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Moab in Spring

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
Starting to think about a trip to Utah before the National event in Alabama. Southwest of Moab, on the other side of the river in the Maze District. Early to mid May sometime. A few days or a week offroad, coming in there by the Flint Trail and out towards the Confluence Overlook, Ekker Butte and beyond. We were in there for a week this last spring before the National Meet and my wife is agitating to go back. Anybody interested?
 

Bad Karma

Captain Sarcasm
BENEFACTOR
Lifetime Member
Member
City
Cobourg, Ontario, Cana
State
da
I'm interested... but will never be able to get the time off. :banghead:
 

trust

PITA
City
White Rock
State
NM
Id be interested, please let me know as you firm up your plans. Thinking a whole week camping? Some areas down south I think require permits but I'm not sure what/where exactly. If you stay on the BLM lands you wont though AFAIK. Down off Hwy 95 has some good stuff too, Piute Pass, Jacob's Chair, etc
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
Yes, true, those areas in the Park require permits (cheap enough, going in a small group) but that requires planning for exact dates. But it is mice over there. Over off 95 would be good, too - haven't been off road by Jaob's Chair in a fair while. We were in back there above Hite 5 days last spring til we ran low on fuel, or at least the gauge quit working and we decided to come out, as we hadn't seen another vehicle for a couple of days traveling.:cool: I'd like to be home by the third week in May is my main time constraint. Went to the Hidden Splendor for a couple days as well - but I like a little more remote...
Nice pics pf yours of the Piute Pass trail! Great thread!
 
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SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
I see those great pics of Piute Pass are still on your Photobucket file - did you do some publishing with them?
 

mysunnshine

Legacy Registered User
City
Phoenix
State
AZ
I'd be good with another trip to Moab. I was actually talking about that the other day since the national is so far away this next year
 

certifiablejeep

Definitley Certifiable
Lifetime Member
City
Bedford
State
NH
Are we talking only 8's... cause I am aiming to have the RHD CJ7 done by then... not sure if a RHD somewhat stockish on 31's qualifies to run those, but it is the plan to have it done by then :)

cb
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
It'll be fun! Not just 8's - might be a 6 and a TJ8 project... I did drive a stockish 90's TJ in there once. Had to take off the factory mud-flap things and drive very carefully. Where I'm planning to go, Teapot Canyon is the main obstacle. More like narrow places, tight turns and small steps. The distance in makes up for lack of continual big challenges, like the ones around Moab we did at the National. "Trust" posted some good pictures of similar territory on this forum titled "Piute Pass", over across the river. I'll see if I can dig up some from April that we took. Maybe come in from Hans Flat down the Flint Trail, then a couple nights at the Dollhouse to start, then up to Maze Overlook and out past Ekker Butte to Milliard Canyon. It's a fair distance off road. :) Bring plenty of gas! :thumbsup:
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
The campsite at Ekker Butte. About 1200 feet above the River.Ekker campsite.jpeg Looking north towards Island in The Sky with Deadhorse Point White Rim Road etc. A LONG way around to get there!
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
One of the coolest campsites in North America

Dollhouse 1.jpegThe end of the Dollhouse road has a campsite - way above the River but there is a trail down to Spanish Bottom. Beautiful hidden place, about 55 miles from the nearest pavement on its side of the River.
 

trust

PITA
City
White Rock
State
NM
looks like a great campsite!! I havent been to the Dollhouse yet. looks very cool!

Thanks for the nice comment on my Piute Pass pics, I didnt know I had any up anywhere anymore. Was that in my MJ or in the scrambler? lol I guess I ought to go see if I can find them, especially since my hard drive crashed and I lost everything from those days...

Let me know when you have a good idea as to dates, any destination is great!
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
looks like a great campsite!! I havent been to the Dollhouse yet. looks very cool!

Thanks for the nice comment on my Piute Pass pics, I didnt know I had any up anywhere anymore. Was that in my MJ or in the scrambler? lol I guess I ought to go see if I can find them, especially since my hard drive crashed and I lost everything from those days...

Let me know when you have a good idea as to dates, any destination is great!

