Canyoneering!

So, today’s hike; ‘The Keyhole!’ Why ‘The Keyhole” I hear you ask? Coz if you aren’t shaped like a key, you ain’t gonna fit! The hike is only ¼ mile long – when you get to the start of it…the start is about a mile from the parking area to the start of the actual canyon; a mile in the mid-day desert heat, up a steeply climbing rock face, wearing a wet suit and carrying a pack with a 200 ft climbing rope plus abseiling gear, extra clothing, water etc.

Anyway, back to the job in hand; the hike through the keyhole consisted of four different abseils, numerous ‘climb downs’ into the darkened canyon that never sees sunlight and is therefore cold as you like, especially considering the heat outside. Each abseil and ‘climb down’ of course ended up in water; no, not nice fresh river water but (very) cold, murky, stagnant water that had laid there since the last flash flood! How deep? Anywhere from knee deep past waist deep, to full on chest deep and at one point a full on swim, and all of it through what smelt like old sewage!

So there I am; the guy who always wears appropriate biking gear, riding helmetless, dressed in a very wet, wet suit, a climbing harness, and carrying a rucksack full of wet heavy rope and stuff, probably harbouring all sorts of dead things hidden away about my person – mmm, very attractive!!! Why? Because it was there I guess and someone mentioned on it which was enough for me to need to do it!