Shimrock on Ice 12-31-14

ram

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Feb 15, 2013
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The hogs had been cold and blustery, but the night brought more snow and wind. We awoke on the last day of the year to several inches of the white stuff in camp. Spidey's kids had had enough but essentially everyone else was up for some intimate contact with the snow. Tom organized a trip to Shamrock. He would thread the way, avoiding slickrock all the way to the canyon. Another group formed around doing Shimrock. I joined that one, Be got up top about 11:30 PM. Tom's group was right behind us. We took off and Basia joined us for a bit until I told her we were not going the same place Jerzy and Tom were.

We went down the Carmel slot to the normal entry. Even this involved a spot down low and a hand line up high. The normal way in has some steep slickrock. The other, more western entry is more technical. Or so i am told. I had not done it, but I had noticed a deadman in there 5 days earlier on the way to Shamrock. So as happens with snow, what is normally harder can become the easier option in snow. I said easier, not easy.

Two raps and a pair of captures were encountered in this fine fork. I will visit it again. The canyon was in full winter apparel. Snow coated the walls, filled the bottom, came down on us as spindrift avalanches from the rim....and it was snowing, at times hard.

The drops were spotted. The squeezes forced big boys to get help and most of came to resemble snowmen ourselves. At the confluence with Shamrock, all we saw was a note in snow and there prints heading down. The 2 hour canyon took over 4.5 hours, but delivered joy almost every step along the way.
First a picture from the day from mid canyon. One of those dang canyon secret keepers


tarp camping at the Thrax


What to do?


Tom and Mike are ready


The Spidey clan is ready for the road


Basia wanting in with us up top


A warm late morning stroll....not! Deeps in for his first slot of the trip. The grove's and the birthday boy follow


The bad idea that caught on




Mike and Ester


Tom at the Carmel drop


Esther's turn


Tom


Coming to the drop in


This shows the caution needed on snowy slickrock. Jenny demonstrates



Jenny leads into the western entry and readies to thigh belay. Peter on top sets a handline


Queuing on down


Peter and Chris having way too much fun


game time


1st rap. snow smeared off


looking back up at it


How old are you now, how old are you now?


Ester killin it


Spindrift avalanche. It can get pretty dark. Jenny delighted


These come in handy:rolleyes:


Spindrift falling over the line of snow plastered to rock and bare rock


delicate


I love this one


This one too. Hi Chris!


happy


Plowing thru


frosty


A lot like fun.....


takes good concentration and care


More WOW!




A little B & W






Pterodactyl Snow


In Deeps of trouble


Going high


Wes not in the lead, with Jenny


Going low


Ms. Meat Anchor and LAWAR...I mean LAPAR






Cleaning up


Standard picture, this time draped in white


B & W

Striding out




More snow art










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I've walked a couple of the CRNP slots with snow in them. I think they take on a really cool character, but making it technical, cojones are necessary.
 
Wild! Those skinnies with the all that snow would be pretty freaky for the larger folks in the group. Thanks for the post!
 
Awesome. Looks cold, although I imagine it was plenty warm as long as you were moving. Great spirit of adventure to do it in the snow. I'm sure you'll always remember this trip!
 
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