Big West Fork of Red Breaks to The Cosmic Navel

moose droppings said: ↑
oh man, descending BWF is a world of difference. It becomes very family friendly. and the return doesn't taint the experience like the normal route does.​
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Bill said:
I think this statement could get a lot of folks in over their heads.
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upon further review, Bill is correct.

my intention was to speak in relative terms: ascending BWF vs descending BWF. my original statement does come across as being too general in comparative terms.

An ADA approved walking path at you local park would be considered "very" family friendly in general terms. willis creek, would be considered "very" family friendly in general canyon terms.

Having said thus, we were still able to descend BWF with two children and the family dog (golden/border mix size), sans handlines or rope [1], w/o any issues and w/o the detraction from the surrounding beauty due to continuous and strenuous obstacle problem solving required during ascension. the kids asking for a return trip speaks for their experience. yes, it may be a bit more involved than most other semi-tech slots on the plateau, but having experienced BWF in both directions, i will suggest that descending BWF is family friendly (not very) and ascending BWF not family friendly.[2]

i harbor no intentions in "sandbagging" anyone.

[1] - we have an unorthodox down-sequencing technique dialed-in that affords us to descend passed major obstacles like chockstones, sans technical gear, as presented in most semi-tech slots.

[2] - Canyoning, like other outdoor sports is inherently dangerous. we know and understand our ability and committment limits, and have the upmost respect for nature. we go in fully prepared for the worst-case scenario. Hone your canyon crafts. Know your limits. Enter at your own risk.
 
Aldaron said:
I'm interested in this route, too. Did you have a different experience coming in from the top?
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If this was directed towards me no, we went from the bottom up and I wouldn't want to do it from the top down or even suggest it. The top end has a very skinny slot that descends at a fairly steep but short incline where larger folks like my self (and a few others on this thread) run the risk of getting stuck. If you don't get stuck and you cant pass you miss out on the entire canyon.

The "sneak route" that was posted does not appeal me to either. Added elevation gain, leaving out the lower slot of the main canyon just to save 2-3 miles of easy walking, no thanks.

I posted this trip report so people would know what they were getting into. This is not your typically walk through slot based on my experience. The beta we found prior to doing this made it seem so simple and it wasn't. Again, slim folks with climbing skills will whip up or down the canyon with no problems but lugging a troop of scouts or your mother in law could cause a few problems.
 
I was there on Friday and Saturday. We camped near the trailhead during the storm, and left early Saturday morning once the skies cleared. A short way into the slot pools started showing up. They weren't so bad when they were leg deep but about 40 feet after the chockstones that are about 8 feet high there was a very long pool of chest-deep water from Friday's storm. The walls eventually got too wide to stem over the water so we turned around and left. It was fun to see the part of the slot that we did. I just wish we could have made it to the Intergalactic Bellybutton. Maybe next time.
 
Christian said:
The walls eventually got too wide to stem over the water so we turned around and left. It was fun to see the part of the slot that we did. I just wish we could have made it to the Intergalactic Bellybutton. Maybe next time.
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I guess its a good thing you started from the bottom up :D Mud and water in the upper end could make some of those bigger climbs pretty sketchy.

Sorry you missed it.
 
Bill said:
If this was directed towards me no, we went from the bottom up and I wouldn't want to do it from the top down or even suggest it. The top end has a very skinny slot that descends at a fairly steep but short incline where larger folks like my self (and a few others on this thread) run the risk of getting stuck. If you don't get stuck and you cant pass you miss out on the entire canyon.

The "sneak route" that was posted does not appeal me to either. Added elevation gain, leaving out the lower slot of the main canyon just to save 2-3 miles of easy walking, no thanks.

I posted this trip report so people would know what they were getting into. This is not your typically walk through slot based on my experience. The beta we found prior to doing this made it seem so simple and it wasn't. Again, slim folks with climbing skills will whip up or down the canyon with no problems but lugging a troop of scouts or your mother in law could cause a few problems.
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to finish off with my two cents, and for those that've gone this far still looking for additional beta/clarification.

1.) for reference... i come in at 74.5" tall and 215# (woulnt catagorize myself as a skinny whipper-snapper) with a broader than average upper torso. the crux of BWF is a skinny V at the top end. IIRC, this section required me to leave the ground (in part to 12.5 sized shoes) 2-feet vertical and "shimmy" using my lower-back on the west-wall and knees/hands on the opposite for roughly 10-12-feet horizontal. oh, and i had a medium/large dog on my shoulders. didnt find it strenuous or exposed, for myself. the exit (down-canyon) from this section was a non-issue.
still aprenhensive about getting through. no sweat. back out and exit canyon-west where convenient and clockwise traverse the red circle route, or better yet, back out and exit the canyon-west where convenient, rim walk past the crux, and short-rap (maybe handleline) in where convenient below the crux. this option assumes that you carry webbing (for handlining or tying a swami-belt), and/or a short rope in your semi-tech canyon kit for emergency situations and unexpected scenarios (i.e., the occassional dry-canyon-gone-wet).

2.) the "Sneak Route" is a actually a route "established" and used by local guide service(s), to which the beta was made public on the interweb a few years ago and has since been pushblished in Kelsey's latest edition of Guide to Tech Slots on the CO Plateau, Drill Site Canyon beta page (dont have the book on me to post up the page #). The takeaway from my season of mountain guiding back in the 90's: maximize the wow-factor, eliminate/avoid the mundane that detracts from the experience. qutie positive the same is applied to canyon guiding. I thought i'd share like-wise with the BCP community. Hence, the reason for disseminating the beta.

In parting,

I apologize for de-railing Bill's most excellent TR report.
I now recommend that after reading the last two pages you return back to the first post, so you can top-off your stoke tank.
http://backcountrypost.com/forum/threads/big-west-fork-of-red-breaks-to-the-cosmic-navel.1906/
 
Nick said:
I've driven the road to the drill site (I think). It was deep, soft sand but was open.
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just drove this road today 08/31/13 (the upper road closer to red breaks. g-earth shows lower roads that go further and lower which i saw no hint of turn offs for anymore) and the sand spots have been filled in with rock cobble and the entire road is well graded.
only sandy spots are a wash right near the end (not bad at all) and the turn around at the actual drill hole site.
 
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