ITTOG
Well-known member
Oh man, how do you do it? Not sure I could go that long without a good shower. I guess it might be easy to build up to it after a while. I wonder what Tanner thinks living with you.
Good luck finding that shower.
My Journey
- Thread starter YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
- Start date
Good luck finding that shower.
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
Jerry that road 230, aka Left Hand Collet, is a mystery road. The BLM will tell you it’s closed when it’s not. But it really is often closed due to flash floods. I’ve driven it maybe three times and found it fairly easy to moderately difficult. It is a 4x4 only road, not suitable for your camper. It connects to 340 and 300 Roads. 300 is good headed north but 340 less so. All the lesser traveled roads in GSENM can become impassable in a heartbeat. Not just mud but big washouts. The problem is the visitors centers often don’t have the latest condition. Talk to a BLM Ranger if you can find one. I’d scout with the Jeep before venturing too far with the camper.
Alan
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Alan
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
tgil
Well-known member
I meant to comment last week, when you posted about the dino tracks. Dinosaur Valley SP is within an hour drive of home. I've never really been and explored it. I'll be putting that on my list to do soon! It also reminds me of another dig site that has been entirely closed in, so you can visit year-round. While I know that is on the opposite end of the spectrum, from your solitude, your posts make me want to go see that sometime soon as well. Stumbling across your thread, however long ago it was, has really opened my eyes to so much of the US, and Canada!
Keep on keeping on! There is a whole tribe of us here, following, living vicariously through your posts!
Give Tanner a squeeze and tell him he's such a handsome boy, for me!
Keep on keeping on! There is a whole tribe of us here, following, living vicariously through your posts!
Give Tanner a squeeze and tell him he's such a handsome boy, for me!
esh
Explorer
I've been up and down BLM 230 a few times. It is pretty much a 4x4 road with ledges and a lot of rough terrain. 2wd if you have a little clearance and lighter rig and comfort driving rough tracks. Makes a nice connector to the coal seam on Smokey Mountain and a lot of other places I'd like to explore. If you want to get up there in the camper you could go up from Big Water onto NP 230 to BLM 330. You can also get onto Alstrom Point and a very nice camp overlooking Lake Powell, though I don't remember how camper friendly that road is. Up to Smokey Mountain is still a bit of a climb (and very impressive) and not for the feint of heart, but it gets you up on the high country along an established road. I don't know if I'd personally go up the "easy" way in a camper pulling a Jeep, and I like to think of places I end up more on the adventurous side of the spectrum. Coming south down BLM 300 from Escalante is another option to get up onto the high country above Hole in the Rock road/LHC, but I haven't taken it.
From the dinosaur race track up Left Hand Collet I'd only take the Jeep. I've found some cliff granaries up there and am keen to go looking for more interesting sites. Like much of southern Utah (and northern AZ), the exploring is endless!
White Pocket, south past where the Wave is and then east, would be another strong recommendation on the south side of hwy 89 and onto the Paria Plateau. Jeep only for the sometimes deepish sandy tracks. There are some campgrounds down along the road before and after the Wave on House Rock Rd. or plenty of other good camp sites to base out of.
From the dinosaur race track up Left Hand Collet I'd only take the Jeep. I've found some cliff granaries up there and am keen to go looking for more interesting sites. Like much of southern Utah (and northern AZ), the exploring is endless!
White Pocket, south past where the Wave is and then east, would be another strong recommendation on the south side of hwy 89 and onto the Paria Plateau. Jeep only for the sometimes deepish sandy tracks. There are some campgrounds down along the road before and after the Wave on House Rock Rd. or plenty of other good camp sites to base out of.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Alan.....when I called the visitors center for information and I told them where I was at that time (Cottonwood Canyon Road), they asked me about the condition of road and were grateful for the recent update.....thanks for the info.....
tgil.....no plans to stop "keep on keeping".....& will do.....thanks.....
esh.....great information there..... Assuming I return in the spring I'm thinking that I'll set up camp along Hole In The Rock Road and then head up BLM Road 230 in the Jeep and check it out. I never gave thought to trying from the south but I might try that as well (again assuming that I return).....thank you.....
