What would you do if you killed something down in that 4-5 mile hell hole? Ed F
What would I do? I've thought about this quite a lot actually.
I can only do one trip outta there in one night. I'd load up as much as I can. There's two ways down into there. One way is much longer in distance, but it's a road, so I can take my beater MTB and ride the brakes most of the way down. That way is really good on conserving energy and wear-and-tear. Being able to lean upon that MTB on the trip up strangely seemed to help with the lower-back and hip issue a bit. But it's certainly not energy efficient on the ascent, due to the extra pushing resistance. I don't take the MTB all the way down cause the brakes are loud as hell (just V-brakes), so I lock it up a couple miles before the bottom. And... that MTB I've had since 1992 so if it should happen that I take something nearer to the other way out which is a goat trail, I'm cool with leaving it there and coming back for it some other day later. I think the goat trail out is less energy expenditure over all... but it's climbing parts are generally steeper. I figure that even though the road way out is several miles longer. It provides me with a much easier way to take lots of stops along the way back up.
And when you're almost finally back up to the Hwy... there's this one last series of switchbacks that's heavily eroded ya gotta grind thru, you're just like all kindsa spent... and I've got to lift up and carry the MTB a lot because the ruts are like above knee height. It's like this one last big dig down and give it everything you've got push, but you want it soo bad because it stands between you and your car and freedom and a delightful end to the misery. It feels like such a relief when that front tire finally clears off the trail.
That place is specifically why I upgraded and bought the big ol' Kifaru EMR II backpack because it can go big as hell! With the idea of doing just one trip.
However long it took to finish. Just one trip. And for sure I'd have to wait until the sun was setting because the route up (when going the road way) is pretty much all exposed to the sun. And I dunno, I figured if need be... that I may have to leap-frog more than one game-bag all the way up the dang thing. Last year I decided against trying in there. But in realizing I have a limited amount of time left physically to attempt for a black bear. I'm considering the idea of getting a Tag again this year. And if I buy the Tag, I'll feel compelled to put forth the effort because I paid the money, ya know?
The worst part is like the first mile going back up. It's so God-awful steep. I'd actually be a little nervous descending down that in a truck. It's like hard sand-stone with that slippery covering of loose sand grit in that steepest part. I mean, it's not your-boots-are-slipping-with-each-step-steep. But it's just a couple clicks below that kind of angle the first like 1/2 mile. I know it's probably not, but damn it sure feels like a 45 degree incline right there. It's probably 30.
If, for whatever reason, I decided I just couldn't take it all in one trip that day. I'd tie up a meat bag. Save a waypoint. Then when got home I'd try to reach out to maybe a few people to see if they'd want to go collect it to enjoy for themselves. And then if no takers... ugh... I'd have to go back the next day... I'd have to dope up like crazy for that. 8 Advils down and 8 before up. With at least 3 or 4 Tylenol #3's brought along just in case it gets bad again, 6 Liters of water/fluids. And a RedBull at the beginning of descent and ascent. Going back down, I'd probably only take the .357 on my chest and the BearSpray. And a Tripod stool to make taking rests easier. And a couple MET-Rx bars, Squeeze Appesauces, Honey Stingers and Pistachios and 2 HoneyCrisp Apples to get me back outta there. (Man I really love those HoneyCrisp Apples when I'm tired! They are so nice)
