A perfect "overnighter" at the Swell

[TreeHugger]

Hey thanks for the suggestions to go to the Swell - specifically, the Buckhorn Wash area and The Wedge!! We had a great time and discovered a really nice new place! Here is a trip report:

Of course, the first thing you come to is the awesome pictograph panel - we really really dug this, very spritual in a way, something about it. I wish I could learn the stories....

Then.... you'll see photos from the hike we took along the river into the "Little Grand Canyon"

Then.... our awesome camp spot - DiscGolf, the vanagon pics are for you, you wanted to see what it looks like with the top popped. It was the perfect place to hang, eat, drink wine, and just "be"

Then... the really cool Wedge Overlook. The gals with me are my sister, Kathy, and my friend, Gloria.

[stefan]

nice photos tree :2thumbs:

thanks for sharin'. looks like you had a good time

[sparker1]

Great pics, TH. Looks like you guys had a lot of fun. We'll be headed that way as soon as we finish Blanding and Moab.

[Wasatch]

Nice pics, thanks for sharing. Might have to go over there one of these days.

[accadacca]

Awesome...and the seat covers with peace signs too. :2thumbs: :lol8:

[Mtnman1830]

Great pics! I am heading down that way spending the weekend in GoblinValley and the Swell in two weeks. I can't wait.

[TreeHugger]

Awesome...and the seat covers with peace signs too. :2thumbs: :lol8:

:hippy:

heehee.

[DiscGo]

I just saw my first picture of the raised roof. I love your van!

[tmartenst]

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[tmartenst]

We went down to the Swell over Easter also. Didn't see a soul for 3 days. Backpacked to the rim from the Smith Cabin and was definitely an amazing experience with a perfect sunset (check my website) over Mexican Mtn. & sunrise & moos echoing off of the cliff walls all night. Went down to the river on Saturday and all of the cows were at least as healthy as this one. It rained on our last day as usual but I am a pro at getting clay off of tires.

[Mtnman1830]

Boy, I bet that cow is dead tired!!!

[DiscGo]

Boy, I bet that cow is dead tired!!!

:haha:

[scoutabout]

No one is going to say anything about the off-trail trail travel? Parking a vehicle on exposed vegetation? I thought everyone hated vehicle tracks off trail? There are plenty of established primitive campsites in the area that you don't need to damage a fresh area. Take a minute and read here: http://www.treadlightly.org/.

[Jaxx]

No one is going to say anything about the off-trail trail travel? Parking a vehicle on exposed vegetation? I thought everyone hated vehicle tracks off trail? There are plenty of established primitive campsites in the area that you don't need to damage a fresh area. Take a minute and read here: http://www.treadlightly.org/.

Nope just you. It is not against the BLM rules to be there then I say HAVE AT IT. It doesn't look to me like they did any damage to anything. Nothing a good rainfall wont erase.

[scoutabout]

No one is going to say anything about the off-trail trail travel? Parking a vehicle on exposed vegetation? I thought everyone hated vehicle tracks off trail? There are plenty of established primitive campsites in the area that you don't need to damage a fresh area. Take a minute and read here: http://www.treadlightly.org/.

Nope just you. It is not against the BLM rules to be there then I say HAVE AT IT. It doesn't look to me like they did any damage to anything. Nothing a good rainfall wont erase.

Could be true, but if every person who drove by there decided to hop off trail and drive through that vegetation, there would be serious degradation to the area. But it's not true.

The entire Swell is open to "designated routes only." That doesn't look like a designated route, so I'd say it's irresponsible OHV activity. Regardless of the legality, it is definitely not being conscience of the environment and it's definitely not practicing Tread Lightly principles.

Are the same people who curse and moan about off-trail ATV tracks going to defend off-trail driving here because it's a vanagon with street tires and peace symbol seat covers?

Irresponsible OHV behavior is wrong whether you're driving over vegetation to park your prius, or driving over vegetation in your off-road buggy.

It's the rule of one versus many. Does one vanagon make serious impact? A little. Would 100 vanagons driving the same route turn that into a road? Yes. Is this in a wilderness area?

