UCE3 - Utah Cruiser Expedition 3
- Thread starter Box Rocket
- Start date
Box Rocket
Well-known member
Part 2 and completion of this trip. Two years ago when this trip originally happened there was a sizeable portion of the route that was eliminated because of the delays we experienced because of the extensive flooding and mud. While had already accomplished the original goal of the trip to travel from the lowest elevation in Utah to the highest driveable point, the portion of the route from approximately Hanksville, Utah east to the Colorado border was what we weren't able to complete because of time.
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Over Labor Day weekend we set out to finally finish this last portion and close the book on UCE3. Interestingly, nearly everyone from the original group is driving a different vehicle now. Because of a number of conflicts only two of us were able to go and finish out the route. Dave Connors who sold his 100 Series Cruiser earlier in the year would be the cornerstone of the trip again, but this time in his recently acquired 200 Series Land Cruiser. Dave also had Darren and Noah Webster along with Jay Ralls as passengers. I was the only other vehicle. I also recently sold my Tacoma that I used on the original trip and I was there this time in my 80 Series Land Cruiser. My two sons Bjornn and Liam were again with me for the trip.
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With just the two of us we were able to cover ground quite quickly and as a result I didn't have many opportunities to take photos of all the different sections so please forgive some undetailed documentation. But I hope you still enjoy the highlights that we were able to document.
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We camped our first night on Boulder Mountain. It was dark and rainy when we got to camp so I don't have any photos but suffice it to say that it's hard to go wrong on Boulder Mountain. Lots of beautiful places to camp. The next morning we made our way through Capitol Reef NP toward Hanksville, Ut. As a general rule of thumb we tried to avoid pavement completely on these UCE trips however sometimes there is just no alternative and coming out of Capitol Reef was one of those times. We figured as long as the views were this nice, a little pavement driving was ok.
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After a brief lunch stop on Hanksville we were back on the road past Factory Butte. The landscape in this area is like nowhere else I've seen with a feeling of utter desolation void of vegetation through much of the area.
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Over Labor Day weekend we set out to finally finish this last portion and close the book on UCE3. Interestingly, nearly everyone from the original group is driving a different vehicle now. Because of a number of conflicts only two of us were able to go and finish out the route. Dave Connors who sold his 100 Series Cruiser earlier in the year would be the cornerstone of the trip again, but this time in his recently acquired 200 Series Land Cruiser. Dave also had Darren and Noah Webster along with Jay Ralls as passengers. I was the only other vehicle. I also recently sold my Tacoma that I used on the original trip and I was there this time in my 80 Series Land Cruiser. My two sons Bjornn and Liam were again with me for the trip.
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With just the two of us we were able to cover ground quite quickly and as a result I didn't have many opportunities to take photos of all the different sections so please forgive some undetailed documentation. But I hope you still enjoy the highlights that we were able to document.
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We camped our first night on Boulder Mountain. It was dark and rainy when we got to camp so I don't have any photos but suffice it to say that it's hard to go wrong on Boulder Mountain. Lots of beautiful places to camp. The next morning we made our way through Capitol Reef NP toward Hanksville, Ut. As a general rule of thumb we tried to avoid pavement completely on these UCE trips however sometimes there is just no alternative and coming out of Capitol Reef was one of those times. We figured as long as the views were this nice, a little pavement driving was ok.
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After a brief lunch stop on Hanksville we were back on the road past Factory Butte. The landscape in this area is like nowhere else I've seen with a feeling of utter desolation void of vegetation through much of the area.
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Box Rocket
Well-known member
The road came to a crossing of the aptly named Muddy Creek and the fording point was severely washed out with a 4' shelf drop into the river. My 80 probably could have made the descent ok but Dave's 200 series with factory bumpers might not have had any bumpers left after a drop like that so we searched for an alternative point to cross the river. Jay walked ahead to scout a path.
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We found a spot that was not ideal but was our best option to cross. The water channel itself was not very wide or deep but there were large silt banks that were extremely soft on either side that we'd have to cross. Dave walked across the mud to check stability before we took the trucks across. He only lost his flipflops a few times in the mud.
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I took the 80 across the first sand bar to the water's edge without much incident. The far side of the river was our concern as it was VERY soft. We talked about sending Dave's 200 across first so if he got stuck I could winch him out. But in the end we sent the 80 across first. This was a mistake.
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Some momentum was necessary to carry the HEAVY 80 across the river and up onto the far sand bar and hopefully all the way up the bank. A stormed across. At this point I thought I had it made.
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Then all momentum stopped and the truck immediately sank straight down into the mud all the way to the frame completely burying the axles.
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I was unable to move either forward or backward and spinning the tires just mired the truck even worse. So we hooked two straps together and tried to snatch it from the river with the 200 series.
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Even with the 80's tires spinning and the big 5.7L V8 in the 200 series the attempt to snatch it with a strap was useless and the 80 didn't move even one centimeter.
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So out came the shovels and the Maxtrax to try to get some kind of traction under the tires while Darren took the 200 Series to search for an alternate way across so that we could winch the truck forward across the river. There was nothing to use as a winch anchor on the far bank so we had to get the other truck across to use as a winch point.
