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Trip Report: Notes From Narrow Places, Sept. '06 (Day 7)

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It’s the day of reckoning. We’ve been building all week for a descent of an X-Rated canyon and the day has arrived. We are joined by local canyon guide Rick Green who runs Excursions of Escalante. If you are new to the sport and want to try this canyoneering stuff, consider hiring him for a day or two.
 
Oh yeah, this one is deep, dark and scary.
 
We’re up at the 60 foot level with nothing to impede a straight fall to the canyon floor.
 
Here comes the team. Note that each has their own stemming technique. For some reason I find myself out in front. What the?!?! .... oh yeah, must get pictures. By wearing the camera around my neck I'm able to take more photos, but it gets in the way while climbing.
 
Nothing spells relief like m-y-f-e-e-t-a-r-e-f-i-n-a-l-l-y-o-n-t-h-e-g-r-o-u-n-d.
 
The character of the canyon changes abruptly. This section is one of the prettiest around.
 
We reach a constricted section. The only way through appears to be a small gap way up the canyon wall. I call back to Ram, “How do I get through?”
“Go down.” He calls back.
The canyon floor drops away underfoot, geez, we’re a long way up and the bottom is cloaked in darkness.
“Are you sure!?”
“Go down.”
Man it’s going to be tough climbing out if he’s not right.
“You sure?”
“Down.”
Well, that seems to settle the matter.
“Down?” I call back again.
 
We are engulfed in total darkness inching along a skinny water filled crack in the earth. Eventually the canyon widens.
 
But not before throwing one mandatory swim at us.
 
We exit the narrows as the sky darkens behind us.
We’ve successfully completed an X-Rated canyon, but it was the beauty of this canyon more than meeting a challenge that makes the day. 
 
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