Spring is playing hard to get!!

Well this year spring is certainly playing hard to get.  We have had a banner year as far as snowfall in the Four Corners.  Not the best year ever mind you, but a good one.  The canyons are going to be full and take a long time to dry out.

A couple of weeks ago we drove out through Cedar Mesa up to Hite Marina on Lake Powell and into the North Wash area to check out the snow levels.  Driving from Blanding the snow was thick through Cedar Mesa and didn't start to taper until we passed the Bears Ears / Natural Bridges National Monument area.  After that most snow was on the north facing slopes only and every where else was heavily saturated with standing water.  White Canyon was flowing approx. 8 inches deep.

Lake Powell area had no snow except for the occasional north facing shaded spot but still had run off coming from the cliffs with small waterfalls hitting the road in places.

North Wash area had  no visible snow, but the wash itself was running which I rarely see.  There is going to be water for a while.

Two weeks ago the weather broke enough for me and a couple of friends to get out and dust some ropes off and teach them a refresher on rappelling and give them their first instruction on how to ascend a fixed rope.  It was a sunny day, the wind was blowing and a bit chilly, but it was nice to get out and play.

We woke Yesterday (April Fools Day) to two inches of snow.  Mostly gone now and we are looking forward to upcoming trips and classes this spring and hope to have the weather warming up after this weekend.   Here are a few pics from our excursion two weeks ago.  You can also follow along more frequently on our Facebook page.  Look forward to seeing you out in the canyons this year.

North Wash Outfitters LLP. on Facebook

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2010 Canyoneering Courses

2010 is anticipated to be an awesome year.  The ACA is changing some of the Course curriculum's and we are excited to be a part of this with them.  We have begun to setup our course schedule and they are already getting filled up.  We look forward to meeting some great new friends and Canyoneering partners this year and being able to get out and have more of a presence in the Canyoneering world.  We will be adding to this list as we add more courses.

Technical Canyoneering

March 4-6, 2010
April 15-17, 2010
May 10-12, 2010
June 10-12, 2010

Advanced Canyoneering

Still Pending dates

As always we expect the courses to fill up quickly.  Go to the individual course descriptions (www.northwashoutfitters.com/courses.htm) to see what the courses entail and to click on the registration link and fill out the registration information.  You can e-mail us to check availability or for any questions you may have about the courses.  Courses are capped on size and it is filled on a first come - first registered - first paid basis.

Please join us on Facebook to keep up on events and just to make us feel loved.

Jared Hillhouse
jhillhouse@northwashoutfitters.com
435-678-3255

SPOT LLC Announces Recall!

SPOT LLC has announced a recall of it's SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger.  This is for the generation 2 model.  This model has only been available since October 2009.  Although North Wash Outfitters has not yet began selling the generation 2, we understand that some of our customers may have purchased this unit elsewhere and therefore encourage you to look up the SPOT website for information on this recall.  The article from their site is posted below along with a link to their website.

Spot LLC is dedicated to providing the highest quality and best performance products to our customers, therefore, Spot LLC will be conducting a voluntary return on any new model SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ (SPOT 2) purchased since October 1, 2009. During recent testing, we discovered that some of the new SPOT 2 devices might not meet battery and messaging operating specifications.
Affected Units

To see if your SPOT-2 unit is affected by this issue, please do the following:

• If you have activated your SPOT-2 unit, login to your account at https://login.findmespot.com, click on the My GPS Locations tab and a message will display indicating if you have an affected SPOT-2 unit.


• If you have not activated your SPOT-2 unit, do not activate. We highly recommend you return your product for replacement at your earliest convenience.

The Exchange Process

• Replacement units are anticipated to be available in early 2010. More details to follow.


• If you exchange your eligible unit, you will also receive 1 additional month of your current SPOT service plan and associated services.


• Once exchanged, you will receive a new SPOT-2 unit.


• Please follow this process to receive your return shipping materials. These will be sent you upon completion of the form.


• Ship only your SPOT-2 unit and take out batteries prior to shipping.

Important notes
This does not affect SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker (SPOT-1) nor is it an upgrade program to transition from SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker (SPOT-1) to the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger (SPOT-2).



