Utah in the fall 2015 - 9 days, 475 off-road miles, and 14 hours of digging! (PICS!)
- Thread starter RIDGE
- Start date
Gravel Slinger
Observer
Love this - beautiful places!
RIDGE
Adventurer
Great pictures as usual! And this Ranger must have been from Florida or similar (don't mean to offend anyone!) cause that's just a nice little drop off snow! You must be glad you carried on...
I was thinking the same thing...and I'm a California city boy! He did say it gets bad after some traffic and sunshine turn it to ice. It was perfect for us though. Going against advice became the theme for this trip!
Sierra Valley
Wander
Sweet trip report Chris! Tell my buddy Kay Kat her buddy from Reno says hi! Id love to get info on the routes you took. Do you carry a come along at least since no front winch?
RIDGE
Adventurer
I forgot the come-along. I'm not sure it would've been any help with this rig, but it was dumb to not have one.
You don't need no stinkin' route info, you're coming on the next trip!
Sierra Valley
Wander
Hell ya would love to go exploring with you guys. I got my first taste of Utah last spring. All pavement miles but we covered a lot of ground. Ready to get off the beaten path. And yeah id rather have the come along than no come along haha.
RIDGE
Adventurer
Still day 4!
Unfortunately, Dennis and Kyle needed to get headed back home before we reached Hanksville. We unloaded his spares out of my trailer, said our goodbyes, and split up. They stopped at a few places on their way back to the tow rig at Lone Rock. It was great traveling and talking with them...until next time boys!
While coming down the mountain, Kristal and I tried to do the responsible thing and call the ranger station in Hanksville for trail conditions, and to see how fast the water was flowing on the Dirty Devil River. We couldn't get through because of bad service...but I'm pretty sure I knew what the answer would be.
The drive into Hanksville was fast and smooth, slow and muddy, and then it just got weird!
This caught us off guard!
We tried the Hanksville Ranger station but they were already closed when we got there. I took detailed pictures of the maps that were encased in glass (don't ask why I didn't have any!) Anyhoo, off to the gas station to fuel up and get lectured! We bought a couple maps and "mentioned" our plans to cross the Dirty Devil via Poison Springs Canyon. BIG MISTAKE!
At first I told them we would be fine and not to worry but they weren't having ANY of that. We heard stories about lost trucks, nuns and children getting washed away, and unknown dangers that would scare away that soccer team who's plane crashed and they had to eat each other for survival. So I caved in and (lied) told them we would go a different route. Well, then the maps came out. Let's just say I really know my way around Hanksville, UT now. Before we could leave the gas station, one guy came out of the store and begged us not to go on the Poison Springs Canyon trail. I lied some more and away we went.
If that didn't get the blood flowing enough, it was also getting dark. This was a sight seeing/trail riding adventure, so we looked for a camp spot shortly after turning off the highway (about 20 miles out of town I think).
We had a great campfire and a few beers, excited about what the next day would bring.
This is where our trip shifted from a sight seeing deal into a "please God don't let me total the van" adventure! The next two days were rough, and somewhat like a roller coaster of emotions. Okay, I might be over-playing it, but let me just say this, for the record...Kristal sucks at being the voice of reason!
Gotta drive for a few hours...bye.
Unfortunately, Dennis and Kyle needed to get headed back home before we reached Hanksville. We unloaded his spares out of my trailer, said our goodbyes, and split up. They stopped at a few places on their way back to the tow rig at Lone Rock. It was great traveling and talking with them...until next time boys!
While coming down the mountain, Kristal and I tried to do the responsible thing and call the ranger station in Hanksville for trail conditions, and to see how fast the water was flowing on the Dirty Devil River. We couldn't get through because of bad service...but I'm pretty sure I knew what the answer would be.
The drive into Hanksville was fast and smooth, slow and muddy, and then it just got weird!
This caught us off guard!
We tried the Hanksville Ranger station but they were already closed when we got there. I took detailed pictures of the maps that were encased in glass (don't ask why I didn't have any!) Anyhoo, off to the gas station to fuel up and get lectured! We bought a couple maps and "mentioned" our plans to cross the Dirty Devil via Poison Springs Canyon. BIG MISTAKE!
At first I told them we would be fine and not to worry but they weren't having ANY of that. We heard stories about lost trucks, nuns and children getting washed away, and unknown dangers that would scare away that soccer team who's plane crashed and they had to eat each other for survival. So I caved in and (lied) told them we would go a different route. Well, then the maps came out. Let's just say I really know my way around Hanksville, UT now. Before we could leave the gas station, one guy came out of the store and begged us not to go on the Poison Springs Canyon trail. I lied some more and away we went.
If that didn't get the blood flowing enough, it was also getting dark. This was a sight seeing/trail riding adventure, so we looked for a camp spot shortly after turning off the highway (about 20 miles out of town I think).
We had a great campfire and a few beers, excited about what the next day would bring.
This is where our trip shifted from a sight seeing deal into a "please God don't let me total the van" adventure! The next two days were rough, and somewhat like a roller coaster of emotions. Okay, I might be over-playing it, but let me just say this, for the record...Kristal sucks at being the voice of reason!
Gotta drive for a few hours...bye.
deserteagle56
Adventurer
It was. Made this ride on the Yamaha back in May. Here's a shot of that pass (I check my topo maps, no name given) that Ridge was wondering about:
RIDGE
Adventurer
Day 5
October 31st
Since it was a Friday night, Halloween weekend, and we weren't far from a town, I decided to camp pretty far off the trail up this wash. Even though we were told nobody had been up this trail in months, I figured the cooler kids would be partying at the river crossing and I didn't want anything happening.
We did have a visitor though!
The Poison Spring Canyon Trail is a rough one. It was only 6 miles to the river crossing, but the washouts and rain ruts slowed us down.
October 31st
Since it was a Friday night, Halloween weekend, and we weren't far from a town, I decided to camp pretty far off the trail up this wash. Even though we were told nobody had been up this trail in months, I figured the cooler kids would be partying at the river crossing and I didn't want anything happening.
We did have a visitor though!
The Poison Spring Canyon Trail is a rough one. It was only 6 miles to the river crossing, but the washouts and rain ruts slowed us down.
RIDGE
Adventurer
Continuing on...
Tightening up a little.
Literally between a rock and a hard spot (trees), I was forced to swing out around the trees. The only problem was that put me right on the edge of a 6 foot drop off. I tried to save the paint and almost ended up rolling the van off the embankment. I puckered as I felt the left front start going away.
I ended up being able to slowly back up and out of trouble. I decided I like desert pin striping and hugged the trees.
Even though we made it, I was starting to wonder how bad it was going to get.
Remember, we are by ourselves now...with no winch! Can't afford to pick the wrong line or slide off a rock and high center. We did bring a Hi-Lift jack but those might be more dangerous than racing motorcycles.
Tightening up a little.
Literally between a rock and a hard spot (trees), I was forced to swing out around the trees. The only problem was that put me right on the edge of a 6 foot drop off. I tried to save the paint and almost ended up rolling the van off the embankment. I puckered as I felt the left front start going away.
I ended up being able to slowly back up and out of trouble. I decided I like desert pin striping and hugged the trees.
Even though we made it, I was starting to wonder how bad it was going to get.
Remember, we are by ourselves now...with no winch! Can't afford to pick the wrong line or slide off a rock and high center. We did bring a Hi-Lift jack but those might be more dangerous than racing motorcycles.
