Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Pasadena Glen


I've always said that a day of canyoneering, even in a difficult, not terribly scenic canyon, is a lot better than a day on a couch. This philosophy would definitely apply to Pasadena Glen canyon. It had been billed by others as a great canyon, the second best in the San Gabriel Mountains. It turned out to be an arm-scratching, poison oak loaded bushwhacking chore. And yet, for all that, it beat out sitting on my butt watching football. Plus, the company of my friends out in the wild makes up plenty for the deprivations we experienced. Now if only the poison oak sores on my elbow would stop itching . . .



The view from the Henniger Flat road looking down on Altadena and beyond.
Rich and Kevin climbing the Henniger Flat road.
Jerri sat on this mellow example of the rattlesnake family and lived to tell about it. I unwittingly stepped over it myself and was about 20 feet away when Kevin announced we had just missed a close encounter with fangs.
A new gizmo called the "Smooth Connector" that allows us to rig an anchor without a caribiner on the pull rope that can get stuck in the rocks. The last person down simply yanks on the rope, the plastic thingee pulls out and the rope is released from the anchor.

Annette working her way through a down-climb making good use of her hips.
Last rappel.