The other side of Sandthrax

http://awclimbingadventures.wordpress.com/

Feel free to critique.

Wow... Entertaining read. Can't believe what you guys wore through there. I bet you were hurting for a while. I think I'm stuck wearing neo through any x rated stemmer for the rest of my life! It's priceless, that and knee and elbow pads... If you haven't already you need to read the trip reports I put up from my extended weekend in Escalente doing an X and 2 XX canyons. Might give a little insite. We're not all old and weak you know. There is probly atleast a dozen or so if us out there that fit the bill.

Did you read any TR's on sandthrax before you went? Ben Hebb and I ascended the canyon (free solo) in 4 hours car to car not long before you guys(maybe a week or 3).

I don't think I would want to free solo the crux going down though.
BTW how did you do it? Did you stem up a ways or assult it OW style? I lead the OW clean with only placing a 5 and a 6 and I'm no 5.11 trad leader.

Next time I do this thing it will be for training for something harder, I'll be going down and up it.

So...
Are you over the X-rated stemming stuff now??? or do you want more...

BTW Thanks for posting this up!

Thanks Jason, I did see the posting about you guys ascending it, that was definitely impressive! Im confused on how you lead the OW section if you were ascending the canyon? That would be a descent on the crux OW? We saw your scuff marks from your boots when we were in there, I had read your write up just before we left.
It really came down to the fact that my buddy was not really up to snuff, he isnt a strong climber, and has only moderate canyon experience, something I will keep in mind for the next time.

I didnt feel like the choice of clothing affected me too much, Braiden might say different, but would definitely wear long sleeves and pants next time, and knee pads would have been brilliant.

I wasnt aware that there were harder canyons out there? I dont doubt there are, but that thing is pretty brutal.

I need to go back and clean our shit up, my ushba is down there somewhere, as well as a rock that may be wedged indefinitely with a piece of our webbing and one of my biners.

Ill be back to do it again, not over that stuff yet...
Thanks for checking it out!

My comment about the crux wasn't in refrence to our ascent, it was in refrence to my second trip through (going down) when I lead the crux.

There sure are harder canyons out there... Check the trip report section on here, I posted up my last trip. One of them had a mile of stemming and was probably as physical as I would imagine down and up thrax to be. Apparently there are atleast 2 others that have been done that are a step up from the ones I just did!

I'm sure there are more.

CalmAdrenaline wrote:It really came down to the fact that my buddy was not really up to snuff, he isnt a strong climber, and has only moderate canyon experience, something I will keep in mind for the next time.

Hey dude, thanks for not dying in there. Woulda made the place kinda spooky!

Still think my ratings are all kinda lame?

And the old "blame it on the partner" - CLASSIC! De Nile is not just a river in Africa, I guess!

Tom

From one of the middle-aged and overweight senior canyoneers.... great read.

CalmAdrenaline- Way to live up to your name, sounds like a great adventure! Thanks for sharing.

Tom, no disrespect intended, I have used your guides more times than I can think. I said that to illustrate our arrogance.
As for blaming it on the partner, as lame as it may sound, that was the case, thats how it happened, he would agree wholeheartedly, take it as you will.
Thanks

Thanks. And past first blush, my comment was rather (inappropriately) crass. (see guideline #1). Actually, really thank you for doing a good job of getting out of there. Sketchy that traverse you took out! I see you had done a few other canyons, including Chambers, a fairly difficult canyon. And yes sometimes it is true that your partner is struggling more than oneself, and this becomes the focus of the descent. My one Sandthrax descent with Ram and Wade, I was the weak member, at least until we slowed the pace down.

Canyon ratings are difficult and not nearly as effective as climbing ratings. As canyons get harder, the set of people doing them changes, becomes less "fat and middle-aged". In a way, my ratings change to accomodate. But really, we do not yet have an effective rating system and might never have one. It is a lot more like ice climbing where the discernment between grades is rough, because ice climbing is a more adult activity than crag climbing.

Tom

IceAxe wrote:From one of the middle-aged and overweight senior canyoneers.... great read.

It's even more impressive to hear him tell it in person.

Shane, do you care to make your first sandthrax adventure available(linked)? Also a good read, but a better story in-person.

Shane is proud to share the story, located here:

climb-utah.com/Powell/sandt…

Tom

Tom Jones wrote: Hey dude, thanks for not dying in there.

Fuckin' A.

Tom Jones wrote:Shane is proud to share the story, located here: climb-utah.com/Powell/sandt… Tom

Thanks, tom. I did know where it was. I was more wondering if share wanted to share it .