Star Wars episode IX - Rise of Skywalker

Part 3 - Sinking fields

Now through Lurch Canyon and seeking the wayfinder, we continue our search for the clue to the Sith wayfinder in Ochi's ship but we find ourselves on sinking fields. The stormtroopers chasing us gave us quite a fright; "They fly now!"

We took them out, but we crashed and launched onto these sinking fields. The sinking fields are mimicked here by rappelling into the slot canyon within the Warning wall area. Luckily there is no serpent beneath. This canyon is about 25' deep and 2' wide. It is possible to enter without climbing gear but quite difficult, and just as scary as the real sinking fields.

Getting there

There once was a need to take a circuitous route avoiding Hildreth Ave when this was a popular climbing area, but the water department management have removed their no tresspass regulation on the yellow gate. The map below is obsolete. Follow the parking at century and the trailhead by Hildreth ave, then climb over the fence and head to the final.

 Description of the OLD ROUTE:
The journey in is 1.32 parsecs (KM) one way. You may be tempted to park and walk along the private driveway to the south, or along the railway tracks, but please stick to the route in this map. This is best attempted when it is dry and the basalt rock is grippy, not slippy. After walking under the interstate, you will travel along a fence blocking a dog from reaching you. He likes to bark aggressively and sometimes jumps the fence, but has no history of biting, and is just being a good dog warding off strangers. If you're scared of dogs, maybe bring some jerky to distract him.

A quick 10' stairway scramble up the cliffside is next. It is similar to the scramble on locally famous 'chicken out ridge' of Borah peak; climbing difficulty 4.5, no ropes needed. Once you make it up the cliff plateau and round the fence, head to the optional rappel waypoint if you want to do Lurch canyon first. If you have rappelling and ascending gear, this is a lovely shortcut that drops you right at the entrance to Lurch Canyon and avoids the walkaround but taking about as long.

There isn't poison ivy near the path now but years from now there might. To play it safe, there is poison ivy medication in the cache, feel free to use it but please leave it for the next rebellion fighters.

It's dark in there, best bring some source of light

The rappel

The posted coordinates put you over a wedged boulder platform, handy for starting the skinny rappel. For redundancy. I use two sets of cordalette, one for each side. The North side from west to east I used a size 11 black diamond hex, a metolius 7 camelot, and a metolius 8 camelot. On the south side from west to east, I used a size 7 metolius camelot and a size 6 black diamond nut.With your personal anchor set up you can downclimb to the boulder platform so the anchor is above you for a pleasant rappel. Make sure you have your pen AND ascending equipment with you when you go down. It is possible to climb out of this slot canyon to the east end, should you get in a situation, but it is safer and easier to ascend the rope.

Gear list

Experienced trad climbers, use whatever equipment you are comfortable with, but as a starting point, here is what I used for the rappel:

• 60' climbing rope
• 2 X 26' cordalette loop for anchor (7mm diameter)
• 13 locking carabiners
• traditional gear
• • Size 11 black diamond hex
  • Size 8 metolius cam
  • Size 7 metolius cam (x2)
  • Size 6 black diamond hex
• Rappelling setup
• • Grigri
  • Ascender
  • Aiding ladder
  • Make sure to beaner block for ascending exit, even if not using a single line rappel as with a grigri
• Personal anchor system
• Helmet and Harness
• Headlamp / flashlight
• waterbottle

Good luck, and may the force be with you