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| Hike & Climb | 8.20 Miles |
3,405 AEG |
| | Hike & Climb | 8.20 Miles | | | |
| 3,405 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | One Hundred Twenty-eight over One Hundred Ten
It had been a few hours since returning to Shinumo Camp from summiting Dox Castle. The climb had gone smoothly, we’d timed it well and now creek relaxing was certainly celebrated. After briefly prepping lunch, sketching some Dox ascent notes, studying maps and reorganization of some climbing gear, I again reread T.Martin’s Day Hikes from the River, Fan Island description. Doubts definitively arose as I passed through the first paragraph that finishes with… “If it’s a hot day, go hang in Shinumo Creek”. Keith emerges at my creek side oasis minutes later, asking about thoughts on further trip plans. I essentially tell him experience is niggling my conscience and strongly suggests that we don’t get greedy, considering it’s quite warm and maybe the Island should wait until another eventual trip.
It’ll be there longer than any of us, perhaps steeply standing as an eroding, unconventional monolith.
The next few hours are fuzzed lazy memory, feeling as if I’d been eye-burned by the overwhelming gloriousness of our DC foray, the maze of ledge cols and the Condors’ wing feather whooshes. But thankfully again, it becomes unquestionable that we’re setup relatively well for another summit attempt. We debate cutting Travis’ rope in half. We bash with Dave, Robert and Trent about the Modred Abyss and Lancelot Point, as some thoughtfully share there carried beers. We sort out a few pieces of Sean’s left-behind gear that I’ll carry and Keith volunteers lugging the total borrowed rope. We toast outstanding Shinumo. I had skipped over both Dox and Fan on a previous late September, 2013 trip to N.Bass because of supra warmth before. We’d abandoned our climbing gear at Swamp Point before. Weirdly the trip wasn’t as I’d mentally planned since then, but if it didn’t go well, turnaround can always be justified with at least another story.
The Island has been beckoning me for nearly two decades, since I’d first got a good look of it from the south, across the river during a Fiske Butte solo. A truly impressive limestone precipice often bathed in sharp blankets of heat. I’d also river trip camped at One Hundred Ten twice before and hadn’t realized just how close the Island was. Regardless, on both of those previous river trips, it had been much warmer than it was now.
The stench of something dead overwhelmed the section of canyon below where the bypass trail drops in above Shinumo’s sweeping southwestern curve. For at least a quarter mile, it filled the basin with stank even in the cool inversion shade. It was farther to Burro than I’d remembered, underestimated slightly, again. We took separate routes through the lower west side of the black Burro Canyon slopes in the day’s first direct sunlight. It was already warm, but as we ascended the steep approach, the temperature maintained while slowly gaining elevation. I was soaked in sweat, but again realized the probability was increasing to Gud?! 
The Island was safely within reach, but were my old legs up for the burn, Castle-to-Island, back-to-back, shoulder-to-shoulder, the daily big ditch linkup?  Whatever that means!?
We picked up on a cairned route traversing below what I thought are some prominent Tapeats cliffs. I’m not sure if this route has an official name, but Keith seemed to think it was an old Bass route to another cable crossing and perhaps the first leg of the popular clockwise Powell Plateau circumnavigation. Was it in an Annierino book? I haven’t heard a story, read or research this honestly.
T.Martin’s Hike 44:p.99-101 took some time to interpret, but it’s there, as written, not-surprisingly with precision. Basically, angle traverse the main center basin into an eastern-facing gully to the two splendor ramps. The final crux could be described more as a chockstone crack than chimney. Nonetheless, there’s good crack pro if you’ve hauled it. It could use a few rap anchors if it was climbed more than each fifteenth year…
Thick smoke from a prescribed burn was dark, northeastern behind Emerald and Rose Points. Hakatai and Burro Canyons deeply buffered by and its northern, harsh lower, creeping limestone col. Powell Plateau, Dutton Point and King Crest form the final northern wall. The Grand Scenic Divide’s Terraces and southern suddenness. Explorers Monument and the Holy Grail Temple complexes to each side.
I was comfortable with the roped descent, especially at the Island’s southeastern ridgeline rim and lower loose ledges. It’s steep, wobbly and precarious, a larger party could be hectic without patience. We pass a large single ram’s horn on the abrupt descent. Somewhat fresh, still partially encased. Wrecked at the base.
Shinumo basin was hot and humid, the reprieve of earlier high clouds and contrails had moved on. I stopped briefly at the decaying Big Horn. It had just day shaded, buzzing as swarms, with other flies, both thick. The black moving carcass chewing blanket didn’t warrant a photo… it seemed wrong.
I honored internally for some time: Did it die falling, of a battle, or broken stagger, wandering finally to lie peacefully of only natural cause? At least it wasn’t in the bed, spoiling the creek. Keith mentioned some type of tent setup, maybe with a camera. I’d missed that. Perhaps some park biologist was time-lapsing the decay? Did I mention it was sweltering Shinumo on the way back upstream? Trip day three of unique summit #128.
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