Kolob & Narrows Nov 2

I awoke sometime around 5AM to the sound of rain drops striking the ground around, but not on, me. The rain continued to the point where the overhanging cliff became saturated and a stream of falling water localized directly where I was sleeping. With a soaked down bag, I was now shivering and awake. We decided to pack up and start hiking in the rain in the dark so that we could try to reach the Narrows (where the flash flood danger would be lower) before strong rain began to fall. Hiking down Kolob in the dark reminded me of caving in Lechuguilla except I was much more alert to potential dangers. I took careful inventory of every easily accessible ledge in case of a flood, timed distance and direction of thunder and lightning, listened carefully for a potential flood, and sped up when we were in a narrow section that would have no escape. It rained about half the time. After about an hour and a half, I heard the sound of water coming from down the canyon (a good thing) because it meant we reached the confluence with the Narrows. Here rain/thunder/lightning became more severe as the night began to concede. I was surprised to find the main fork "open" and that the Narrows did not begin until several miles below. Big Spring was beautiful- I really have a soft spot for copious amounts of crystal clear water gushing out of rocks. A fetish even perhaps? At one point we had to cross a natural debris dam to avoid swimming. The Narrows were great as always, made all the better by the fact that they were completely devoid of people and glistened in the rain. I think gloomy weather gives a magic to the Narrows that not even reflected golden sunlight can match. Ephemeral waterfalls dropped hundreds of feet down the cliffs as if falling from the sky. Jeff and Ben sounded like they had their own adventure retrieving the Civic from a muddy, muddy road. Thanks to them for a great trip.