Big Wall Rappelling

[Sharon Faulkner]

I have a question...maybe some of the big wall rappelling enthusiasts on the forum will know the answer. I know of the Black Canyon and El Cap long drops. Is there a big wall drop somewhere in the Grand Canyon?

I thought I had read of a +/- 6000' drop (rim to canyon floor) at a spot in the Grand Canyon. It may not be a totally free drop and I can't remember where I read it or I'd go look the information up myself.

[Sharon Faulkner]

Nevermind, I found it. Quote:

But, the canyon is a wild and unknowable place - both vast (the national park alone covers about 1,902 square miles, about the size of Delaware) and inaccessible (the vertical drops vary from 3,000 feet to more than 6,000 feet). The chasm lays bare no fewer than 15 geological layers, ranging from the rimtop Kaibab Limestone (250 million years old) to the river-bottom Vishnu Schist (as old as two billion years).....

[Cavebangor]

I think, though the elevation of the North Rim ranges anywhere from 8000' to 5000', there is no one drop that big in the area - if there was, I guarantee someone would have done it already. What is really great about the area, though, are all of the slot canyons in and around Grand Canyon and Zion/Bryce Nat'l Parks...these are usually multi-pitch rappels, sometimes up to 20 rappels or more for one canyon. So yes, there could be a 6000' rappel in theory, but you would have to set multiple pitches (rebelays) to be able to accomplish that. One rope wouldn't do it. If anyone comes up with anything different I'd be interested to hear about it...

[Sharon Faulkner]

cavebangor said:

- if there was, I guarantee someone would have done it already.

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Exactly what I thought, which is why I was curious after reading of such a supposed vertical drop. ;D

Cavers have been doing big wall drops for over 20 years, I can't imagine they have overlooked many of the places that could add another such drop to the list.