ITTOG.....the next stop of that day was at the aquatic center in Cedar City, Utah. I'd been there a few times in our past travels and thought of it often while freezing on the Hole In The Rock Road.....the hot shower was amazing.....
Also, I read on another thread that you (ITTOG) were considering purchasing winter boots. FWIW I would never buy a winter boot that is not crampon compatible. That is an absolute must (for me) ! It appears to me that the boots that were tested on that thread are not crampon compatible. Maybe they would be fine for ice fishing and stuff like that but if you want to get out and explore in the winter, then by all means purchase crampon compatible boots. I have a pair of La Sportiva Makalus which are a leather boot.....I like this boot quite a bit.....
I add to that either a low rise gaiter like these if the snow is not too deep.....but once I get into deep snow.....
.....I then switch to a high rise gaiter such as these.....
If I'm up on a mountain and it's really cold I use a plastic boot such as the Koflach Arctic Expe plastic boot which are worn with liners and 2 pairs of socks.....they are rated to -65 degrees Faranheit (I've never seen temperatures that cold).....
I also have a pair of plastic boots very similar to these Mammuts but mine are an older model.....
Now back to our travels.....or the lack thereof. We spent our next night in Cedar City, Utah in a Home Depot parking lot. It was still really cold here so we got onto the interstate the following morning and we drove south.....and as we drove further south we also drove to lower elevations.....warmer temperatures laid ahead. Our next stop was in St. George, Utah where we stayed on the side of the road next to a Camping World store.....here we stayed for the next three nights.....this is where we spent our Xmas Eve and our Xmas Day.....
From here it was back onto the interstate.....we continued driving south and then into Nevada where spent a night in a Walmart parking lot in Mesquite, Nevada.....and then we moved further south. Somewhere north of Las Vegas, Nevada we pulled off the interstate and camped for multiple nights on BLM lands.....
I would describe these BLM lands as a mix of a sewage treatment plant and a county landfill. Several travelers had dumped their RV black & grey tanks here and lots of motorists from the interstate used these areas as a trash dump and a toilet as well.....
We only stayed here cause my focus now is only on healing my pulled muscle.....and these gravel lots are located on paved roads.....and that's all that really counted at this moment in time.....
Here we spent New Years Eve & New Years Day.....and yes.....I was missing dearly the mostly untouched lands of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.....
tgil.....no plans to stop "keep on keeping".....& will do.....thanks.....
esh.....great information there..... Assuming I return in the spring I'm thinking that I'll set up camp along Hole In The Rock Road and then head up BLM Road 230 in the Jeep and check it out. I never gave thought to trying from the south but I might try that as well (again assuming that I return).....thank you.....
ITTOG.....the next stop of that day was at the aquatic center in Cedar City, Utah. I'd been there a few times in our past travels and thought of it often while freezing on the Hole In The Rock Road.....the hot shower was amazing.....
Also, I read on another thread that you (ITTOG) were considering purchasing winter boots. FWIW I would never buy a winter boot that is not crampon compatible. That is an absolute must (for me) ! It appears to me that the boots that were tested on that thread are not crampon compatible. Maybe they would be fine for ice fishing and stuff like that but if you want to get out and explore in the winter, then by all means purchase crampon compatible boots. I have a pair of La Sportiva Makalus which are a leather boot.....I like this boot quite a bit.....
I add to that either a low rise gaiter like these if the snow is not too deep.....but once I get into deep snow.....
.....I then switch to a high rise gaiter such as these.....
If I'm up on a mountain and it's really cold I use a plastic boot such as the Koflach Arctic Expe plastic boot which are worn with liners and 2 pairs of socks.....they are rated to -65 degrees Faranheit (I've never seen temperatures that cold).....
I also have a pair of plastic boots very similar to these Mammuts but mine are an older model.....
