TR- Smiling Cricket- Part 1

Don’t keep us waiting my friend,  I was there and your story telling has me sitting with baited breath waiting for the story to be concluded.  I found myself at the end asking, no what happens next.  Of course then I remembered I was there.  Irrelevant I want to hear the rest of the story!   Thanks Ram                                                 Spidey

— On Wed, 10/29/08, adkramoo adkramoo@aol.com> wrote: From: adkramoo adkramoo@aol.com> Subject: [from Canyons Group] TR- Smiling Cricket- Part 1 To: Yahoo Canyons Group Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 9:50 PM

Part 1

My muscles are sore. Knee is swollen. Chin is tender. A bit of

fatigue. Yes, the place took it out of me. Spoke with Tom. He tells a

similar tale. What is unusual is that it happened the last 5 days of a

three week trip. A time after I hit strive. When nothing phases me.

What did this? The Cricket. If it could, it would be

smiling….perhaps chuckling.

But first, the story of how iI got to this place of soreness. Three

years ago, someone asked a question on the group. Seemed innocent at

the time. Has anyone descended that pothole slot next to the Kelsey

Butler exit? I replied…”not to my knowledge. Tom and I have looked

at it, but are scared of keepers and lack of anchors.” Thought it done

with, until this same fella who asked the question posted a trip

report of its descent. In this way I was introduced to Jason.

I can’t claim to know him well. We have only done a few things

together, but he always makes an impression. A single parent, with

full custody, a full time job and when he gets the time to play, often

does so with…….Daring? Drive? Recklessness? Innovation? Passion?

Deeply held curiosity? Originality? All of the above? Yes….and more.

Perhaps this first trip report showed a fella with a tad too much

boldness, but Jason became a bit more cautious with time, while not

losing his gift of “vision.” or his drive.

(the first story…1st descent of No Kidding

–http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/canyons/ message/25320)

Jason accompanied me on my first descent of this challenging canyon

and we invited him to join us for the exploration of Hog 4 AKA Ms.

Piggy. Jason seemed to chaff against the rigid views of several of my

friends and peers. Perhaps me too? You know, helmets and such stuff.

When did I, this youthful rebel become a part of the establishment?

Tick, tick, tick. Sigh!

Fast forward to last winter. Not sure what Jason and I were e-mailing

and chatting about……. .then the guy writes about three canyons he

rim walked. Over 10 miles from the nearest road. The canyons looked

frightening to him. Did it go X here? Were there any anchors there? I

congratulate him on his drive to get so deep. To investigate so

thoroughly. To show such caution in the face of such risk. He proposes

that….perhaps I could take a group down there and do them and let

him know what it is like in there. Well, I am deeply moved by the

offer. But I feel that this “thing” belongs to him. I have not asked

where it is. I don’t want to impose, but am very intrigued. I counter

propose that he join us in April, the first time I could go. He says

that a chunk of time like that is not in the cards for him and that I

should go ahead. I agree to go, keep it under wraps until I can report

back to him and consider what team to assemble for the task…..Then I

write back and ask…..”You sure?” He says yes. I think to myself,

there are some places I would like to share with the lad in the

future. I will, if he is willing.

Winter slides into spring and we are ready to go take a look. Tom

Jones is the anchor man. I do the route finding. Eric Godfrey has the

youthful strong back. Brian Hoffman, from my original Choprock is the

climbing gun. It takes all day to get in. This bench is good, this one

is bad and the packs are heavy. In the evening we dodge the poison ivy

and go to a wondrous chamber below the next days canyon. The next day

we go for Happy Dog.

The scouting info from Jason is spot on. It doesn’t tell us how

inspired his working a way to the canyon head is. One of the hardest,

most hidden accesses I have ever seen. Hard to find and steep and

scary when you do. An alcove arch tinted orange adds to the ambiance.

