“We all want to get through this safely.” Ram’s cinematic voice rang through my head as I stuffed my helmet into my pack. “Figure out your system: ask around.” I slipped on my second pair of neoprene socks...
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Last canyon of the year. The day before the Black Hole calls for something modest - don't wanna get too worked before A. the big party; B. the big campfire session and C. the BIG DAY. Let's do a HOG, some people said. Hog 2 aka Swine Flue was selected as a good choice - and a bunch of people signed on...
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The big day was upon us. Yes, the night was cold and we rang in the new year at the appropriate hour --- for New York. Off to Hite it was, fairly early.
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Sitting in the comfort of my Mount Carmel palace, it is easy to come up with a list of "canyons I want to do at FreezeFest". Unfortunately for me, there are people at the Fest who have read my list and gotten psyched to do canyons that involve snow, ice, swimming in icewater plus lots of climbing up and over and through. Trail was at the top of my list because I don't get to do it often, it being somewhat harder than most things in the area; an area I often visit with less-experienced canyoneers.
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It is hard to get psyched for FreezeFest, living in a heated house with a plush, warm bed each night. But --- certain traditions MUST be followed, and FreezeFest is one of them. After a visit from the Ramoo for a snowy canyon in Zion, all that was left was to avoid packing
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Yes, a couple other canyons were done. But the next BIG EVENT of note was a descent of Sandthrax Canyon by most of the gang on the 30th. Hank got a bunch of great pictures, and Ram wrote a wonderful trip report.
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Herr Ram, Martina Centava, Young (cute) Ram, Hankamo, Wyoming Dave (reclining). Malia taking the pics.
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The idea of being stuck for a few days isn't so bad. It is the loss of options, that bothers me. I had driven in 12 miles on the Roost Road to the Flattops. Snugly positioned behind the south one, on its eastern side, the substantial wind could sometimes be heard, but never felt and the dash to pavement, not too long, if the skies let loose.
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I know she was having a good time that evening, for the conversation lasted until 1 AM instead of the usual 11 PM, in which time we solved all the troubles of the world, except the tsunami, which we had not heard of yet.
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I, like several other folks I imagine, had wondered for a long time... does the Hole freeze solid in winter? Open water? A nightmare of thin, break through ice? Inquiring wackos want to know!
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