15MAR07-24MAR07 4WD/Hiking/Camping in Maze and Needles District of Canyonlands NP, UT

[BajaTaco]

... If it doesn't work out we'll just have to meet up with some of you folks some other time. We will likely be spending the summer bouncing around in the UT/CO/AZ area as we start considering settling down...

Erik, please get in touch with me if you come through central AZ. I would really like to meet you two. I'll PM you with my info.

 

[devinsixtyseven]

Elephant Hill is open and dry, tho there are a couple of large 10-15' deep sinkholes near/in the road south toward Bobby's Hole. The NPS crew has done a bit of maintenance to keep things passable, however as the route out of Bobby's Hole is still covered in a bit of snow, they haven't looked at the route further through Beef Basin. As their crews must negotiate Elephant Hill to get to Bobby's Hole, I'm quite willing to trust their assessment on passability.

Flint Trail is still currently snowed in, the upper switchbacks are still under 16-18" of snow, with a storm (and some snow) predicted later this week at Hans Flat...looking at the southern entry as it may not have melted by the time we're looking to head in. Plenty of options open to us as far as changing plans the first night.

 

[devinsixtyseven]

Near term weather for Canyonlands is high 30s at night, high 60s by day .

Erik, unfortunately Gary is unable to join us . That does mean we have a space open if you'd like to join us at some point...I'll send you a PM and you can meet us if you like, or not as you choose . We don't have HAM, but we do have GMRS and of course FRS...spotty cell reception out there makes cell phones dead weight.

-Sean

 

[etbadger]

Hi Sean,

We'll be trying. Right now the van is in the shop having its guts torn out for an engine noise which has been getting progressively worse and turns out to be the high-pressure oil pump. Scheduling will be tight, but we'll do our darndest.

Apparently this work requires nearly removing the engine for access, and they are currently estimating we get it back by Mon or Tues, but they aren't in all the way yet, so they may find issues that require parts they don't stock here in SLC.

Right now we are just hoping that it comes back better than when it went in early this week.

We have 2m and CB, but neither FRS or GMRS radios with us right now, of course . I'll look around for a set of hand-helds locally.

Wishing we were living in a Toyota instead of a Ford....
-Erik

 

[devinsixtyseven]

We have 2m and CB, but neither FRS or GMRS radios with us right now, of course . I'll look around for a set of hand-helds locally.

That's ironic...I almost got a multiband HT, but with the trip coming so soon I won't be purchasing until afterwards. Eric might have a CB handy, dunno...letcha know later.

If you like, I can PM you with directions, coordinates, and a cell number, that way if you have time to meet us we can connect somehow. There is some cell reception out there, it's just not very reliable.

-Sean

 

[devinsixtyseven]

Still messy in there but we're not done yet . In four days we'll be on the road...

Erik, I'll send ya some coords and a frequency tomorrow, didn't have time this weekend what with getting the truck ready.

-Sean

 

[devinsixtyseven]

Current declination for the Maze District area is 11*31'E, not (I assume) accounting for local anomalies.

Flint is still buried.

Erik, we'll be headed in Friday morning, probably arriving at Hans Flat around noon...couldn't get the time to leave Thursday .

-Sean

 

[etbadger]

Ok, we'll be heading out tomorrow since we got the van back today after a week at the dealer (wherein they fixed nothing, and finally said they didn't have time to work on it anymore since warranty work doesn't pay enough )

We'll aim to meet up at Hans Flat @ around noon Friday then.

-e

 

[devinsixtyseven]

Ok, we'll be heading out tomorrow since we got the van back today after a week at the dealer (wherein they fixed nothing, and finally said they didn't have time to work on it anymore since warranty work doesn't pay enough )

We'll aim to meet up at Hans Flat @ around noon Friday then.

-e

That's unfortunate...everything ok with it?

Did the long message with all the geos make sense ? I think we're gonna try and get out early enough Friday to take the dirt road from Green River to Hans Flat. The directions are actually pretty easy, I can send you the details if you like.

 

[etbadger]

That's unfortunate...everything ok with it?

Did the long message with all the geos make sense ? I think we're gonna try and get out early enough Friday to take the dirt road from Green River to Hans Flat. The directions are actually pretty easy, I can send you the details if you like.

It runs, but it makes some engine noises that just ain' right, and the mechanics can't figure out what is causing them.

The message with the coordinates was very throrough, though I will probably need some time to decode some of the acronyms for locations as we have never been on the east side of Canyonlands.

More directions are alwasy appreciated, its at least better than too few. My map shows Hans Flat @ N38.2667°, W110.1791°, with a few roads in the vicinity, so we can probably find it, but which roads are prefered, and which are washed away is not alwasy so easy to grasp.

We'll be the ones in the white van... With the badger on the side...

Thanks,
-e

 

[devinsixtyseven]

And we are off!
:jump:

See you all in a week and a half ..."Canyonlands: Return to the Dollhouse", now with all Badger scenes fully restored .

-Sean & Katie

 

[etbadger]

.

 

[cinemakatie]

Well, we're back from our adventure! :wings: It went really well and we got to see dozens of beautiful and indescribable things that Sean will do a much better job of describing because he has pictures! It was a lot of fun, and we didn't want to leave. I hope someday we're able to live in Utah and experience the beauty and scope of the desert each day.

I'll let Sean pick up the details when he has a break from unloading the truck

Katie

 

[devinsixtyseven]

How's this for a start!

After six months of looking forward to this trip, nine days just seemed to fly by. We had an excellent time, Erik and Amy we're looking forward to seeing you again!

Lots of writing to come later...lots and lots of lots. This thread can find a home in the completed expeditions section ...

Gary and Eric! We'll see you next time . Really bummed you couldn't make it, Gary we were thinking of you every morning when we made omelettes in ziploc bags--more on that later! Eric sorry we missed you, there was no cell reception once we left Monticello. Next time --the Maze can be a weekend trip.

MUCH more later! Still unpacking...

-Sean

 

[etbadger]

I think we can get the van through elephant hill.
...
My biggest concern is the squeeze, and if an H1 can fit, I think we are fine. ...and if not, then we can have a memorable entry in the "worst stucks" thread.
...
-e

Am I psychic or what :REOutArchery02:

-e