This season I’ve been lucky enough to offer my time to Capitol Reef. My “job” is patrolling the canyons, reporting back to real Rangers on conditions and such. Amy is out for a visit, and Pandora’s Box was our choice for Monday. Along with our neighbor Rick, we had a great day out.
Pandora’s is as wet as it gets right now, with light flow through the whole canyon, which made things a bit harder than normal. Waist deep pools with no wet suits can wear on you on a long day. Taking newer folks and showing your wife her toughest canyon to date makes is a bit longer.
Camera pooped out at some point, so no pics of the last section and rappel, but FYI the classic loooong piece of webbing from the high up chock stone is backing up a new chock anchor wedged near the floor. This means anyone not using a fiddlestick will almost certainly stick their rope. Be ready to re-rig using just the high chock, or fiddle it.
The shorter exit up Meeks is cairned well and becoming easier to follow these days. Same with the “trail” out. It still requires good route finding, but it’s slightly better than I’ve seen it.
Rick finds the Sinclair dinosaur on the way up.
Sunrise rock (well past its namesake this day)
Rick dropping in
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Ram
Does he have to pay them for this job?
The exit cairned? Am I a bad man for not liking this? SOOOO many misadventures occurred exiting that way. It requires real “touch” to do it right. Alas the park asked that people go the other way, so many epics occurred using their resources. Still, that place becoming tame saddens me. After all it is a weaving 800 foot face of class 4 Wingate to piece together. And more folks had trouble finding the bottom of it or the old stock trail miles beyond. Love that route. Viva la route find
The man…on patrol
Kuenn
You certainly have a coveted job!! Totally different twist on nose to the grind stone.