Showing posts with label North Wash Outfitters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Wash Outfitters. Show all posts
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Here's To A Fantastic Year - A Look Back At 2019
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Desert Solitude
This year the weather has been something of a mystery for the State of Utah this year. Where we are supposed to be getting snow, it's nothing but sunshine. Now for me, a guy who likes the sunshine over being frozen, this generally isn't an issue, but I also like to drink water and play on water during the summer, so the lack of snow pack in the South Eastern portion of Utah is a little unsettling. Well, I can't do anything about it other than fret, so what do I do with unseasonable warm temps.... Plan a Canyon trip. 
With Temps in the beginning of February hovering into the 60's, it was perfect to get out and visit a canyon and even work up a little bit of a sweat doing so. I have been wanting to get back into the main fork of Hog Canyon for quite some time now. It has been many years since I have been through there, and dragging an unsuspecting 3rd party through it would give me a sense of awesomeness knowing they were going to question my sanity.
Brett and I packed up early leaving town just about 8:30 ish. We arrived at the trail head and parked just before 10:30 ish. It's a real treat living so close to so many great canyon opportunities and being out in the Desert when it's not scorching allows you to enjoy the time out a little more. We were pleased with low traffic on the road and pure solitude, although we did follow other foot tracks into and through the canyon, they had probably had the same idea as us the weekend prior.
Brett and I packed as light as we could to move as quickly and efficiently as two people were able to. Packed a lunch, some water, trimmed down our tech gear and emergency essentials to the bare est needs, grabbed a 100' 8mm Canyon Pro, some webbing and hit the trail running. Well, at a fast walk. We were both itching to get into the canyon. The first trip of the year is always a special time to rejuvenate and explore and get our bodies back into the groove. Well, by the end of this day, or groove needed some work still, but we were out heading to a canyon and it was glorious.
The desert did not disappoint. As we approached the canyon the anticipation of being out was overwhelming. We stopped several times to let the air sink in and fill our lungs with a relaxing vibe. That relaxation didn't last long as the hard work soon began. Hog 1, or Boss Hog as it is known, is not your friendly neighborhood canyon, it's a work horse. With only two required rappels, the rest of the canyon is physical and up to you to man up and do it. Brett soon realized he wasn't in for a walk in the park and started to question my sanity as was expected. We heaved and hoed our way through the narrow corridors and found ourselves quickly to the first drop. This was a questionable drop vs. down climb. Brett opted to be on rope to check it out, afterwards I down climbed with a spot. The next drop was immediate, and while the initial portion didn't require rope off the anchor, the second portion was about 10' straight walled. We decided that this was the turn around spot, the final kiss it goodbye moment to do or die (is that too dramatic?)
After dropping this point and moving on we had our work cut out for us.
This canyon was unforgiving and would be a bad place to be in poor weather, but man, the beauty of this place was spectacular. The dark corridors and chambers we found or way in to was a magical place that I guarantee most normal sane people will never see outside of a mere photograph.
This canyon was unforgiving and would be a bad place to be in poor weather, but man, the beauty of this place was spectacular. The dark corridors and chambers we found or way in to was a magical place that I guarantee most normal sane people will never see outside of a mere photograph.
We pushed and prodded and continued on. The final rappel came soon enough. Setting up an SRT Contingency was necessary as we could not see the bottom of the drop. I threw out what I believed was at least 50' of rope and Brett jumped on. As he rappelled he exclaimed that this was one of the most beautiful rappels he had done to date. The sculpted fluting of the walls was special. Brett hit the floor and we pulled up rope to proper length (I had dropped about 20' too much down). After finishing the rappel we trudged on. Knowing that most of the narrow stuff was done we wound our way in and out and through varying corridors. At one point we found several patches of snow still in the canyon and commenced a snowball fight, something that doesn't happen too often.
I knew we still had one more narrow slide to get through after the convergence of the canyon with Hog 4 (Merry Piglet). The canyon was a true pleasure. Brett was super stoked to have completed by far his most narrowest challenge to date and seen one of the best rappels yet. The weather was fantastic and the bugs were even already out. We traversed back up the ridge a bit where we settled down to eat some lunch and rest before the but kicking hike back out and to our vehicles. The entire trip car to car took us about 4 hr 30 min including the 30 min lunch break. The desert did not disappoint and we will certainly be looking forward to our next trip out.
Website Home Page: http://www.NorthWashOutfitters.com
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.
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.
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.
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