The canyon will prove to be an -R rated one. Open areas, with big raps

alternate with tight narrows that force one to stem. When the narrows

end, it involves a steep groove that can be slid or downclimbed, into

a pothole. Water is high, so no escapes are needed, but the canyon

sparkles. But their is a mystery too. The drops are bolted…..bolted

with materials appearing to be about 30 years old. Who? When? Ummmm.

The next day we must choose between the 2 canyons left, for alas we

have only 2 days left and one is needed for the 10 mile hike out and

drive home. We hem. We haw. And finally pick the closer of the two.

They look alike on the map, so we figure there is no difference. We

have chosen Laughing Baboon for the days fare.It is a bit closer.

The canyon appears guarded by big walls all the way up. We peer down

into the depths and are very intimidated. Potholes when we can see and

bottomless depths when we can’t. We are hesitant. Scared? You bet we

are! We find the lowest walls and consider our future very carefully.

Finally we descend a steep ridge on rap or hand line and are building

an anchor by the 120 foot drop to a midpoint ledge. Brian leans

back…something sticks him in the back. It is one of those 30 year

old bolts!! I guess we are at the right place! Suddenly a tension

releases. Its been done, this canyon. It is likely bolted.

Disappointment and relief spar. We drop in. First 120 feet, then down

a gully, then 150 feet to the canyon floor.

The canyon goes straight as an arrow, big walls above. Dry, sandy

bottom shows places that could hold water right after storms. Three

raps to 50 feet come at intervals. The rock is orange. The mood light.

Tom finds and nurses a swallow out of a pothole. Wet suits go on. The

canyon then darts left and right. The big walls recede. Potholes!!

Many! One after another….and those old, old bolts at all the right

places. Much water, so not many challenging escapes. I think….What

a challenge it would be to do the canyon naturally. I think the old

timers that put these bolts in, had no benefit of the modern tools and

ideas to spare the drill. We continue. This section is beautiful. Soon

the canyon releases us and we hike to camp, dry gear, pack up and do a

bit more than half of the hike out that evening, to jump start the

exit the next day.

I report back to Jason. Yes, by all means go. Not beginner canyons,

but not super hard. Very pretty. Bolted anchors, old and scary, but

there. But of course the report is for only 2 of the 3 canyons.

A month later, Jason carves out a time slot to head in. He brings a

strong climbing partner named Mark. Jason, being Jason is most

intrigued by the undone Smiling Cricket. Of course he is. It looks

just like Baboon, the other two are bolted, so logic says….pretty

easy, bolted, go, go, go!

From such sensible thinking, epics are sometimes born. The casual

start, in accordance to our recorded Baboon times. Then Jason falls

ill in the canyon. Not super sick yet, but then the canyon…… ..the

canyon reveals its true nature!! It is a monster!! Potholes! Then the

mother of all potholes. Sure the bolts are present, but this place is

crazy difficult. Light fades. A bivouac. Then most of the next day is

needed to finish what appears on the map to be a total of less than 2

miles. Potholes!! The eater of time! Sometimes… . the heart of fear!

And so it was….a war. They get out, barely averting a second bivouac

and make their way the long way home. Battered, ill, triumphant.. ..and

still without having done Dog and Baboon.

Jason gets home and tells his tale. Intense. As always is the case,

most shake their heads and say “never.” Others lick their lips. I

guess I fall into the latter and more stupid group. Others sign up as

well. I can only go in late October. Then? With 3-5 hours less

daylight for what took others nearly 2 days? Ummm. Ten sign on in two

groups. My group of 3 will come in 3 days before and do the other

canyons again, before the main event. The other 7 plan to come in and

do Cricket the first day. Meet? Join? Maybe. Leave it open. I plan to

get a feel for the neighborhood and present conditions. Who to bring?

Tom is back, naturally. I tantalize a few of the sports very best with

teasers of the stories. Only one can….and does. Steve Jackson AKA

Spiderman. The five day overnight is planned for the final days of my

21 day trip, with Cricket planned for day number 20. One might get the

impression that I was stalling. ;-). One might have been right……to

be continued