7 Mile Rim and Hell-Roaring Canyon

Moab, UT
August 17 - 18, 2013


Pearl meets Thumper!



Thumper belongs to Dee.

 Our  plans quickly changed Saturday morning when Dee invited us to join her and Thumper on 7 Mile Rim. In our Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails Guide, 7 Mile Rim is the first trail on the difficult list.

The first part of the trail is rocky and ledgy. Joe is very pleased with how the  sway-bar disconnect works that we had installed at TERAFLEX. I am usually in Pearl so I don't have a better picture that shows how they help when crawling up and down.

 So far, Dee has been the leader...a dang good leader at that!


Thumper first...

 ...then Pearl!

Dee always takes her time...allowing Joe to ask questions and pointing out different strategies.

 The smile tells it all!

There were stretches of slickrock between the ledges.

I love the Jeeping...but I am all about the views too!

 If you are afraid of heights...this is not the view for you. Dee pulled right up to the edge of the cliff. Even my stomach did a flip!

There are several side trips you can take on this trail. We chose Uranium Arch. This arch is located in Court House Pasture.

It is a large arch spanning 75 feet wide. I was very surprised to look up and see 4-wheelers riding across the arch.

Monitor and Merrimac Buttes in the distance

This was going to be our picnic spot, but with rain in the distance and a few miles to go, we traveled on.

 Our next big adventure on this trail led us through a mix of soft sand...WHOA! WHOA! and through some tight spots on slickrock.

Until it circled around the base of the Merrimac...a very tippy section of the trial. Dee calls this Ilean because that's what you do...lean to the driver's side.

 The last part of the trail took us around the base of Determination Towers...




...and through the wash by way of Mill Creek Canyon and back to Hwy 191.







It was a great day topped off with a late lunch at Pasta Jays.

Sunday morning, Joe and I were out the door and on the Hell-Roaring Canyon hiking trail early! This is a really easy 2.2 mile hike to the canyon rim and back. Its rather hot here so we are taking it slow to adjust to the heat.

 It is a well marked trail maintained by the BLM

 with small inclines and rock ledges.

There wasn't much to see along the trail...the hot summer temperatures have parched all the flowers.

 But there is beauty in everything...  like these twisted and gnarled tree trunks.





This is the biggest cairn we have ever seen...

...and this is why! Being careful on the rim was highlighted in the trail description.

The canyon is beautiful! It is about 12 miles long and one of four canyons around the Canyonlands NP that drain into the Green River. For most of the year it is dry except in severe rainstorms.

Barrier Canyon Style rock art , both pictographs and petroglyphs, has been found on the canyon walls dating back somewhere between 1500 to 4000 years old or older.

From our side of the rim, we had a perfect view of Jewel Tibbetts Arch. It's name honors a woman who lived at the nearby Horsethief Ranch with her husband in the 1950s and 60s. She often took visitors from the ranch on hikes to see the arch.


The drop-off at the arch overlook is about 400 feet.

It was a great week-end exploring and having a good time!

 We are looking forward to more adventures here...there is always something to do in Moab!

Until next time...

Take care.

 

 

Dragonflies and Hummingbirds

Moab,UT
August 16, 2013





Wednesday and Thursday have been rather busy...not the having fun kind of busy, but the stuff that has to get done busy. I plowed my way through laundry and lots of cleaning on the inside while Joe has been busy with the outside and a couple of projects.

As I mentioned in our last post, the hummingbirds have been enjoying our feeder. I counted 5 this morning and managed to capture 4 of them in this photo.

This little guy was not at all patient waiting his turn...he zipped right on in!

I thought he was sitting on the branch when I took his picture, but captured him just before he perched. The light caught his throat just right to see the ruby red color.

 I have never seen an orangey-red dragonfly. They also zip through the air all around the koi pond.

 There are the turquoise colored dragonflies too. Just so pretty zipping around in the sunlight.

Me and Minnie-me

We have plans tomorrow to get up really early and hike the Jewel Tibbetts Arch Trail before it gets too hot.

 

Can't believe it's the week-end already...

 ...hope you have a great one!

Until next time...