A Creek, A Canyon and An Arch

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
June 20 & 21, 2014

Friends, Ronnie and Carol, pulled into Portal RV Resort last Wednesday (June 18th). They were looking forward to taking their Jeep...which they named Jade...on some trails. Ronnie has never been off-road in Jade. I think they are hooked! With Dee's advise, we planned three rides ranging from really easy, to easy, and moderate.

Three days...three trails...three destinations.

Our first day was about a 32 mile loop with a variety of scenery, fun creek crossings, and twisty shelf trails to the LaSal Mountains.

I just cant help myself...while Joe and Ronnie aired down, I was snapping pictures.

Below is the best photo to show three rock formations in the Castle Valley area.

Left to right...Castleton Tower, The Castle, and The Priest and Nuns

If crossing creeks tickles your tummy, this trail is for you! There are 22 crossings thru Onion Creek.

If you think colorful rocks are the "bomb", this trail is for you. There is nothing quite like a mix of red and turquoise. 

  

 

If you like twisty shelf roads and wide-open views, this is a mouth dropper.

 

 

  

 If you want to practice tire placement on small rock ledges, this is a great place to become "one" with your jeep.








If a cool breeze on a hot day puts a smile on your face, you're going to love this.

If you just need to hug a tree, you will find lots of them.

And if the great outdoors makes your heart swell with joy like it does mine, I hope you enjoy.

Day two was also a loop with one side trip. We took Potash Road (Hwy 279) to the Shafer Switchbacks which took us to Hwy313. We made a right turn onto 313 and then a right turn into Dead Horse State Park. After 1.6 miles we took a wide dirt road to the left...Long Canyon Trail.

We stopped to air down at the boat ramp where the pavement ends on Potash Road. No pictures here...we were attacked by these colossal mosquitos. They were so big we could actually count the black and white stripes they were proudly parading!



Pearl and Jade

Our first stop of the day was to view Thelma and Louise Point on Potash Road.








Walking out to the point...

...and looking down!

And there is that male posturing again...

Somewhere on Potash Road we entered Canyonlands NP.

At the end of Potash Road, we turned left for a side trip to Musselman Arch...

Ronnie, Carol & Cooper

I really needed a wide-angle lens to photograph Musselman Arch. It is 5 feet thick, 6 feet wide, and 187 feet long. Technically it is a bridge and was once know as "Little Bridge". The name was changed to honor a resident well-known for exploring the region.

We did walk all the way across!

Getting to the arch is a hoot on a not so wide shelf road

with the Colorado River below.

 

Next up, the Shafer Switchbacks. Up and around, up and around...don't know how many times.

 From there it was Long Canyon...best know for Pucker Pass and Giant Fallen Rock. You know you are on the right trail if you are heading straight for the LaSal Mountains. After about 3 miles, the trail changes from this...

 

to this...Pucker Pass.

Jade exiting Pucker Pass...







...and coming thru Giant Fallen Rock. We were pleased to hear Ronnie and Carol both agreed they had a great day. Ronnie had a good work out on the 4-wheel drive, especially coming down Long Canyon which is why we went that way.

Jug Handle Arch

Our day ended at Jug Handle Arch right back on Potash Road.

A quick update on Sally...I forgot in my last post. She is doing great. Her incision is healing nicely and her stitches can come out next Monday. Her energy level has increased...we actually have a playful Sally. Her new food which is a dissolution formula and the thyroid medicine seem to be agreeing with her. Thank you to everyone for the kind comments for her speedy recovery.

 

So until next time, take care and

 

 happy trails!

Up next...Dellenbaugh Tunnel and where is Belle?

Pearl Did A Wedgy!

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
June 13, 2014

When Friday the 13th dawned...we had plans with a Poison Spider...good thing we are not superstitious! 
Poison Spider Mesa is rated #5 by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers Club. It does have a sting, but not a deadly bite! In fact, their review states "the jeeping is just challenging enough to be fun without being a vehicle buster". 


The trail begins with a series of uphill switchbacks with rock ledges. We followed Dee who was driving Roxanne.

Unlike Porcupine Rim, which was a precursor for Poison Spider, this trail had lots of open spaces with some sections of easy driving.

We enjoyed a variety of terrains from sandy canyons...

to riding the mesa...

and even slickrock.

 The first obstacle came at about 2 miles into the trail. It is called "The Waterfall". It does not have a bypass so to continue, you have to climb up and to exit you have to climb down.

Tire placement is important...so much so, Dee drew lines with a rock on the passenger side for us to follow.




The Waterfall obstacle gives this 4X4 Trail its rating of "5". Pictures don't show how narrow it is, the drop off or the two turns. Joe and Pearl did great with Dee spotting. Go Pearl!

The second major obstacle (at about 2.8 miles) is called the V-Notch or "Big Wedgy" as the locals say. It does have a go-around. No shame in that! Dee went first...notice how the side of the tires ride the rock? An inch off  makes a huge difference. Not only is it a v-notch, it also climbs which the picture doesn't show.

Joe gave it a try...successfully I might add! What a rush that one was! On the return trip, however, he chose not to drive down. No shame in that!

Thank you Dee!

 

Wahoo!

Remember Pig Rock...we saw it on Chicken Corners. You get an up close view of it on Poison Spider. I just found out last night at dinner that you can see the back of Pig Rock on the cliff behind Portal. That's so cool!

Pig Rock...mama and piglets on the Poison Spider

The back side of Pig Rock from Portal...

We also saw Buffalo Rock. This one was alittle harder to see for me until I realized he was laying (or is that lying ) down.

Buffalo Rock

And remember Little Arch from the Chicken Corners trail? Well, Little Arch is the park and have lunch spot for Poison Spider. Its the end of the trail...

 

You can see Moab Rim parking lot, Kane Creek Road, and the Colorado River thru the arch. 

 

 

 And we had a bird's eye view of the Z-Turn on Moab Rim.

Do you see the two jeeps in the Z?

 It was a fantastic Friday for sure...full of thrills...

 

Dee exiting via the Big Wedgy

 

...adventure...

 

There is a cave to explore near the Little Arch.

 

...beauty...

...more beauty...

...wonders of nature...

...birds...

 

...and animals.

A beautiful grey fox with breakfast...

Its been over a week since we made the Poison Spider run.

 

The Bledsoe's home on wheels!

 

Look who happened to roll in three sites down, our friends, Ronnie and Carol and their pup Cooper. They arrived last Wednesday and it has been non stop fun!

Be safe and...

happy trails!

Up next, jeeping with Ronnie and Carol...