North Wash, Thanksgiving weekend.

[Don]

Alright, Thanksgiving blew. Really, just sucked. I planned on some stuff that fell through and got wicked drunk. The amazing thing is that even that drunk, and going to bed after 1 in the morning I was able to get out of bed at 4:15 to load up for a Canyon trip in the North Wash. (I did sleep most of the way to Price while Cody drove before buying coffee and starting the day). Deanpaul, Deeps drove his own car down and met us in Hanksville.
We got to the Sandthrax campground at about 10:am, changed into canyon clothes, loaded packs and headed off to to Shillelagh. We decended left, and went up Right as far as we could climb before descending out and back to camp. The weather was perfect, mid-50's cloudless and the canyon was dry. I enjoyed Shillelagh and would love to do it again. That night we did dutch over dinner and had a little grey fox hanging around camp looking for scraps. During the night that little fox managed to get the lid off the foolishly unsecured dutch oven and eat the leftovers. I heard him banging around and yelled at him from my tent but was too warm and cozy to get up and chase him off. Cody, however was sleeping much closer and without a tent didn't hear a thing and slept right though it.
Saturday we hiked up to the head of right Leprechaun with a group of canyoneers from American Fork too. We split with them at our canyon because they were off to do Lep-main. We rapped in at the top of the canyon rather than hike down the social trail and had another great day in canyon. This canyon isn't scary-narrow but it does get tight (for me). Late that evening the other AF group came out of Lep-main with stories that made my blood run cold. I've put Lep-main on my never-going-in-there list. Deanpaul had to take off Saturday evening before dinner.
The fox was back while we were making dutch oven dinner again. This time he brought a buddy to share out food with. I don't think aggressive is the word because they weren't growling or anything but they sure weren't afraid to come right into camp looking for food. They'd get within 8-10 feet of us and the campfire and slink around looking. We chased 'em off a couple times.
Sunday Cody and I hiked up to do Morocco. We dropped packs at the canyon head and explored up canyon a while before coming back to descend the canyon. I think Morocco was my favorite of the trip! That little canyon with an easy approach has a lot to offer in a couple hours. About mid-way there's a really cool and surprising arch in the canyon. Climb downclimbing above the arch and trying to avoid a water filled pothole my Totem somehow came off my harness and dropped into the pothole. I thought for sure it was gone for good. Cody was willing to go in even it it were 10 feet deep so I pretty much had to go it since it is my device. We meaured depth at about 3 feet, I took off my pants and sweater and went in wearing shoes, undies, a helmet and a Bogley shirt (pic below!). I found it pretty quickly!
After Morocco we changed out of canyon clothes next to the car, went up to Stan's for burgers and took off for home.
Some pics:























More, larger photos at Picasa.

[CarpeyBiggs]

nice TR.

that fox is going to turn out to be trouble methinks... he was pestering us for a few nights a couple weeks ago too. freezefest will be that dude's thanksgiving.

[Cirrus2000]

How does fox taste, I wonder?

Great stuff, Don! I looked at your Picasa album before I saw the TR here, so when I got to the half nekkid photo in the pothole, I assumed you were drunk!

When I did Left Shillelagh last spring, I was solo and had to build a deadman (my first) at the first (overhanging) rap. With no meat anchor backup, I was a little too stressed to enjoy the rest of the canyon as much as I should have. Still, very nice place!

Main Lep (Shimrock) is very much on my to do list, since I lost about 25 pounds last year, but I'm not about to do that solo, cuz I'm still pretty big!

[Don]

Cody has a video of me going in the pothole after that Totem but I haven't seen it posted anywhere yet...

We did a few deadman and rock-chock anchors that looked bomber. We tested them by setting up Cody as meat with a bit of slack and then I'd go down first 'cause if it'll hold me it'll hold Cody for sure.

[adamsco]

Cody has a video of me going in the pothole after that Totem but I haven't seen it posted anywhere yet...

The totem dive...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glAnCNgkUis

[trackrunner]

Don cool TR.

Wish I could have come.