Pickle Canyon

Joe and I went out to do Bonas Defeat but were defeated when we drove all the way out there only to find signs warning against entering due to dam releases. Even though they probably wouldn't have released the dam while we inside we agreed probably wasn't a chance we were willing to take and scrambled to pull out maps and find another possible canyon opportunity in the area. We were in a pickle and settled on a fairly nearby creek some barstool dreamers told Joe would be a good place to check out for canyoneering. 

It ended up being a hefty drive on some rugged forest roads through a part of the forest I hadn't seen before and then we had a pleasant approach hike on a road/trail that I mentally cataloged as being a good connector between the Nantahala and Pisgah forests on a mountain bicycle. We finally made it to our destination, a pickle of a waterfall canyon sort of thing. It was short, nothing like the insanity of Grassy Canyon, but did have two different rappels and some other interesting terrain. The first rappel made for a good warm up and then the second brought the real deal. It was an awkward start straight into a free hanging rappel. Then a ledge, then a nice gradual rappel down to the bottom. Not too hard but also not too easy. It wasn't at all what we had planned for the day but you can't always win them all.

Joe has some good pictures on his facebook thingy. You don't have to be a facebook member to look at them (that is why even I can see them). Here are the best of my pictures: