Thursday, August 30, 2012

Warm Weather Canyoneering!

We got out for a little fun jaunt with some friend several weeks back.  We were looking at hitting a canyon that had been on my to do list for quite some time.  When you are as busy as we are you rarely have time to do something you haven't done before so this was a great opportunity to hang with some friends and meet some new ones.  We had a great day in Pleiades Canyon near Moab.  A lot of fun.  Would love to go back in a late spring time frame and get this canyon with a little more water running through it.  Enjoy the video.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Canyoneering / Canyoning in recent media

There have been several occurances or opportunities to view videos this week within the realm of Canyoneering.  Thought I would post links to them here for your viewing pleasure.   One is actually a few years old but still a good one.  Another is a trailer for an upcoming documentary on the Grand Canyon and Canyoneering with in its bounds.  The other one is a new video done by the San Juan County Economic / Tourism department highlighting the recreational activities in the area which include Canyoneering with North Wash Outfitters.

http://fiveten.com/community/445-jbro/videos/video/173-Canyoning+Its+what+i+do

http://www.utahscanyoncountry.com/videos.html

http://vimeo.com/37927326

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Changes to Zion Wilderness System

While we don't guide or take part in much of the Canyoneering going on in the Zion National Park area, we know that many of you do and that this information would be of great interest to many of our customers.  Zion National Park has changed the permit system for drawing out canyon permits and it seems like it is a step up from the older system that would cause long lines at the back country desk and really tired/drowsy trips through those canyons.  Here posted is the news release from Zion NPS located at this link here:  http://www.nps.gov/zion/parknews/changes-to-zion-wilderness-permit-system.htm

 

March 1, 2012
Ray O'Neil, 435-772-7823
Backcountry Desk, 435-772-0170


Zion National Park has changed its wilderness permit system to allow visitors to reserve last minute slot canyon day use permits via an online reservation system. This new system will eliminate the need for visitors to wait in line at the visitor center for permits. Reservations for popular day trips such as the Subway (Left Fork), Mystery Canyon and The Narrows are now available at www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/backcountry-reservations-and-permits.htm.


In late fall of 2011, the park requested comments from visitors about possible options for upgrading the wilderness permit procedures. Over 150 comments were received and the vast majority of respondents indicated a preference for an online system to replace the current system. The previous system required visitors to arrive early in the morning and wait in long lines to assure access to the limited number of available last minute permits.


The last minute drawing is held at 1:00 pm MT, two days prior to the requested date of the trip. Entries for the last minute drawing are available seven days prior to the drawing until noon MST two days before a trip date. Applicants are immediately notified of the status of their request via email. Procedures for advance reservations have not changed. Visitors are most likely to secure their desired reservation if they use the advance reservation system up to three months prior to their trip. The process for obtaining overnight permits has not changed. Half of all back country campsites are available online, the remaining sites are offered as walk-in permits that become available the day before the beginning of a trip. Please visit www.nps.gov/zion for more information.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Facebook Drawing Winner



We have reached our 400 fan benchmark on our Facebook Page and have had a drawing for a Rappelling Starter package.  If you are a fan on our page, you were automatically entered into the contest.  Check out our page and "Like" the page to be entered into our next drawing when we hit 800 fan's.  Thanks to all the great clients and customers we have had over the past years.  We are looking forward to meeting many more of you and serving your outdoor recreational needs.

The winner of the contest will have one week to contact me via e-mail to claim his/her prize.  I will need a size of harness and a current shipping address to send the harness to.  Congratulations.  Send your e-mail to JHillhouse@NorthWashOutfitters.com.

Check out our Courses at: http://www.northwashoutfitters.com/courses.htm
Check out our Store at: http://www.northwashoutfitters.com/store
Check out our Guided Trips at: http://www.northwashoutfitters.com/tours.htm

Monday, February 6, 2012

Canyoneering Hype and Mishaps!

Leprechaun Canyon Accident - Climb-Utah.com
Escaping the Subway- Climb-Utah.com
No Man's Tragedy- Climb-Utah.com
Stuck in Chambers- Climb-Utah.com
Cheating Death in Blue John- Climb-Utah.com
Woman Seriously Injured in Canyoneering Accident- Mountain Rescue Blog
Oak Creek Canyon Accident- Examiner.com Article
Tourist Trap - Outside Magazine Online Article

I have been contemplating a post along the lines of accidents for a long time now and after an article I read this morning, it all seemed to surge back to me that there are a lot of outdoor adventurer's who are not quite taking the recreational sport of Canyoneering as serious as it should.  After all, Canyoneering is simply rappelling right, it's not like Climbing where you have to rely on belayer's and multiple tie in points and your own strength to get you out.  Right?  Wrong!

Canyoneering entails many of the same skill sets required for Climbing, just in a different use or setting.  As I began to look for articles to link to regarding Canyoneering, a lot of old memories came flooding back to me as I re-read stories that impacted me in an emotional way the first time I read them.  Every time I hear of an accident regarding a Canyoneer, I cringe a little at the same time as I am mourning with the friends and families of those devastated by the incident.  There have been many accidents and some deaths over the past decade inside canyons.  Many of these canyons were visited before these tragic moments and have been visited since.  Regardless of what some may say, a huge / vast majority of Canyoneering accidents are avoidable and / or preventable.

