The DeTour Trip Report - As Told by Blackdawg

[Sierra Valley]

Still waiting for this to finish up

 

[Aussie Iron]

Another great writeup and photos. Like the way you travel.

Dan.

 

[Blackdawg]

Still waiting for this to finish up

I know! Sorry. I went on another trip! Ha. Going to try and get this done before the end of the month before another big trip!

Another great writeup and photos. Like the way you travel.

Dan.

Thanks! I wish I could do it more..

 

[Blackdawg]

Chapter 9: South Bound​

The night was cold. Coldest we had had all trip at 25º according to Dan. It was hard to get our of the warm bed. Mark had got up very early and set off to get home for work, and some how Dan got out of bed early like he always does to check out the area we were in.


2017-09-26 - 00001 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00002 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


We had made it to Dunes. And they were actually quite pretty in the cold frosty morning.


2017-09-26 - 00003 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00004 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00005 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

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2017-09-26 - 00007 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


Nearby pond was frozen over.


2017-09-26 - 00008 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00009 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

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Dan ever the explorer decided to walk up on top of that big dune.


2017-09-26 - 00011 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00012 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00013 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00014 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

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2017-09-26 - 00016 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00017 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

Even spotted this guy on the prowl for breakfast


2017-09-26 - 00018 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00019 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


By now I was making my way out of bed and was also surprised by the beauty of the Dunes. Around this time, a Plane out of nowhere flying very low passed over head.


DeTour-96.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

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2017-09-26 - 00020 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


Camp started to stir and we just kept walking around taking photos waiting for the sun to hopefully dry our frosted tents out.


DeTour-97.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-98.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-99.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3729 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3730 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3731 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3732 by mike digirat, on Flickr


We weren’t totally sure if we could drive up and around the dunes here..but some evidence suggested you could..we refrained from going far from where we were already though.


IMG_3733 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-100.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


The evidence of the mud from the night before was still there too.


IMG_3734 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3735 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3737 by mike digirat, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00022 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

IMG_3738 by mike digirat, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

It was inescapable..


Slowly our tents dried off in the sun, though not much. But we wanted to get going and figured it would be warmer down south so packed them up our hand freezing as we tucked in the cold canvas. We did decided that we would have to come back to this area for further exploring someday. I was already thinking of all the fun to be had in Frankenstein…


IMG_3743 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3746 by mike digirat, on Flickr


We got back on the road bracing for sloppy mud. Only to find the main road had basically frozen over like a dirt river. We were very grateful for this and made quicktime to our next stop.


The Boars Tusk.


DeTour-101.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-102.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


This rather odd looking..well tusk feature coming out of the ground is the remnants of an old volcano. It's around 400’ high and super cool to see. Again with no real plans at this point, we were going to go check it out up close.


DeTour-103.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-104.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-105.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


We turned of the main road and hit the short two track to the base. It had a few mud holes in it alas but was also super fun to pick up some speed through.


IMG_3747 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3748 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-106.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


The sun was out and the day was warming up. With the light good photos were ample for the taking.


DeTour-107.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3749 by mike digirat, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00023 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-109.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3750 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3751 by mike digirat, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00024 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-108.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

Sometimes the power lines are annoying, sometimes they make for a great photo though.


IMG_3752 by mike digirat, on Flickr


The Boars Tusk is an interesting feature. Truly a hidden gem just off the highway bypassed by many.


IMG_3753 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3754 by mike digirat, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00027 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00026 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-110.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-111.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-112.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


But maybe that’s a good thing. The open wide lonely spaces are becoming an endangered species...if that’s even a thing.


IMG_3755 by mike digirat, on Flickr


We drove to the base a grabbed a few photos sadly not able to spend more time there then I would have liked as we had a long ways to go in the day.


2017-09-26 - 00028 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

IMG_3756 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-113.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00029 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


Funny how the same photo can be so different. No one experiences the same thing the same way!


We left after our brief intake of the tall geological oddity and then headed off back to the main road to stop at the White Mountains next. The thought of coming back already planted in our heads.


2017-09-26 - 00030 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00031 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00032 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


This time though I ran out ahead to capture the mud holes. Watery mud is just so photogenic.


DeTour-114.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-115.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

Mike and Dan were all to happy to oblige in waiting for me to get in position to capture the sloppy deep holes. Something they probably regretted a few days later..


DeTour-116.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-117.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-118.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-119.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

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DeTour-122.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-123.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-124.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-125.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-126.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-127.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-128.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-129.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-130.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

I mean come on. That’s just good fun!


So…



We did it again.


DeTour-131.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-132.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


Beautiful…


DeTour-133.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-134.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


You’d think we would have been sick of mud and not touched it with a 100’ pole, but we were smiling after that. From there it was a short drive to the White Mountains. Our short walk for the day to get to the petroglyph site.


2017-09-26 - 00035 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-135.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3759 by mike digirat, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

It's a nice short walk and Mike was relieved to see it was not uphill.


DeTour.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-2.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00036 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

IMG_3762 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3764 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-3.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


The raptor nest or whatever kind of bird it is is also a cool sight to see. Though I’ve never seen the actual bird that live there. Cool nests though.


2017-09-26 - 00037 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-4.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


But the real reason we were here were the ancient carvings in the rock face.


