Canyoneering South of Hanksville UT- Poison named canyons

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/8/7/c/event_208582652.jpeg

Canyoneering

South of Hanksville UT

(the dates listed suggest a Friday evening departure but Saturday morning the 13th can work too)

This is a joint trip with one of the meetup groups from Salt Lake City so each group will be limited to 12 RSVPs. If we get that many people we will need to be doing 3 canyons/ day to have manageable sized groups.

Poison named canyons:

Arsenic

Constrychnine Climb-UT (http://climb-utah.com/pr/constrychnine.htm) AJRoad Trips (http://www.ajroadtrips.com/go/t/utah/north-wash/constrychnine)

Slideanide AJ Road Trips (http://www.ajroadtrips.com/go/t/utah/north-wash/arscenic;jsessionid=9f2kjr270xfzy13uyl0o52aw)

To see 396 photos (https://www.meetup.com/WesternSlopeAdventurers/events/104044942/) of this area look at the WSA trip (https://www.meetup.com/WesternSlopeAdventurers/events/104044942/) from Prez Weekend (https://www.meetup.com/WesternSlopeAdventurers/events/104044942/) when we did Constrychnine (https://www.meetup.com/WesternSlopeAdventurers/events/104044942/). http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/a/5/6/event_99906742.jpeg

These are beginner-friendly canyons. If we have more than ~10 participants we will break into 2 groups, each to do 2 or 3 of the 3 canyons this weekend.

WHEN/WHERE:

Depart Friday evening or if leaving Saturday morning . . . .

5:00 AM meet at Starvin Arvins just off I-70 Fruita exit (Conoco truck stop west of the highway). This is for a Saturday morning departure. Please state in RSVP if you are going Friday night or Saturday morning. Drive to Hanksville is 2.5 hours- 160 miles. Add getting gas in Hanksville, driving 20 miles/minutes south then 30-45 mnutes on dirt road to camp location/ trailhead. Total travel time ~4 Hours from Fruita/ GJ.

If you are coming from Utah (https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&gl=us&daddr=Hanksville,+UT&saddr=Salt+Lake+City,+UT&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=Ke0x0YiUPVKHMcoxTUigt1Nb%3BKc-Tr9qBxEmHMeHuivRSnu1e&ei=1m8YUeG0GeLsyQH134HgCw&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQ-A8wAA), the drive to Hanksville is 232 miles, just under 4 hours according to Google Maps (https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&gl=us&daddr=Hanksville,+UT&saddr=Salt+Lake+City,+UT&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=Ke0x0YiUPVKHMcoxTUigt1Nb%3BKc-Tr9qBxEmHMeHuivRSnu1e&ei=1m8YUeG0GeLsyQH134HgCw&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQ-A8wAA). Add gasing time then the drive beyond Hanksville to our location ~5.5 hours travel time. Thus, I suggest a Friday evening departure to drive part or all the way.

If you are coming Satruday http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/3/f/4/event_208581492.jpegmorning, plan to rendezvous at Blondie's in Hanksville at 8 AM so you can drive in caravan to the camp/ trailhead where some of us may already be.

WEATHER:

Wunderground (http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw:84734.1.99999&MR=1) and NOAA (http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?minlon=-115.5&maxlon=-108.5&minlat=36.96&maxlat=42.68&mapwidth=354&site=slc&zmx=1.09375&zmy=1.09375&map.x=271&map.y=321) give slightly different temperature forecasts -I like NOAA (http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?minlon=-115.5&maxlon=-108.5&minlat=36.96&maxlat=42.68&mapwidth=354&site=slc&zmx=1.09375&zmy=1.09375&map.x=271&map.y=321) because it typically forecasts a little warmer.