Now back to our travels.....or the lack thereof. We spent our next night in Cedar City, Utah in a Home Depot parking lot. It was still really cold here so we got onto the interstate the following morning and we drove south.....and as we drove further south we also drove to lower elevations.....warmer temperatures laid ahead. Our next stop was in St. George, Utah where we stayed on the side of the road next to a Camping World store.....here we stayed for the next three nights.....this is where we spent our Xmas Eve and our Xmas Day.....
From here it was back onto the interstate.....we continued driving south and then into Nevada where spent a night in a Walmart parking lot in Mesquite, Nevada.....and then we moved further south. Somewhere north of Las Vegas, Nevada we pulled off the interstate and camped for multiple nights on BLM lands.....
I would describe these BLM lands as a mix of a sewage treatment plant and a county landfill. Several travelers had dumped their RV black & grey tanks here and lots of motorists from the interstate used these areas as a trash dump and a toilet as well.....
We only stayed here cause my focus now is only on healing my pulled muscle.....and these gravel lots are located on paved roads.....and that's all that really counted at this moment in time.....
Here we spent New Years Eve & New Years Day.....and yes.....I was missing dearly the mostly untouched lands of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.....
Jerry, I'm with you on boots in winter, but surely the kofflachs are both kind of dated and heavy now and overkill for most stuff folks are likely to do? I used to climb in them for and asolo plastics (which were always too narrow and frankly just hurt me) for over 25 years but I have to say the sportiva Nepal evo leather single boots which I've used for the last 5 years are a huge improvement. I've slowed down a lot as I've got older, but I've used these on G5/6 Ice and mixed climbs in the alps and they are great, miles better in fact than my old kofflachs. I can't imagine ever going back to plastics.
Equally you don't need full rigid crampons or boots unless you are on really steep and technical ground my wife sometimes does easy g2 gully type climbs with me in winter here in the uk and plenty of full winter condition walking with fairly flexible boots and grivel Monte Rosa crampons. The modern plastic fixtures on these kind of crampons are really good and for this kind of ground flexible boots and crampons can be easier to use and safer if you're not in the habit of clearing balled snow.
Equally you don't need full rigid crampons or boots unless you are on really steep and technical ground my wife sometimes does easy g2 gully type climbs with me in winter here in the uk and plenty of full winter condition walking with fairly flexible boots and grivel Monte Rosa crampons. The modern plastic fixtures on these kind of crampons are really good and for this kind of ground flexible boots and crampons can be easier to use and safer if you're not in the habit of clearing balled snow.
ITTOG
Well-known member
Jerry, thanks for all the information on the cold weather boots. I never considered use with crampons so that is a good suggestion as I do like to climb mountains. But my main inquiry in the other thread is for when I am riding on my ATV in anything below 40F. My feet are cold in the base case and then you add cold weather, being sedentary on an ATV, no walking except standing to have a beer, snow, etc and they are freezing after fifteen minutes. When we are riding our ATV's, we are usually out for at least eight hours and we have seen temps in the single digits.
Quick question on the plastic boots. Those seem like they would not be able to keep your feet warm. How do they perform better than a leather boot?
Quick question on the plastic boots. Those seem like they would not be able to keep your feet warm. How do they perform better than a leather boot?
Ittog, plastics insulate by having a soft, insulated inner boot within the hard non insulating outer (like a ski boot). Other maybe than for very unique situations I think they have been pretty much overtaken in the mountains by the new generation boots led by the sportiva Nepal top about 20 years ago but now proliferated to others. These are lighter, warmer, more flexible where it counts for control, just as stiff where necessary.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
nathane.....I climbed in both leather & plastic.....that's what I know & that's what I used. I Googled the La Sportiva Nepal EVO GTXs and they look like a great boot and they had excellent reviews online. I'd certainly consider them if I was in the market.....probably a better choice for ITTOG once he sells his ATV.....
ITTOG.....hope this link works for you.....
rockandice.com
www.sportiva.com
ITTOG.....hope this link works for you.....
