Hog 4 (Miss Piggy)

[WorkBad]

On 30 March 2013 a group of us got together and slayed another Hog. Armed with a 200ft rope, a 200ft pull cord, 100 feet of webbing and a bunch of hardware, we felt prepared.

Ever since I got rained out of this canyon a few years ago, I've been meaning to go back and give it a go. Hog 4 is very fun and offers plenty of places to climb out if things get too rough. Its shortness would give a competent group plenty of time to complete another canyon in the area on the same day. The 25ft elevator after the confluence with Hog 1 adds a little spice to a somewhat too short of a canyon.

I'd describe Hog 4 as short, and straightforward but with slightly more technical flavor than its neighbor Hog 1. There are no bolts in this canyon, like most of everything in the N. Wash. Every anchor in this canyon must be built or dug up and checked. We had dry conditions so digging in the sand wasn't a problem. I'm not sure how this canyon would be if it held water, probably more difficult/fun.

Our group must have been the first through this year or was accomplished by someone using ghosting techniques. We had to build every anchor new, sometimes farming rocks up canyon due to none being present lower down. It was great to work as a team to speed things up. If you are leading the group, get your minions involved! Tell them where to dig or what sized rocks to find. Everyone will feel better about being there and get a greater sense of accomplishment.

This canyon has one large-ish drop maybe 75-90ft (I honestly can't remember) and a bunch of smaller raps.

Here is an overview of the area and a visual of the path we took. Note that there is an alternate exit that has some 4th class scrambling for about 30 feet. Use this exit if wanting to get back and do another Hog. Use the path exit if wanting to just get back to the vehicle and an ice cold BER.



The Hog Slayers!


Picture taken from the rim on the hike in


Building an anchor at the first rap








Building the anchor for the largest drop


Farming rocks from above


Natalie after the long rap


Heart shaped.. ahh, cute!


Natalie almost to the confluence with Hog 1


On the 25ft elevator.


Onward towards the exit


Looking up the exit from the bottom


On the exit path looking down


On the exit path looking up to the top


Looking back toward where we came up

[Mountaineer]

We found no anchors our last trip, and ghosted it.

Great pics and TR.

[Byron]

I was just there with some friends last weekend...those deadmans you built were bomber! Thanks for making it easy on us (actually, me...since I was with a bunch of noobs)

[spinesnaper]

Nice trip report

[WorkBad]

We found no anchors our last trip, and ghosted it.

Great pics and TR.

When did you ghost it? Man I need to get myself a some of that cool ghosting equipment. In the conditions I found it would have been perfect!

[WorkBad]

I was just there with some friends last weekend...those deadmans you built were bomber! Thanks for making it easy on us (actually, me...since I was with a bunch of noobs)

I built the anchors with my group in March. Are you sure you are giving credit to the right guy? humm... I thought by now someone would have torn em out. Actually the group right behind us probably spent 3 hrs less in the canyon because of all the anchor building we did that day. It is nice to get the praise from somewhere for all that rock lifting and digging

[Mountaineer]

When did you ghost it? Man I need to get myself a some of that cool ghosting equipment. In the conditions I found it would have been perfect!

It was last year, and yes, great conditions to safely rig retrievables.

Great job in safely descending.

[Byron]

I built the anchors with my group in March. Are you sure you are giving credit to the right guy? humm... I thought by now someone would have torn em out. Actually the group right behind us probably spent 3 hrs less in the canyon because of all the anchor building we did that day. It is nice to get the praise from somewhere for all that rock lifting and digging

If I recall, the webbing was a beige, or sand color. Those things were deep, dude...they looked like they'd been there a while, and water had washed over them. I pulled and pulled and not one gave even a millimeter. BTW, go over to my trip report "Lep and Hogs"...that heart shaped pothole now has water in it, it's the picture of the jumper.

[WorkBad]

If I recall, the webbing was a beige, or sand color. Those things were deep, dude...they looked like they'd been there a while, and water had washed over them. I pulled and pulled and not one gave even a millimeter. BTW, go over to my trip report "Lep and Hogs"...that heart shaped pothole now has water in it, it's the picture of the jumper.

Cool, yea that was probably our anchors. I bet a lot of sand piled on top of the anchor too since the rains. BTW that pic of the jumper makes my knees hurt just looking at it. Thanks