SPOT LLC website address:  http://www.findmespot.com/exchange/

Sale on SPOT Satellite Messenger

We are excited not only for the Canyoneering Community but for the outdoor community as a whole.  SPOT Satellite Messenger is having a sale to beat all sales.  I am thrilled because this device is one that should be with anyone who is going to be out of cell phone range.  I have seen some incidents quickly resolved because of this device and I have seen some incidents that would have fared much better had help been summoned much sooner.  SPOT is a great device that is well worth the money.  Most Americans spend much more money a month on their cell phone bills than on what this unit is going to cost you a year, and your cell phones won't get out in some areas like this will.  Plus your cell phone doesn't come with an optional $100,000 rescue insurance for $7.95 a year, A YEAR!!

I'm not going to rant about it again, this unit is well worth it and I am not being paid by the company to promote it.  I have seen and used it and have had great success with it as well as peace of mind.  Whether you buy yours from North Wash Outfitters or any other retailer, it is an investment that is worth it.

Right now SPOT is offering the unit for free or at a reduced price through rebates depending on the service contract you sign up for. This offer is valid 6/1/09 through 8/3/09.

Canyoneering with The Totem

Have you ever been frustrated by your rappelling device? Tired of a device that seems to work good on one type of rappel but not another? Well, I don't know if there can be such a perfect device to fix all your problems, but The Totem is going to come as close as you can get right now.

The Totem is by far going to be one of your favorite pieces of Canyoneering / Climbing / Rescue gear. This rappelling and rigging device was designed by Rich Carlson from the American Canyoneering Association and is  going to fast become one of those devices that you can't leave home without.  No it doesn't have a bottle opener built into it but this device is multi functional and can carry the rigging load of many of your other / older / outdated devices.  It functions like a figure eight, sticht plate and gigi all in one.  It will do everything each of these devices will do, plus a few things unique to The Totem. Use it to rappel on single or double strands of rope from 7.5mm to 10.5mm. Easy to add friction on the fly. Simple to lock off.

Other uses include: rigging releasable eight, joker and stone eight; anchor rigging plate; as a "trolley" for guided rappels, guided hauls and lowers; and much much more.

Check out below some of the different ways to rig this amazing device.
The Totem on YouTube

The Totem on YouTube (Rough Cut)

PDF download show different Anchor Rigging Options which can be done with the Totem.

PDF download show different ways to rig Rappelling Options with the Totem.

The Totem sells for $45.00

2009 Spring Canyoneering Courses Announced

2009 is going to be a great year.  We are excited about the weather already warming up and the opportunity to start getting into teaching again.  We have begun to setup our course schedule and they are already getting filled up.  We look forward to meeting some great new friends and Canyoneering partners during our courses.  We will be adding to this list as we add more courses.

Technical Canyoneering

March 5 - 7, 2009 (Course Full)
March 19 - 21, 2009 (Course Full)
April 2 - 4, 2009
April 30 - May 2, 2009
May 28 - 30, 2009 (Course Full)

Advanced Canyoneering

March 27 - 28, 2009 (Course Full)
April 10 - 11, 2009 ( Course Full)
April 17 - 18, 2009
May 15 - 16, 2009 (Course Full)

As always we expect the courses to fill up quickly.  Go to the individual course descriptions (www.northwashoutfitters.com/courses.htm) to see what the courses entail and to click on the registration link and fill out the registration information.  You can e-mail us to check availability or for any questions you may have about the courses.  Courses are filled on a first come - first registered - first paid basis.

Jared Hillhouse
jhillhouse@northwashoutfitters.com
435-672-9942

Flash flood awareness when Canyoneering.

For those who have taken the Technical Canyoneering Course you will remember our discussion Flash Floods and Meteorology and how the roles of the canyon and area topography relate to the potential for flash floods.  As we have hit that time of year here on the Colorado Plateau for our flash flood awareness to be on heightened alert, a college from Zion Adventure Company in Springdale Utah, Dave Buckingham, wrote up an excellent piece on Flash Floods.  Being right next to the Canyoneering hot spot, Zion National Park, Dave has surely witnessed what the power of a good rainstorm is.  This article is an excellent reminder of the dangers posed to those venturing into the slot canyons.  What are some of the things that we should consider before going, and what are some things to look at and think about when we find ourselves in imminent danger of being swept away:

I feel like surviving a flash flood comes down to 3 things:

1. realizing that there is nothing any of us can do to eliminate the
risk completely

2. preparing / learning / studying as much as you can in advance to
help you manage the risks while you are in the canyon / drainage

3. being highly aware of everything around you during the trip, and
taking prompt action to escape floods

What is flood water like? Imagine a torrent of water, loaded
with sediment, sticks and debris that feels more like concrete, than
water. Flood waters easily move hundreds of pounds of dead logs.
They have been known to move houses off foundations, and carry cars
hundreds of yards, and even miles.

