TR: Sandthrax Domination (the first non fixed ascent of the entire canyon)

It’s about 3:30 on Friday afternoon, and as is often the case I’m very anxious. I’m hanging out getting medicated in the parking lot of my work place, I can’t stop thinking about what grand excitement I am to experience this time as I wait for my ride to arrive.

Moments later Ben arrives and we load his car up, and hit the road. We have a fair drive ahead of us as we’re headed out to the north wash again, to repeat a canyon that many people consider a test piece of sorts.

The goal was a little different this time however… We wanted to do it in a way that it had never been done before. You see, Ben is the only person to ever fully ascend Sandthrax. He did it solo and rigged a line or two up on the top as a safeguard incase he couldn’t climb the final moves out. He used a prussic as a solo belay as he free climbed out the crux, but stated that he wasn’t sure that he would bother with it the second time around.

So that was to be the goal, to ascend all of Sandthrax with out the aid of any fixed protection. We would not fix the crux climb out as the landing was flat and sandy (albeit around 20′ below the crux). We also would bring no rope or cams, just 2 pot shots, a slim harness, and over 40′ of webbing as a limited safeguard. The idea being if we couldn’t climb the crux we could lob the shots up behind the boulders that make up the first rap going down canyon.

So we arrive late as usual to the Thrax camp site, I think we noticed 2 other groups as we came in but I don’t recall if anyone was awake. It sure wasn’t the social circle around the fire that I witnessed at freeze fest. I don’t remember if we stayed up long or if we had a fire, I think we had a short fire then passed out.

The fact that I was all medicated and drinking may have played a part in the lack of memories during that time period. However I think a big part of it may have been the fact that “I was like a school girl in a biker bar”, as Mr. burrows once explained how he felt when he was around the beast.

It was almost the exact same feeling I had when Eric, Steve and I had first decided to pony up and go down this thing. Anxiety flooded my system as I pondered what I was getting myself into.

Soon enough the morning rolls around and the bright yellow tent is lit up like the sun. To my surprise however, when I open it up and look outside it’s not nearly as bright. Either way I get up and start moving about with Ben not long behind me. We have some tea and hydrate then suit up and head out.

I have a pack but no food as the gas station was closed as we rolled through Hanksville. I decide to bring some water along with the webbing, pot shots, harness, shot of tequila, my meds and camera.

Oh yea and I had some new approach shoes to try out! We’re at the slot in no time flat and I’m quite happy with how well my new shoes are gripping. I have to stop and dump some sand before I start heading up the first 5.7 chimney for maybe 25-35′. I got a picture of Ben as he went up in front of me, and then start climbing. I used a different method to get up then I had used back at FF. This time instead of back and feet chimneying, I galloped because I had my pack on my back and didn’t feel like rigging up my harness and dangle strap quite yet

This method worked surprisingly well for the majority of this climb besides some slight insecurity in a few spots. I ended up using the “lame” feet and back technique near the top. Next thing I know we’re motoring along at a pretty good pace, trying our best to stay as high as possible.

We also try to gallop as much as possible and do what ever possible to avoid the extremely slow “lame” feet and back technique, or the even worse feet and knees and back tech.

In no time flat we’re at the subway, and we have to walk through some narrows filled with quick sand! I kind of thought we should have gone up before the narrow section to keep our feet dry.

Turns out we end up wiggling our way up through a narrow constriction to a wider opening (with shoes covered in quick sand). I was working pretty hard because of the width of the constriction, and the fact my pack was hanging from my harness which was getting snagged on the wall in front of me. I get up to Ben eventually and realize we’re not getting up above this opening. So we head back just a little bit at the height we’re at and then I start chimneying strait up(Ben let’s me go first while snapping some pics with his camera). I find I’m working really hard, once I’m about ½ way up I am nearly vomiting.

So I stop and breathe for a while trying to slow my rapid heart rate, I also try to cool off a little as I’m getting hot in my shortee with pants and a long sleeve over top. Eventually I calm down a bit and continue up to the top of the climb (the climbs maybe 40-70′?). I stop and wait for Ben and medicate for a minute before we continue on to cross the first trivial albeit x rated silo.

