Day 4
  
It’s canyoneering time! Evan and I completed two canyons during our last trip (Elephant Butte and Dragonfly Canyon) and I had subsequently fallen in love with the activity – it definitely appeals to my somewhat ravenous appetite for amazing scenery, and as a primarily non-technical activity (except for rappelling) it fits with my limited technical climbing abilities. I will always be a scrambler at heart!
 
Medieval Chamber was the canyon of choice and more enjoyable it could not have been. Expectedly magnificent scenery, under a perfect blue sky, two fun and unique rappels, and a terrific hike out characterized the trip. A very popular route, we encountered several guided groups along the way and many hikers who had come to see the Morning Glory Arch (which you can simul-rap down if brave and knowledgeable enough to do so!).
 
On return, Dan and I ran up beautiful slick rock to the highpoint of the area to soak in a magnificent view. 

Awesome canyon!

 
After lunch we made our way to the Ice Cream Parlour climbing area for more enjoyable single pitch climbing routes.
 
Eight thumbs up for Day 4!

Medieval Chamber
 
 
  The trio approaches the canyon






Evan in mid-flight



The scenery gets better and better



So much terrain to explore. The canyon goes to the right but scrambling up the rock just left of centre looked very appealing.
 








Dan looks down the first rappel



Evan starts the first rappel



Jordan's turn



...and Dan



At the bottom of the first rappel. This is the "Chamber" of the trip



Hiking down the canyon to the second rappel



The second rappel. The Morning Glory Arch is just right of centre.



Evan rappels. He saddle-bagged the ropes to avoid hitting people below if the ropes are thrown.



The rappel becomes a free-hanging



Evan almost at the bottom



Jordan



You can just see the arch at the right



Dan





Dan disappears into the abyss



Looking up at the Morning Glory Arch from the bottom



A long but super scenic hike out concludes the trip



Sweet rock and cacti



More sweet rock



Dan scrambles up to the other side of the stream that bisects the valley









The orderly canyoneers!



A surprising splash of red



Back up to higher ground



Dan heads up the slickrock



At the top we find there is another highpoint (at the right) that must be summitted!



Dan is young and fit enough to run up this terrain without working up a sweat.
Slugman slowly slithers up and is at the brink of cardiac arrest most of the time.



Almost there



Sweet summit!



The snow-topped La Sal Mountains



Two of the eight thumbs up for this trip






Reluctantly heading down



A distant La Sal mountain and nearby slickrock summit


Ice Cream Parlour


A good look at the awesome rock



Dan descends one route (left), while Evan climb another



Jordan descends a pitch of trad climbing he just led

continue to DAY 5
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