Trip Planning:

1. How does flood risk change with respect to month, week, season
for your destination?

2. How many square miles, acres, etc. does the canyon drain?

3. To what degree can precipitation be absorbed by the watershed
area? (is the canyon rim made of rock? are there plants / grasses
that will absorb some of the falling rain)? In a canyon surrounded
only by rocky, low-water-absorption terrain, there is often a
significant problem with water running down the walls and the
complications this creates by adding more volume to the flood
water,complicating escape routes, making use of escape routes
more difficult, washing rocks in on top of hikers off the rim.


4. To what degree has it rained there recently? In the sandstone
areas, a lack of rain in May, June and July causes the sandstone to
become baked like clay, and not able to absorb falling rain in the
summer like it does when precipitation falls more frequently, in
smaller amounts in the winter.

5. How committing is the drainage? Is the whole hike in the
canyon? Does the canyon have wider, open sections, or is it narrow
and slotted the entire time? Where is the most committing, least
escapable section? Can you identify escape routes on the map? Can
you determine if there are escape routes by reading guidebooks, or
talking to people who have been before, can you get info from
internet canyon groups? What are the logistics / skill sets
involved in these escapes? Can you and your group pull them off, or
do they involve equipment and skills you do not or will not have?

6. Make sure you allow an appropriate amount of time for your group
to complete the trip. Building in extra time can be very helpful.
Just because you read in a book that "the author completed the hike
in 7 hours" does not guarantee that you won't need 10 hours.

7.Choose a starting time for your event that helps you best manage
rain risk and being seriously committed. Often, in the Southwest
Desert, the period between July 15-September 1 brings the
possibility of a heavy, isolated thunderstorm each day. Starting
early, and finishing the trip by 2-3PM helps hikers avoid being in
drainages during the time of day when the storm risk is highest.

8. Learn how high the water does / can get in the canyon/drainage
during a flood.

9. Consult experts, Gather information, and set a personal threshold
for a forecast that you consider"more dangerous" than acceptable in
advance. This helps you avoid minimizing real risk, succumbing
financial, peer, or logistical pressure and convincing yourself "i'm
sure it will be ok" when the forecast is truly marginal or
unfavorable. Prepare yourself and your group for the possibility
that weather can cancel the event at any point.

10. Check the forecast as close to departure as possible.

11. Understand signs of flooding. These could be:
-thunderheads building
-rain falling
-water starting to flow
-flowing water becoming discolored: red, brown, black, muddy as it
fills with sediment
-debris being washed down the drainage: trees, logs, sticks, leaves,
other hikers
-sometimes folks hear a rumbling, thunderous sound as flood water
approaches. I can tell you that people are often unsettled when
they hear jet airplanes above them, while being in canyons,
as they think this could be the sound of flood water.

While you are in the canyon:

1. Continue to evaluate weather at all times.

2. Look for signs of how high the water reached in past floods to
help you understand how high you would need to climb to be above
flood water (wedged logs, sticks, grasses and dead plants wrapped
around things in the direction water travels).

3. Keep all group members informed. Discuss what you might have to
do to escape a flood before you need to do it.

4. As you travel, look for possible escape routes, store them in the
back of your mind. Retreat back to a place you have been is
sometimes better, especially if there is a known, useful escape.
Heading further into in the canyon into territory you haven't seen
often brings no guarantees. If you travel past major obstacles that
eliminate your ability to retreat back to an escape route, keep this
in mind.

5. Look for signs of flooding described above. Take action
promptly if you feel like a flood is developing. Avoid a "well,
that is only one of many signs of flooding we are seeing, let's just
wait and see" approach. Work together with group members.
Sometimes climbing a few feet makes a major difference.

6. Wait out the flood on the high ground. This can take several
hours, and occasionally, even days.

Hope this helps,

Take the Best of Care

Dave Buckingham
Zion Adventure Company

Thanks to Dave for permission to re-post this article here.