Loose Screws 2006 trip report

[Handlebars]

The Loose Screws Tour is all about going beautiful to places that are far away from civilization. It is also nice if the roads going there are rough and seldom traveled. This year was no exception. This year's participants trickled into the Horseshoe Canyon meeting point ready for 5 days of exploring.

Making camp the first night were Ranger Rick and his brother Bill, Jack, Jared, Bryon w/ his TJ, my finace Maria and I. Our little encampment on the edge of Horseshoe:
http://www.fototime.com/1BCBFBA7E5029C0/orig.jpg



We had reservations for 2 nights at the Dollhouse #3 campsite in the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park. Our route through Poison Springs Canyon involved a 50 mile drive from pavement to camp. Part of the route passes through entrada sandstone formations on a stream bed.
http://www.fototime.com/691CFECC2C2E1BC/orig.jpg



Near the spring the road was washed out.
http://www.fototime.com/163D47FD1B14C91/orig.jpg



The ford of the Dirty Devil had us a little worried but we got lucky, reaching it between floods. Judging by the cutbanks, it gets to door handle height on our Cherokees pretty regularly.
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After crossing the river we climbed rapidly, revealing the serpentine canyon carved out by the river.
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5o miles later and after dark, we finally reached our designated campsite. It was such a long and rough drive in, all of us were happy to be spending 2 nights there! Rick's brother had a hard time adjusting to camping out in the barren desert after getting pulled out of Detroit for this trip, so they headed out the next morning.
http://www.fototime.com/E018F683855916E/orig.jpg


With an entire day free, the rest of us went for hikes to explore the surrounding area. Jared, Bryon and Jack went to the Colorado River at Spanish Bottom. Maria and I hiked along the Chocolate Drops, where we were treated with views into the Maze itself. Here is the Pictograph Fork, where the harvest scene pictograph is located:
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That night the rain, thunder and lightning began. It would last all night and most of the morning, producing some interesting conditions for the drive out.
http://www.fototime.com/E71F3C623F1BA27/orig.jpg


Everything was dry when we arrived 2 days before but we were greeted with flooded washes on the way out.
http://www.fototime.com/922CB0BEA6B6833/orig.jpg


I initially wanted to head to Moab a day earlier because of the weather but cooler heads prevailed and the skies cleared, revealing a beautiful, post-storm afternoon. Somehow loosing Jack at Hite, the remaining 3 vehicles headed to Lake Powell over Blue Notch Pass. We found a nice campsite on the rocks overlooking Good Hope Bay and let the tents dry out.
http://www.fototime.com/1E4ACE06B7060AC/orig.jpg


The evening's entertainment involved watching a water-skier that seemed to spend more time swimming than skiing and trying to get a good photograph of Utah's version of the Loch Ness Monster.
http://www.fototime.com/D4BA0B42840E8E8/orig.jpg


Bryon enjoys a morning cup of coffee:
http://www.fototime.com/AC4E371D7F75476/orig.jpg

[Handlebars]

With fair weather greeting us, we headed out to locate the route below the high water mark of the lake that would get us to Red Canyon and Puite Pass. I was pleased to see that somebody had been through, marking the many dead-end spurs with "route closed" signs, but left the road to the canyon bottom open. Somewhere along the way...
http://www.fototime.com/D860595B29EF8CA/orig.jpg


I located the access point to Red Canyon pretty easily but the tamarisk has overgrown it pretty badly. Jared and I spent a half hour with saws, cutting a path through just wide enough to pass a Jeep or 3.
http://www.fototime.com/A86934AEC81B5FE/orig.jpg


Red Canyon had flooded in the previous day's storm and would prove to be the most difficult part of the route to traverse.
http://www.fototime.com/ED9D94C7EECAA5A/orig.jpg


Within a couple hundred yards I sank up to the axles in quicksand. After some shoveling and piling of rocks, Jared was able to yank me right out.
http://www.fototime.com/B9703A7B222E64F/orig.jpg


Lesson learned, we scouted the route on foot before attempting the crossings. Some places were deeper than they looked, as Jared discovers...
http://www.fototime.com/5EF84453F3DDE10/orig.jpg


