Blasting Off

We've got tons to write about, but we've been out in the wilderness far from the interweb and have packed our adventures too close together to allow us ample time to elaborate. In short, we had an absolutely fabulous time during the remainder of our stay in Utah, remaining based in Zion long enough to really explore the area and do some amazing canyoneering around the park. We knew we had most of the technical rope skills and navigational experience to jump into the water-filled slot canyons of the West, and while this was mostly true, we still encountered a steep learning curve. The skillset from climbing crossed over very well in most regards, as canyoneering involves lots of repelling and rope work, however we did encounter some novel predicaments that made us think twice.

The simple act of rappelling becomes more complicated when performing what canyoneers call a "floating disconnect" - that is, rapping into an icy (45 degree F) pool of water, floating to keep your head above, and removing yourself from the rope, all while keeping things untangled and remaining calm. In fact, the swimming was the main thing that surprised us with its difficulty as we had multiple opportunities to jump into the freezing water with full packs and clothes on and dog-paddle/swim across to the (not always evident) other side.

In the end, we enjoyed exploring the canyons more than we could imagine, and our technical skills allowed us to access superbly pristine and geologically astonishing spots in the desert. As the days got hotter and hotter we become more and more comfortable in the coolness of the canyons, and ended our trip with a three day backpacking effort down the Right Fork of the Great West Canyon in Zion, which was quite a test of our hiking, technical, and most of all route finding and map-reading abilities. We didn't see a soul for the duration of the trip and the only evidence of other people where the few footprints of a party that had descended a few days before us. The setting was splendid as the full moon lit up the towering sandstone walls and we were serenaded (loudly!) to sleep by the echoes of the mating frogs.

Our life has been a blur since we got home as we have been preparing to go the other direction with an ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite, one of the largest and most beautiful pieces of granite in the entire world. We will be joining Mo's brother Jean-Paul and one of his coworkers heading up the Captain, on a route that we will hopefully complete in five days (and nights) of climbing and work. We'll be spending the night way up in the air, hoping to get some sleep on our portaledges, and hoping that the sun is somewhat merciful in its heat and a cool breeze is blowing off the deck. It is probably one of the most challenging things we have ever attempted, and we are entering it with a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and anxiety for the unknown, not exactly sure how our bodies and minds will adapt and react to a completely vertical world. We can only hope that we will have strong bodies, even stronger minds, and a whole ton of fun.

Needless to say, in a week's time we will have stories to tell and pictures to share - off we go!