gloo
{insert witty remark here}
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2012
- Messages
- 151
I have a question I'd like to toss out to you guys. This past weekend I was out hitting Larry among other canyons in the roost. We started Larry at noon saturday and figured we'd be pushing sunset as we finished the canyon. We ran into a group of boy scouts who were clearly unprepared for the canyon as a group. They had a larger man with them to put it lightly, started the canyon at 11, and had a total group of eleven, and from what we could tell one rope. We played through as we passed them an hour at most after starting Larry. Soon after we were talking and came to the conclusion - the chances they're going to make it out before dark were slim to none. We figured they'd end up staying the night in the canyon and they did not look prepared for that.
We had hours of discussions on what we can and should do. We had to think about ourselves first and foremost, while all 3 of us were prepared to stay overnight, we would much rather be back at camp of course and we knew we had to get to the exit before dark otherwise we didn't think we could find the exit crack ourselves. We also had to leave at 4am to be back home Sunday for various reason. We ended up flying through the canyon and were at the exit crack hours before sunset. Which left us at a crossroads - what do we do - if anything - to help this other group out? Since it was our first time hitting the canyon we missed the social trail that had formed to the exit crack, we backtracked found it, and figured the other group would too, especially in the dark. although it pained us to make them, we made a few cairns (if you hit larry soon knock them down) at the river bed to guide the group to the trail. I know, a total canyon disservice but at the time we thought it might help these guys get out ok. We discussed staying at the top of the exit, leaving a flashing headlamp, hiking back to our car and grabbing our bivy gear and stoves and coming back down (this was before we realized how nasty the hike up to landside was..). we all agreed that even though we made cairns they probably weren't getting out tonight still. probably a waist and a mega fail on our end. best intentions of course. We ended up doing something a little simpler: we called the sheriff/SAR and gave them coordinates for their vehicles. told them them last time we saw the group they were fine but at 5am (when we called sar) they weren't out of the canyon, etc. We were given the impression that we made the right call in calling them. We left a note on the suburban informing them of our plan. We got word that the group did make it out safe the day around midmorning. Hans flat had a few rangers check up on their cars and they were gone.
So...after that long winded post - do you think we do the right things in this situation? What responsibilities do we have to other canyoneers?
discuss
We had hours of discussions on what we can and should do. We had to think about ourselves first and foremost, while all 3 of us were prepared to stay overnight, we would much rather be back at camp of course and we knew we had to get to the exit before dark otherwise we didn't think we could find the exit crack ourselves. We also had to leave at 4am to be back home Sunday for various reason. We ended up flying through the canyon and were at the exit crack hours before sunset. Which left us at a crossroads - what do we do - if anything - to help this other group out? Since it was our first time hitting the canyon we missed the social trail that had formed to the exit crack, we backtracked found it, and figured the other group would too, especially in the dark. although it pained us to make them, we made a few cairns (if you hit larry soon knock them down) at the river bed to guide the group to the trail. I know, a total canyon disservice but at the time we thought it might help these guys get out ok. We discussed staying at the top of the exit, leaving a flashing headlamp, hiking back to our car and grabbing our bivy gear and stoves and coming back down (this was before we realized how nasty the hike up to landside was..). we all agreed that even though we made cairns they probably weren't getting out tonight still. probably a waist and a mega fail on our end. best intentions of course. We ended up doing something a little simpler: we called the sheriff/SAR and gave them coordinates for their vehicles. told them them last time we saw the group they were fine but at 5am (when we called sar) they weren't out of the canyon, etc. We were given the impression that we made the right call in calling them. We left a note on the suburban informing them of our plan. We got word that the group did make it out safe the day around midmorning. Hans flat had a few rangers check up on their cars and they were gone.
So...after that long winded post - do you think we do the right things in this situation? What responsibilities do we have to other canyoneers?
discuss