Confessions of a Human Chockstone
Ryan Foster Lee
photos by Dan Ransom
Choprock... The next morning we made an effort to get out of camp by 8AM - but I think we left about 8:15... For me the approach really sucked... my full 5mm wetsuit weighs 6 pounds dry and it was still damp from the day before. On top of that, I was carrying a 100 foot 8mm rope and 3 liters of water. I think the approach gains about 2 thousand feet of elevation - basically the equivalent of hiking angel's landing except the gain was very gradual, but by the time we hit the start of the canyon I was whipped...
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The Chop Crew. From left to right, Ryan, Chris, Penny, Eric, Brandon, Doug, and Dave. (Dan on camera duty.)
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I had already drank at least 2 liters of water and needed to refill at the spring found in the Riparian section of Chop. Then to make matters worse, I put my wetsuit on at the first water and then there were really long sections of no water and I overheated really bad, my semi-dry wetsuit felt like a rubber band constricting around my neck and my heart rate redlined... so at every pool I would try to soak - unzipping the suit to let water in. When my suit is fully wet it weighs 10-12 pounds (I weighed it when I got home when I was rinsing it out) and it felt like a suit of armor when walking - my legs felt like they were filled with sand and I was moving slow and feeling really sluggish.
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Ryan hits the first swim of the day, after a fun little downclimb.
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When we finally got to the Riparian section and came to the spring to refill with water, one of the group mentioned that he was really alarmed at our pace and progress and Dave concurred - and me, already feeling like I was dragging ass behind the group, became very alarmed and the adrenalin kicked in...
I was still feeling like crap mind you but I was determined to grind it out... So, I think for the rest of the trip I kept up while being at the back of the group and I felt pressed the rest of the day.
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Chris Reeves, rapping into the Riparian Ballroom.
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Eric on rappel, the foilage is beautiful through this section.
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The happy section beckons...
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Brandon over heating from the wetsuit, but still happy in the happy.
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More fun in the happy section. Ryan and Dave playing around.
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Choprock 1 - Choprock 2 - Choprock 3 - Choprock 4
Egypt II - Neon - Choprock
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