FreezeFest V: Limbo Canyon, Ticaboo Mesa, UT

I dropped in on the night of the 26th, for the next day's exploration - Limbo Canyon. We had explored the slot next door in November, and it was good. So we wanted to get back and see what was next door.

(Limbo Canyon)

Big Ram and Little Ram hiking down to the top of the canyon. Uh oh, looks like Aaron has learned the “Evil Grin”!

(Limbo Canyon)

A little scrambling around and we found the top of the canyon. Here Malia, Hank and Aaron struggle through the first difficult narrows of Limbo…

(Limbo Canyon)

This downclimb gets a handline for all but the last person (ie, Aaron).

(Limbo Canyon)

El Ramoo, gunning for the cover of Vogue.

(Limbo Canyon)

This ‘downclimb’ was a little higher. A sandbag anchor was used to slow Aaron down, sliding into the aggressive, braced spot.

(Limbo Canyon)

We had 4 ‘rappels’ that Aaron was able to downclimb with the help of aggressive spotting.

(Limbo Canyon)

Malia downclimbing one of the many short obstacles in Limbo…

(Limbo Canyon)

…and confronting a silo, with scruffy rock.

(Limbo Canyon)

Tom opts for the straight-on, galumphing approach…

(Limbo Canyon)

…while Aaron opted for the more tenuous shoulder-toe stretch.

(Limbo Canyon)

Setting up the last rappel. We buried a rock in the pothole on the left, to keep the sling length short. Malia on rappel.

(Limbo Canyon)

The last little obstacle in the canyon, or so we thought!

(Limbo Canyon)

Rappeller’s eye view. Excellent photo Hank. Turns out the pool below is avoidable by a delicate traverse out left. Malia insisted on splashing around in the pool like a mermaid – something about retrieving the rope.

Mr. Ram – the man, the myth, the apparantly homeless person.

Pioneer inscriptions, in the canyon next door, where we climb out.

Then back to the campfire at the Leper Colony. A nice dinner, then a few beers and… well… Let’s just say, what happens at Freezefest, STAYS at Freezefest…….