History of Fox Hole Canyon

A trip report from the first day out with Ram in October 2005. 

The first day group: Larry, RAM, Roy, and I head into a relatively unknown canyon. This canyon, although requiring a fair amount of high stemming and climbing, does not require any rappels, and has a few easy entries/exits on the way through it. 

As we near the end of the canyon, 2/3 of the way through, Roy and Larry ask if Ram and I had heard anything. We stop and listen. Sure enough, we hear a large splashing noise. The sort of thing you would hear with a group in front of you, or a large animal walking in deep water. 

We immediately begin speculating. Other people in the canyon? Seems unlikely being this remote. Wild animal? Possibly, but what? Sounds big. Coyote? Cat? Liger? My imagination runs wild with possibilities.... 

Larry ventures down with me right behind to take a look. This particular section of canyon in punctuated by very deep potholes. The trick is that the potholes can be climbed around using moderate climbing moves, instead of going directly in. As we peer around the next corner, into a deep pothole, we find a fox. He, apparently, had gotten down canyon far enough to fall into this pothole, and could not get out. The pothole was deep, and about 3/4 full of water. The little guy had found a place against the canyon wall where the sand had built up under the water, making it shallow enough he could stand with his head barely out of the water. Everywhere else in the pothole was deep enough he had to swim. Wet prints on the up canyon side showed his futile attempts at escape. 

We discuss options. The water in the pothole is apparently deep, and several feet down from the lip. It would be challenging to get out of. After much deliberation, we determine that without gloves, wetsuits, and a bag of some sort, getting him out is impossible and possibly dangerous. We continue down canyon by climbing around the pothole using an interesting sequence off a hidden jug. A slip into the pothole with the fox seemed like a real possibility, but was avoided. Continuing down canyon, a somber mood overshadowed the group. 

The afternoon plan was to do another canyon right next door. I decided, since I had done canyon #2 previously, I would let the rest of the group go ahead, while I tried to figure out a fox rescue plan. 

The best I could come up with was taking 2-5' long dead cedar limbs, and work back up canyon with them to the pothole in hopes of engineering a way for him to escape. This was a tedious long shot at best, but I managed to ferry both logs up to the down canyon side of the "fox hole". 

Initial attempts at wedging one of the 5' logs in on the bottom and creating a sort of ramp for him to exit proved futile. The water in the pothole was too deep to wedge something in, and too far across for me to get the log from the lip to the fox. Frustrated, I attempt to reach around to the up canyon side and wedge something in there. As I reach, a small slip and quick recovery remind me how easy it would be to fall in and join the fox. My pulse quickens. The 5' log is to short to wedge in or reach the fox from the up canyon side as well. 

I ponder the situation for a few minutes. I didn't have any rope or webbing on me, but couldn't come up with a use for them anyway. Finally, with Mr. Fox appearing to be settling into a hypothermic haze, I reluctantly admit defeat and leave him. 

I felt deeply disappointed I could not help him. On some level, this little guy was living out my worst nightmare; trapped in a keeper with no way out, simply waiting for the end. Shudder. 

Stuff to ponder. We have started referring to the canyon in question as Fox Hole canyon. 

-Ryan Cornia