Robbers Roost - Bogley Fest

[skiclimb3287]

Been crazy busy since I have returned, so I am finally getting around to putting a trip report together. This was my first Bogley Fest and hopefully my first of many. Had a blast experiencing the Roost for my first time with a new group of friends. If I recall correctly there was somewhere around 15 that showed up. Thanks Scott for putting this one together! I am going to put this trip report in 3 separate posts, one for each day. I will try and get the other days posted in the next day or so. We can make this the official trip report thread and if others have photos they want to add, please do.

Day 1 - Red Spur:
Onto the meat of this thing. I left work a bit early on Thursday and took PTO on Friday so that I could make the most of the weekend and the fest. I was worried about finding camp in the dark, but Shane's directions were perfect! Thanks Ice! Just before going over the cattle guard onto the ranched land, I was met by a pack of horses in the road! Wild? Not sure. Nobody else saw them. I pulled into camp around 8:00 and found two groups, one there for the Bogleyfest, and one not. I was the third person to show up for the fest. @hikster11 and @Homeslice were standing around a fire. I quickly set up my tent and joined in the conversation. Nobody else seemed to be showing up so we started making Friday's plans. Hikster11 had a strong desire to do Red Spur, while Homeslice and myself didn't have much of an opinion. I threw out High Spur as it has been on my list for a couple of years, but after reading the beta for both, it was decided that Red Spur seemed like more of a challenge so we were sold. My only concern was rappelling off of a hook, as I have never done this, but hikster11 was confident. Somewhere around midnight I woke up to hearing another group arrive. In the morning, the other group consisting of @optikal and his friend Rick (don't think he is registered on Bogley yet) signed on with our plans. 8:30 or so and we were off to locate Red Spur.

Getting geared up at the trailhead


Following an old 4x4 road towards the canyon head


Canyon located! Looking down the canyon prior to dropping in


The canyon started out quite shallow. There were many opportunities to stay in the canyon proper or hop out and bypass. Two of us stayed in the canyon proper almost all the way except to miss an early unavoidable otherwise pool or two. I think a few of the others must have bypassed a few things with how quickly they flew through the upper part . We then came to a minor pothole that was defeated numerous ways across the group. Many used a foothold on the right wall partway across to push off and hop across. Rick did this crazy off-kilter push off (pic below). I used a full body bridge to stay dry. Shortly thereafter we came to the first rappel. There was some debate at this point as to whether this was the typical "rappel from a hook" spot. For some reason it was concluded this was not the spot that Ice discusses and thus did not rig the hook with a potshot or otherwise to assist in the pull. All made it down safely with Hikster11 descending last as it was his hook placement. Once all were down, and a few flips of the rope was made, we realized our mistake in not pre-rigging the hook for an easier pull. Oh well, on we went flipping it different ways, from different angles, from different heights, using both the pull line and rap line. After 10 minutes or so, down came our hook and rope! I think we were all glad to have avoided unnecessarily ascending back up.

Rick stretchin' out to cross the pothole and stay dry


Optikal rappin' down the first rappel off of a hook. No longer going to stay dry!


The hook rigged in a bomber pocket


Hikster11 coming down last off of his hook placement paying careful attention to the direction of pull


After the rappel, we continued our way stemming, squeezing, and down climbing through the canyon. Soon, we hit the South Fork spur loop. Once we hit the split, we left our now wet beta in the sun to dry and headed out for a quick diversion as we were making good time. I haven't looked back at the beta since, but I think we did the loop in reverse, as we reached a really tight narrows. All of us made our way in a bit and immediately found ourselves in a little pocket a ways off the ground. Hikster11 was in the lead and was a good 20 feet off the ground when he came across a silo. Three of us bailed while him and Rick continued on. I will let them chime in with details, but I remember them saying they were forced 60 feet or so off the ground with a lot of up and down and extremely tight narrows. Two hours later and a nice nap in the sun and Hikster11 and Rick rejoined us.

Cool natural bridge over a pothole!


Attempting to wedge my way into the South Fork of Red Spur



In my opinion, this is where the canyon got really interesting and fun. Lots of cool features. this made a pretty good canyon great and worth return trips! The canyon finally deepened and the canyon weaved its way tightly back and forth. More water filled potholes and mud were found. We reached the second rappel, and found no anchor in place, either washed away in a flash flood, or removed by a sandtrap user (great geometry). This was the first canyon I have been in that had no evidence of previous descent. Cool feeling! I got to build my first cairn anchor in a canyon. Have practiced in a course from Rich, and dismantled and put back together others to inspect, but never built one from scratch. I am sure someone (or multiple people) will critique the anchor with the numerous things I did wrong, but I welcome that. We backed up the anchor with meat and had Optikal bounce on it a bit to set it and make sure it was bomber enough. I rappelled last as it was my anchor and was gentle and steady.

Cool sandstone wiggles


Nice hallway


More nice sandstone


A log wedged above glowing in the sun


Looking down the second rappel...I think...


Tied off rock to anchor the second rappel. One more rock was placed on top to finish the anchor.


Homeslice on rappel with hikster11 providing a meat backup


Wavy sandstone corridor below the second rappel


Me carefully loading the anchor as the last man down


Hanging from my anchor


Stick and other flash flood debris wedged in a small window


Continuing through the canyon, more tight narrows and muddy, wet potholes were encountered. The canyon seemed to get more beautiful around each curve. A few short 10-12 foot drops were encountered that partner capture techniques were used to avoid rigging an anchor and leaving more trash behind. We all had a blast in the lower section of this canyon! All too soon, we reached the top of the dryfall that marks the point to exit the canyon. A little 4th class scrambling brought us too the rim. We found the very overgrown 4x4 road and began following it back to the car. The beta says 2 miles, but it sure seemed like a long 2 miles! As we were thinking we were getting close, we came over a hill to see the 4x4 road continuing forever into the distance. On we trudged. soon enough we found the car and made it back to camp for sunset. What a great start to my first BogleyFest!!!!!

Optikal about to climb into a pothole and get a bit muddy


Optikal and Rick all muddied up


Me a bit muddy as well...but having a blast!


Rick showing his mad skiing skilz to get down this ~10 foot drop


Looking down from the top of the dryfall that marks the exit point


Back on the rim. Now to find the car...


Looking back at the crew on the hike out. Seemed like the 4x4 road went on forever!!!

[ilipichicuma]

Awesome! I've been interested in seeing more about this canyon for a while. Good work!

[Homeslice]

Nice report! thx for posting

[hikster11]

Great write up, excellent detail. Pics are good. I agree the road out looked more like 5 miles.

[SRG]

Nice TR man!

I've wanted to do Red Spur for a while and now I REALLY wanna do it.

[hikster11]

Missed the last part of the canyon because my battery died.

[Iceaxe]

I agree the road out looked more like 5 miles.

It's one mile from the pour-off up to the old 4x4 track, and then 2.5 mile along the 4x4 track. The hike out takes about 2 hours as it involves some minor route finding until you hook up with the 4x4 track.

[deagol]

thanks for posting, looking forward to parts 2 & 3

[heliski2]

Awesome lighting on many of your pics. I'm dying to go back after viewing this report!

[Mountaineer]

Nice job! Just did High Spur, got to try this one next. Thanks for the post.