Excellent post Alex! 
I felt like I was in the 80 with you...
I felt like I was in the 80 with you...
Utah Trip Report
- Thread starter concretejungle
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- #43
Ramon, i "think" i may have access to one from Cameron's pictures but i'm hesitant to use his photos without his permission. I think he has plans for the photos. Let me see what i can do.
I know that i don't have a pic of that spot. I just focused on getting by it and not dying.
I know that i don't have a pic of that spot. I just focused on getting by it and not dying.
LOL, I know what you mean. That's my only reservation about a Utah trip is the heights. I enjoy wheeling A LOT, but not the kind you describe here where the wrong move results in imminent death and dismemberment.
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- #45
Ramon, trust me, i hear you loud and clear. I have an issue with heights also and i can tell you that this trip was actually good for me. I eventually got much more comfortable with heights. I was able to walk to the edge and look over without fear of jumping or falling off. It was very therapeutic for me.
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- #46
This is the best picture i could find. It's cameron's pic and it's of one of the shelf roads. You can see how the bump is starting to push Tom outward. This is not the same spot that i was talking about but it will give you the picture.
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- #47
Dinner was amazing. Tom cooked a Pieja (pie-ey-ya) with some real authentic ingredients that he had gathered from a market in S.F. CA. IT was great and so was the company. We had a few more bottles of wine, told some stories and enjoyed each other's company. We were all tired so we sat around, had a few drinks and then we climbed into our tents for the night.
This night turned out to be a warm one, the first and only one. We had had some really cold nights previously, but this night i had all the doors open on the tent and the fan on.
The protected cove we were in was really sheltered so we didn't really have any wind at all that night.
This night turned out to be a warm one, the first and only one. We had had some really cold nights previously, but this night i had all the doors open on the tent and the fan on.
The protected cove we were in was really sheltered so we didn't really have any wind at all that night.
Great read so far, Alex.
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- #49
The next day would be a big day. The game plan was to make it to the end of the trail, attempt the 7 mile hike down the canyon to the edge of the water at lake powell where we would have a great view of the hole in the rock route down the cliff; then hike back up to the trucks and start working our way back out.
If you look at the picture in my last post showing the camp spot, you can see a shelf road on the right side of the photo. We would make the steep climb up to that shelf road and follow it up around the mountain and come out on this wide open, sand track plateau.
We climbed up and came out to the plateau where we shifted out of low. Then we kicked it for a few minutes until we stopped for cell phone reception and amazing pictures of the great bend in the san juan river.
After the photos we continued on for another few minutes on fast sand track until we hit the slick rock again. This part of the trail was very technical in my opinion. There were a lot of spots that would really get you if you didn't get the line right. A few times, one in particular, i decided that Andy's line was too tippy for my taste, so i decided to try to start a steep rock descent a little higher and then turn down it to try to hit it going down rather than across it. Well, it was steeper than i thought and so i ended up sliding down the rock and hitting square on my front bumper. I missed hitting my AC dryer by about ¼ of an inch.
We were aiming for a fun spot called the chute.
If you look at the picture in my last post showing the camp spot, you can see a shelf road on the right side of the photo. We would make the steep climb up to that shelf road and follow it up around the mountain and come out on this wide open, sand track plateau.
We climbed up and came out to the plateau where we shifted out of low. Then we kicked it for a few minutes until we stopped for cell phone reception and amazing pictures of the great bend in the san juan river.
After the photos we continued on for another few minutes on fast sand track until we hit the slick rock again. This part of the trail was very technical in my opinion. There were a lot of spots that would really get you if you didn't get the line right. A few times, one in particular, i decided that Andy's line was too tippy for my taste, so i decided to try to start a steep rock descent a little higher and then turn down it to try to hit it going down rather than across it. Well, it was steeper than i thought and so i ended up sliding down the rock and hitting square on my front bumper. I missed hitting my AC dryer by about ¼ of an inch.
We were aiming for a fun spot called the chute.
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- #50
After a few hours of being tossed around in the truck and having many, and i stress many, rock climbs, falls, sidehills, downhills, uphills, we had it all. There were a few ancient waterfalls that we had to drop down and the whole time i'm thinking holy smokes we have to drive back up and out this!
One thing that i feel helps to give the trail character is that this section of trail feels like it's barely used. There were areas where it was difficult to see where the trail went. There was one location in particular where someone was trying to throw people off the trail and set up some caroms in the wrong direction. We ended up figuring it out but not until we were a good 150' off the trail.
Eventually we made it to the bowl at the top of the chute. There was a super steep drop into the bowl that we all made. We stopped for lunch before descending down the chute. It was, i'm guessing here, but considering I had just been on hells revenge only a week earlier, this chute was easily 2 to 3 times the length of hells gate. And, i would venture to guess a little steeper in sections. The only trash that i found on the trail was in this chute. At the center was a little washed out ancient hole that you needed to straddle just right. Apparently someone missed it and left a little tail light down in it.
