TR: No Kidding!

I would be extremely dissappointed if the thing became fixed! Don’t lower the canyon to your level, it’s less fun that way. I’d come through and remove it if I heard about it.

Yes the board did pull easily, however some of the shots did not and it took 3 of us to bring them down. the last 2 or 3 launched with the board. No rounded corners though it could help. I just grabbed a 12×48 sheet of particle board and nate broke it for us (which is why it cracked after eric rapped. I think taking the time to build a good dirt ramp is the way to go as that’s mostly what we did to compensate for the broken board. Also about the geometry being adjusted, we also did this for the deep pothole rap anchor (I’m assuming this is where Jason Pease’s 200+’ R3 starts?). We set Eric’s pack in the middle of the wall and stacked shot’s on top of it.

I’m glad the canyon was dry as it seems it would be a fair bit harder with water.

As far as the shot’s go we weren’t sure what to expect (hoping for real keepers) and we figured we were going to be rapping on shot’s 100% it’s nice to have atleast 4 for rapping I think so you can get creative with less featured easily pulled anchors. We commonly used 6 out of the 7 that we had with tom’s usually being the ones that the rope was tied to. Then we just stacked em up like a deadman, in some places betting by with virtually no lip. Makes pulling them a lot easier. For these types of lips we would fill the bottom shots with not much sand (enough for 2 of them to fill a small depression of sorts). Then fill the rest in the 2/3 to full range with the fullest on top, kinda like doggie pileing them into the depression. The bottom shots kinda act like a stopper between the ground/ minature lip and the bags above. Kinda like a dead man too I guess. The rest of the bags are not tied into the rope but they are tied to the pull line.

Eric and I were thriving in this sittuation, and to be quite honest I think we all really enjoyed rapping off these crazy looking anchors. It’s amazing what can be done . Maybe we’re just sick in the head? We must be since we like OW and aid climbing.

They were fun to build for sure and it felt great when they pulled clean easily like they were supposed to. We never did any test pulls for retrieval.

Hopefully your trip goes well, I’m sure you won’t see this till you get back in 2 weeks.

Hopefully some other experienced people will chime in. I bet Tom’s going with you all too… — In Yahoo Canyons Group, “RAM” wrote:

With Jason’s help, I’m posting the link to the pictures. No Kidding is a complex anchor canyon and to my knowledge, this is the first attempt to ghost it. Seeing the pictures I suspect will make many say “no way” to this type of thing. Most places would be a lot easier to do! Also keep in mind that No Kidding is a short little thing. About 1/10 the length of a Leprechaun at most? It is an exciting and wonderful place to practice advanced anchoring. But it is committing too! If fixed anchors found there way in here it would be nothing more than a Mini slot with a 40 minute approach and an hour and fifteen minute trip home afterward and I suspect that few would bother. > http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w232/forum8fox/?albumview=slideshow&newest=1

> — In Yahoo Canyons Group, “forum8fox” wrote:

Alright Ram this one’s for you, I’m going to stay up late again to get this thing up as I know your leaving in the morning and you want to see it. I hope it’s not too rushed and disorganized.

Thanks guy!!

> Anyway We woke up on Sunday after doing Sandthrax the day before we were a bit sore, but we knew we had to prevail and push for a clean descent of No Kidding.

Thanks to Tom for the Beta and the 2 potshots to try out, they proved quite useful.

Congrats on a great effort and an on sight.

I push through after a bit to find I’m alone. I continue on untill I come to a drop with no one in sight and no rope or anchors fixed.

I’m slightly curious what’s happened as I scope out a very unlikely very exposed high penalty points down climb. I call out seeking the awnswer and at first hear nothing. so I call out again. Finally I figure out that they went around it on the left hand wall and down a spooky slabby ramp to the narrow section below the drop. It takes a little effort to muster the courage on my own not having seen it done and no one around to spot or coach but I figure it out and move on to the team. > I’m not sure why this drop was bypassed, I would guess to save time but I wasn’t there so I can’t say.

I know the spot. The canyon opens both left and right and the Kelsey exit out of the Butler passes with a few yards of the place. There are two great anchor options here. What was interesting about the spot was the keeper part way down. It is not at all clear that one can rap past it. In fact we could barely, but it was OK either way as one CAN climb out of it. I always thought the bypass on the left would be easy. I am convinced from your description that it is indeed, quite spicy! 😉 Worth doing this drop in the future.

> I catch up shortly at the first pothole rap. The hole has a nasty lip and Tom had suggested we bring a board for it so we did.

I saw the picture of this. What a clever idea. Does the board pull easily? Rounding of edges necessary or helpful? If the canyon doesn’t have the right geometry, bring something to create it. Wow!

coming to our first and possibly only keeper. We passed it with ease, Nate and Eric partner assisted through, I got it solo via a mantle, and I think Ben did also but I’m not sure.

> Hard climb out. REALLY bad when muddy! I image the original Jason in there solo with water and mud! YIKES!

> We go down canyon for a little ways and come to the final rap, broke it free ripping the bag in the process. Luckily it was one of the home made jobbies. I like Tom’s potshots!

The End!

> Thanks for the TR. The canyon doesn’t get done often and almost certainly, never before in such good style. I think it is rated 4A/B III, with no X. The complexities of the anchors warrants a solid 4. Some might think that the drop into a pothole or two, could be called some R climbing, but methods such as you used, plus dragging a bag to slow a descent kinda make that moot. I noticed that you used a lot of potshots in places. Stack of 4? Tom usually gets by using a little less. he has had a ton of practice, but if they pull easily there is no harm at all in more. You have figured out that the less angled lip and near the downcanyon lips, are the best places to set these type anchors. That is not intuitive and a bit nerve wracking to the uninitiated. Great work on getting so skilled at these methods so quickly. But a reminder to others to make sure they practice in environs that are forgiving. A place like the Squeeze, with its fixed anchors near at hand, makes a nice classroom to refine techniques. Great job. > R >