I put much of this information up just before Rick accidentally deleted the thread. Hey, Rick, it was only a thread and not your transmission again. No big deal…..this is still the coolest site on the web!
I really want to go on the August run in California run also…it will be grand, but Paul and Kev, I’m going crazy now and need to get out on a really good run soon. If I wait until August, you will find me in The Nice Quiet Home for the Perpetually Aroused, cutting paper dolls or my wrists. So I’ll lead a SE Utah run in a few weeks
Arch Canyon and Hotel Rock are considered some of the best wheeling in the world, and in the opinion of many Moab’ers, have much more to offer.
Hotel Rock has some great vistas, about a 3+ trail with a couple of hard obstacles. Arch Canyon is considered one of the most beautiful in the southwest and the trail is a 2 to 2+, crisscrossing a wash. Both trails have superb scenery with red and white Navajo and Cocoñino sandstone "slickrock" with gnarled piñon and juniper trees. The experience of these canyon country trials is heightened by magnificent Anasazi cliff dwelling Indian ruins. These are not just trails to have fun on. There is a coveted destination on each trail, a place to savor the end of the trail.
If you are coming from the east, you can enter and exit the Blanding, Utah area by way of the San Juan Mountains (scenic), Durango with its narrow gauge steam train (ride it to Silverton), Mesa Verde National Park (huge cliff dwellings), and Hovenweep National Monument (ancient towers).
If you are coming from the west, you can enter and exit the Blanding, Utah area by way of Capitol Reef National Park (do some wheeling and cliff hiking), Glen Canyon National Rec Area (fish for big striper bass and cats, take a houseboat ride), Hole in the Rock Trail (fine wheeling), and Natural Bridges National Park (wait until you see these Golden Arches).
If you are coming from the south, you can enter and exit the Blanding, Utah area by way of Monument Valley (huge monoliths of red sandstone, home of many western movies) and the Goosenecks of the San Juan (bends of this deep canyon almost turn back to touch each other). The views are spectacular.
If you are coming from the north, you can enter and exit the Blanding, Utah area by way of Moab and do some trails there. There is also several entries to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, the incredible Newspaper Rock (finest petroglyph panel in the U.S.).
An amazing grasp of the obvious: Bring your camera!!! This can be a true hegira (trip of learning).
April 16th – Arrive Blanding, Utah. Blanding is a nice bitsy town. There are two full-service groceries, several motels, some nice B&Bs, a couple of mechanics shops, several gas stations, and a couple of edible restaurants. What it is NOT is trendy like Moab…no T-shirt shops, spandex mtn. Bikers, outlet stores, $100 gourmet meals that are high-quality-but-low-quantity, etc. I got a local latté in Blanding once…tasted just like mud (I don’t know why, it was fresh GROUND…yuck, yuck). Blanding and the entire county are DRY…no booze is sold anywhere…so purchase what you want before you come to town. But Blanding has its own charm. Quiet neighborhoods, great vistas, nice folks. There is pound for pound one of the finest little museums in the country …Edge of the Cedars, with a restored Anasazi village on a cliff top and superb displays. Blanding, Monticello, and Bluff, Utah are some of the best kept secrets in America.
The weather in April is the best….cold nights and warm days. (I hiked Grand Gulch a few years back in mid-April and it got down to 19°….brrrr.) Normally it gets to freezing at night and goes up into the low 70°s during the day. If you are camping near the trailhead in Comb Wash keep night time temps in mind. Bring some bug dope for the piñon gnats…these little no-see-ums can be vicious, but they are only common in very wet years and not usually until May. It’s nice in Comb Wash….we may just "campfire" there one night.
The trailhead is only about 25 minutes from Blanding. I will probably stay at the Prospector Inn…..older but remodeled, clean, cheap, comfy-cozy, big corner room available with enough beds for a large family and cooking facilities if you are bringing everybody, near a good restaurant, fuel across the street, etc. (I might also be in a M’home at Comb Wash…I’m now a dealer (W’bagos/Itascas). You want a M’home? Our new motto is "We rip off the OTHER guy and pass the savings on to YOU…!)
OK, the trail runs and some basics: This is BLM land and we have permission and the very best wishes of Kent Walters, BLM area director. We will register at each trailhead every day. We MUST "Tread Lightly" and keep vehicles on the trails at all times. We can enjoy the archaeological ruins, but not touch or take anything except pictures….these are VERY fragile and, of course, no more are being manufactured. The trails are on USGS Hotel Rock Quad (7.5 series) although the upper part of Arch Canyon extends a little bit into USGS South Point Quad (7.5 series). Always encouraged is common sense. First Aid kit, good sunblock and a hat (we are at altitude with crystal blue skies), plenty of water, a little back up food, should be equipe de jour.
April 17th -- Hotel Rock is the gnarly trail with one ledge section and a couple of steep climbs. Stockers may want to go to hotel rock the back way on some easier dirt roads. The rest of you MUST have tow hooks as there may be some winching involved at these climbs. We will operate on CB Channel 4, and there will be hand-held radios for scouting and guiding around obstacles. One of the "big dogs" with winch and lockers (probably me - "Iceberg") will be "Squadron Leader" and a similar rig (probably "ARRGGHH!") will serve as "Tail Gunner" to make sure everybody gets over these obstacles. Of course, we will also have GPS to assure that we can really get lost! The end of the trail is Hotel Rock itself, a magnificent beehive shape rock pocked with cliff dwellings. Here’s a special treat: Famous archaeologist Winston Hurst will ride with me to give us a grand educated tour and talk about the ancient Anasazi. We will exit either on the easy route, or if we had goobers of fun, just turn around and do it all over again backwards! The descent has breathtaking views of Comb Ridge.
April 18th -- Arch Canyon is nice trail, requiring 4WD but little else. There are some little steps, but no hard climbs or shelf roads. The trail does crisscross the Arch Canyon Wash. Depending on recent snow or rain, we may have to adjust accordingly, but it has been a very dry year.. It is long but not particularly slow, so we may get to the arch without difficulty. The canyon is filled with cliff dwellings.
April 19th – depart for home, hopefully stoked, charged, and restored. If you miss this run, you miss some great wheeling, spectacular canyonland scenery, and the mystery of the Ancient Ones. Hope to see you there. Please RSVP…I need to keep the BLM updated as to our numbers.
As we get closer to the time of the run, I’ll put more details up on this thread. ARRGGHH!!! with his "magic fingers" promises to "Tread Lightly" on this discussion from now on…..
This is your brain
Dead Link Removed ...this is your brain off-road
Dead Link Removed ...any questions?
jlobdell@flash.net
[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 03-11-99).]