This is the threaded hueco rap when your going down canyon. I tried to get a pic of Ben crossing this one but my camera had already died of sandthrax…. I follow behind and find it’s really easy.

We continue along in good form, sprinting through good galloping stretches, switching to feet and back when it got tiring. We were cruising over long stretches of exposure and feeling great, sometimes crossing exceptionally wide holes and occasionally doing a little climbing up.

Next thing we know were at the down climb which is normally the crux you have to climb up on your way down canyon. I decide to leave my pack and have Ben get the webbing ready just incase I need it. I go first since I’d not done it before and Ben had, that way if I’m in over my head I can grab the webbing.

Soon I’m on the ground and to my amazement I was never really scared, also I found it pretty easy. I continue on up canyon once Ben throws me my pack and I’m sure he’ll be alright.

I chimneyed up about 30-50′ before I could start progressing up canyon again. It wasn’t extremely physical (probly less so then the one I almost vomited on) but surely had a lot of exposure.

We continue on and shortly run into the next silo. Once again I am really surprised at how easy it was, This was the silo with the drilled angle. We both felt it was trivial albeit x rated. Had the silos been 12′ off the ground instead of 50 then you wouldn’t even think twice about it (not that I did anyway).

On we go, still in really good style. We’re making good time it would seem and feeling really on point as we sprint (gallop and stem walking) through 100+’ stretches at a time between breathers(feet and back that is). There didn’t seem to really be too many silos in the mid section. However there were some wide deep trenches that were a little exciting.

Mainly because I decided going down was a last resort, considering how much work it can be to climb back out. I remember one trench in particular that Ben mentioned remembering from his trip up. He said he didn’t remember it (on his solo ascent) but decided to stay high, got about ½ way across and about changed his mind.

At that point he realized he had to move or he would run out of gas in the full bridge position and fall. I acknowledge this and start across up high bridging. I’m moving fast and the first maybe 50-100′ go easily and I wonder what the big deal was.

Then when I get to about the ½ point I realize it get’s a little harder and more physical, so I race for the end trying not to run out of gas. I make it across and briefly comment to Ben about how I thought it was easy until the mid point and then realized I didn’t have time to waste and I needed to move fast.

I continue on in the lead like I had been since the crux silo, and I’m really trying to make the best time possible while maintaining efficient movement. I’m trying to get a good enough lead that I’m alone for short periods of time and its working as I go over a lot of stuff that’s really wide. I try my hardest to never go down and really for the most part its working.

Next thing I know the Bombay is coming into view for me and I excitedly call back to Ben. He says he wants to stop for some water and some fruit snacks on the ledge in the Bombay. I get closer and realize I can go up in a wide spot before I even get to the Bombay and ledge. Ben’s a little unsure and want’s to push on to the ledge but I insist. “It’s going to be so much easier to get up here where there is room to move instead of back in there where it’s going to be really tight and awkward”. I push on upward, and I find it’s pretty manageable as long as your comfortable with big exposure (maybe 50′?). Ben’s still a little worried that it’s going to end up being a silo above and we may not be able to cross it. He decides to hang back as I scout what’s ahead. Turn out it’s no biggie and I cross over the top of the Bombay with no issue. I do however remember a semi trivial spot where there was some rotten rock but it was short lived.

On we go in the same fashion (I think we climbed over a fair bit that we traveled lower on trips down canyon, to avoid as much extra climbing as possible) until we end up at another little silo that can’t be crossed. We down climb into it and back out the other side. I find this one to be fairly physical as there is no option to stay out of the constriction. I worm my way up a little ways then I can work some stacked feet and double arm bars (face in arms crossed like stacking, palms against the walls levering off the elbows). Next thing I know I’ve climbed out the maybe 20+ `crack and I can move up canyon again.

I’m getting really excited because I know we’re near the end, however I’ve noticed a bit of fatigue setting in (mostly working the last climb).

