Moab 2007 May 19-20 Chat Thread

[Positive Vibes]

For the people showing up on Fri. whats the plan. Or should we start another thread just for Fri so we don't clog up this one?

 

[Dignan]

Does anyone plan to stay after the weekend? Like Monday or Tuesday? I can't come until Saturday, so I want to stay late if I can, to make up the lost time from Friday.

 

[Positive Vibes]

Does anyone plan to stay after the weekend? Like Monday or Tuesday? I can't come until Saturday, so I want to stay late if I can, to make up the lost time from Friday.

Most leave on Sun but there always a few that stay Mon and somtimes Tue.

 

[MoabB2]

For the people showing up on Fri. whats the plan. Or should we start another thread just for Fri so we don't clog up this one?

Why don't we meet at 9am in the City Market parking lot. From there we could discuss where we were headed. Just a suggestion.

A few have discussed going to area BFE on Friday....

 

[GJarrett]

I guess I'll just show up Friday morning at City Market and see what happens. I'll get there Thursday night.

Since Ashli and her son Ivan are joining me this year it looks like I'll be stuck with doing trails I've already done; Ivan wants to see where Ashli and I got married so there's a trip to TOTW (for the gazillionth time) and I think he'll enjoy the dino tracks on the Arches Natl Park trails so I'll probably be doing those the other day; if some stockers come then I'll be happy to lead them. I still don't know which day I'll do which - TOTW on Friday maybe and Arches Saturday, or vice versa. These are all stocker type trails so I'll be itching to do something harder if/when I can work it in.

Sunday I'd really like to try something harder and once again want to try to run Flat Iron Mesa if anyone else would be interested in that. Flat Iron Mesa has been a sort of curse to me - I keep trying to run it and something always seems to come up; I still haven't been on it yet.

Dignan, last year I wanted to leave Moab Monday via the Lockhart Basin trail which would take all day and probably camp on the trail that night on the way out. If you're interested in that I'd be game since I broke last year and was unable to do that.

 

[DB_1]

Why don't we meet at 9am in the City Market parking lot. From there we could discuss where we were headed. Just a suggestion.

A few have discussed going to area BFE on Friday....

I agree...this my first trip to Moab so i'm game for whatever

Finally got a real CB for my truck installed now I just need to make some brackets for the lovely mudflaps that need to go on so I can keep the "man" happy

 

[Msupertek]

Hey Positive Vibes, just meet up city market just like Moab said and we'll run out to BFE in the morning...

 

[Positive Vibes]

Hey Positive Vibes, just meet up city market just like Moab said and we'll run out to BFE in the morning...

Sounds good but I like my body panels still. So if it's to burly I'm catchin a ride with you.

 

[Dignan]

Dignan, last year I wanted to leave Moab Monday via the Lockhart Basin trail which would take all day and probably camp on the trail that night on the way out. If you're interested in that I'd be game since I broke last year and was unable to do that.

Well, that does sound good, but I'm not even sure if I can get the explorer fit for Moab by then, let alone the lift. The lift before Moab is out for sure. I've decided I'm going to get a front Dana 44 or similar and so that is going to take more time than I have before this trip. So, even if I can get the tranny and engine cooling thing taken care of, then I will still have only a 3" body lift, no suspension lift and no lockers (no rear passenger window either, but that wont slow me down too much). I think Lockhart Basin might be a little too much until I get a little more lift. If there are other trail options, I'd be in, but I don't want to pull you away from that since you have been trying to go there. Whether it be Monday or any other day, I'd like to try Kane Creek. One of my favorite trails in Moab was Salt Creek, but since it was closed several years ago, I've been wanting to try Kane Creek to get my fill of water crossings. As for trails that I have done in my barely-past-stock Explorer, the most extreme I have run and done well with, is Elephant Hill and Fins & Things. I did Tip Toe Behind the Rocks, but that was a little too much for my Explorer. I've been on Steelbender in another vehicle and think my Explorer could handle that. So, I'm down with those or any other trails along those lines. Plus this all depends on me fixing the explorer. These darn cooling lines are leaking profusely from the 700R4 so, I need to fix that. Its a lot harder to fix these things with two jobs, so I'll see what I can do.

