The Muddy, Muddy Swell - 2/21 - 2/24/08

[cruiseroutfit]

Seeing as I am way behind on getting my trip reports all finished up and posted to my site, I may as well post some pics before the memories fade all together. If and when I get the actual report and gallery done, I'll post the link




Perry and I had been chatting about an Feb Swell trip for a couple of months with a date in mind I invited a couple of regulars to join Perry, his father and I in the Swell. Perry and I had both talked to Paul from Equipt, he was in and as usual trusty old Richard was ready to go. We entered the Swell in Castle Dale, heading straight to the Wedge where we spent our first night. We awoke the next morning and lugged our way through the nasty mud to the MK Tunnels for a quick look around. Paul had never been and I wanted him to see these amazing landmarks before they disappear. After a bit of exploring we tucked tails and made way to Green River along the aptly named Green River cutoff road. The road was as nasty as I have ever seen it, mud blanketing the width of the road six or more inches deep. It was all we could do to keep the rigs on the road. Finally we made it back to the highway, over an hour to travel just a handful of miles along a normally high speed dirt road. We met Perry and his father at Ray's in Green River, enjoyed a burger and hit the road again.

Pics:
The rigs, The nasty mud along the GR Cutoff Rd, & MK Tunnels

 

[cruiseroutfit]

From Green River we moved west along I70, exiting at the Black Dragon Canyon "exit" (more like a gate in the fence ). Rather than head north into Black Dragon, we crossed under the freeway and continued south along the face of the San Rafael Reef towards the Three Fingers Petroglyph's. After checking out the petroglyph's we made our way back to HWY24 and eventually on the Goblin Valley Road towards Temple Mountain. We camped for the night in a narrow canyon just east of the swiss cheese Temple Mountain.

Pics:
Under the freeway, Along the Reef, Temple Mountain

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Day 3 had us covering alot of ground. We made an ill attempt at the Behind the Reef Road (winter rockfall had made it pretty narrow and boulder-strewn). We visited the Hidden Splendor Mine, Tomsich Butte area, Lucky Strike Mine area and a loop around Temple Mountain, nearly 100 miles with alot of time spent hiking around the mine ruins We camped at the same spot as the night before, good thing as we had left Perry's father their to paint

Pics:
Behind the Reef Trail, Paul's 100, & My Tacoma

 

[cruiseroutfit]

More pics from Day 3:
Dirty Devil Mine, Abandoned Truck, Cabins

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Day 4 would again have us in the mud. Perry wanted to head to the Hans Flat Ranger Station to chat about some upcoming trips, so we braved the mud and made our way into the Maze. The mud was seriously worse that the Green River Cutoff Road days earlier, places that were borderline impassible. I was already stretched pretty thin on fuel, with the extra strain of the mud I decided to skip Hans Flat and cruise in the dirt to Green River, Richard accompanied me. We arrived in Green River with enough time to give the rigs a good pressure wash at the local self-serve (sorry whoever owns it). We met Paul and Perry back at Ray's for another good burger. We said our goodbyes and made our way home

 

[kcowyo]

Clearly I need to spend more time in the SR Swell.

Moab may get all the press and Canyonlands may draw people from all over but the Swell looks like the best kept secret of the area.

Thanks for the peak - :beer:

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Clearly I need to spend more time in the SR Swell....

but the Swell looks like the best kept secret of the area.

I would agree with those

It does lack the abundance of difficult terrain that Moab offers but for many thats a good thing I'd love to show you around the area!