Eric Holden
11-30-2012, 03:14 PM
Went down Little Santa Anita canyon out here in So cal again today with my buddy who should have gone with me last week. Forecast showed 30% chance of rain and we had slight drizzles on the way to the trail head This canyon is not really prone to flash flooding so I wasn't to worried.
Spirits were high, no rain, normal water flow as we set off. About 2/3s of the way in it started to drizzle. Not bad, not worried about flash flooding. Then it happened BAM! a grapefruit sized rock landed without warning about 3 ft in front of me. I look up and more rock fall coming down. I run the F back towards Frank with many expletives flowing from my mouth. We are now on guard but figured it was a fluke.
Heading down the canyon more I hear a noise and look up to more baseball-softball sized rocks bouncing down the side of the hill towards us. They landed between us and about 10ft away towards the canyon wall. Now we are scared, we pick up the pace and head down. Rockfall becoming more frequent with hearing something at least every couple minutes.
The second to last rappel is about a 35ft rap into a pothole that is easy to climb out of. No rocks here, looks safe. As I am setting up the rappel Frank yells "ROCK"! and I hug the rock face hoping not to die. But no rocks come. He swore he heard rocks falling. The last rap is only about 30ft away so after Frank came down we just pulled down the rope and didn't put it back in the bag but drug it out to save a few minutes (This was the only time we did this). After we slide down the other side of the pot hole...... CRASH, BAM. A shit-ton (Excuse my french) of rocks and fall into the pothole. I almost soil my pants at how close we were to it.
Go check out the destruction? No way, its time to get the hell outa dodge! Practically jogging we exited out the canyon. Both of us having wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more respect for what a little drizzle can do to these So-Cal canyons. Out of all my outdoor experience....I have never been as close to something this bad happening.
We both have way more respect for canyons, and to note that a little bit of drizzle can really reek havoc. Thankfully, no one was hurt. 3 hours car to car. Way to much adrenaline. And I think its time to heed my own advice. "If there is a chance of rain, stay home and rent a movie".
Respect, Humility, Knowledge, Gratitude..... all learned today.
Spirits were high, no rain, normal water flow as we set off. About 2/3s of the way in it started to drizzle. Not bad, not worried about flash flooding. Then it happened BAM! a grapefruit sized rock landed without warning about 3 ft in front of me. I look up and more rock fall coming down. I run the F back towards Frank with many expletives flowing from my mouth. We are now on guard but figured it was a fluke.
Heading down the canyon more I hear a noise and look up to more baseball-softball sized rocks bouncing down the side of the hill towards us. They landed between us and about 10ft away towards the canyon wall. Now we are scared, we pick up the pace and head down. Rockfall becoming more frequent with hearing something at least every couple minutes.
The second to last rappel is about a 35ft rap into a pothole that is easy to climb out of. No rocks here, looks safe. As I am setting up the rappel Frank yells "ROCK"! and I hug the rock face hoping not to die. But no rocks come. He swore he heard rocks falling. The last rap is only about 30ft away so after Frank came down we just pulled down the rope and didn't put it back in the bag but drug it out to save a few minutes (This was the only time we did this). After we slide down the other side of the pot hole...... CRASH, BAM. A shit-ton (Excuse my french) of rocks and fall into the pothole. I almost soil my pants at how close we were to it.
Go check out the destruction? No way, its time to get the hell outa dodge! Practically jogging we exited out the canyon. Both of us having wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more respect for what a little drizzle can do to these So-Cal canyons. Out of all my outdoor experience....I have never been as close to something this bad happening.
We both have way more respect for canyons, and to note that a little bit of drizzle can really reek havoc. Thankfully, no one was hurt. 3 hours car to car. Way to much adrenaline. And I think its time to heed my own advice. "If there is a chance of rain, stay home and rent a movie".
Respect, Humility, Knowledge, Gratitude..... all learned today.