Blissful Canyoneering in Glen Canyon
We consider Glen Canyon (Lake Powell area) to be an "Adventure Canyoneering Reserve", thus names of canyons are withheld, some details obscured and other mild obfucations taken in the interest of preserving the adventure (for the children!!!).
Love getting out in Glen Canyon. The best trip of the year, usually. This year’s was especially blissful, as Ram’s agenda was mild and the company the best available. Team Glen Canyon Fall 09: Ram, Brendan, Giles, Bob, Jules, Harvey Halpern King of the Canyoneers!!
Brendan brought a boat out from San Fran. At the beginning of the trip, it looks remarkably clean (and un-crunched).
Things were kinda crowded down on the pool, and we had a couple parties camp right close to us, even though we thought we were far from the madding crowd. An annoyance on our bliss, but not a big one. Just turn those generators off at night, OK?
Wonderful little camp.
Set up camp, then off for a quick canyon (the normal Ram schedule). Hiking in across wonderful slickrock, as usual.
First rap of the canyon, into a pool. Seemed drier than usual – was the pool still deep enough to jump?
El Ramoo, exiting the swim.
One of the locals, also concerned about the drying up pools…
Giles, our designated jumper, takes the plunge. Splish Splash!
Yah baby! See ma, no broken femur (yet, but don’t let me give it away…)!!!
Still deep. Jumping is fun!
The canyon has potholes, swims, stems, lots of fun. With lower water, wearing the wetsuit is hot, and hanging in a pool is pleasantly cool.
Escape out the side is possible at several points. Fun in the sun!
Ramoo enjoying a gourmet lunch…
Everybody else, enjoying a little in-canyon victuals.
Back at camp, the next morning, lovely sunlight on the rocks above.
The glow, the glow…
The Day’s canyon, a potential first descent, that we are hoping to ghost (leave no trace).
Harv, on the boat, with some ancient talisman.
Another wonderful slickrock amble to the head. We found some interesting rock, with arches.
More rocks, more arches…
The canyon goes well. A victualling stop near the end.
Harvey downclimbing a little slot thing.
Ramoo enjoying the same…
Which soon found us at the final rappel… Jules en rap.
On the way back to camp, we checked out the exit of the next day’s canyon.
Brandon at the helm, Harvey Halpern and Bob Stevenson as midshipmen.
Marvelously still in there, back in the slots, away from the main channel.
Back at camp, we had a visitor stroll through camp.
Another day, another canyon. This one featured, for its first rap, a drop into a pool – a bit higher than the last one. Took Giles a while to lasso the nerve,…
… but down he goes!… but down he goes!
A splash that big…
… takes a while to dissipate. Thanks Giles, for being “da jumper”. Glad it wasn’t me!
(from the picture, looks like 25 feet).
A lovely canyon, with a lot of variety. A couple-a hours later, another drop. Ram seems to be enjoying himself!
This one has a couple bolts (kinda a surprise, way back here in the backcountry, but natural anchor possibilities were sparse, and the bolts looked newish.
Brendon on rappel.
The man, the myth, the smile… Harvey Halpern, King of the Canyoneers!
The canyon eventually dove, seeking subterrainea. We rapped this one, into a pool.
Teamwork – taking care of the rope, and the pulling stuff.
Beetle tracks across a shiney slimepuddle?
Jules was getting a little cold after being subterrainian for so long…
Giles sporting the “wet look”. Wait, oh sorry, he IS wet!
I won’t say that being done is the best part of a canyon, but sometimes – it IS mighty good to be back a-boat!
The next day found us – big surprise – NOT! – up early for a long and spectacular approach, including a stop at the Many-Micro-Arch-Overview point.
Everyone’s gotta take pictures…
I was busy in the canyon itself, so did not take pictures.
On the way back to camp, we motored by Rainbow Bridge, so we stopped in to take a few pics. Here are the interpretive signs, out on the wharf. (1)
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This one always ‘cracks me up’ – a Park Service plaque to the Piute who led the white man to the Navajo’s sacred place.
We hung out until twilight and the stars started to show…
A colorful winch on the wharf.
We hung out until it got fully dark and the Milky Way showed up real nice. Thankfully, I had my new Canon Rebel-Tzi-Hubble along, and everyone held REAL STILL!
Visiting the big arc of stone was a great way to end a glorious day!
Our last day – called for a shorter canyon, downlake near the marina (lakina?). We joined up the Geoff, Barb and Tom Talboys (and Sharon Talboys in spirit) for a nice adventure…
Tom doesn’t get out much these days, being a new dad, so he’s got to get max intensity out of each day out!
Yada yada yada… not many pics in this one, better hand the camera off.
Here we are using all our packs as an anchor for a short (but overhanging rappel). (A retrieval line was tied to each pack in turn, with 8' of slack between). Here's Geoff, savoring the moment.
Tom is all smiles and cheers, until he weights the rope…
… somewhat more suspicious now that he is on it!
The rare and endangered picture of ME! Well, now you know why!
A nice pic of canyoneering’s number one camera hog…
Waiting for the boat – a fine time was had by all!