Juggers in the hole at the base of the crux.

Arriving at the crux, we find Dave already up. I think he did a combo of climbing and sliding the cams up for aid/climb combo. Great job. Wish I had seen it. Bucky jugs and being a little smaller than me, slides into the the last 5 feet of the 20 foot high off-width. My turn. My mind does not process mechanical systems well and I am helped into the ascending rig. I am doing fine, forgoing the etrier foot loops for the few features on the wall. Soon, the jugs are into the narrow spot and I am too big to follow them in.The foot holds end and I am in trouble. If the angle of the rope had been more vertical...but alas, I am near hanging, just an inch from a foot hold and considering what I am hanging on and weighting, I am glad I have had my children already. I am just pitiful. In an instant, the Spiderman stems up to the level of the top, gets tossed a sling and is over the crux. I am way out of my league. I am now at the bottom again and after a few minutes to compose myself, it is my turn again. Set up by Hank, I decide to use the foot loops this time. Steve has taken over being the anchor and in a much more advantageous spot...for me, not him. He is in a stemming position, knees a little bent, and taking the full weight of the big man. Now if I was just be fast and I try to be. But I lose the foot loops twice as I prove that walking and chewing gum ain't easy for everyone. I see his light-skinned complexion turn a shade of bright red, his face in a painful grimace and his right leg shaking from weight and effort. I am up and am I ever relieved. And embarrassed. Bet he was relieved too.

Ram gets set up to jug (thanks Steve), and starts up...

Still looking good; Uh oh, HEY! where'd them jugs go?

I look around for something to do to help! Please let me help! Anything will do! Finally I stem up and support Steve's legs, taking some of the strain off of him. Aaron was going to try to do a free ascent, on belay, but folks were cold and it will have to wait for another day. Soon we are off again. A 100 foot long section of canyon, 70 feet up, straight as an arrow, intimidates but perhaps only because we could see so much of it at once? The climbing swoops down, then angles up. This is a wonderful section. Afterwards we are at a double arch rap station. Can be downclimbed, can be hand lined or rapped and it leads down, 2 tiers, to the canyon floor, in a completely dark corridor and into a minor subway section. Feet on the ground!! First time in hours. A voice from the heavens. Rob says hi. The radios hadn't worked. We relieve him from rim duty and he heads for the canyon mouth.

Steve to the rescue. "Must...unjam...the Ram..".