Official Moab to Monument Valley 2012 trip report

[Brian1]

just a few for now to add on to Tbars post. Me out on musselman arch, its about 4'-6' wide! Some of the rim/cliff driving and scenery. White Rim was awesome, finally glad I did it.

 

[gmanpaint]

Amazing pictures guys! Thanks for sharing!

 

[AspenX]

Amazing pictures guys! Thanks for sharing!

Yeah, what he said.

 

[Red FX4]

The one where you can drive up to the edge of the dry water fall always scared me. It would be so easy to just drive right off of it, especially at night. It looks like the drop is about a mile also.

The photo of Musselman Arch reminds me of when I took a picture of my wife on it. She told me to specifically not let her get over the unsupported area. I kept coaxing her to move farther and finally took the picture. When she saw the picture after we got the film developed, she got very angry with me.

I am just about ready to begin my near all night trek on Sunday to meet up with you guys.

 

[Noober1]

Love the pics!!!!

 

[Rick]

Great pics! Keep'em comin'

 

[Tbars4]

..We camped out in a canyon northwest of Arches last night...Today we ran around Arches and we are now at the visitors center by Moab...

..We started this morning off with Scott leading and the first trail we get to you hear over the radio, "Oh Hell No!"..

..Needless to say we didn't take it because Mikes truck would have had to been drug and the rock holes were to deep..:scratch:..and Scott didn't want to risk scratching his truck..:shifty_ey ..yet.

Couple updates though..

..Temps are in the 80's day, 50's night now..

..Brian has a hole in his airline just outside of the tank and it will need some wrenching to repair..

..Scott either still has the partying mouse in his Ranger or he picked up a new one last nite...

..Martin lost all power to his Toyota and we believe it is a corroded post and scan gauge combination problem which we remedied quite quickly..

..The owners have tested their own showers but not much speak on their reviews yet..

..When I get more time and a plug in somewhere I'll post more pics, some rather interesting news, and possibly some GoPro videos of mine...

..Stay tuned..


BTW we need help identifying a lifted blue first gen X with dark tinted windows..He looked as surprised as us to see our trucks going the other way but we are hoping he will pop in here and say hey..

..Edit:

..While I'm sitting in the Parking lot and the rest of the crew ws coming out of the visitor center, some yahoo hit Scott's dad's truck in the mirror in front of all of us..

 

[Tbars4]

...The group split up shortly after yesterdays post from the visitor center...

..Martin, Mike and Scott decided to head back to the previous nights campsite area northwest of Arches NP so they could revisit Arches due to the heavy tourism weekend while Brian, Myself, and Scott's Dad headed south of Moab to camp and offroad explore locally..

..We are all meeting up today in Moab again to fuel and stock up then head south toward Monticello tonight to find a camp then meet up with Red_FX4 tomorrow a.m..

..Will post pics shortly and possibly a video..

 

[Brian1]

Sunrise at Labyrinth camp, White Rim.
Passing under the fallen rock on Long Canyon.
Hoping the curb near Delicate Arch in Arches NP to start a trail
Harley taking in the view on top of Hurrah pass today

 

[Brian1]

Our split group today on top of Hurrah Pass with a view looking North-ish. Behind is a view of the Colorado river.

Tbars' Moab carwash through Kane Creek on the way to town from Hurrah Pass.

 

[Tbars4]

..Live..Brian and his dad Jim watching tv at Mcdonalds while I slave on the computer behind them..

..A shot from the rear of the group...:mattmoon:

..This is Jamie from Telluride and his dog Tupelo Honey who graciously shared his campsite with us on this busy weekend and it was his dog's first camping trip..:biggthump

...I call this one the two Dad's..This is Brian and Scott's Dad on top of Hoorah pass with Binoculars looking across the river and the great expanse..

..Now our trip into and out of the Kane creek camping area let us see 3 different accidents in the brief time we were there...

..First we followed an ambulance and EMS to right before we camped...An older Chevy truck with shell had just rolled over to the good side of the road but it looks like driver was ok but the truck looked like it had the motor pushed in at the front from a big rock..(No pic)

...Coming back from the top of Hoorah this a.m. some motorcycle guys asked us if we saw the quad accident..On the way down a couple hundred feet or so and knowing the general location we spotted it..It is dead center bottom of this pic...Sorry it was a ways off but we could see the fuel leaking, the seat and what looks like a camel pack about 50 ft. above but no body so we hoped this was a earlier rescue of the day before..

..Another not so good picture but we arrived shortly after this guy rolled on the "Z" turn at the beginning/end of Moab Rim trail..The roof of one of the two jeeps is facing us..

..Some really important info when in the area...Where to get showers and wifi service w/ computers..

 

[Tbars4]

..Update: This just in...

Disclaimer:..First let me say, I wasn't on the same road or trail and I don't even think I was within 100 miles of the incident..:shifty_ey

...I just saw Scott's truck drive into City Market and I would say he scratched it but good (easily fixable from my viewpoint) but rumor has it it could have easily been a lot worse..

..I heard he's not in a talkative mood so we will post up when we get the low down in the next day or so..

..In other news...Brians invertor is now on the fritz and he is using mine which only works in his truck..
..Stay tuned..

 

[Keeper0311]

Some great pictures and looks like you guys are having a good time. Hopefully everyone made it out of the accidents alright...

What's up with Scotts rig?

 

[GJarrett]

Great reports!

Makes me jealous

 

[CJExplorer]

Looks like some awesome scenery

 

[Brian1]

We are off comb ridge. Some amazing scenery and old ruins. Currently camped near muley point. Data connectivity is hit and miss so pictures will have to wait. Valley of the gods tomorrow.

 

[Brian1]

Well we did valley of the gods this morning and then all parted ways to head home and to other destinations. Another great trip!

 

[Tbars4]

..I believe Martin as well as Brian are already home..

..I made it home around 7 am this morning..

..I would have made it directly home by 2 am but high winds, rain, zero visibility on Cajon pass had turned over semis and I already had my hands full keeping my rig on the highway with this weather..

..I got a couple hours shut eye up in Victorville at a truck stop which I took full advantage of their showers and left a few pounds of Utah red behind..

..I have a bunch of stuff I need to deal with but I will get pics and videos up slowly but surely..

..Oh yea...Scott's dad and I stopped in and saw the "Code Talkers" exhibit on the way home..:biggthump

 

[Brian1]

I just went through my 400-ish photos and selected 36 to upload.

Getting caught up, Monday around noon we started going up the mountain outside of Monticello where we were stopped dead in our tracks by 1' of snow on the road. We could have made it but it would have taken alot of work to get our whole group through.

We turned around and took the highway to Comb Ridge and dropped in from the North and headed South in Comb Wash. We got to the other highway after ~25 miles and proceeded to South Comb Wash with River House Ruins as the destination. First Mormon Immigrant Trail sign post was spotted near the ruins.

The Rincone Ruins ("The corner") near the San Juan River used in the 1880s

We made camp nearby and then walked the .4 miles to the Riverhouse Ruins the next morning. These ruins were abandoned around 1200. It consisted of 2 houses and a circular room in the middle for religious purposes. A little ways away was their Granary where they stored their corn, beans and grain.

Some pottery, tools and 800 year old corn cobs

 

[Brian1]

From there we went back out and through the highway cut on the South side of Comb Ridge and started North up Butler Wash. Butler is on the high side of the Comb. Our first stop was Wolfman Pannel where after a short hike and scramble down some ledges you come to the Wolfman

On the hike back TBars and I spotted this cool lizard

Leaving there we made another turn on a spur road to the Monarch Cave Trailhead where we hiked another 3/4 mile to the top of a canyon where there was more ruins.

The cave is below a natural pour where water runs off the top and into a pool below providing a source of water. Along the trail up to the ruins were more pottery pieces.

Inside was a stone they used to grind up their grains

Shot from inside looking at the trail along the edge

We then hiked back and had lunch. Continuing North we saw Fishmouth cave but due to time we did not stop to hike it

We aired up at Butler Wash Ruins pullout and I made the hike to see the ruins

We made one more stop at another roadside ruin and then went to Muley Point which happens to be one of my favorite places in Utah. This is looking towards Monument Valley

John's Canyon Trail -we will save this trail run for another time

The Goosenecks from Muley Point

Sunset Tuesday night