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- #41
I need one. Link?
Travel 7848 miles through the desert southwest - a 2025 adventure
- Thread starter wngrog
- Start date
Stories, Adventures and Travels of our members and their rigs.
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Franken470
SILVER Star
Part 1
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- #43
Load up what you got for Part 2 so I can move on to part 3......
Franken470
SILVER Star
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- #45
This is an Organ Pipe cactus. It's what the whole National Monument is named for. Apparently they are in high concentrations there as we never saw any more after that leg.
(Notice I properly cropped the photo to remove SteveOs shadow)
I miss the days I used to travel with Blaylock
(Notice I properly cropped the photo to remove SteveOs shadow)
I miss the days I used to travel with Blaylock
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- #47
We are back in the saddle. May. SteveO was at the Kentucky Derby and we were in Northern Arizona.
Laird left a day early and did a dry run with his HJ60 with the new head. Beno's crew drove Jonathan's 80 to Phoenix and he and I scooped up my 200 and we met Laird in Flagstaff. We were planning on camping but a
Snow storm blew in and we grabbed a hotel.
The next morning we crossed the Navajo Bridge and explored the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The lodge (RIP) was
Closed for the season but we had plenty to see and do.
We stayed the night at the Jenny Lake lodge as it Was still snowing and Cold AF. Once again, we had the place to ourselves.
The North Rim averages about 8800' so its climate is totally different than the desert south rim
GAIA Track
Laird left a day early and did a dry run with his HJ60 with the new head. Beno's crew drove Jonathan's 80 to Phoenix and he and I scooped up my 200 and we met Laird in Flagstaff. We were planning on camping but a
Snow storm blew in and we grabbed a hotel.
The next morning we crossed the Navajo Bridge and explored the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The lodge (RIP) was
Closed for the season but we had plenty to see and do.
We stayed the night at the Jenny Lake lodge as it Was still snowing and Cold AF. Once again, we had the place to ourselves.
The North Rim averages about 8800' so its climate is totally different than the desert south rim
GAIA Track
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- Thread starter
- #48
The next morning we took the fantastic Orderville Canyon Trail that connects Jenny Lake with Utah 89 just west of Lake Powell dam
We checked out the Powell Dam visitor center then actually spent a few bucks pressure washing the north rim mud off our trucks then split for Monument Valley, Mexican Hat and then Valley of the Gods.
We checked out the Powell Dam visitor center then actually spent a few bucks pressure washing the north rim mud off our trucks then split for Monument Valley, Mexican Hat and then Valley of the Gods.
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- #49
After we cruised through Valley of the Gods we made our way up Moki Dugway to Bears Ears.
We made a bypass to Natural Bridges National
monument then hunted the secret camp spot @RustyNailJustin shared with me
Gaia link
We made a bypass to Natural Bridges National
monument then hunted the secret camp spot @RustyNailJustin shared with me
Gaia link
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- #50
The plan all along was to traverse Bears Ears into Canyonlands and Elephant Hill but we also wanted to continue on from there to Moab on the trail so we bypassed out to Monticello for fuel and food. The HJ60 does way better than the other two on consumption but we both have aux tanks so it was gonna be cutting it too close.
It's a fun drive though if you climb up and over the mountain there. Very pretty. Great view of the San Juan's.
Elephant Hill is my favorite trail in Moab. Legit
Hard but also gets you smack dab in the middle of the Needles District which is breathtaking.
The trail starts with a difficult up and over with crazy switchbacks that you have to repeat on egress
It's a fun drive though if you climb up and over the mountain there. Very pretty. Great view of the San Juan's.
Elephant Hill is my favorite trail in Moab. Legit
Hard but also gets you smack dab in the middle of the Needles District which is breathtaking.
The trail starts with a difficult up and over with crazy switchbacks that you have to repeat on egress
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- #51
I thought my Elephant Hill trail was over when we got here. My 200 is wide with 1.5" spacers and 295/70-18s.
I've heard of a H2 and a Tundra making this but I don't know how
I've heard of a H2 and a Tundra making this but I don't know how
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- #52
We did some hiking in Elephant Hill. Two cool things are this narrow slot canyon called The Joint (this is what most of the hikers we passed were going to) and the confluence of the Colorado and the Green Rivers
The rest of the trail was backtracking.
I stopped and mildly flirted with a semi hot hiker we had seen by asking her if she wanted some free candy and she said, "you know, a ride out of here in AC sounds great" so I loaded her up and I went up Elephant Hill in full show off mode using the cutting brake and crawl control never making a back up. Laird and Jonathan were shocked when they saw her head out the window with a huge grin
We dropped her at the trailhead and took off into the Shaffer Trail around 3 pm
This takes you to Moab by trail and it's my first time in it. I have to say, it's in the top 3 things I saw in 2025 from the seat of my 200
If you ever get a chance to run this trail, do it. Secluded beauty at its best.
GAIA track
The rest of the trail was backtracking.
I stopped and mildly flirted with a semi hot hiker we had seen by asking her if she wanted some free candy and she said, "you know, a ride out of here in AC sounds great" so I loaded her up and I went up Elephant Hill in full show off mode using the cutting brake and crawl control never making a back up. Laird and Jonathan were shocked when they saw her head out the window with a huge grin
We dropped her at the trailhead and took off into the Shaffer Trail around 3 pm
This takes you to Moab by trail and it's my first time in it. I have to say, it's in the top 3 things I saw in 2025 from the seat of my 200
If you ever get a chance to run this trail, do it. Secluded beauty at its best.
GAIA track
- Thread starter
- #53
Turns out we wee still about 4 hours from the end of Lockhart. Beautiful.
The canyon going the opposite direction has a gatekeeper section that would have been much harder going up than down.
Once we hit Chicken Corner the traffic became more and more awful. We basically went from 3 days to ourselves to multiple groups of everything from Raptors to 4 wheelers all the way to Moab.
Gaia link
The canyon going the opposite direction has a gatekeeper section that would have been much harder going up than down.
Once we hit Chicken Corner the traffic became more and more awful. We basically went from 3 days to ourselves to multiple groups of everything from Raptors to 4 wheelers all the way to Moab.
Gaia link
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- #54
We left Moab after a mandatory stop at Milt's for Chile Cheesburgers and milkshakes.
Rim Rocker trail. Moab to Montrose Colorado via dirt road. Great route...highly recommended.
We started about 2 and made it 80% of the way and luckily found a magnificent camp.
Lairds exhaust fell off. Lovely sound.
GAIA link
Rim Rocker trail. Moab to Montrose Colorado via dirt road. Great route...highly recommended.
We started about 2 and made it 80% of the way and luckily found a magnificent camp.
Lairds exhaust fell off. Lovely sound.
GAIA link
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- #56
It's a great way to get to and from Moab and see more of the San Juan's. Moab though. That place is a zoo.
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- #57
We popped out in Montrose. Stopped in to see Justin and then carried on down the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton for lunch.
At this point, we were quickly climbing to the highest elevations of the trip and Smokey was literally dying. He had to put the truck in 4Low to climb the pass. No exhaust. Screaming.
After lunch we headed up to Animas Pass and found some snow!
We tried to open a few roads
At this point, we were quickly climbing to the highest elevations of the trip and Smokey was literally dying. He had to put the truck in 4Low to climb the pass. No exhaust. Screaming.
After lunch we headed up to Animas Pass and found some snow!
We tried to open a few roads
- Thread starter
- #58
We played around then headed back to Montrose. The next day we dropped our junk off at @RustyNailJustin and Kelly's house for long term parking until we hit the trails again
GAIA Rim Rocker
GAIA Rim Rocker
