The Moe Slot, March 13, 2002

Another morning, another early start, another day humping the pack through some wonderful terrain. Today's objective was the mysterious Moe Slot, an unusual find I had not heard of before. It promised cold swims, strenuous climbing and beautiful sandstone slots.

Ahhhh, the beginning of another adventure. Slickwalk walking in the early morning sun.

 

Complex terrain ahead. John and Mike on the lookout.

A sweeping esplanade of slickrock, promising easy entry somewhere up ahead...

A little slabby downclimbing, and we're in the canyon bottom.

No swimming yet. The canyon slots up, and some pools appear. At this hour, this time of year, they're frozen pretty solid. We don't complain.

We have lunch before our first long section of wading. Lots of cookies and chocolate rev our engines to stay warm in wetsuits that suddenly seem really thin. Into the water we go.

Some nice slots in this thing.

Downclimbs, a few short rappels. Only one actual swim in these super dry conditions, and it was RATHER CHILLY!

And a little wading, just to keep things interesting.

A final slot proves an interesting obstacle. We rappel off chockstones into a narrow but deep (and need I say FRIGID) pool, and swim for the sun.

Return to the land of the living. After a visually bleak couple of hours in the Moe slot, it was nice to get out where there are trees, and grass, and frogs, things like that. Back to camp. Another incredible slot, another incredible day.