Canyoneering Birch Hollow

 At the beginning of March, Scott took Talmage, Everett, and Everett's roommate, Matt Allen, down to Birch Hollow near Orderville, UT to "do" Birch Hollow.  It's a popular canyon that is not too technical and you don't need a permit. Scott wanted to go early in the season before it got too hot or too busy.  They drove down Friday afternoon, camped by the trailhead overnight and then hiked it in the morning. It took about 5 hours to do the roundtrip car to car. They dropped off a bike near the exit so Scott could go get the car more quickly. They managed to stop at the favorite "Hot Spot" in Salina on the way home where you get those delicious (read not healthy) deep-fried tater tots. The hike-out was challenging and the mud was amazing. We still have mud on our driveway a few weeks later--it just keeps falling off the bottom of the van despite Scott's washing the van.

a Talmage picture

This is near the end of the hike.

This is a 60-foot rappel. The springs coming out of the rock face froze and made these cool ice formations. The trick was not to have one of them fall on you while you were rappeling.

This is the iconic Birch Hollow rappel--100 feet. Matt decided to go down face first and found it a little intimidating. Talmage took this picture.

Everett's doing his smolder pose.

Talmage took these pictures and edited them with his nicer camera. Pretty cool view.

Another Talmage picture.

Here's the Padre going down.