I know the crux of climbing up the canyon still lay ahead. For about the first time all day I started to feel the pressure set in. I was nervous about how hard it would be and if I had it in me.

Soon we arrive at the section with the small pot hole near the top which was filled with water last time. This time only ½ of the hole has water however Ben and I still feel very compelled to try to reverse the moves we pulled on the trip down canyon to try to keep our shoes dry. I try valiantly and end up ripping the holds off as I go flying into the wet sandy landing.

Luckily I didn’t land directly in the water, but not the moves seemed super bleak. I tired to no avail a couple more tries then decide to give up. I go to climb the OW out of the water but find I can’t get in it with out getting in the water first…

No thank you! I think I’ll try my best ninja impression instead. So I try to make a couple lunging steps toward the crack on the sidewalk above the hole. Step high as the sidewalk rolls into the wall that makes up the left side of the crack, push hard and jump onto the right side wall and push back off into the left wall.

I stick the landing in a gallop position then quickly turn to knees and back and wiggle my way up.

Then I’m greeted to some sandy walking for a minute as I approach the crux. Thankfully Ben let me go for the on sight free solo of the crux. I walk up and realize it’s going to be pretty tricky.

The sand on the floor is slightly damp which doesn’t help. I have to start off working up this very shallow, flared, finger crack. Down low you can kinda work crappy hands but it really thins out the higher you get.

I get up to about where it peter’s out, maybe ½ way, realize how desperate it is and start fighting my hardest so I don’t blow the on sight. I’m on the verge of giving up and falling and in a last ditch move of desperation I set my feet in the groove and fall over to my side to the opposing wall.

Wow! It worked I’m now leaning almost horizontally into the other wall and some how figure out how to get into a stem, but I’m facing down canyon! Crap, how am I going to get turned around now in this full blown stem?

I’m not… So I stem up a ways until I start to get really strung out, I’m probly about 20′ up I feel like I’m maxed out on my stem and I need to go up another 5 feet at least untill it lets up. I’m crying the blues, wanting my mom to help me etc. Sh**, F*** me, what do I do here? “you look good man, but I don’t know”.

There is a crack on the wall opposing the one I started on and it’s providing a good edge for my stem but once I got to where I’m at now I blew out a good chunk of the edge of it.

Somehow I desperately stem up a little higher fully stretched out (really hoping there are no more blow outs) to where I can reach a key side pull, lieback/ turn around and stand on a crescent ledge a mere 5 or so feet from the top!

Next think I know I’m lounging on the blocks on the top in the sun really happy to be there. I haul up my pack and Ben follows up in short order much less desperately then I did it seemed.

We high 5 knowing that it’s all but over except for a couple fun short bouldering problems. We continue on up maybe 2 or 3 more little drops and it’s over. We made it!!!

We head back to the car and find it’s around noon, We don’t know exactly when we started but we’re guessing it took us 4 hours.

Since we never ate I talked Ben into driving back to hanksville, we weren’t exactly sure of the plan from there so that would give us a chance to use the internet and try to figure it out.

Ben had wanted to go up merry piglet or casa nova. I wasn’t sure what I would be up for. I know I was pretty tired. I ate and somehow we decided to drive back to Moab and go climb the cobra in the fisher towers.

I think we did this because we were planning on climbing the Kor Ingalls on Castleton tower, on Sunday.

We stop in Moab for some supplies (more food and water) and head to claim a camp spot over in castle valley after a quick bouldering session at big bend. We drop our tent and bags off and head for the cobra. Ben leads it like a champ despite the sketchy nature of it and he’s on top just before the sun sets. He puts me on belay and I follow up taking a fall at the crux and topping out at sunset. What a wonderful day!

The next day we got up and did the approach to Castleton…. After what seemed like a grueling hike we reached the base and 50+ MPH winds as we skirted around to the route. I felt like I was going to get blown off, especially because I decided to save my approach shoes and wear my worn out skateboarding shoes instead!!!

We hung out for about an hour and decided we were F’ed so se went home empty handed. Either way I feel like we were very productive.

I’ll post up some pics if I get them from Ben and he grants me permission.