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Thread: Pandora's Box & Shillelagh (Both Forks)

  1. #1

    Pandora's Box & Shillelagh (Both Forks)

    This isn't so much of a TR as it is a TC (trip comment). We didn't get any photos, so this will be a short and colorless description.

    Went down with Chuck and Mike and hooked up with Eric at the Pandora's Box trailhead on Friday night. Actually it was early Saturday morning (~3:00 am). Eric awakened us at around 6:30, and we begrudgingly rolled out of the sack and were on the trail by 8:00. After a beautiful and not too difficult approach hike, we dropped into the North Fork of Pandora's Box. Three simultaneous rappels came within the first 5 minutes of the canyon. The highest being around 90 feet. After the first three raps, there are a series of really tight slots, all separated by wide spots that appear like they could be alternate escapes/entries. These slots were the tightest I have ever done. High stemming was required for several different places. I was glad I was wearing a long sleeve fleece jacket for these parts, or my elbows and forearms would have lost skin.

    Water in this canyon is rather scarce -- except for one spot. We encountered one large, chest-deep pothole that cannot be bypassed. Noone had wetsuits, so we took a dip! The water was frigid, but I still think dragging a wetsuit down that canyon just for that pothole would have been a bad choice. I somehow found a way to get immersed up to my neck, at the amusement of the other three in my group. I wasn't glad I was wearing a fleece jacket at that point!

    Further downcanyon there is a section of really pretty subway-like narrows. The canyon ends in a large two-stage rappel into Spring Canyon. Shane's website says that the rappel is 50 feet, followed by 145 feet, but I think its closer to 160 feet. Regardless, its a big rap, and one of the more scenic raps I've done. Shane also suggests that the return hike go east (or downcanyon) in Spring Canyon. But that's a 4-5 hour slog. We decided to go upcanyon and hike up and out after about 1 - 1.5 miles. The "up and out" option might require some slick scrambling/climbing skills, but it wasn't too bad, and it definitely didn't take us 4-5 hours to return to camp.

    The next day we all wanted to do a canyon that none of us had done before, and we didn't want to travel very far. So, we decided to do the East and West Forks of Shillelagh in the North Wash area. After doing Pandora's, Shillelagh was a reward. Probably could be classified as a "beginner" canyon. Both canyons begin with a rather large two-stage rappel, but after that its more or less a walkout through some semi-tight narrows. Some downclimbing is required here and there. Regardless of it's ease, I found the Shillelagh forks to be quite an enjoyable half-day. Like Rich Carlson likes to say: "Its definitely more fun than bowling!"

    Thanks again to Eric for the invite, it was a lot of fun!
    It's only "science" if it supports the narrative.

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  3. #2
    [quote]Shane's website says that the rappel is 50 feet, followed by 145 feet, but I think its closer to 160 feet.[/qoute]

    Did you rap to the bench or all the way to the ground? I believe the 145' was my best guess to the bench.

    If I'm way off I'll adjust for safety until I do the route again.


  4. #3
    I went all the way to the ground, which probably makes the difference. I guess you could get away with going down to the bench, but its much easier just to take a few steps back and drop to the ground. I did notice that if your rope only reaches the bench, you could walk around and down some boulders to reach the ground.
    It's only "science" if it supports the narrative.

  5. #4
    Yeah.... I put to the bench so you could carry as short a rope as possible. The bench also gets really iced up in winter, it was covered with ice when we did the route but half of us still jumped off rappel at the bench and climbed down. The pothole was also frozen when we did the route and we just walked across without getting wet.


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