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Hole in the Rock Oct 11-15th

Bart

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
The first pic is of the new part of the trail. Right behind the people at the bottom is the big washed out area in Lake Canyon. The second pic is the new trail (comes out behind the yellow TJ) that connects with the old trail, just ahead of where the orange Runner is. The rest of the trail is like it was before.
 
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cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
OK, so the trail is 100% drivable, albeit a bit of a new route. I'm planning a trip down there in mid-December.

Anyone have some thoughts on a winter trip down there? The ferry runs year round, though with less departure times. Thoughts?
 
O

OldGeezer

Registered User
Location
Salt Lake
cruiseroutfit said:
OK, so the trail is 100% drivable, albeit a bit of a new route. I'm planning a trip down there in mid-December.

Anyone have some thoughts on a winter trip down there? The ferry runs year round, though with less departure times. Thoughts?
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So long as there is no snow I'd do it. And don't rely on Halls Crossing for supplies, their winter hours are short.
 
Bart

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
cruiseroutfit said:
OK, so the trail is 100% drivable, albeit a bit of a new route. I'm planning a trip down there in mid-December.

Anyone have some thoughts on a winter trip down there? The ferry runs year round, though with less departure times. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

On yeah, the entire trail is runnable. We didn't go out to the overlook, but we made it this far down into the Rincon. I defintely wouldn't do it with snow on it.

BTW, if you hit the ferry just right, you'll save time getting there, but we drove around and beat most of the people that went with us on the ferry. The ride across the lake would have been nice though.
 
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Cody

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
Gastown
ya, up to grey mesa would be no fun in the snow/ice...i wouldn't do it and I've been known to do things I know are against better judgment.
 
Brett

Brett

Meat-Hippy
Location
Salt Lake City Utah
Cody said:
ya, up to grey mesa would be no fun in the snow/ice...i wouldn't do it and I've been known to do things I know are against better judgment.
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I'm with Cody on this. After running it in the rain, I wouldn't do it in the snow. Too many chances to screw up and really hurt yourself if you slip.


But, dry and cold, sure :D
 
cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
So where are the good campsites??

Pending the weather... we're planning on being down there this Saturday - Wednesday of next week. We are planning to run the trail to the Cottonwood overlook and the Rincon.

Any suggested camp sites? GPS Coords?
 
cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Brett said:
Kurt, did you make it back from there?
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Yup... everything went as planned... we cut out time on top of Grey Mesa a bit short (left in the evening rather than the following morning) as the weather report indicated snow coming in. So we camped our 3rd night back towards the trail head (near the old fort) and then spent the extra night camping in the San Rafael Swell (we came home via Temple Mtn, Cottonwood, Buckhorn, Clevland, all dirt to Wellington :cool:)

Wish I were still out camping :D

Trip report in the works... here is a teaser shot:
 

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cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Brett said:
Looks cold! I see a little pop up on your trailer ;)
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The cold wasn't bad at all... dress warm, and your in the heated rig most the day anyhow. Day 1 & 2 were much warmer (Tom and I were sporting t-shirts ), Tom was all over the weather radio and we decided to get off Grey Mesa before the snow flew... we arrived back at our "base" camp just as the snow started falling.

Roof top tents are cool :cool:
 
cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
sjbrownie4x4 said:
So what does the future hold for this trail. Will the by-pass be eroded in the near future or is it on rock?
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It could wash out worse if the conditions were right...

The canyon that washed out, once actually once a lake (hence the name Lake Canyon). The pioneers actually used a different route then we do, they traveled over the now washed out natural dam. What seems to have happened is a log/debris jam of sorts, when it finally let go with the heavy rains in October, it took alot of earth with it. Turns out my uncle was running the trail the day it happened... long story short they found the bypass.

Its very possible that there is another way into the trail further to the southeast, I didn't hike around looking but it is very possible.
 
sjbrownie4x4

sjbrownie4x4

Active Member
Location
SLC, UT
is there anything that we can do to shore up the trail. Sounds like a really good chance to do some service, and maybe even get some positive press for the community.

My dad was running this trail when he was young and I have been there many times, but none very recently. We have a spring trip planned already to return.
 
cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
sjbrownie4x4 said:
is there anything that we can do to shore up the trail. Sounds like a really good chance to do some service, and maybe even get some positive press for the community.
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I don't know that there is much that could be done... I scoffed when Brett & Cody told me that it would take 100's of dumploads of dirt to bring the trail back... Come to find out they were not kidding, it wiped out alot of real estate. But as mentioned earlier, I don't think it will go anywhere anytime soon, the trail is still fairly wide in the current state, and an earlier "break" from the river leading into Lake Canyon could be scouted and potentially built?

It is definetly something we should all keep our eyes on, if/when it needs something done I know I would be more than happy to trek back down there and help.
 
benjy

benjy

Rarely wrenches
Supporting Member
Location
Moab
Brett said:
And the pic you all have been waiting for (sorta)

fh010018szl5.jpg


Very far left is where you use to head up, though you can't see it. You can however see how the canyon is collapsing on itself.
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seems to me that it has washed out a lot worse since then, it's an amazing trail, we had a lot of fun on it
 
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