They're still on Photobucket - white Scrambler. I found your thread through Google on Piute Pass jeep trail. That is a nice campsite. There are actually 3 there with some space between, and you can have more than one vehicle at each. Dates are looking like we can be at the Dollhouse on April 26th to spend seven nights in the Maze District, and then go somewhere else; have to be home by the 13th of May. Sunday night is a good time to show up as the weekends generally contain more traffic and campers. Just have to reserve in advance. Was thinking 2 or 3 nights there at the Dollhouse (there is lots to see and do around there) and in case the weather is totally ugly and I need to delay the trip in for a day, still get to be there at that site. Permits are cheap, can have three vehicles on each permit. I went through the head of Teapot canyon in the snow once and would rather not try that again. :)
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
Are we talking only 8's... cause I am aiming to have the RHD CJ7 done by then... not sure if a RHD somewhat stockish on 31's qualifies to run those, but it is the plan to have it done by then :)

cb

We're also thinking of going around the White Rim Trail - a stock jeep would be extra fine there.
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
I'd be good with another trip to Moab. I was actually talking about that the other day since the national is so far away this next year

My wife says to tell your wife that the Maze roads are more scenic and less scary than those ones we did around Moab. :) The drops from where the road is are much bigger but you don't have to drive near as close to them.
 
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certifiablejeep

Definitley Certifiable
Lifetime Member
City
Bedford
State
NH
We're also thinking of going around the White Rim Trail - a stock jeep would be extra fine there.

I just thought it would be cool to do in a RHD rig, as the Scrambler is the next project, however, it it was more formidable, I didn't want to be in a somewhat stocker, I could always wait a year until I am able to get to the 8 and finish that up.

cb
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
Well, come for the White Rim part, then. There are some interesting side trips on that road and we're thinking of 4 days there, one tank of gas. The Maze Road (Flint Trail) is challenging but doable - you might scrape bottom and you have to have good abuse tolerant tires, and be able to carry a lot of gas. We burnt 23 gallons last spring going to the Dollhouse and then around to Ekker Butte, and out to the closest (24hr automated) gas pump. Maybe someone will have a trailer with room for more gas cans. :)
 

spankrjs

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Biloxi
State
MS
One of the local clubs is going in March, so I might head back:shrug::thumbsup:
 

jhopcj8

CJ-8 Member
City
Highlands Ranch
State
CO
I would be interested, would just need to be after May 7.


Sent from my iPad
 

SHLTR2

Island Jeeper
Lifetime Member
City
Drummond Island
State
MI
Looks like we're getting some interest. :) Now for some more details: That part of Canyonlands is considered wilderness, except for the jeep road, and access is very limited. You have to pack out all trash, and carry and use something for human waste as well. It is also a rough, remote road with no amenities or cell service and the tow service charges $2000 just to show up... Campsites and permits are limited to 3 vehicles and nine people, except for Flint Seep, which is 5 and 15. So, we'll likely need a volunteer "trip leader" besides me to apply for a permit so that we can split into two groups if there are too many folks for one site. There are 3 sites at the Dollhouse, all nice, and two at the Maze Overlook, and the others (single sites) are close enough to be able to meet up for the day. We're planning on some part days not riding but looking around and hiking, like to Lou's Spring, the Harvest Scene pictographs and Spanish Bottom, and most notably the 4 mile walk from the Dollhouse out to the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. The country is too complicated and beautiful just to ride around in a cloud of dust every single day...
I'm planning on carrying 37 gallons of gas and at least 250-275 miles off-road - the end of the road at Milliard is said to be around 80 miles from the nearest gas, at Hite. 10 gallons of water besides, more if it's hot. Not good having a serious breakdown out there - not much traffic. :)
That all being said, if folks want to meet up along the way, our schedule will be pretty much fixed by campsite reservations so we should be easy to find. The Dollhouse is the biggest set of sites and at the end of the most challenging (fun) road there. That place could conceivably hold 27 people and 9 vehicles. It also is the first to fill up when reservations become available to select. In the next week or so, we'll need to get serious about who is actually going to come in order to reserve the campsites in a doable order. I was thinking first stop at the Dollhouse, me spending two days/three nights there in order for folks to arrive (straggle in) and see it. Seems like a good place to gather, since there is so much to do there compared to some of the other places.
Then, moving around to the middle level (it's a maze) for the rest of the trip and out to Hite. Coming in at the upper level to start the trip (past the ranger station at Hans Flat) would mean a fun drive down the cliff face on the Flint Trail might be fun. It is way better going down than up that one.
I'll plan on securing two permits (6 jeeps) and we'll figure the rest out based on numbers. Any questions, ask away!
 

trust

PITA
City
White Rock
State
NM
before you count on gas at Hite, double check, the Marina there has been closed and I heard that the store as well but not the gas pumps, that said things change with the NPS budgets and there is always the possibility that theyd close it down completely. Hanksville isnt terribly far but it is a few gallons away and Bullfrog is even further.
 
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