Finding the road wasn't much easier as all of the crossings had washed out and weren't visible until we were right on them.
http://www.fototime.com/82495A0CD12EC1E/orig.jpg


Piute Pass was a little easier because the road was drier but the surface was damp clay and the route was narrow, with long drop offs. My normally unflappable co-pilot, who has ridden Hells Gate, White Knuckle Hill and Mt. Blanca without breaking a sweat, was bothered by this section to the point of questioning our sanity for driving this road. It did afford some great views!
http://www.fototime.com/35DF6BB9959A43C/orig.jpg

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At the Pass, you can see the road winding off into the distant canyons. A very beautiful route, well worth visiting again.
http://www.fototime.com/8E57888FF2C449A/orig.jpg


Thanks, Jared, Rick, Bill, Bryon, and Jack for joining me. It was an awesome trip!

[ROOK1]

Great write-up, great pictures and what appears to be a great time.

[Clint]

Wow I'm definetly going to consider this trip next year!

[Mrs Moab]

I know that Ryan and I are planning on this one next year. Looking at the pictures REALLY makes me want to go.

Thanks for showing the great pictures.

[Clint]

I know that Ryan and I are planning on this one next year. Looking at the pictures REALLY makes me want to go.

Thanks for showing the great pictures.

You guys need a new Jeep first :)

[Mrs Moab]

You guys need a new Jeep first :)

I know, we'll have one by this time next year. A pretty Yellow one.

[ACE]

Great pix Alex. Would a pretty stock 4x4 be able to make that trip?
Joe

[JeeperG]

OH man I so wanna go. great write up.

[gregmondro]

Awesome pictures. That looked like a very fun trip :)

[IntrepidXJ]

wow...great writeup and pictures. i would really like to wheel on one of these trips somtime

[JEEPZZ]

Very nice. Hopefully next year I can make the trip into the Maze but I'm definitely going to being doing a run into the Needles area.

[Handlebars]

Great pix Alex. Would a pretty stock 4x4 be able to make that trip?
Joe
Yes... unless the water crossings are much higher. Then we will need Dr. Moab to go first. :D

Jared, Rick, Bryon, Jack- PM your address and I'll send you a CD. Rick, I still need to return a couple of your books.

BTW, see sig for a photo album with more pics.

[crasy1_69]

wow alex great pics. i really need to get out more.

[RangerRick]

Great pics. I really wanted to go on the Red Canyon part. I've been in the canyon 3 times before and each time have found something new, yet never able to relocate them again. (Metrorite area, a wildcat mining operation,and 2 foot tale letters showing the begaining of Rainbow Canyon). Looking forward to next year's trip! So many roads, so little time!

[GSequoia]

Bryon enjoys a morning cup of coffee:
http://www.fototime.com/AC4E371D7F75476/orig.jpg

I gotta say Alex, even though that's a picture of Quadratec that's a damn good photo!

[Brad M.]

Great writeup and pics Alex. It's been so long since I've been in that area I've forgotten just how scenic and remote it really is. Definitely a trip that's on my agenda again...

[xjblue]

Alex summed up the trip quite well.

I've got some more to add here, enjoy!

Prior to meeting at Horseshoe Bryon and I arrived in the area early and took the oppertunity to explore a couple trails before meeting the group.

First we ran the Little Wild Horse Mesa road from Goblin Valley to Factory Butte. Here we are on the trail along the scenic San Rafael Swell.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_01.jpg

The road had been freshly graded and made for a smooth enjoyable drive. Crossing Muddy Creek, wich is usually much higher in the spring.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_02.jpg

At Factory Butte, it was time for some speed.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_03.jpg

Afterword we drove the Dirty Devil Overlook trail then enjoyed great burgers and shakes back in Hanksville followed by Sunset out on the road to Hans Flat and Horseshoe Canyon.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_04.jpg

We met the rest of the Group at Horseshoe after dark, then I convinced Bryon to camp out under the stars.
Sunrise that morning was spectacular.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_05.jpg

