So, Ammon and I went to Canyonlands on Friday and Saturday. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever done. I'd been wanting to drive the White Rim Trail for months, and with the impending departure of the youngun, the time was ripe. Also, as of September 1, they're only allowing a certain number of people to drive the trail (you'll have to get a permit).
The White Rim Trail is about 100 miles of very much not improved road. The websites/reviews I'd read said that it takes 10-12 hours... Which I didn't believe. Because, come on - 10-12 HOURS?!? (Actually a very good estimate). If you're unfamiliar with the road, which was made back in the 50s to access mining claims, it's a stretch of two-track along the White Rim in Canyonlands National Park. Most people travel clockwise from Shafer Trail to Mineral Bottom Road and make a complete loop, although it's not one-way, and we did pass folks headed the "wrong" way. Fortunately not too many of them...
We made our rather uneventful way down the Shafer Trail switchbacks, which were scary but also very beautiful. We were passed going the other way by an Acura that was just flying up the switchbacks. Needless to say, I felt a bit of confidence that we could make it in the Green Bean anywhere the dude in the Acura could...
We stayed the night in Gooseberry A campground. Due to a scheduling issue, the permit desk had double booked us, and we shared the campground with 15 mountain bikers and their crew. I was so annoyed - part of what I'd looked forward to in being out there was the isolation... They were very obnoxious, with the loud music and cussing... Sigh.
The next morning we were up early and hit the road. All went very well until we got to this hairpin turn that also went up a very (!) steep slope. Like, I-can't-believe-anything-can-make-it-up-that step. Our first attempt up the slope found us wallowed out in a sand pit, with me looking at Ammon trying to figure out what to do. We couldn't go forward, and backward was terrifying... We ended up rolling back a bit, and then trying again - to no avail. I got out and walked the slope (which wasn't very high, in the grand scheme of things - it was that sandy patch that had us stymied) and saw that if I kept to the right a bit that I could probably make it. Which I tried, and the first time ended up sliding back into that same sandy hole, and on the second attempt made it out. Whew! It was a bit scary, but also a lot of fun.
Going up and over Murphy's Hogback was also nerve wracking, but relatively uneventful, and then up and over Hardscrabble (which lived up to it's name) was also quite intense. But it was SO MUCH FUN! and great to be able to spend time with the boy. He's a great road trip companion.
Here's a few pics (click to enlarge):
It was a total blast. I'm so glad we went.
The White Rim Trail is about 100 miles of very much not improved road. The websites/reviews I'd read said that it takes 10-12 hours... Which I didn't believe. Because, come on - 10-12 HOURS?!? (Actually a very good estimate). If you're unfamiliar with the road, which was made back in the 50s to access mining claims, it's a stretch of two-track along the White Rim in Canyonlands National Park. Most people travel clockwise from Shafer Trail to Mineral Bottom Road and make a complete loop, although it's not one-way, and we did pass folks headed the "wrong" way. Fortunately not too many of them...
We made our rather uneventful way down the Shafer Trail switchbacks, which were scary but also very beautiful. We were passed going the other way by an Acura that was just flying up the switchbacks. Needless to say, I felt a bit of confidence that we could make it in the Green Bean anywhere the dude in the Acura could...
We stayed the night in Gooseberry A campground. Due to a scheduling issue, the permit desk had double booked us, and we shared the campground with 15 mountain bikers and their crew. I was so annoyed - part of what I'd looked forward to in being out there was the isolation... They were very obnoxious, with the loud music and cussing... Sigh.
The next morning we were up early and hit the road. All went very well until we got to this hairpin turn that also went up a very (!) steep slope. Like, I-can't-believe-anything-can-make-it-up-that step. Our first attempt up the slope found us wallowed out in a sand pit, with me looking at Ammon trying to figure out what to do. We couldn't go forward, and backward was terrifying... We ended up rolling back a bit, and then trying again - to no avail. I got out and walked the slope (which wasn't very high, in the grand scheme of things - it was that sandy patch that had us stymied) and saw that if I kept to the right a bit that I could probably make it. Which I tried, and the first time ended up sliding back into that same sandy hole, and on the second attempt made it out. Whew! It was a bit scary, but also a lot of fun.
Going up and over Murphy's Hogback was also nerve wracking, but relatively uneventful, and then up and over Hardscrabble (which lived up to it's name) was also quite intense. But it was SO MUCH FUN! and great to be able to spend time with the boy. He's a great road trip companion.
Here's a few pics (click to enlarge):
We stopped at the Moab Diner for lunch.
At this point, we'd made it down past Shafer Trail. We stopped to consider where we'd been and what was ahead of us...
The scenery was incredible...
It was threatening to rain, but we just got a little wind out of it.
The road.
Ammon on the edge near Musselman's Arch.
This crack was probably 18" wide, but more than 200' deep. You can see daylight at the bottom...
At the end of Musselman's Arch. While technically still an arch, it was just a flat section of rock that spanned the two cliffs. It reminded me of that bridge in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade... Ammon wanted to walk across, but I talked him out of it...
Washerwoman Arch.
Interesting cliffs.
This was what I woke to Saturday AM. I literally opened my eyes to this, grabbed my phone, and snapped it. These are the La Sals, and the sun is rising directly over Mount Peale.
This was looking around the other way.
Cool little arch. I'm not sure what its name is...
This was near the Wilhite Trail. We went down into this little slot canyon from the top, where it started out at about 6" deep and quickly went deeper...
Ammon did not want to go further into the thing... There was a rather dubious looking pool of murky water at his feet, and an even more dubious looking foothold further down. We went to the next pool, however, and then turned around.
It was a total blast. I'm so glad we went.
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