Also, at the bottom of the chute are a series of ancient washed out holes where water must of whirled around for thousands of years. You had to straddle the holes just right to keep from falling in.
In these pictures you can see the ancient dug way leading up the mountain just to the right of where we were all driving down. Really cool!
One thing that i feel helps to give the trail character is that this section of trail feels like it's barely used. There were areas where it was difficult to see where the trail went. There was one location in particular where someone was trying to throw people off the trail and set up some caroms in the wrong direction. We ended up figuring it out but not until we were a good 150' off the trail.
Eventually we made it to the bowl at the top of the chute. There was a super steep drop into the bowl that we all made. We stopped for lunch before descending down the chute. It was, i'm guessing here, but considering I had just been on hells revenge only a week earlier, this chute was easily 2 to 3 times the length of hells gate. And, i would venture to guess a little steeper in sections. The only trash that i found on the trail was in this chute. At the center was a little washed out ancient hole that you needed to straddle just right. Apparently someone missed it and left a little tail light down in it.
Also, at the bottom of the chute are a series of ancient washed out holes where water must of whirled around for thousands of years. You had to straddle the holes just right to keep from falling in.
In these pictures you can see the ancient dug way leading up the mountain just to the right of where we were all driving down. Really cool!
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- #51
After we all made it down the chute, the trail didn't let up. We knew were were close, but still had some really technical sections.
We climbed right up out of the chute onto a rock ridge, kind of like a lion's back type of a deal if you all remember that. We climbed up this ridge and then had to make a sharp left turn and immediately while turning left there was a "double locker" climb. I engaged both lockers and climbed it. We each stopped one by one at the top to act as an anchor point to the next guy just in case, but we were all just fine.
Right after that were a few other steep climbs accompanied with tight turns. It was a balance to get the line just right. If you did, you exercised the suspension a little and the cruiser just walked it. If you didn't, you would drag armor or slip into a serious situation.
Finally, we made it! We were at the end of the trail where we pulled out the binoculars. Off in the distance you could see what we had come to see. It really was an amazing feeling. The wind was really blowing and we had this place all to ourselves.
We put on our backpacks and loaded up with water for the hike. We planned on hiking for an hour to see how far we could get and then make a judgement call.
Off we went.
We climbed right up out of the chute onto a rock ridge, kind of like a lion's back type of a deal if you all remember that. We climbed up this ridge and then had to make a sharp left turn and immediately while turning left there was a "double locker" climb. I engaged both lockers and climbed it. We each stopped one by one at the top to act as an anchor point to the next guy just in case, but we were all just fine.
Right after that were a few other steep climbs accompanied with tight turns. It was a balance to get the line just right. If you did, you exercised the suspension a little and the cruiser just walked it. If you didn't, you would drag armor or slip into a serious situation.
Finally, we made it! We were at the end of the trail where we pulled out the binoculars. Off in the distance you could see what we had come to see. It really was an amazing feeling. The wind was really blowing and we had this place all to ourselves.
We put on our backpacks and loaded up with water for the hike. We planned on hiking for an hour to see how far we could get and then make a judgement call.
Off we went.
- Thread starter
- #52
The hike down cottonwood canyon was steep, rocky and very sandy. Also, full of thorns and all other kinds of prickly things. The dog was really feeling the effects of it.
However, it was spectacular to see the pathways and more of the ancient wagon tracks in the rocks.
One word of caution here, if you do go, bring some real hiking boots with real socks. Like an idiot, i wore hiking shoes with golf socks that are basically footies. So, my shoes ended up constantly filling up with sand and my heals were getting rubbed raw by my shoes and no socks! Bad move, but i managed to make it.
after about 30 minutes the little trail that we thought we were following basically disappeared. There were some posts with wagon symbols on them at the beginning of the trial, but now they were gone. It appeared like the trail might have been washed away by the river there migrating, but we weren't sure. We dropped down into the river bottom and walked for another 30 minutes. Here we found the first water we had seen since getting on this trail.
Finally Andy called it and said we should turn around. We had been hiking for just over an hour and we still had to hike back out and then start heading out.
Pasqual and i quickly climbed up and out of the river bottom to a perch on a rock where we had a great view of the marvel that this trail was named after and so we snapped a few more photos before starting the HELL hike back out.
The hike out was steep and sandy. Two steps forward and half a step back. All the while my feet were filling with sand.
However, it was spectacular to see the pathways and more of the ancient wagon tracks in the rocks.
