Ice Box Canyon

One of Rachel's requests on this visit to Vegas was to hike...so happy to oblige.   Clark wanted to go on a hike they hadn't been on before. Karl requested a shorter hike in Red Rock.  Considering all the requests  I thought Ice Box Canyon would be perfect. ( Steph and I had hiked it before and it was great...until that little challenge at the end.)

Off we go...

Bouldering is always fun...and a bonus workout :).

 

Picking our way through the boulders.

 I think we were enjoying it more than it looks.

We finally came to the end of the well beaten trail and everyone is "Is this it?"  The end of the trail that I remembered was this much bigger sandstone open area  ...so much bigger than what is here.   I'm sure this isn't it ... we must have missed a turn.   Rachel runs up this rock face and says this is probably it.    No it can't be...this isn't what I remember.    I am sure this isn't the end...where is the big challenge that I had panicked on.  We turn back...searching for a possible missed turn.  There isn't one.   Karl, Clark and Rachel  insist that was it...I say it can't be.

At home Rachel eventually checks the blog...yep that was it.
Another reason to keep a blog...to prove that my memories are much more colorful than reality.

I may be old...but I'm not blind.

Hike #7  Ice Box Canyon

I have mixed emotions about this hike...it was a "love it/hate it" hike.  But it's  90% loved it.

It was beautiful...the spring flowers were out in all their glory.


Bouldering through the canyon...magical.

I'm sure Steph got tired of hearing me say "Oh...this is gorgeous."
But it was.

There was some challenging "bouldering"  through the canyon.

Usually Steph would take the quick but gutsy route

 ...me, I always chose the longer but safer route...

Until we got to the last 200 feet... 

I knew better...but I caved in to peer pressure and followed Steph.

(besides, there was another couple all ready up at the end...and they didn't look like the "extreme sport" types.)
And long as I didn't look up....and I didn't look down.

As long as I didn't think about it ...I could stay calm and not freak out.

Problem...
As soon as I got to the end...I realized what I had climbed up...

Now I had to get down and I was starting to feel the "panic" rise. And I knew I had to get down NOW!

When the before-mentioned couple started their descent, I knew I had to follow right behind...keeping the thought "if she can do it I can do it".    I zipped through the first "gut wrenching" section with the "don't-look-down"  mind set.

As the before-mentioned couple were pondering the best way to get down the second steep rock face...I chose my route and went for it.  About a third of the way down I realized I needed help and panic was coming on...

 Now let's back up this story just a bit.
It just happened that we had arrived at this last challenging section of the climb at  the same time as two other hikers with their little chihuahua dog "Tank".  Not that it matters...but these two guys were like
"I-just-want-to stare-at you" specimens of the male gender... young, shirtless,  tan and ripped.  
We had chatted with them briefly and laughed at Tank's antics.   That little dog would just trot up anything and at one point the "tan-est and buff-est"  fellow scooped him up before he jumped off something that was a bit too high and said ..."Tank, don't be a hero."  Which made Steph and I laugh since that phrase has become a Tobler family slogan.
All six (7 counting Tank)  of us were at the top together and we all chatted a bit.   Then the two "buff guys" started down ...followed by "the couple"... followed closely by me.   Steph wanted to wait until everyone had left to make our descent...just in case it was going to be embarrassing.   Not me...at that point I didn't care about being embarrassed...I just wanted to get DOWN. NOW!


Now back to the story...at this point I'm clinging to the rock face and I'm "losing it"...my nerve and my footing.   I'm not sure if  "buff guy" noticed my predicament or if I yelled.."ahhh...excuse me" (Mr. buff guy.)
But he said "...do you need some help? "   Me:   "Ahhh...YES...and could you hurry I'm slipping!"

So Mr. Buff-est guy hands Tank to the other buff guy and races back up the rock face to help the old lady down.

Picture doesn't look as high as it really was.

  Then he showed the rest a better way to go down.  The other girl went next.  Mr. Buff Guy said "Don't worry, I won't let you fall" to her. She believed him because she  fell/ flew/jumped the last six feet into his arms. Then came Steph.  Mr. Buff guy probably would have really liked to have helped Steph, but gutsy Steph slid down that hill like it was fun.

Picture doesn't look as steep as it really was!

  Mr. Buff guy even stayed positioned to help the last fellow (with the bad knee) down if need.
Then off the "Buff Guys" went down the trail.  The next we saw them they were scaling the face of a jagged cliff...with Tank under one arm.