DeTour-5.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-6.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

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DeTour-7.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3765 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3766 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-8.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00039 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

This is not a omonis as one would hope. A short dead end.


IMG_3775 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3776 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-9.jpg by

Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-10.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00040 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

IMG_3779 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-11.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-12.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00041 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


By Far my most favorite feature here though and something that I think is just otherworldly to see and experiance is the hand prints.


DeTour-13.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

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DeTour-14.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-15.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

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Something about them makes these odd drawings all the more real..


IMG_3780 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3781 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-16.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3783 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3784 by mike digirat, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

Our curiosity satisfied we walked back to the truck, lunch on our minds.


DeTour-17.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3785 by mike digirat, on Flickr


I don’t quite remember why, but something about that lunch was extra good. I made note of it for some reason. The sandwiches just seemed that much crisper I guess. The salsa and pickled eggs to boot.


Still, we had to get to Utah and deep into it before sun down. Well...we didn’t HAVE to do anything really. But that was the goal now so off we went. And a short drive later we were at the highway airing up.


DeTour-18.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


We passed through Rock Springs, where a van pulled a super stunt in front of me cutting across 3 lanes of traffic right in front of me to just barely make the exit. Plenty of excitement to make us anxious and glad we were only on the interstate for about 5 miles. We wanted to be far from civilization, not in traffic. Granted, the “traffic” of Rock Springs is hardly even that.


A quick stop at the gas station to highway 191 was our official turning point. South Bound at last. Was weird how Mike, Devin, and I had met up here just one year earlier about with a whole different plan. Still. We looked forward to the drive through Flaming Gorge again and I was extremely hopeful we would get to stop at the Dam to get a tour. A quick driver change for me, and we were off.


2017-09-26 - 00045 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


This being Dan’s first time here we still stopped at the good photo spots. I mean, why the heck wouldn’t we? The Badlands have wonderful colors and the lighting was much better then the first time we were here.


IMG_3787 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3788 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-19.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3791 by mike digirat, on Flickr

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DeTour-20.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3793 by mike digirat, on Flickr

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2017-09-26 - 00053 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

We don’t really look like we belong on the highway…


DeTour-21.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00049 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr


But on it we were. We pulled out and Mike promptly almost made some antelope his new hood ornaments! All was well though.


DeTour-22.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


It wasn’t long before the next stop off the highway. Easy to miss as you have to “dive” off the edge of the highway. But it’s quite the view!


DeTour-27.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-23.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

IMG_3794 by mike digirat, on Flickr


Could even camp here if you really had too..wouldn’t recommend that though!


IMG_3795 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3797 by mike digirat, on Flickr

DeTour-24.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-24.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


Hmm a new skid plate might be in order for me..


DeTour-26.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-28.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


Continuing south, we crossed into Utah and the tail end of the reservoir came into light.


IMG_3798 by mike digirat, on Flickr

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As we approached the Dam I insisted we stop at an overlook Mike and I had skipped last time that I had found on my ImpromptU-Ah! Trip that spring. It is so cool to see the 425 foot Dam in all its glory.


IMG_3799 by mike digirat, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00055 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-30.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-29.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-31.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

Generating power baby!


DeTour-32.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-33.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


I also very much wanted to walk on the Dam which you can only do on a tour. So I insisted we stop to see if we could. This being my 3rd time in a year I thought for sure this would be the time.


DeTour-34.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


We pulled into the parking lot and took in the view from the other side of the dam.


IMG_3801 by mike digirat, on Flickr

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2017-09-26 - 00057 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-35.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-36.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


And in we went, but had to check out this big turbine. The nuts on this thing are crazy big!


2017-09-26 - 00058 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-37.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


Alas, it was not meant to be. Foiled for a 3rd time. They only do tours from 11am to 2pm. And it was just after 3 for us.


Damn it.


“Next time, I swear to god I’ll walk on that freaking thing..” I muttered to myself.


Now we had to figure out where the hell we were going to sleep tonight. And headed off back onto the highway to brainstorm as we went.


DeTour-38.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


We soon crossed over the pass and descended down into Vernal, UT.


IMG_3802 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3804 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3805 by mike digirat, on Flickr

IMG_3806 by mike digirat, on Flickr


A town almost too proud of the dinosaurs…


DeTour-39.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-40.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr


Which are apparently pink in Vernal!


With some googlefoo on the road, I had found potentially some camping just south of Vernal and we head out there to check it out. Though it was on the Green river, it wasn’t awesome. We didn’t like it and decided to just go toward Dinosaur instead and maybe catch something on the way there.


As we go close to Dinosaur we started peeling off roads to check it out. Mike found a spot he kind of liked. But I didn’t, neither did Dan. It was up above the small highway and we wanted to not be able to see or hear the road. Figuring there was sunlight left, we took off down another dirt road just bouncing around hoping to find something in the BLM land.


2017-09-26 - 00059 - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

 

[Blackdawg]

And as luck would have it, it paid off! I was out ahead and found a flat open spot on the other side of the ridge. No road noise, some trees to look at and mountains in the distance and a big fire ring to boot. It was perfect for us and we immediately setup camp to watch the sunset.


DeTour-41.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

DeTour-42.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr

2017-09-26 - 00060b - The De-Tour - Day 10 by Dan, on Flickr

DeTour-43.jpg by Monte Nickles Photos, on Flickr