One word of caution here, if you do go, bring some real hiking boots with real socks. Like an idiot, i wore hiking shoes with golf socks that are basically footies. So, my shoes ended up constantly filling up with sand and my heals were getting rubbed raw by my shoes and no socks! Bad move, but i managed to make it.
after about 30 minutes the little trail that we thought we were following basically disappeared. There were some posts with wagon symbols on them at the beginning of the trial, but now they were gone. It appeared like the trail might have been washed away by the river there migrating, but we weren't sure. We dropped down into the river bottom and walked for another 30 minutes. Here we found the first water we had seen since getting on this trail.
Finally Andy called it and said we should turn around. We had been hiking for just over an hour and we still had to hike back out and then start heading out.
Pasqual and i quickly climbed up and out of the river bottom to a perch on a rock where we had a great view of the marvel that this trail was named after and so we snapped a few more photos before starting the HELL hike back out.
The hike out was steep and sandy. Two steps forward and half a step back. All the while my feet were filling with sand.
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- #53
pictures of the hole in the rock cut in the cliff ahead and a fuzzy picture of cottonwood canyon. This is the best i could do with an iPhone.
..... this trip really reminded me that i need to invest in a real camera if i'm going to be able to go to places like this.
..... this trip really reminded me that i need to invest in a real camera if i'm going to be able to go to places like this.
next trip, take me with you....I have a few cameras.....and tools....
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- #55
Just to show you how dry it is out there, i had taken 4 bottles of water with me on this hike. When i got back to the truck, they were all empty! I was dry as a bone except where i had my backpack on. My T-shirt was soaking wet where the backpack was. By the time i took off the backpack, took my shoes and socks off and put on my sandals, pulled out another bottle of water, i was dry! Amazing.
I will also go ahead and use this opportunity to tell you all how out of shape i was/am while also telling you that this trail was not easy. Combine the steep climb out with loose rock and a ton of deep sand and you have all the ingredients for one serious work-out. Andy and everyone else took off on the way back out of the hike, but I insisted to hang back with Tom. I did this for two reasons, first, he is such a great person that i wanted to make sure that he had some support and he was the oldest of the group; second, i was horribly out of shape and was using him as an excuse for me dragging! Tom mentioned to me on the way back up that he was sorry that he was holding me up. I ensured him that he was not and that i was struggling just as much as he was.
Now that we were all back to the trucks, the guys took a second to take a picture for the Coleman forum regarding a lantern. I did not know the top secret coleman handshake so i was just the one taking the pictures.
Once that was completed, we hit the trail heading back. It was getting late quickly and the wind was really blowing. That was perfect timing since it was my night to cook. Great.
We headed back not too far on the trail and stopped at a relatively protected cove for the night. We all set up our camps and did the usual beer as soon as we parked the trucks. We all sat around and discussed the day along with all the other world's problems which we also solved while sitting there.
Eventually i had to tuff it out and set up the charcoal grill and get to cooking. My night was themed east coast style. We were having grilled burgers, potato salad, pasta salad, Yuengling beer. For desert we were having apple pastries that i cooked in the coleman oven. Dinner was a success and we all crashed early. We were tired and the wind was blowing pretty good. Too difficult to have a fire.
We woke up the next morning and it was pretty chilly. I was able to snap a great sunrise picture of camp.
Pasqual was cooking an amazing breakfast for us and we were going to see if we could make it all the way out of the trail today! That was a haul and everything had to run like clockwork.
I will also go ahead and use this opportunity to tell you all how out of shape i was/am while also telling you that this trail was not easy. Combine the steep climb out with loose rock and a ton of deep sand and you have all the ingredients for one serious work-out. Andy and everyone else took off on the way back out of the hike, but I insisted to hang back with Tom. I did this for two reasons, first, he is such a great person that i wanted to make sure that he had some support and he was the oldest of the group; second, i was horribly out of shape and was using him as an excuse for me dragging! Tom mentioned to me on the way back up that he was sorry that he was holding me up. I ensured him that he was not and that i was struggling just as much as he was.
Now that we were all back to the trucks, the guys took a second to take a picture for the Coleman forum regarding a lantern. I did not know the top secret coleman handshake so i was just the one taking the pictures.
Once that was completed, we hit the trail heading back. It was getting late quickly and the wind was really blowing. That was perfect timing since it was my night to cook. Great.
We headed back not too far on the trail and stopped at a relatively protected cove for the night. We all set up our camps and did the usual beer as soon as we parked the trucks. We all sat around and discussed the day along with all the other world's problems which we also solved while sitting there.
Eventually i had to tuff it out and set up the charcoal grill and get to cooking. My night was themed east coast style. We were having grilled burgers, potato salad, pasta salad, Yuengling beer. For desert we were having apple pastries that i cooked in the coleman oven. Dinner was a success and we all crashed early. We were tired and the wind was blowing pretty good. Too difficult to have a fire.
We woke up the next morning and it was pretty chilly. I was able to snap a great sunrise picture of camp.
