It was the last d ay of the year. A semi tradition of Ha rd D ay Harvey was considered. Too many had done it recent ly. I nstead we assembled a cast of 7 from several different groups about camp and went to do the obscure piggies. Hog 4 (Miss Piggy ) and Hog 3 (The R azorback) and then out the bottom.
Miss Piggy is the closest to the car from the top. Always nice to get out of the wind. It faces south with just an eastern lean and thus sucks in that winter morning sun. There are several ways into the canyon, but that ledge on the left, LDC is so sweet! Down a little bit and back in. I looks like the wall is going blank an y second there….and never does.
The early downclimbs are steep, intimidating corners, if not to high. The corner geometry makes them much easier than they appear. After a pause, the crew digs into the pork dish. The downclimbs lead to the 2 rappels. It had been years since I was there last. A tad cold waiting my turn,once down in the shade, but a feel good place, as a whole.
A party member, who will have to out himself, ran up the slab exit, then showed perfect falling technique, without a scratch, except maybe to his pride. Rich then did the dirty deed and we made the trip up and around and down to the start of Hog 3. It had been a breezy cold day, outside those warm moments in Miss Piggy, but here again , we found sun, no wind. We all seemed to melt into our seats.
I think we talked about several topics, but invariably we came back to that favourite (Can sp) topic of canyoneers….dead animals….I think we did anyway? A n ybody there confirm this? Regardless, it was so comfortable, no one wanted to move. Less of these moments this breezy cold FreezeFest than any year I can recall. Naturally the inactivity stiffened everyone up just in time for the steep dropping R azorback. We had c auses for pauses, as we turned blind corners, that dropped away steeply. My favorite Piggy!
After the rappe l, we glided on out to the main canyon and down the hill. E fforts have been made to make one trail, to goo d effect. I ce had form ed a t the falls to “Uh’s and Ah'” from the trips crew. Then ice floes filled the stream from side to side, with banks of ice rising 3 feet above the center of the water course. Too tempting not to play “running bobsled” up, down, across, up down across….Until our most agressive player does a “header.” MAN DOWN! Blood on the Tracks…I me an “on the ice.” only 5 minutes from the car? Sorry, first aid required right there and then. Dr. Jenny as usual, does the repair. Rick, the casualty, barely seems faz ed….after he regains sight in his eye, after some blood is cleared . He will transition from one year, into the next, without missing a step. A great day, to round out a great year. Warning: The last few pictures are a tad graphic. Can you resist ?
Pictures?