Escapes and Captures

Wrong thread

This is the escapes and captures thread, not the pictures thread…

Wrong thread.

Oops. No way to delete a post entirely is there....Bummer.

Two pictures above, Canyonero show an entry and escape from a pothole. The depth of the pot does not really show. This is how deep it was. Interestingly, when this pot has 16 feet of water in it, the escape (5 feet) is harder (but a lot safer) to escape. I never knew I was swimming over that much water, over the years.

From an exploration last week. Two sand bags are tossed. I don't have pictures of it, but some of my partners may have them and post them. The thrower is Murray, who has succeeded on the Poe toss. He tries the new "windmill" method and has success. Jim heads in on rap. Lands in chest deep water, swims over to the exit, as it turns into a full swimmer. He grabs the ropes and starts to haul up. While he getting up onto the wet sloping ledge, the potshots start to pull. They will quickly lose their directional advantage and Jim will be back in the swimmer


Mark and Bryce rap into the pothole. Mark goes over to the base of the sloping ledge and grabs the ropes


Mark uses the rope to get high enough to support Jim's foot, but he is only part way out of the water and not on any ledge. Bryce swims over and adds support, pushing Mark into the wall and Mark can get up a little higher. Jim waits for some real help. But the potshots are still pulling as the pyramid is not sturdy enough


Bryce pushes Mark, helping him to climb further up on the sloping ledge without fully weighting the potshots, which would fail if yanked on.


Bryce holds Mark's foot firmly. Mark holds Jim's foot firmly. Both are delicately balanced. Jim uses the aid of the foothold provided by Mark, PLUS gently pulling on the potshot ropes and the splitting of the forces allows Jim to get out.


Once one is out, you are 90% there. Haul a second out and set up two man hauls, any of several different versions. John raps in, now testing a sandtrap anchor, for the last person. Then John clips the rope into the harness, back where he can still stand


Then is hauled out, using the green rope to pull on, which is secured, to make it easier on his partners


Then the nightmare of all explorations. You bring everything just in case....and the canyon turns X, with all the additional gear to stem with. This group is strong enough and the X section proves short, but such possible scenarios can and do cause poor sleep, the night before explorations.

A little but steep 16 foot drop, that overhung at the bottom. Plenty of anchor options at the top, but a nice spot to practice the "Art of the Capture."

Dylan raps off meat and awaits support


Josh comes down via hand line to join Dylan


Joe hand lines off of meat to join Josh and Dylan


And lands on their shoulders for the coming capture


Last person and the groups lightest member, Michael comes over the edge on a pack drag


And is passed down to the ground




Then the pack is pulled and on to the next problem. Good, clean and simple capture fun