I just got shut down at Haffner Creek two days in a row by, of all
things, a moose. Let me expand: A big 1500 lb female swamp donkey!
Yesterday, I was walking in at about 9:30 and it was blocking the
trail. I've heard too many stories of angry charging moose so we
retreated to Grotto Canyon. Went back today and Bullwinkle was still
blocking the trail munching on branches. We tried deeking around but
the post-holing off the packed trail was stomach deep. Retreated once
again, this time to Marble Canyon. Maybe we could have strolled by her
but I wasn't willing to risk checking to see. Big animal, real big.
The ice in Marble Canyon is very dry and brittle. Experienced lots of
stress fracturing on Marble Arch (WI4) so we ran away after one top-
rope lap. I wouldn't want to lead it. The lower third of Tokumm Pole
(WI5+) has fallen off into the water at some point in the not-so-
distant past. Due to the cold ice down there and the funky pillar-
nature of these routes, I would think they can be quit fragile in the
right (or should I say wrong) conditions.
Sean Isaac
Assistant Alpine Guide
_______________________________________________
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