 

[GJarrett]

Dignan, Kane Creek now has a couple of obstacles that have eroded since Charles Wells' book came out that would put that trail on a 4 rating.... I had 35" tires, lockers front and rear, and still had trouble going up one single ledge back in '04. Of course that may be graded down to a parking lot by now; I'm just saying you cannot always tell by the book until you get there.... and Lockhart Basin is rated much easier than that and from what I can tell there's only the one ledge at the first of the trail and if you can make that then you're good to go for the rest of the run..... just a thought and a temptation for you to join me

 

[MoabB2]

Dignan, Kane Creek now has a couple of obstacles that have eroded since Charles Wells' book came out that would put that trail on a 4 rating.... I had 35" tires, lockers front and rear, and still had trouble going up one single ledge back in '04. Of course that may be graded down to a parking lot by now; I'm just saying you cannot always tell by the book until you get there.... and Lockhart Basin is rated much easier than that and from what I can tell there's only the one ledge at the first of the trail and if you can make that then you're good to go for the rest of the run..... just a thought and a temptation for you to join me

I'll second that. I ran Kane Creek in October of 2005 and we were told that it was worse than ever before, a 4+. I barely scraped by with 33's and open diffs, and it only took our 3 rigs about 12 hours to get through. You never know until you run the trail, that is why it is always best to go with someone who has been there before. This is a picture of a nice little ledge you have to climb at the very end.

 

[Brian1]

Well I havent given too much consideration to the trails I want to do this year. Friday afternoon depending on what time I get to town I may just do Bull Canyon + Gemini Bridges + Long Canyon.

It has been a while since I have done Hidden Canyon, Hidden Canyon Overlook, Bartlett Overlook (take my vengeance on that ledge ) and Rainbow Terrace. The only part I dont like about doing those trails is navigating, it can get tricky from what I remember. Last time I did those was with Alec, Wabbit and Peter Webber (wow it has been a long time )

I wouldnt mind doing the Arches park trails again either. Gerald, if you do that on a Saturday or Sunday I would tag along.

 

[Tilt168]

hell i'll be there and it'll be my first time...so i'll bring the queen and just follow the pack...I still need to figure out camping arrangements...are we doing a group site or each of us getting one...im lost.....

 

[FlyBoyCoe]

Tilt, I'll go in on a campsite with you if you like. It looks like most people are going to the Canyonlands campground. Hopefully I'll be getting a new tent soon, I got a 20% off coupon for REI Now if only I could get 20% off at 4WP.

 

[becker69]

I reserved a campsite at Canyonlands (with a cover overhead for sun shade) for Thurs through Sat night... I would've gotten a group site but I was paranoid that they'd be out of sites. If any of you do call 'em ask if they have the large group site with cover (not where you have to cross the 'creek' to get to it... but the one at the top) and we can consolidate sites.

FlyboyCoe; give www.campmor.com a look as well they're competitively priced and sell high quality stuff as well

 

[Dignan]

Dignan, Kane Creek now has a couple of obstacles that have eroded since Charles Wells' book came out that would put that trail on a 4 rating.... I had 35" tires, lockers front and rear, and still had trouble going up one single ledge back in '04. Of course that may be graded down to a parking lot by now; I'm just saying you cannot always tell by the book until you get there.... and Lockhart Basin is rated much easier than that and from what I can tell there's only the one ledge at the first of the trail and if you can make that then you're good to go for the rest of the run..... just a thought and a temptation for you to join me

A little temptation is all I need. I'm not much for blindly trusting whoever says its ok, because last time I came with the group, someone said Tip Toe Behind the Rocks is ok for a stock Explorer. Suffice it to say, my under-carriage would beg to differ. I do however listen intently to warnings about a trail degrading, because it certainly is common. That is too bad in the respect that I likely will not be able to run Kane Creek this year, but I guess it is good in that it will force me into my upgrades.

So in your opinion, a 3 inch body lift and 31s is enough to get through Lockhart Basin? That first ledge you mentioned... thats not like the first ledge on Behind the Rocks, right? I ask because that is the same thing that the guy said about Behind the Rocks and I find it a little humurous. I don't really want to get myself into another mess like that, but I do want to try some new trails. Call my crazy, but I'll give it a try. So you plan to do it Monday, camp, and drive out Tuesday, right?

 

[Dignan]

Man, I feel like an idiot. I was totally looking at the wrong trail description. I was looking at Flat Iron Mesa for some reason. I just read about Lockhart Basin, and that sounds fine to me. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[JStrider]

I just signed up. so I'll be there for sure now. I'll be bringing along my girlfriend as well... we might want to ride along with one of the big guys to see a real hard trail or 2.

 

[Msupertek]

Ok after looking around I think at BFE I'd like to hit Strike Ravine first its 6.29 miles, then Green Day 1.28 miles and Minor Threat .2 miles...

410 does that sound fine to ya?

A buddy of mine has a Rubicon with 33x12.50 bfg's he will be coming as well.

I looked up all three trails and from what I've seen in pics and read from the write ups they definitely seem do-able as long as you have atleast one locker and 35's...

So who all wants to join us?

 

[Msupertek]

Rick have you decided on any trails yet for Saturday and Sunday?