Wheelin' and Exporin'

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
April 22, 25, 26, 2016

One of the nice things about being apart of the Moab Friends For Wheeling club is that when people who want to go wheeling visit here, often they will contact the club via Facebook for help.  Such was the case a couple of weeks ago when Mike, Tara, and their year old son Hunter arrived from Vancouver.  Dee volunteered to lead them on Hell's Revenge and we were invited to come along.  We readily accepted...just can't get enough Hell's Revenge !

 The following Monday, the six of us headed out to Jackson Hole.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day for some rock hounding and cliff climbing !  Pearl was getting new tires so we rode along with Dee.

On the way to Jackson Butte, we made a stop to hunt for fossils.   

I only found one seashell fossil this time. 









Jackson Butte is on the left...Cliffhanger is the ridge that wraps around from behind the butte to the right.

 I love this angle of the butte...

Rock climbing on the back side of Jackson Butte under the Cliffhanger 4X4 trail was a hoot although Joe and I didn't go as far as Dee and Jeremy.  Quite a challenge to figure out the best route and not cause a rock slide. 

L-R Tara, Dee, Mike and Hunter and Joe

 It's so beautiful here...

 Our stopping point, looking down at Tara and Hunter...




and up at Dee and Jeremy.

Our last stop was in the riverbed where the Colorado River once flowed.  One of my favorite rock hounding spots.

I found a new cactus.  This is a Whipple's Fishhook.  It is named after Amiel Wicks Whipple (1818-1863) who was an engineer for surveys of the US/New Mexico boundary from 1853-1856.  Nature is so amazing...the pores open up at night to allow carbon dioxide to enter. It is stored and during the day is used in photosynthesis. 


These are tiny cactus (2" to 1.2' tall) with showy light purple or pinkish flowers.

Our last day with the Johansens was spent on Poison Spider.  It was an overcast day and we mostly had the trail to ourselves. 



Looking back on the waterfall we had just climbed and the fresh tire marks we had made.






 Mike drove the waterfall and V-Notch like a pro...

...and did a dang good job on Wedgy too! 

No matter what the weather, High-Speed Mesa is always a blast and gorgeous.

 No trip on Poison Spider is complete without a picture of mama pig and her piglets...

...a picture of the dead ( I prefer sleeping) buffalo...

...or a hike to Little Arch.  (Just on the other side of the river, you can make out Moab Rim parking lot.)


Hunter had a ball...maybe an up and coming rock climber?

The stunning overlook is a must see.







And of course the sandy play hill brings out lots of laughs and wahoos!  We made freshies!   

Poison Spider Mesa is marked as one of Charles Wells' (author of Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails) favorite trails and it's no wonder.  

It was great meeting such nice young people and we sure hope our paths cross again.

Until next time, happy days, and...

 HAPPY TRAILS !

Poison Spider

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
May 21, 2015

Joe and I were thrilled to arrive in Moab and get an invite to do Poison Spider 4X4 trail the very next day. 

Poison Spider is one of my favorite trails because of the spectacular views and because the trail is full of fun stuff to do...there is a waterfall to climb, a wedgy where tires are carefully placed, a mesa to cross, a cave to eat lunch in, an arch, lots of slick rock fins, ledges to crawl, and the funnest of all...sand to play in! Of course, pictures don't do the trail justice. Nor do you hear the laughter or the "Whoo Hoos!". 

I love watching the tires articulate! Terry climbs wedgy!

Dee leads us across the mesa.

Our lunch stop...we hiked down to the cave and to Little Arch.

Of course, whoever goes down has to go back up! 

Looking out the back of Pearl...

There is a side trail to Barney's Overlook. Don't know why its named that, but my what a view on the edge!

We saw Portal and actually zoomed in on Belle...cool!

Arches NP...we zoomed in on an arch and balanced rock.

Leaving the overlook, the edge was on my side...scary fun!

Playing on the sand dune...

Lots of morning glories...

...and prickly pear in bloom.

Timing couldn't have been better...the rains were coming!

It was very windy as we returned home on Potash Road.

So, until next time, happy days and...

HAPPY TRAILS!