Poison Springs Canyon was a beatiful drive. Shortly after this shot, Ranger Rick got to strap me off of a rock I un-attentively high centered my rear diff on.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_06.jpg

Here the trail drops back in to the canyon from a shelf, the views were always changing.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_07.jpg

Rick crossing the Dirty Devil in front of me.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_08.jpg

Zoomed in on the shelf road above the Dirty Devil, Jack's Jeep can just barely be made out about to go around the bend.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_09.jpg

The final twisty bumpy road into the Doll House was a bit draining after such a long day on the trail. Jack leading the way.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_10.jpg

[xjblue]

Another great sunset as we arrived in the Land of Standing Rock just in time.
The distant Island in the Sky district of canyonlands bathed in red.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_11.jpg

Sunrise that morning with the Needles district of the park in sillouhette on the horizon. I had spent another night out under the stars.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_12.jpg

For only a few seconds the light was just right on the Doll House.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_13.jpg

On our hike Bryon, Jack, and I discussed the unlikelyhood of a Jeep crossing as we relaxed and had a bite to eat by the mighty Colorado.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_14.jpg

The sun came out to help us sweat our hike back to the top of the rim.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_15.jpg

That night there was no sleeping under the stars, We got to see another side of the desert the next day as Alex described.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_16.jpg

The clouds broke but Bryon's Jeep in this shot was only half as dirty as it would be before we got to Hite.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_17.jpg

At lake Powell, another great sunset/moonrise and perfect night for sleeping under the stars. I'm glad you changed your mind Alex.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_18.jpg

The most incredible sunrise I think I've ever seen. I woke up at first light and sat on a knoll above camp. Must of sat there for an hour, this was taken about halfway when all of a sudden the bottom of the clouds burst with light.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_19.jpg

After pulling Alex out of his sticky situation.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/xjblue/Intermountain%20Chapter/Loose%20Screws%20Tour%2006/LseScrws06_20.jpg

Alex covered the rest of the drive pretty good. It was amazing country and a fun narrow trail up to and over that last steep pass.
I still have plenty of photos, I'll throw up an album on my other account. I'll also try and post some video shortly.

It was as good as I hoped it would be and I was hoping for the best. We had a good group. Thanks for everyone who participated and for Alex getting the reservations. Already looking foreward to next year as usual.

[soarhead25]

Those photos are awesome man! Great eye-

[Handlebars]

I love your pics, thanks for twisting my arm, Jared!

Did you see how much the Dirty Devil rose with the rains? It was 70cfs when we crossed, 5 days later it peaked at 12,404cfs before apparently breaking the gauge! That would have been an interesting sight to behold.

http://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?id=DDHU1&raw=on&hpeak=on&ypeaks=on&cdate=10%2F10%2F06&pdays=10&fdays=15&hsim=&swin=&showflow=on&showtflow=on&mpp=16

[xjblue]

I heard about that while at the Info Center in Moab Saturday afternoon from another customer there. Our 3D trail run Saturday was well cut short lets say. My boss was taking his son to the Maze area for that weekend and was going to take Poison Springs in like we did. The highway washed out near Hanksville stranding a school bus so they turned around and went home instead.

[Handlebars]

Were the roads by 3D pretty muddy or just completely washed out?

I left at 8am Saturday morning to run Behind The Rocks with some friends from NM (where I broke my leaf spring) and didn't see the NAXJA group come along while we were fixing it. Did they cancel that one too?

Those photos are awesome man! Great eye-

Yes, Jared does see things differently than other people. I think I have discovered his secret...

http://www.fototime.com/A77D18B725D933C/orig.jpg

;)

[xjblue]

Were the roads by 3D pretty muddy or just completely washed out? ;)

Both actually. Lion got to winch my rig out of some quicksand at the first small wash we came to, then we tried around the other side up blue hills road, only got a mile+ before suddenly spotting the road disappearing over a 4foot cut bank. I'm sure it was the one already cut half way across the road when we were driving out in the rain a couple nights before. Instead of trying the middle approach and its risk crossing Butler Wash we called it a day.