps used, but it went so far as to state that a “G-pick may be life insurance at this point.”
The pothole where MK suggests that a G-pick may be necessary has been successfully surpassed on at least four occasions and climbed around once. Nick threw a couple of sand-filled potshots across this same pothole which Kelsey states “no one can possibly throw a pack or bag across.” The escape side of the pothole has a scooped out section which allows some purchase and aids getting out.
Two days later I met up with an old friend who I hadn’t seen for quite some time and he asked what I have been up to lately. When he heard that I had been doing some canyoneering he said that he had heard from his friends who have canyoned that the most important thing you can carry is a G-pick so that “if you get trapped, you can hack your way out.” At first I thought he was kidding. This guy is a 5.12 climber with years of mountain exploring, and also owns the climbing gym. He must be yanking my chain. But no; he is entirely serious.
A guy I respect, who is vastly experienced in climbing of all sorts, and is well-versed with wilderness ethics, has completely absorbed the G-pick ethic and thinks it unremarkable to talk about hacking your way out. He is not a canyoneer. This is something he picked up just by being an outdoor enthusiast.
I had always thought that the G-pick was doomed to extinction because it’s heavy and not necessary. I figured that people would read the guide book and scoff at such heavy-handed techniques. Why on earth would someone do things the hard way when several methods have been developed, to overcome obstacles and not get trapped, which do not include chipping at the rock? Mr Kelsey once told me he advocates the G-pick as a last-ditch emergency extreme because he goes solo so often, but it seems to me as if he is pushing it as a method to be commonly considered and often used.
There are plenty of techniques that allow us to descend sandstone canyons without hammering holes in the rock.
Many of the canyons in which Michael Kelsey suggests you carry a G- pick have been done multiple times without a G-pick. You can do all of these canyons without chipping at the rock at all.
Below are a number of resources that have tips on technique. These people are considered to be some of the premiere canyoneers in the sport. Although several are pictured in MK’s guidebook, none of them use a G-pick.
Pack tosses, partner assists, sandbag anchors and team work are fun, easy and quick to use.
I implore everyone to obtain and spread the techniques that leave the canyons in the best possible condition.
THE Link: Stefan’s Canyoneering Links to the Colorado Plateau http://www.math.utah.edu/~sfolias/
Books: “Canyoneering: The San Rafael Swell” by Steve Allen http://www.utahwild.com/resources/books/samples/ “Canyoneering” by Dave Black http://www.northwashoutfitters.com/store/index.php? act=viewProd&productId=163 “Zion: Canyoneering” by Tom Jones http://canyoneeringusa.com/shop/product.php? productid=16309&cat=112&page=1 “Arizona: Technical Canyoneering” by Todd Martin http://www.toddshikingguide.com/AZTechnicalCanyoneering/index.htm
Websites: Tom’s Utah Canyoneering Guide: http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/index.htm Climb Utah http://climb-utah.com/index.htm Cerberus: http://canyonquest.com/~steve/cerberuscanyons.com/ Average Joe http://www.ajroadtrips.com/go/welcome.html ACA http://www.canyoneering.net/content/index.php?categoryid=95
Dave
Stevee B
An issue dear to my heart. Thanks for the write up WyoD. Here’s a direct link to the Cerberus Pack Toss Tech Tip. Aim high, style matters. http://canyonquest.com/~steve/cerberuscanyons.com/tech/008_packtoss/tech_008_packtoss.html
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “davewyo1” wrote:
Short Story: > I received my new copy of Michael Kelsey’s “Slot Canyon Guide, 2nd > Edition” and perused the pages to see what he had for new canyons. > Upon coming across Woody Canyon(AKA Pothole Fork Woodruff Canyon > [PFW]), I was mildly irritated that it was suggested that a G-Pick > not only be carried and perhaps used, but it went so far as to state > that a “G-pick may be life insurance at this point.”
The pothole where MK suggests that a G-pick may be necessary has > been successfully surpassed on at least four occasions and climbed > around once. Nick threw a couple of sand-filled potshots across this > same pothole which Kelsey states “no one can possibly throw a pack > or bag across.” The escape side of the pothole has a scooped out > section which allows some purchase and aids getting out.
Two days later I met up with an old friend who I hadn’t seen for > quite some time and he asked what I have been up to lately. When he > heard that I had been doing some canyoneering he said that he had > heard from his friends who have canyoned that the most important > thing you can carry is a G-pick so that “if you get trapped, you can > hack your way out.” At first I thought he was kidding. This guy is a > 5.12 climber with years of mountain exploring, and also owns the > climbing gym. He must be yanking my chain. But no; he is entirely > serious.
A guy I respect, who is vastly experienced in climbing of all sorts, > and is well-versed with wilderness ethics, has completely absorbed > the G-pick ethic and thinks it unremarkable to talk about hacking > your way out. He is not a canyoneer. This is something he picked up > just by being an outdoor enthusiast.
I had always thought that the G-pick was doomed to extinction > because it’s heavy and not necessary. I figured that people would > read the guide book and scoff at such heavy-handed techniques. Why > on earth would someone do things the hard way when several methods > have been developed, to overcome obstacles and not get trapped, > which do not include chipping at the rock? Mr Kelsey once told me he > advocates the G-pick as a last-ditch emergency extreme because he > goes solo so often, but it seems to me as if he is pushing it as a > method to be commonly considered and often used.
There are plenty of techniques that allow us to descend sandstone > canyons without hammering holes in the rock.
Many of the canyons in which Michael Kelsey suggests you carry a G- > pick have been done multiple times without a G-pick. You can do all > of these canyons without chipping at the rock at all.
Below are a number of resources that have tips on technique. > These people are considered to be some of the premiere canyoneers in > the sport. Although several are pictured in MK’s guidebook, none of > them use a G-pick.
Pack tosses, partner assists, sandbag anchors and team work are fun, > easy and quick to use.
I implore everyone to obtain and spread the techniques that leave > the canyons in the best possible condition.
THE Link: > Stefan’s Canyoneering Links to the Colorado Plateau > http://www.math.utah.edu/~sfolias/
> Books: > “Canyoneering: The San Rafael Swell” by Steve Allen > http://www.utahwild.com/resources/books/samples/
“Canyoneering” by Dave Black > http://www.northwashoutfitters.com/store/index.php?
act=viewProd&productId=163 > “Zion: Canyoneering” by Tom Jones > http://canyoneeringusa.com/shop/product.php?
productid=16309&cat=112&page=1 > “Arizona: Technical Canyoneering” by Todd Martin > http://www.toddshikingguide.com/AZTechnicalCanyoneering/index.htm
> Websites: > Tom’s Utah Canyoneering Guide: > http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/index.htm
Climb Utah > http://climb-utah.com/index.htm
Cerberus: > http://canyonquest.com/~steve/cerberuscanyons.com/
Average Joe > http://www.ajroadtrips.com/go/welcome.html
ACA > http://www.canyoneering.net/content/index.php?categoryid=95
> Dave >