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We were able to jack the front of the 80 up enough to release the suction from the mud and we placed the Maxtrax under the front tires to use them as a ramp of sorts to hopefully get the truck up on top of the mud as we winched it out.
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We found a spot that was not ideal but was our best option to cross. The water channel itself was not very wide or deep but there were large silt banks that were extremely soft on either side that we'd have to cross. Dave walked across the mud to check stability before we took the trucks across. He only lost his flipflops a few times in the mud.
.
I took the 80 across the first sand bar to the water's edge without much incident. The far side of the river was our concern as it was VERY soft. We talked about sending Dave's 200 across first so if he got stuck I could winch him out. But in the end we sent the 80 across first. This was a mistake.
.
Some momentum was necessary to carry the HEAVY 80 across the river and up onto the far sand bar and hopefully all the way up the bank. A stormed across. At this point I thought I had it made.
.
Then all momentum stopped and the truck immediately sank straight down into the mud all the way to the frame completely burying the axles.
.
I was unable to move either forward or backward and spinning the tires just mired the truck even worse. So we hooked two straps together and tried to snatch it from the river with the 200 series.
.
Even with the 80's tires spinning and the big 5.7L V8 in the 200 series the attempt to snatch it with a strap was useless and the 80 didn't move even one centimeter.
.
So out came the shovels and the Maxtrax to try to get some kind of traction under the tires while Darren took the 200 Series to search for an alternate way across so that we could winch the truck forward across the river. There was nothing to use as a winch anchor on the far bank so we had to get the other truck across to use as a winch point.
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We were able to jack the front of the 80 up enough to release the suction from the mud and we placed the Maxtrax under the front tires to use them as a ramp of sorts to hopefully get the truck up on top of the mud as we winched it out.
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Box Rocket
Well-known member
Darren was unsuccessful in finding a way across the river that we were confident he could get across. If the 200 was to get stuck going across then we'd have both trucks stranded. While he was looking he found a guy with a Nissan Armada on the far side of the river about a half mile down stream. We convinced him to drive down the bank to where we were so we could use his truck as an anchor point. This would be the first time I'd used my new ComeUp SEAL 9.5rs winch on the 80. Some people have questioned whether the 9500lb winch was strong enough for a truck the size of the loaded 80 as most people go with a 10,000-12,000lb winch on these trucks. Well I'm hear to tell you that this new winch from ComeUp is up to the task. We didn't even need to double line it with a snatch block. We rigged the truck with a single line pull to the Nissan and without much struggle at all the 80 came out of the mud. Love this winch.
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Now we needed to get the 200 across.
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Now we needed to get the 200 across.
Box Rocket
Well-known member
With the right mixture of throttle, momentum and a truck a bit lighter than my heavy 80 the 200 blasted across the same crossing and was able to cross under its own power with needing to be winched.
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We spent the next hour pulling all 4 tires off the 80 to clean all the sand/gravel out of the brakes and wheels. It was a bit of a process but necessary since the brakes were completely packed with rocks. My OEM painted wheels were another casualty since they were essentially in a rock tumbler for almost 3 hours. The painted finish was pretty much destroyed.
Then we were off again making our way up Wild Horse Canyon toward Goblin Valley.
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We spent the next hour pulling all 4 tires off the 80 to clean all the sand/gravel out of the brakes and wheels. It was a bit of a process but necessary since the brakes were completely packed with rocks. My OEM painted wheels were another casualty since they were essentially in a rock tumbler for almost 3 hours. The painted finish was pretty much destroyed.
Then we were off again making our way up Wild Horse Canyon toward Goblin Valley.
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Box Rocket
Well-known member
That night was spent at an incredible campsite under an incredible star filled sky. I'm keeping the location of this campsite a bit of a secret. The road to the site was so deteriorated that it was clear that no vehicles had been out there for at least a decade. It took a bit of searching to find the route but it sure payed off.
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this drop was what was left of the route.
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Then we spent the night under some great stars
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this drop was what was left of the route.
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Then we spent the night under some great stars
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Box Rocket
Well-known member
The morning rewarded us with spectacular views.
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Box Rocket
Well-known member
We made our way into Green River for fuel and stopped by an abandoned Missile Range. Then off again into the desert.
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Box Rocket
Well-known member
Spent the day finding more of Utah's outstanding vistas
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Box Rocket
Well-known member
Our last night was spent at the Needles Overlook. Cloud cover hid the stars from us that night but the morning was the perfect ending to the trip.
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Box Rocket
Well-known member
Of course we couldn't leave with rolling some rocks off the cliffs 
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the end of another great trip in the Utah backcountry.
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the end of another great trip in the Utah backcountry.
fredgoodsell
Adventurer
Cool shots! So many cool places to check out in this state. I've driven that road from Factory Butte to Goblin Valley a few times. Love that area.
Just FYI, looks like you crossed Muddy Creek, at least if you took off north from 24 past Factory Butte. The Dirty Devil doesn't begin until Muddy Creek and the Fremont River come together near Hanksville.
Box Rocket
Well-known member
Yes you are correct. It was at Muddy Creek. Interestingly fitting name considering what happened.