160 miles on the White Rim for ratchet straps

[JCMatthews]

I have mentioned here that I have some friends whose truck is trapped at the bottom of the Mineral Bottom Switchbacks along the Green River just north of Canyonlands National Park. The switch backs are used as an exit for the parks White Rim trial. I have shared their story here on the Four Corners sub forum. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48093 We have been in contact with the National Park over the last three weeks, and made a plan for a rescue mission last weekend.


Due to the switchbacks being out for at least 6 months, we had to wait for the White Rim to open and then it would be all the way in and all the way out (80 miles each way). The road crew had been in and had opened the road and we were assured that we would be able to drive most of the trail in my friends 2 wheel drive Ford Ranger, and that with a little help he would be able to make all of the climbs.

We started out on the Shafer Switchbacks which were much rougher than I have ever seen them, and covered in loose rock. Each culvert had been dug out and replaced. We tried to see a little of the area even though our schedule as tight. We stoped and walked across Musselman Arch, and at Airport tower Camp for lunch. The views of the canyons and the La Sals were amazing. We traveled most of the way to Murphy Hogback without much trepidation.

On the west side of Murphy, about a mile from the hogback, there is an off camber set of steps that comes out of no where on a left hand turn while driving uphill. Luckily I am quite low geared, have a locker, and had aired down. I could not hesitate and just pointed and went for it. Due to the trailer in tow, my back end slid just slightly to the left down hill just enough to make my passengers nervous :Wow1:, but the Jeep never lost a beat and we went right up the steps.

PS. I have pictures here showing a view from the Shafer Trail, and two looking back up the switchbacks from the Jeep. One of my wife and me on Musselman arch, lunch at Airport Tower, and a few good vistas including the La Sals.

 

[JCMatthews]

Part 2

Murphy Hogback was quite eroded at the bottom as we started the climb. There were several exposed rock steps, and a lot of small loose rocks. It was obvious that there had been a lot of water coming down the road. Once again the trusty steed did not let us down. On top of Murphy, everything looked good, but the first 20 yards of road down the other side were scary. The road crew had had to fill the section due to severe erosion, and the fill was soft. It caused us to slide to the outside edge, which is straight down several hundred feet. I took it slowly and it all ended well. After Murphy, we drove on for almost an hour very quietly, trying to figure out if it was at all possible to pull the truck up Murphy in the loose dirt. With each climb we would say well we will need to pull you here and try to keep a positive note to our task. We passed a heavy ladened Jeep Commander that made us all wonder how many times it had hit bottom.

We had a spot reserved for us by the Park Service at Potato Bottom, 67 miles in. We arrived there at about 5:30 PM, about 8 hours from the visitor's center. We dropped the trailer, and used what light we had left to reach the truck and make it back to camp.

We were still undecided about the possibility of bringing out the truck, until we traversed Hardscrabble Hill. Due to the lateness of the day and the fact that we were bushed, we did not take any pictures of it. However, it was steep, twisty, and washed out. I would have had to be strapped to the back of the Ranger to hold him as we traveled down the east side. Still we thought it could be feasible. That was until we came down the western slope of Hardscrabble. At the top the water had washed away the road surface exposing a VW Beetle sized rock. It only looked that big, but is was actually smaller, and had a nice round shape to it, but it was now obvious that there was no way to pull a 2 wheel drive over this rock. We resigned ourselves to the fact that we could only secure the truck and leave it for the winter.

As we passed Labyrinth Camp, and left the park, there were two amazing land slides. Most of the rock in this area is brown, with a red layer several hundred feet above. The two slides were both bright red and the boulders were actually as big as VWs. The park had done a good job of clearing the slides, and we drove on to the truck without any other excitement. We secured the canoe so that incase of bad winds it would not be damaged, covered the windows, and headed quickly back to Potato Bottom so that we could make Hardscrabble before dark.

PS. I encluded a picture of the pickup they told us we could drive out, and a photo of how my friend Sylvia spent a lot of the trip. Notice the ledge out her window. Also there are pictures of one of the landslides near the park boundary. The picture that is a little washed out is the Mineral Bottom Switchbacks. If you look closely you can see where the road crossed in the middle. The shot of the wash was to show the height of the flood water. There was debris that was stuck in the bushes on top of the wall of the wash. The river in the photo is the Green River before we reached Potato Bottom.

