We've been chatting about getting the ACA Wasatch Chapter up and running again, so maybe a fun barbeque/social/training session would be a good way to stir up interest and see what people were interested in putting together.

So we gathered at the Storm Mountain Picnic Area in Big Cottonwood Canyon on a pleasant summer evening. Access to the actual cliffs is blocked by steep scree slopes, so we set up most of the training off tree limbs close by the selected picnic table and grilling site.

Thanks to Rick Thompson, Verlyn Hawkes and Mark Rosen for doing the food. All pictures in this Latest Rave are by Steve Lewis.

Rich Carlson, President and Training Guru of the ACA (American Canyoneering Association) (right) came up from Cedar City to provide training expertise and introduce people to the type of skills he teaches in ACA classes. Here he is showing contingency anchors to Jeff Dredge, his son Trevor Dredge, and Steve France.

And how to do it for a double strand rappel, Tom Jones (that’s me) kibbitzing as usual.

David Lewis gives it a try, watched by Liam from NYC.

More folks give it a try – Sean Sullivan and Liam from New York City, with Steve France.

Alicia Scotter and Sharon Talboys engage conversationally, while Tom J shows Omni-Sling tricks to Steve Susswein, Rob Heineman and a few others.

Rob Heineman with rather a big smile, as usual.

A lot of people wanted to practice ascending, so we set up ropes off of several handy tree branches. Here Bette Wise-Steffen is up a tree!

Chris Turner up a tree. Uh, ahem. We did ask for helmets, did we not?

Gloria Watson demonstrates it is even more fun if you wear a helmet!

Verlyn Hawks, the Buddha of rappelling?
(Doesn’t quite have the table muscles for that title!)

Barb Pollyea showing off her rappel/ascending transition skills.

And a good time was had by all. With friends like these (Tom Talltales and Kurt Bollocks)…

Thanks - hope to see you at the next event.

Tom