Pasqual was cooking an amazing breakfast for us and we were going to see if we could make it all the way out of the trail today! That was a haul and everything had to run like clockwork.
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- #56
Unfortunately, i didn't take any pictures of our exit. I did have the go pro running and have some film of the exit. I will go through it shortly and start editing it out. Once i have a good video that's not long and boring, i'll post a link to it here.
If you have a go pro or are planning on getting one, go ahead and get the remote for it. I don't have the remote so i had to keep the camera running all the time or else get out of the truck and turn it off and back on. Kind of a pain and also resulted in me allowing it just to run and film nothing and allow the battery to die quickly since i was too lazy to get in and out of the truck turning it off and on.
Anyways, it was a long trip out. The ledge i was so worried about was still sketchy. I don't think i picked the best line but i was able to literally just gas it and get out of a bad situation. I couldn't do that going up.
Just because i don't have any pictures do not underestimate the difficultly of getting out of the trail. It was just as difficult to get out. I think the difference is that we were all very comfortable with out trucks and what they could do, we had seen all of these obstacles before and we knew we could make them. So things seemed a lot more fluid on the way out. No one really stopped at the obstacles, we just tackled them one by one and kept going. We did stop for a quick lunch break and a few photo opportunities, but for the most part we were just trucking along.
I was also very impressed with how well this group worked together. Anytime a person in the group would get far enough ahead that the person behind him was out of sight, we would stop and let them catch up. Especially at a turn or fork in the trail, there was always someone stopping to ensure you took the correct path and then we would be right back to a great pace. Radio chatter was minimal but was just right. I was asking a lot of questions about this and that. I was constantly being reminded about the "bison" out there... hahaha, but it was great and the group just clicked.
We eventually made it out and back to a spot at the beginning that has a cool old WWII track vehicle that has been sitting there for who knows how long. This is another great example of the difference between west and east. Back in the east that thing would have been a pile of rust dust. Here in the dry west, you could still see green paint! The wheels still turned. It was amazing really.
We stopped for a picture and just as we finished, here came a huge group of top heavy jeeps heading in the trail! We had gotten off the trail at just the right time. We all discussed how crappy it would have been to meet them head on somewhere in the trail and how it would have been difficult to get around that group.
We headed back out to the gas station and a quick shower. We topped off our tanks with gas and headed back to the bears ears area to camp. The next day we were heading into Red canyon and searching for the Radium King mine. This trip was not over yet!
If you have a go pro or are planning on getting one, go ahead and get the remote for it. I don't have the remote so i had to keep the camera running all the time or else get out of the truck and turn it off and back on. Kind of a pain and also resulted in me allowing it just to run and film nothing and allow the battery to die quickly since i was too lazy to get in and out of the truck turning it off and on.
Anyways, it was a long trip out. The ledge i was so worried about was still sketchy. I don't think i picked the best line but i was able to literally just gas it and get out of a bad situation. I couldn't do that going up.
Just because i don't have any pictures do not underestimate the difficultly of getting out of the trail. It was just as difficult to get out. I think the difference is that we were all very comfortable with out trucks and what they could do, we had seen all of these obstacles before and we knew we could make them. So things seemed a lot more fluid on the way out. No one really stopped at the obstacles, we just tackled them one by one and kept going. We did stop for a quick lunch break and a few photo opportunities, but for the most part we were just trucking along.
I was also very impressed with how well this group worked together. Anytime a person in the group would get far enough ahead that the person behind him was out of sight, we would stop and let them catch up. Especially at a turn or fork in the trail, there was always someone stopping to ensure you took the correct path and then we would be right back to a great pace. Radio chatter was minimal but was just right. I was asking a lot of questions about this and that. I was constantly being reminded about the "bison" out there... hahaha, but it was great and the group just clicked.
We eventually made it out and back to a spot at the beginning that has a cool old WWII track vehicle that has been sitting there for who knows how long. This is another great example of the difference between west and east. Back in the east that thing would have been a pile of rust dust. Here in the dry west, you could still see green paint! The wheels still turned. It was amazing really.
We stopped for a picture and just as we finished, here came a huge group of top heavy jeeps heading in the trail! We had gotten off the trail at just the right time. We all discussed how crappy it would have been to meet them head on somewhere in the trail and how it would have been difficult to get around that group.
We headed back out to the gas station and a quick shower. We topped off our tanks with gas and headed back to the bears ears area to camp. The next day we were heading into Red canyon and searching for the Radium King mine. This trip was not over yet!
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
So what happened next?
Any pics of the trucks on that off-camber spot? Enjoying the read!
R
It's fun when there is no precipitation.
Doing it in the winter was actually pretty tough.
I bought a group up last December and we didn't make it up past the "epic cove camping" spot due to the ice and snow build up.