It was pretty funny when me and @singletrackrunningmariagot dropped off at Wire Pass Trailhead on Saturday morning... Yermo, the name of our shuttle driver, gave us a lot of good tips about our route through Buckskin Gulch and up Paria River to end at White House Trailhead. He mentioned how bad the current conditions were right now. The last guy took 14 hours and was extremely cold crossing the neck deep pools in the slot canyon called "the cesspool". He also told me he would not even shuttle us without taking jackets, headlamp, and hiking poles. He mentioned a bail out spot at mile 10 to get out of the canyon. He also warned us about a spot at mile 12, called the "rabbit hole" where hopefully there is a tree to down climb or a rope to shimmy down 15 ft. Then you reach the Paria river at mile 14 which you have to cross almost 100 times. He was very serious about the dangers of the slot canyon since he helps Search and Rescue get people out all the time.
We mentioned to him we were after the speed record, which was 4 hours and 51 minutes. It was done by a stout team Buzz Burrell, Peter Bakwin, and Stephanie Ehret back in 2002. We were very prepared to be out in the canyon for 14 hours with enough food, water, warm clothes, drybags for crossing the cesspool and headlamps.
I walked over to the bathroom while Maria was talking to Yermo. Apparently he looked at her very seriously and said "YOU are not getting that record today". I walked back and he asks us"call me when you finish so I know you are safe and can give me details on the current conditions. Good luck"! We texted him 4 hours and 13 minutes later. CONDITIONS SEEMED GREAT TO US...