 

[JCMatthews]

Part 3

We knew that sunset was at about 8:05, and we reached the boulder on Hardscrabble at about 7:40. I was dusk to say the least, and without headlights down right unsafe. I like wheeling like this because the shadows always make things look more ominous. My friend Roger giggled all the way to the top and said that image of Hardscrabble would be forever emblazoned in his mind. His wife just kept her eyes closed. Again we did not stop to take a picture (sigh). We made it back to camp just as night fell. A little dinner and popcorn and we turned in for the night.

We enjoyed our morning and did not race to get out of camp. We had an uneventful return trip. For entertainment we decided to start counting the seconds I could maintain 20 miles an hour. The first stretch lasted 20 seconds, and then 33 and then 55. My record was 127 seconds @ 25 miles an hour. Now there were really only about five places that I could maintain any speed over 10 miles an hour.

We made it out before the visitor's center closed so we could inform the rangers of the road conditions, and to let them know that before they tell you the road is passable in a 2 wheel drive vehicle they need to drive it themselves. The cute little interpretive ranger admitted that she had never gone past Murphy Hogback, ever.

Even though our objective was not met, we had quite the adventure and no regrets. It was a long way to go for ratchet straps.

PS. I encluded some pictures of our camp at Potato bottom, one that my wife took of the sky from the top of Hardscrabble Hill, and a few of the trip out. There is one from the top of Murphy Hogback if you look closely you can see my Jeep on the left of the photo. I zoomed in on it in the next one. I have one showing the off camber steps I mentioned, but it is more of a poser shot. I encluded the Jeep in a lot of the photos to show the grandeur and size of the area.

 

[mph]

Leaving the truck for the winter? I would bet that you could keep in contact with the rangers and make it happen...

Good luck and sorry to hear that you have to leave it.

 

[Woodsman]

Great little report. Good luck with the pickup truck.

 

[JCMatthews]

Part 4 maybe

The park ranger will keep us informed of road conditions, and if anything changes, but I won't be holding my breath. I have a friend in the national guard who said that an air lift was possible. He told me he needs the weight of the truck, and he will pass it on to his commander. They do ths kind of thing for practice on drill weekends it just has to be approved. That would be an awsome end to the great adventure. If it happens I will take pictures for sure.

 

[PirateMcGee]

ouch! 6 months!

 

[Tucson T4R]

Thanks for the update. OK, if there is air lift you have to capture that experience. :elkgrin:

 

[BEVAN]

I cant imagine leaving my truck, but with no other choice...Cool trip report thanks for sharing.

 

[Larry]

I cant imagine leaving my truck, but with no other choice...Cool trip report thanks for sharing.

Heck, I can’t imagine anybody taking a 2wd Ranger down there in the first place even before the switchbacks got washed out. With the slightest of weather changes a 2wd could be stuck down there for days….or even months now in this case.

 

[JCMatthews]

Heck, I can’t imagine anybody taking a 2wd Ranger down there in the first place even before the switchbacks got washed out. With the slightest of weather changes a 2wd could be stuck down there for days….or even months now in this case.

Roger has been running Labrynth Canyon on his own for over 30 years, and has never owned a 4x4. So I guess his odds are pretty good for making it out. However, I'm with you. I am in a totally different mind set. I can't even imagine owning a truck or suv that is not four wheel drive.

 

[TangoBlue]

The park ranger will keep us informed of road conditions, and if anything changes, but I won't be holding my breath. I have a friend in the national guard who said that an air lift was possible. He told me he needs the weight of the truck, and he will pass it on to his commander. They do ths kind of thing for practice on drill weekends it just has to be approved. That would be an awsome end to the great adventure. If it happens I will take pictures for sure.

Just make sure it's to RECOVER the vehicle, not use it for target practice...

"Kinda looks like a technical, over... hose it down bubba."

 

[Bugspray]

Heck, I can’t imagine anybody taking a 2wd Ranger down there in the first place even before the switchbacks got washed out. With the slightest of weather changes a 2wd could be stuck down there for days….or even months now in this case.

We ran into some a crazy german guy and his wife in a smaller Euro style RV when we were coming out this spring.