Friday morning we did something stupid! Josh, myself, my brother Bill, his wife Nikki, my sister Melanie and her husband Steve, went backpacking down into Dark Canyon, which is near Lake Powell in Utah. It wasn't really stupid, it was actually really amazing, just stupidly hard!
There was about a 3 mile hike to get from the car to what we call the 'wall of death'. The 'wall of death' is a 1200 foot drop into the canyon, of shale, rocks and boulders. Basically that is 2400 steps, with a 25lb backpack.
This is what the 'wall of death' looks like from a mile away across the canyon.This is the close up version.... it took about an hour and a half to get down.
Once inside the canyon it was beautiful! There were pools and waterfalls over some amazing rock formations.
We hiked about another 2 miles over pretty rough terrain to get to where we camped. The only way to get to where WE camped, we had to jump off a cliff into a pool. We lowered our bags down with a rope and once down, carried them over our heads to a bank. (When I say we I don't mean me). My pack was about 25lbs and there is no way I could have carried it above my head through the water!
The pics are really grainy cause it was so dark in the canyon he he he hence the name "Dark Canyon"
We followed the river down the canyon (it does meet up with the Colorado river, but we didn't go all the way down) where we swam in pools, slid down water slides and jumped off waterfalls.
We stayed 2 nights and had a blast! Listening to the frogs all night that sounded like goats, sleeping on rocks, and eating dehydrated backpackers food! It doesn't get much better. LOL
Getting back out was tricky. We had to scramble up the side of a cliff, pull the bags back up with a rope and out a small hole near a waterfall. I'm sure everyone has as many scrapes and bruises as I do. Steve and Nikki got the worst ones.
Then climbing back up the 'wall of death' was a killer. Again repeating the (at least) 2400 steps. But WOW once I made it to the top, I was pretty proud of myself, I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT!!
No seriously it was a lot of fun! I'm glad I did it!! Once.
3 comments:
WOW! I am totally impressed! Sounds insane, but those are some really neat pictures!
I am jealous...Josh told me about the canyon when I was on my mission 10 years ago when you first went. How fun...and isn't the canyon the one mentioned in the Louis L'Amour book.
It looks like you guys had so much fun! Power to the both of you, so hardcore!
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