BRING:

Basic clothing in layers. I do not know how much abrasion some of these canyons may shred on us so plan on bringing your 'tough', disposable canyon clothes. Sturdy light hiking boots, running shoes or sticky rubber canyon shoes.http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/4/e/e/event_208581742.jpeg Gloves (leather, fake leather or cotton back-rubber face 'Atlas' gloves) Headlamp (necessary, and spare batteries) Wind shell, warm hat, sun hat, sweater (sometimes cooler in the canyon than in the sun) Water, snacks & lunch Beverages - hot &/or cold and frothy at the car for the return CAR CAMPING GEAR:

FIREWOOD, including kindling and fire starter materials Tent, camper or other cover (motel in Hanksville is OK too!) Sleeping bag, 1 or more depending on how warm or cold you sleep with pad Propane stove (only need 1 or maybe 2 among us) Table(s) for stove and kitchen set-up (like the stove, only need 1 or 2 for group) Cook pots, etc (one set for the group) Personal eating utinsels - fork, spoon, cup, bowl, plate Groover or other camp toilet (I have a 5 gallon bucket system if no one has anything better) Water, at least 1 gallon/person/day FOOD:

I suggest that we do personal breakfast and lunch then share in simple group dinner. Some folks may also opt to go into Hanksville for dinner(?).

CANYONEERING GEAR:

(minimal list for a technical canyon you do with WSA, please.)

HELMET (required. no helmet-no canyons with this group. Bike helmet is OK for your first few times then we really would like to see an actual climbing helmet) Rope if you own one - we can decide later which to take and which to leave in the car harness rappel/belay device (ATC, Figure 8, Pirana, Totem, etc.) locking carabiners (prefer 4-6/person but can get by with 2 or 3 for your first few trips; they start at ~$9 each at REI or Summit Canyon) slings at least 1 12'-long, 1" webbing sling for general purposes &/or to make a safety tether. Strongly suggest 2 of those 12' - 15'ers per person. By your 2nd or third trip please bring an additional 30' sling of 1" webbing that can be used for anchors, short handlines or other group uses. When buying webbing, please get natural canyon colors - canyon orange, tan, brown, black so slings left behind will blend in where they might otherwise be seen by hikers, etc. rapid links/ rappel rings each person bring at least 2-3. 30'-60' of 1" webbing that can be left as anchor material where needed (if you are not supplying a rope, please assume bringing this webbing is your responsibility). We need LOTS of WEBBING in case we need to replace some/ any anchors. Some of them are very long reaches. Each person bring ~30' PLUS 60' gloves leather/ fake leather for rappeling and preventing sandpapered hands on the rock. headlamp - ALWAYS have this in your pack (w spare batteries) pack - some kind of pack to carry this gear and your portion of the group gear. When we do skinnier canyons you will need to carry all your gear through the canyon INSIDE your pack. In skinny slots and on rappels NOTHING CAN HANG OUT, so please make it a habit on any canyon trip that once you start down canyon, nothing is ohttp://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/f/f/e/event_208576382.jpegn the outside of your pack. spare shoes and clothing in the car for use in camp and for drive home (canyons should be dry but there may be latant pools and mud patches) CARS & CARPOOLING:

Great idea. We can leave cars at the meeting place in Fruita. We can access our camp location right at the canyons trailhead with regular 2 WD vehicles with careful driving. There are 2 or 3 rough spots but they were passable by passenger cars as of Feb. 17 this year.

RSVP:

In your RSVP please state when you plan to depart town and if you are game for carpooling do you want to drive or ride; when and where. Pls state what you will bring in the way of group camp gear and group canyoneering gear; and FIREWOOD.

CAMP LOCATION:

Read trailhead description for any of the 3 poison canyons we hope to do. We will camp at the trailhead for all 3 canyons where there is a small cluster of trees in an otherwise tree-less desert of grass and sage covered dunes. Hope that we do not have strong winds blowing sand.

COST:

Please share gas $$ generously.

CANYONEERING INFO SOURCES:

(some, not all, and not in any order of preference)

Climb Utah (http://climb-utah.com/Powell/leprechaun1.htm) (a bible of remote UT info) Mini Slot Guide (http://www.math.utah.edu/~sfolias/minislot/) (a few routes, great descriptions) North Wash Outfitters (http://northwashoutfitters.com/blog/?p=174) (Blanding, UT guide) Tom's UT Canyoneering (http://canyoneeringusa.com/utah/) (very detailed) AJ Roadtrips (http://www.ajroadtrips.com/go/t/utah/north-wash/shillelagh) (canyons, mountains, etc.) Bluugnome.com (http://www.bluugnome.com/canyoneer_tripreport_list.aspx) (best guide for Capitol Reef Natl Park and darn good with way more details than the others on other places too) Candition.com (http://www.candition.com/) provides a few updated reports on canyon conditions Bogley.com (http://www.bogley.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?15-Canyoneering) may be a more comprehensive source of canyon conditions reports and much more info too CANYONEERING GEAR SOURCES:

Summit Canyon Mountaineering, in GJ for webbing and 'biners, rappel device, approach ohttp://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/1/7/0/event_208576752.jpegr other sticky rubber shoes. REI in GJ. Much the same gear as SC but more limited selctions Home Depot/ Lowes in GJ for inexpensive headlamps, leather or rubber gloves, steel rappel links Gear Heads in Moab (http://www.yelp.com/biz/gearheads-moab), everything GJ shops have and a whole lot more Canyoneering USA (on-line) (http://www.store.canyoneeringusa.com/) is the real thing as far as all canyoneering gear is concerned - packs, harnesses, biners, wet suits; you name it. CANYONEERING 'MUST READ' LITERATURE:

CUSA Canyon skills tech tips (http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/techtips/)

Canyoneering USA Latest Rave (http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/rave/) (newest hot spots in canyoneering)

Canyoneering Wiki (http://canyonwiki.com/wiki/index.php/Canyoneering_Techniques) a popouri of info we all should learn and be able to apply *****

Climb-Utah Canyoneering Primer (http://climb-utah.com/Misc/natural.htm) about the best booklet around on general canyoneering info that can be printed out as one large file and carried in the car or read in bed *****

Bogley Canyoneering Forum (http://www.bogley.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?15-Canyoneering) is a list serve-type discussion board for canyons, canyoneers and canyoneering issues. Take some of what is said with a grain of sand.

Crapping in a canyon (http://canyonwiki.com/wiki/index.php/Crapping_in_a_Canyon) sounds like a joke but if you did not like swimming in that canyon pool with the dead rat or the dead scorpion.. . . Personally, I do not want to swim with cr...

Canyoneering emergency contacts (http://www.bluugnome.com/canyoneer_emerg-contact.aspx) list(s) County Sheriff's and a few other resources

Carabiners (http://www.alpinets.com/carabiner.html) - everything you will probably ever need to know

And more ... .

CONTACT:

Doug Van Etten 970-433-4312

***** Acknowledgement of Risk *****

By RSVPing YES and participating in this activity you acknowledge that you have read the statements below and agree to abide by them while participating in this or any Western Slope Adventurers activity. Only those persons who have read this information and agree to its terms shall be viewed as participatants in this or any WSA activity.

Hiking, backpacking, road or mountain biking, water sports, skiing, snowshoeing, climbing, rappelling, canyoneering and other adventure sports are fun, but are not without risk. You are responsible for your own safety and staying within your own comfort limits. All Western Slope Adventurers events are unguided events. By participating in a WSA event, you acknowledge that you have a personal duty and responsibility for your own safety.

Western Slope Adventurers MeetUps are organized to provide a venue for outdoor enthusiasts to meet and have fun while sharing in experiences and adventures.

Neither the WSA MeetUp nor any event organizer assess the personal, technical and/or safety skills of participants; nor do they assess any event location to determine current conditions.

By your participation, you acknowledge that you have a personal duty and responsibility to (a) assess your own skills, honestly and accurately, to determine your suitability as a participant for each event, (b) seek adequate information to assess the difficulty of each event to determine if it is within your fitness and skill level, (c) seek adequate information about the current conditions in each area and the weather to assess potential risks to you by participating, and (d) evaluate other prospective event participants and to use your own judgment to determine their suitability for the event and how their participation may affect you.

All participants are encouraged and expected to:

honestly assess your skills to ensure each activity is within your ability assess your prospective fellow event participants accept responsibility for your own safety and comfort do your share of any teamwork involved share your ideas for situation assessment before and during an event speak up if you're having a problem speak up if you question what's going on or something that is being done, no matter who's doing it have all of the clothing, equipment and any other special items needed for the activity inform the event organizer or other designated participant if you are using medication (prescribed or otherwise) or have any medical condition that may affect your full participation in the event on any biking, canyoneering; or, river event that is class II difficulty or higher, wear a helmet, no exceptions have fun