Pre- Weekend

View from the top

It always makes me feel good to sneak in an extra adventure now and then. One that doesn't warrant an entire day away from the family but also one that has elements of high adventure and maybe a little danger. .

I sent the bike down first, into the pool of water below

The water was running, and coming over the lip was a little tricky. It was an over hang and the crumbling rock was sharp!

I got a little  free hang off of this and soaked my camera case that was hanging on the chest strap of my backpack, something I was not expecting but exciting just the same  

 These are often short outings I've put lower down on the priority list and knock them out when I have a few hours. They are not necessarily without detail. The little adventure I did just before the Memorial Day weekend required ropes, harness and misc gear, a bike and a packraft.

This is about mid-way down.  Taking into account  my set-up at the top, the rap was about 65', my rope is 150 and had almost nothing dangling in the water.  

It's nice to have a beater bike for stuff like this

Although very short, I felt like I was in the slots back in Utah

  I had my sights set on rappelling a gully somewhere along the Minnesota River Valley, complete with a natural bridge. For whatever reason this has been eluding me for the last year. Every time I get ready to do this something else comes up and I have to cancel...... well not this time. It actually worked out better now that I have a packraft  making it a fun multi-sport loop.

The water was just under waist deep :)

Ready to paddle

 The rappel was first, from there I would cut across the dry section of a swamp to the open water and get in the packraft.  After about 30-40 minutes of paddling I reach a short walking section overland to the Minnesota River. Back on the water I paddle down stream to my take-out at Pike Island. From Pike Island I pack all my stuff and have a nice ride back to the van, mission complete and home by 5pm

Some folks might recognize this

Almost there

Pike Island, time to head back to the van

P.S. This is one of only a hand full of raps to be done in the twin cities, I've done/recon-ed others and will revisit them for similar adventures in the future. I'm pretty sure no one raps them or even gives a shit but I'm going to do it anyway and give them all names. It's my way of getting in a little canyoneering/rope work, miles away from the bigger stuff I've done in Utah.    This one shall be known as "The Catwalk" for the mid-way bridge that spans the gap.

Thanks for reading      DR