An Unexpected Hazard In The Sand

[TradClimber]

In the early afternoon of November 7, 2010 I was exploring a narrow desert canyon with high walls.

I had been going down the canyon when I stepped off of what I thought was solid bedrock onto sand and my left leg fell in up to my knee.

My leg had penetrated the roof a large chasm totally covered over by boulders and concealed smoothly with sand.

Sand Trap


My camera flash failed to fully illuminate the darkness and size of the sand chasm.
Sand Chasm


Sand Chasm Hazard


All photos by TradClimber on 11/7/10 in a remote area of the Santa Rosa Mountains

Never encountered a desert hazard quite like this before.

Note to self: Add to Desert Hazard List

TradClimber

[cubfan64]

In the early afternoon of November 7, 2010 I was exploring a narrow desert canyon with high walls.

I had been going down the canyon when I stepped off of what I thought was solid bedrock onto sand and my left leg fell in up to my knee.

My leg had penetrated the roof a large chasm totally covered over by boulders and concealed smoothly with sand.

Sand Trap


My camera flash failed to fully illuminate the darkness and size of the sand chasm.
Sand Chasm


Sand Chasm Hazard


All photos by TradClimber on 11/7/10 in a remote area of the Santa Rosa Mountains

Never encountered a desert hazard quite like this before.

Note to self: Add to Desert Hazard List

TradClimber

Fortunate not to break an ankle in something like that! Did you happen to probe around in there to see how deep it went? The craziest thing was that it could get covered by sand without being "filled up" first.

[TradClimber]

cub posted:

Fortunate not to break an ankle in something like that!

Or worst!

The whole roof could of collasped!

There didn't appear to be much holding everything together.

With the flashlight - it looked to be about 25' deep.

The location was within a couple hundred feet of photo below.

For scale: The boulder in center is about 8-10' high.

TradClimber

[reptilist]

Be glad a giant ant lion didn't come out of there and grab you!

[Vulture]

That's down right spooky.

[Desertroad]

I'm wondering if groundwater played a role, since the reference photo depicts a drainage chute.

Was the sand hole directly downstream from the narrow rock canyon?

Desertroad

[TradClimber]

Desertoad posted:

I'm wondering if groundwater played a role, since the reference photo depicts a drainage chute.

Desertoad,
I think you are exactly right!

It was the ground water (in this case just underground water) that washed out the chasm.

It's easy now for me to imagine:
1.) A flash flood washed boulders and sand down to this location and it settled 30-40 feet deep.
2.) Water, just underground, washed out a chasm that left the roof still in place.
3.) Nature has everything in place now...
4.) She's just waiting for some fool to walk by.

Desertoad posted:

Was the sand hole directly downstream from the narrow rock canyon?

Yes.
Just 30' down stream from the Sand Trap is another dry waterfall that stopped my progress for this time.

TradClimber

[TradClimber]

Rep posted:

Be glad a giant ant lion didn't come out of there and grab you!

Dang!

Thanks Terry.

Any type of lion is outside of my comfort zone.

Note to self: Add this to your Desert Hazard List

TradClimber

[historik951]

You know a lot of " treasures " have been found in the very same way right ??? lol....

Historik951

[TradClimber]

Only a fool would go down in that hole to look for treasure!

I like to think, Mom didn't raise any fools.

TradClimber

PS: Mom said, she did.