Anticipation.

We are moving right along getting ready for the start of spring guiding season.  Our insurance is in and we should be just days away from having our Kanab BLM field office permit.  This is but the first step for our little company to be the top dog in outdoor rec in Southern Utah.

My mind keeps reeling back to some places that I have recently explored.  A couple of weeks back I explored a canyon near Kanab called Willis Canyon (not to be confused with Willis Creek near Cannonville).  As I reached the large head wall, I noticed a perfectly placed tree for a nice 90 foot rappel down into a convoluted slot.  I kept thinking, a slot in the Vermilion cliffs?  I set up the rappel with a “Biner block” and some pull cord and made my way down into the depths.  A crystal clear pool of water not too deep, waited for me at the bottom.  Obviously a spring coming out of the sandstone.  I love this dang area.  As I made my way out of the slot the ground became very spongy and I started sinking in the quick sand, I hurried and jumped to higher ground.  As the creek formed, the willows poped up.  I thought to myself, “Welcome to the Jungle” along with the song playing in the background.  Argg.  These willows really make travel tough.  I though well, its the winter and daylight will be fading soon so maybe I should bail.  I took off up the south western slope up and out of the canyon onto the scrub lands crossing other drainage’s.  Up above me was a mesa top that was easily 700 feet of elevation high. I though, man it would be cool to get up on top of that thing.  Then I thought, it would probably cliff out on the other side and I would have to back track but then I remember, well I have rope so why not?  I trudged up the super sandy hill stopping at one point to down a pack of Sardines.  My wife hates sardines.  MMMM, especially mustard ones.  There’s protein for ya!  I need a breath mint just thinking about it.  Anyway, I made it to the top of the mesa and started following the edge around to see if it lead me back to my jeep.  All of the sudden I started seeing a lot of Indian Pottery Shards.  Interesting.  The pottery shards kept showing up and I followed them back to some Anasazi Pit Houses.  Those Indians were amazing.  Soon, I found a non tech route back down to my car as I completed a nice day hike.  Very tough for your average tourist but I had a fun day.  I need to go back and revamp my route and see if I can make a fun tourist type route into the slot.

Stay tuned as I will be setting up some first of the season discounts for clients this spring.

Nick Smith

Seldom Seen Adventures