After Quandary -Knotted Rope, we went to bed planning for C able Canyon the next day. I had never done it from t he bottom and it had been 1 0 years since I had done it a t all. At 4 AM came a few sprinkles. Ziff and I had the mega-mid up in less than 5 minutes, but of more concern was the road. It is a gray clay and awful when wet. It’s not a matter of 4X4 vehicles. NO car or t ruck will stay on the se roads when wet. So when light came at 6:30 AM we noted a threatening sky. We had a 7:15AM meeting with Bob , Tony and Steph at the junction atop the dugway. While it was quite possible that it would not rain, we called it. If you have a few days to sit down there waiting for the road to dry, you can ri sk it. We had to many p lans and too few days.
Half the folks needed home that evening, so nothing long could be done. Jenny had car trouble. Tom was headed home. The rest [SIZE=3]of us decided on on Cassidy Canyon. It had been a few years since I was in there. What I remembered was a short and pretty Wingate [SIZE=3]canyon, with mostly rappels. I also remembered a few of them went through holes and that the rap [SIZE=3]starts [/SIZE]were……ahhh….ummmm…awkward.
[SIZE=3]I dragged up the hill, the last two 11 hour days catching up to my lack of conditioning and my swollen leg. Bob manned a [SIZE=3]retrieva[SIZE=3]ble anchor[/SIZE][/SIZE] at the first anchor. [SIZE=3]It is [SIZE=3]important not to leave any webbing at the first drop, a[SIZE=3]t this tourist [SIZE=3]destination[/SIZE]. M[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE] ark manned the 2nd rap, with its narrow exposed station. All went well and there was time to sit and chat, as the clouds slowly burned off and the sun sneaked a peak here and there.
There was green ivy about and it was a joy to the eyes after days of gray and brown. We visited the Bu tch Cassidy Cave down low in the canyon and we noted all the constructed areas. Big steps cut. An old bridge sits in there as a teeter-totter for those with balance and nerve. I would find out that afternoon, after the descent was over, that the original attempt to build a trial to the arch had been attempted up the lower canyon, with an eye to exit the canyon on the way to the top. Exit where? I know not! The idea was abandoned and the present trail built. The Salt Lake folks left, but before leaving left me a 15 year old bottle of single malt scotch. I thank them.
Ziff, Mark a nd I organized for the next days fare at the V isitor Center parking lot. Rangers came by and wanted to chat. All were invited to join us the next day. All wanted to. None could. It’s a shame rangers are not allowed to range more. We drove off to the trail head and met Jenny, waiting for us. Pandora’s Box was a mere 12 hours in our future.
Pictures?