How to Choose Ice Climbing, Mixed and Mountaineering Boots
MATERIALS Plastic Upper Plastic boots have a hard plastic outer shell, and a durable and removable synthetic inner boot. This double-boot model is great
rockandice.com
La Sportiva Nepal EVO GTX Mountaineering Boot
Merging traditional construction with modern materials, the La Sportiva Nepal EVO GTX integrates proven performance design with a classic fit. Combining durable leather uppers and GORE-TEX® Insulated Comfort™ lining, the Nepal is ready for your mountain.
www.sportiva.com
ITTOG
Well-known member
Thanks guys for the info and the links. Interesting reading. When you first mentioned plastic boots I thought about ski boots and how cold they are. Thus, I didn't equate them to being a good warm boot. I do understand the stiffness benefits of plastic boots after reading the link Jerry provided. I have never climbed a mountain requiring them so I was unaware of the demand for the stiff plastic boot.
I used to have a pair of boots from Cabela's that were leather and had a removable liner. They were probably the warmest boots I have ever had for keeping my feet warm. But they were so big I called them my moon boots. I think the sole was almost 2" thick. So they were big and fairly heavy.
I used to have a pair of boots from Cabela's that were leather and had a removable liner. They were probably the warmest boots I have ever had for keeping my feet warm. But they were so big I called them my moon boots. I think the sole was almost 2" thick. So they were big and fairly heavy.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
So for anyone that might have an interest in climbing mountains, a pretty huge big deal may happen tomorrow.....the first ever winter ascent of K2 may happen by a group of Nepalese climbers.....nicknamed the "Savage Mountain" due to the number of deaths on the mountain.....the world's second highest peak and the most technical (difficult) of all mountains to climb. For every four climbers that reach the summit, another climber will die. Alan Arnette (see the link below as he blogs about the climb) summited the mountain in 2014 and he didn't start climbing until he was in his fifties. He climbed the Seven Summits in less than a year and is the oldest American to have summited K2. What an inspiration to all ! The world sure is full of remarkable people.....
Tanner & I.....we're just hanging out these days.....
News | The Blog on alanarnette.com
www.alanarnette.com
Tanner & I.....we're just hanging out these days.....
Last edited:
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Alan.....we are staying busy and currently are averaging 11.25 miles walking per day.....just enough to hit 4,000 miles for 2021. I said I'd never do another 5,000 mile year after the first one in 2019, yet I ended up doing it again in 2020. The muscle pull continues to nag me so no doubt this will a long term heal....my plan now is to lay low until March.....
Morning coffee with my best friend.....
ITTOG.....and then they encountered significant rockfall. But ten Nepalese climbers continued up the mountain and they were rewarded with the first ever winter ascent of K2. They walked together to the summit with not a single one trying to step ahead of the others to claim the summit alone. One thing that stood out to me when I made my visit to Nepal was the good nature and friendliness of the Nepali people. I look at America at this moment in time and I can't help think how envious of them that I am. They have so little yet their happiness is real & unique and their smiles are the biggest that you'll ever see.....it's so fitting that they got the summit.....
www.alanarnette.com
rockandice.com
Morning coffee with my best friend.....
ITTOG.....and then they encountered significant rockfall. But ten Nepalese climbers continued up the mountain and they were rewarded with the first ever winter ascent of K2. They walked together to the summit with not a single one trying to step ahead of the others to claim the summit alone. One thing that stood out to me when I made my visit to Nepal was the good nature and friendliness of the Nepali people. I look at America at this moment in time and I can't help think how envious of them that I am. They have so little yet their happiness is real & unique and their smiles are the biggest that you'll ever see.....it's so fitting that they got the summit.....
Winter K2 Update: FIRST WINTER K2 SUMMIT!!!! | The Blog on alanarnette.com
www.alanarnette.com
K2 Climbed in Winter for the First Time!
Around 5:00 pm on Saturday, January 16, 2021, a team of 10 Sherpas and Nepalis stood on the summit of the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, on the border of Pakistan and China. It was the last of the world's 14 8,000 meter peaks still unclimbed in winter.
rockandice.com
Last edited: