Utah Trip (AKA Kick HITR Trails Butt Thread)

[Happy Jack]

1 short week to go!

 

[Tbars4]

...I was really hoping to just sneak up there and surprise you guys on this trip but sadly my work delays by others puts me starting a job when you are starting this trip..

 

[Happy Jack]

I'll PM ya my cell number in case you can get away. Not much help most times but you never know. Sometimes we get cell service on the trails.

 

[Happy Jack]

Should be pulling out of town heading west tomorrow evening about 5:00. I even have a bunch packed already. If today goes well then tomorrow won't be bad at all.

 

[Happy Jack]

A couple of teaser pics from Black Mesa. Had some trouble with Jr. so we are not doing the Blue Mountains today. In Blanding getting showers and then taking the SD up to Poison Sping tonight. Back to Blanding tomorrow. Keeping fingers crossed they have the correct part for Jr.

 

[Tbars4]

..What needs a fixin?..

..Keep the pictures coming as I surely wished I could have made this but I would of had a mess on my hands when I came back..

 

[Happy Jack]

I'll try to get more pics this evening. We went up to Poison Spring yesterday and just returned to base camp. Folks from KS will be in tonight. Sorry you could not get away. Just have to come out again and do another trip. We'll start planning it when I get back in a little over a week.

 

[Turdle]

More please! What happened to Clint's truck?

 

[Happy Jack]

Clints SD the tow vehicle is fine. Jr. had a leaking axle seal. Had it replaced and it is holding up so far.

 

[Happy Jack]

Sorry I left the camera and puter at camp last night. And no time to get more pics tonight. The guys did a bunch of go pro today so I hope to have a bunch of good stuff in a week or so,

 

[Happy Jack]

Back home tonight. A bit more pics. What leaked on Jr. and one of Garrett with seat time in Jr. on the Cow Tank section of HITR.

I'll try to get a trip report made up in a few days.

 

[Happy Jack]

More pics are here: http://s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh275/broke350/Utah 2012/

 

[Happy Jack]

Things started not far off plan Tuesday. Everything was loaded and we headed for La Junta, CO.

Wednesday things were going well when we hit the construction zone from Durango to Cortez. What a mess. Made it to Blanding, UT and found out from Sundance that the visitor’s center was closed. Tried to meet up for ice cream across the street but there was not enough room to park the truck with the trailer. We went and had a evening meal then out to Comb Wash and found the campsite I wanted was open. We set up camp and spent a good night.

 

[Happy Jack]

Thursday we were ready for some wheel time. Black Mesa was on the schedule for the day and we started on the west side. We looked for a fun little road according to Delorme but it wasn’t where Delorme said it was. Sundance’s new Kenwood dash unit had it but I could not see where it went up. So we went back a fun little road that Delorme had listed as a foot trail. Then we had a noon break on the north main road up to Black Mesa. Garrett even found us some shade. Then up on the mesa and we found Army Road. We followed Army Rd. to the top of the west fun road. It was fun and narrow. Rocks had fallen and there was just enough room to drive around them. But you had to be perfect. Not an inch to spare. Had to rub a tire on a few of the large rocks and still kicked a few small rocks down the hill. Near the bottom we stopped for a break. We had notice some oil on the rear hatch of Jr. the day before and checked transmission and engine fluids and all was good. Garrett found the left rear axle was leaking. I put a quart of oil in the rear axle with help from Garrett and off we went to the highway. From there Sundance took Garrett back to camp to get the truck and trailer. I stayed in Jr. and fired up the air card. I had a weak signal for it and my cell phone. I was able to contact a garage in Blanding to do the work. We made it before closing and the part was ordered to be in the next day. We had an evening meal in Blanding then went back out to camp.

 

[Happy Jack]

Friday morning we were suppose to be heading up to Monticello, UT and then west into the Blue/Abajo mountains. Instead we went to Blanding for showers and supplies. The guys from KS were driving straight through to Blanding the next day and we needed to be back to meet them. Jr. was ready to go about noon. We took Jr. back to camp and elected to take the SD up to Poison Spring canyon. That is a nice drive and Garrett wished he had his Mustang or Harley on that road. We arrived and had a bumpy ride through the canyon to camp. Camp was sandy and while searching for a fire ring the SD decided it did not like to move in the sand. We aired down and the SD changed its mind and we made camp out near the trail.

 

[Happy Jack]

Saturday was a nice laid back day. We meet Doc T and his mother Jean. They told great stories of times spent working in the canyon. We were able to see the Butch signature and Sundance even found that guy that looks like him. Sundance gave that guy some money to hike over to check on some rock art. With the aired down SD tires the ride was much more comfortable. We said our goodbyes to Doc and Jean and headed out. We stopped at some shade for noon and soon Doc and jean stopped by and told us another story about the spot we were at. At the highway we aired up, and headed back for Comb Wash base camp. We kicked back again at camp and had an evening meal. About 8:00 pm Garrett and I headed in to town for supplies. We meet up with Curtis and Del and back out to base camp.

 

[Happy Jack]

Sunday we decided to head up Arch Canyon to the first ruins then back out to the “old” road to Blanding over Comb Ridge. Then up north and I showed folks where the Hotel Rock Rd. was. Then on west to the road that goes north and can be used to get to Beef Basin. And finally over Bears Ears and down to Natural Bridges NM. I picked up my life time pass and Del and Sundance picked up senior passes. We took a loop through the NM and had some really great views……….some great ones in the parking lot. Just ask Sundance.

 

[Happy Jack]

Monday was the first day of HITR. This was to start at the west end of the Cow Tank section. That first section was just as I remembered it from a year ago and seemed to have had a lot of traffic since the article on it was published. We nooned at the Kane Gulch ranger station. It was closed but the restrooms were open. It was decided to take the old original HITR trail and bypass the west end of Snow Flats Rd. It was tight as I remembered but as with the Cow Tank section more traveled than the last time I was there. We joined up with Snow Flats Rd. and on west to “The Twist”, where we stopped and took a short break to take some photos. Then down to a dusty Comb Wash. We followed it south to San Juan Hill and on around to the ruins. Folks went through the ruins and we had our evening meal. We decided to return to base camp by way of the highway. We were hurried along by wind and threatening storm clouds. We did not stop in Bluff due to the late hour but did in White Mesa for the low fuel prices. Back to base camp after a long day.

 

[Rick]

Great pics! Looks like a really nice trail Makes me long for next May!!

 

[Happy Jack]

Thankyou Rick.

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