LESSONS LEARNED: Raining in Sedona and Smiley Rock

[SOAZ]

In case anyone was wondering, ALL of the trees have been cleared from Smiley Rock trail. Thats what I did last night. Haha! I love this stuff. Hope you enjoy the little trip report and abject stupidity.
My trip report and pics are up at www.soaztim.com
A little SEDONA and a little night time SMILEY ROCK TRAIL.
Some highlights are below.

 

[crawldit]

Cool pics. I haven't done smiley rock in years. I've done Sedona a couple times in the rain and it's definitely fun. Van Derin Cabin is a lot of fun when there is water.

 

[wagner_joe]

think bow saw.... less sharpening... and half the effort... great write-up.. pics loked great

 

[viatierra]

Cool trip! I dig the rain pouring down the red rocks. Makes me try to remeber what I was doing yesturday that was so important...

 

[SOAZ]

think bow saw.... less sharpening... and half the effort... great write-up.. pics loked great

I felt like I was using a butter knife. Okay, I may have to get a bow saw and a real axe.:luxhello:

 

[SOAZ]

Cool pics. I haven't done smiley rock in years. I've done Sedona a couple times in the rain and it's definitely fun. Van Derin Cabin is a lot of fun when there is water.

Can you PM me how to get to Van Derin cabin?
I've tried to find it twice with the directions in my 4x4 book and I ended up at the entrance to a gated community... :smiley_drive:

 

[Speaker]

I felt like I was using a butter knife. Okay, I may have to get a bow saw and a real axe.:luxhello:

Or a Stihl and a real axe eepwall:

 

[Spikepretorius]

Stunning pics. Offroading is definitely a winter sport. It's just so nice when everything is wet and green.
( I'll skip on chopping trees at night though)

 

[Tucson T4R]

Or a Stihl and a real axe eepwall:

X2 :iagree: A Stihl would have made short work of those tree falls and you would have been on your way without breaking much of a sweat.

By the way, great pics of Red Rock country in the rain.

 

[BigAl]

You are hardcore I'd have been tempted to drive over that one and come back with a chain saw.

 

[Clutch]

I didn't know they had speed traps on that trail...

 

[SOAZ]

You are hardcore I'd have been tempted to drive over that one and come back with a chain saw.

A stihl may be in the cards for me! I was dreaming of someone walking over the hill with a chain saw as I hacked away. Not to kill me, but to saw that sucker in half!
For the record... The reason I almost slid off the side was because I made another stupid choice to try and drive over the log. With all of the mud I just slid sideways and then I was between a log and a hard place. The cliff... DOH!
I wasn't going to tell anyone that... SHHHHH!

 

[SOAZ]

I didn't know they had speed traps on that trail...

There was a pig (havelina) with a radar detector on the side of the trail trying to catch me!! :sport_box LOL!

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Fun Story!

I really enjoyed it!

Lucky thing you had your warm Toyota to sleep in, when all else failed.........and no more Trees happend to fall over in the middle of the night!........YIKES! I have to commend you on your tenacity!


Note to self........after huge storm.........bring chain saw!


And.........

It seems like everytime I see new pics of the devils staircase.....the jeep ruts in the rocks get deeper!rngartis


2005...............

Midway...............

 

[crawldit]

Can you PM me how to get to Van Derin cabin?
I've tried to find it twice with the directions in my 4x4 book and I ended up at the entrance to a gated community... :smiley_drive:

I don't know if I'd be much help. I used the directions in the WELLS book when I went. I do remember that there is a left turn off the main dirt road that is very easy to miss. Maybe we could do a run up there sometime? I haven't done that trail in probably 3 years. It's really short so you'd have to package it with some other trails to make the drive worth while.