Over Memorial Day weekend I ended up going home to Utah. I arrived in SLC on Thursday evening but didn't get to Vernal until Friday afternoon with Steven. Rich met us at my parent's house and a few hours later we were up on the mountain with Lady and Bruno, the family dogs. Rich decided that we'd go to Ashley Gorge. Vernal is actually located in Ashley Valley. I'm not from Vernal proper, I am actually from Ashley Valley, but people outside of Vernal are usually unfamiliar with that name. Ashley Gorge gets its name from the creek that carved it over a millennia or two-Ashley Creek.
The trail down to Ashley Gorge hadn't been maintained in years and is a few miles long and takes you down at least a thousand feet. For someone who had been traveling for a couple of days, it was a pretty good little work out. Rich and Steve brought the fishing poles when we got to the bottom but as the water was high, it was apparent there wouldn't be any fishing. Rich found a cable-car pulley and coaxed us across the river, with the dogs. We made it to the other side without any problems and continued on the trail. We took a few photos and went back to the cable-car pulley to cross back. Steve and I were in the car with Lady and Rich was helping out when we took our eyes off Bruno for a second. Bruno decided to play in the water, and ended up getting trapped under a rock. The water was swift and he was swept to the middle of the rushing creek. We then watched him go over a waterfall. Steve jumped out of the car when we were close to the bank . With Rich, Lady and Steven rushed down the creek bed to see if they could help Bruno. I was trapped in the cable car in the middle of the creek watching it all unfold when Steven came up frantically telling me to take the cable car across. I nearly made it when the pulley jerked back and my hand was pulled into the pulley. After that I somehow made it to the other side where Steven was and he got himself across. A few minutes later we heard a yell and then saw Steve and Bruno on the other side of the creek.
After taking nearly a hour of trying to get back to the other side (Steven getting across by himself was fueled by pure adrenaline and a little luck) we all made it to the other side and we made it to the truck without problem. Bruno didn't move much the following two days, but he was fine. Two weeks later, my hand is fine except for my middle finger's imitation of a lil' smokie. There's a few scars where it was cut up, and all my fingers except for the thumb were black and blue but its okay now. The only casualty was my camera. Lady kicked my camera out of my jacket pocket and it stopped working a day later.
Photos (all except the last couple) Taken Before Bruno took a Swim
3 comments:
Holy Hannah! I was seriously concerned about that dog. I couldn't read fast enough! Glad you both are ok
While down below in Ashley Valley, concerned parents were wondering why adult children would hike into Ashley Gorge with treasured pets during high water. As the hour grew later, they could no longer wait, so started up Taylor Mountian to see if calamity had befallen their posterity. They found the rag tag group about 1/2 down (or up)the mountain & learned the nearly disastrous tale.
Me
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