I linked a couple of articles at the beginning for a perusing few that want some reading time.  I am not going to comment on any specific accident or article.  I understand that every situation has many variables and there are many ways to look at things in hindsight.  I simply provide them as a basis to start researching for those interested in some of the past incidents.  What I do want to do is offer 10 pointers to make sure that your next Canyoneering adventure goes a little bit smoother and is enjoyed by all participating.

#1 Let others know where you are going, when you plan to be back, and have a check in time/SAR call out deadline point.  Leave maps and GPS coordinates with your contact people so that they can get help to you as fast as possible.

#2 Plan for more time in there than what the route descriptions says.  Take extra food and water and have enough that you could go overnight if necessary.  Most Canyoneering routes are only day trips, so plan to spend a night.  Carry an extra fleece jacket, an emergency bivy sack or at least a space blanket.

#3 Carry a PLB.  A Personal Locator Beacon costs a minimal amount and units like the SPOT come with an additional insurance plan for covering rescue costs.  There have been many rescues in Blue John Canyon since the release of the movie 127 Hours, that the SAR teams are starting to charge for emergency services.  SAR budgets are limited in size and quantity, and once they run out for the year, you don't want to be the one left sitting there when you are hurt.  A good PLB Unit will help ensure that rescuers can zero in on your exact location and help to get to you faster.  (As a note, they don't work in deep canyon that don't have a clear view of the sky.  Units in this environment will need to be handed off to an able body of your group for them to continue down canyon to an adequate place to use.  Also, make sure that everyone in your group knows where the unit is located in your pack and how to operate it).



#4 Have a first aid kit with you.  You can't carry enough to plan for all emergencies, but you had better plan for some.  With the kit you carry, make sure you know what is in it, and how to use it all.  It won't do you any good to go buy a kit off the store shelf and throw it in you pack and not know what is in it.  Don't buy anything that is over your personal skill level.  If you don't know how to do stitches, don't buy a suture kit. It would also be beneficial to improve your knowledge.  Take a WFR or WFA class (Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness First Aid)

#5 Watch the Weather forecast.  Be mindful of the seasonal changes in the local weather patterns for the area and what the cloud movements are.  Know how to do some on site weather forecasting.  Know the signs of a potential flash flood or and impending one.  We had an article here on our blog several years ago written by Dave Buckingham.  It is a good read on flash flood awareness:  Flash Flood Awareness.

#6 Know your equipment, how to use it, what it's for, and how not to use it.  Have the proper, and proper amount of equipment with you.  That extra Carabiner may weigh another couple of ounces, but it doesn't do you any good when left in the car.  Know your equipment inside and out, forwards and backwards.  Know your equipment better than the manufacture that made it.  By this I mean that at times in your Canyoneering experience, you may get so exhausted and so tired that you became a bit delusional and or may become traumatized by others having problems.  I want you to be able to have the motions of clipping into a rappel so dialed in that you can do it in your sleep because sometimes that may be how you are feeling.  I want you to be able to rappel when you are not sure what is going on with the situation.  I want you to be able to set an anchor and throw a line with out losing the rope down the canyon and being stuck on the ledge.

#7 Canyoneering has two kinds of hazards:  Subjective and Objective!  The true risk comes when those two hazards meet in one place.  Know the hazards and avoid making them combine to create risk.

#8 Know the canyon rating systems!  When you plan a trip these will help you understand the risk ratings and the potential hazards at a glance.  Don't however rely only on the ratings when choosing a canyon to do.  Look at the route descriptions and the hazards and pitfalls outlined.  Understand what it takes to get through the canyon.  Evaluate your own personal knowledge / experience level and then that of your group.  Put them all together to understand whether or not that canyon is a good choice for you to attempt.  There are many great beginner canyons out there.  Don't' jump head first into ones that seem to be the most popular if you are not ready for it.

#9 Get some training.  While I might be a bit biased towards this, don't hesitate to seek out some expert advice and help.  A few hundred dollars spent is well worth bringing you home to see your family again.  Find a group of experienced Canyoneers to tag a long with.  As long as your not touting yourself as a self proclaimed expert and know it all and willing to carry the ropes on several trips, there are plenty of groups out there willing to let others join them.

#10 Know how to find your direction.  Proper orientation would have saved quite a few Canyoneers an unplanned night in the wrong canyon.  Know how to read a topographically map and carry one of the area with you.  You can print off maps on your computer now and place these into your dry bag in case you need them.  Know how to use a GPS and understand the difference between Lat/Long and UTM coordinates.  Know how to use the GPS and Map in tandem and navigate yourself in and out of a canyon environment.  Know how to find your way back to civilization and don't forget to mark where you parked your car at.  This will save some unwanted time wandering the area looking for your ride after you are tired and exhausted.