[Jaxx]

I'm not against Off Highway Vehicles either. From the pictures I cant see how far off the road they are. My thought was that they pulled off the "designated road" as to not block it, and camped. Mabey I am defending her because I do the same thing. So my opinion is bias I guess.
I cant see any harm done. Did she shovel up her ashes and scatter the rocks they used for the fire ring, pick up any trash/remnants showing they had been there? I give her the benefit of the doubt and say yes they probably did. That is responsible in my opinion. Agree to disagree, and still friends? :haha:

[Jaxx]

Found this at
http://www.blm.gov/utah/price/SanRafaelDesert.htm
In the "Canyon Country Minimum Impact Practices"
"Camp at designated sites or, where allowed, at previously-used sites. Avoid placing tents on top of vegetation and use a camp stove instead of making a campfire. "

I think it can be agreed that "leave no trace" is excellent to practice. I guess I go off of how does camp look after you leave.

[scoutabout]

I'm not against Off Highway Vehicles either. From the pictures I cant see how far off the road they are. My thought was that they pulled off the "designated road" as to not block it, and camped. Mabey I am defending her because I do the same thing. So my opinion is bias I guess.

I'm a full-on proponent of OHV recreation, but I'm against off-trail activity of any kind. If the road was too narrow to park and not block traffic, then another spot should have been chosen.

The mentality of "it's only one time, and my one vehicle isn't doing too much damage" is exactly what's causing problems in our backcountry. That's the same thing some ATV'er thinks when he wants to drive up a hill or off the trail to see something around the corner. It's irresponsible.

I'm just frustrated and dissapointed that while others here will attack all sorts of off-trail activity, this type of off-trail activity is considered acceptable.

I've seen illegal roads be created in very short periods of time. One guy cuts across a field, then the next guy sees the tracks and thinks it's ok, then the next and the next.

This illegal "road" was cut IN ONE WEEK up in AF Canyon two summers ago:

http://www.utahoffroad.com/temp/illegalroad.jpg

That's what can happen.


Did she shovel up her ashes and scatter the rocks they used for the fire ring, pick up any trash/remnants showing they had been there? I give her the benefit of the doubt and say yes they probably did. That is responsible in my opinion. Agree to disagree, and still friends? :haha:

I agree that I'll give the benefit of the doubt on that. Although I would encourage the use of existing primitive sites rather than plopping a fire ring in the middle of an untouched area. Again, it's not about the single time it happens, it's about the 100 times it happens after that by other visitors. If every person who camped in the Swell chose a virgin spot for their camp and fire, it would be an environmental disaster. Let's reduce impact, let's Tread Lightly, let's use existing primitive sites for camping.

[scoutabout]

I'm not trying to give Treehugger a hard time. I'll bet that most of us have done exactly what she has done in those pictures at some point. However, I'm trying to point at that our backcountry cannot sustain this type of activity indefinitely. As more and more users visit the Swell (or other places) it will become more and more degraded if we don't all start practicing low impact, leave no trace, and Tread Lightly principles. That goes for both motorized and foot travel.

To me, the activity displayed in the pictures (the one of the fire and the vanagon) are just as bad as some guy driving off trail on his ATV.

[Cirrus2000]

It's funny, I thought the vegetation on which the Vanagon was parked looked trampled and driven over already. And was that fire ring already there?

I'd say that you're judging a little too early. I'm not saying that I automatically assume that TH is perfect - just damn close. I'll be interested to see her reply.

[scoutabout]

It's funny, I thought the vegetation on which the Vanagon was parked looked trampled and driven over already. And was that fire ring already there?

If it was an existing primitive site in the Swell, there would be no vegetation where you park. Based on the picture, the fire ring looks new to me, but I could be wrong. The fresh vegetation around the ring and the vegetation under the vanagon wheels leads me to believe that this was a virgin site.

[Jaxx]

leads me to believe that this was a virgin site.

TeeHeeHee, you said "virgin"... Yes I am immature.

[gonzo]

Regardless of where that Vanagon was parked, I'm jealous. I want one so badly.

[tmartenst]

All I know is that the pointy black soil is so soft to walk on and was a perfect spot for our tent also. I notice that when you drive on that stuff it really helps your shocks too. We also hid our trash under rocks so they were not an eyesore. We threw rocks at the goats and poked the rattlesnakes with pointed sticks (By the way I have now seen seven rattlesnakes in my four years here and many of my friends who have been here longer have not encountered one).

Just kidding, I do agree with scout because this is the way to educate everyone who is not familiar. You can give people the benefit of the doubt but a thread like this will help many people and offend one. Someone who is used to going to established sites (paid or not) is not going to know exactly what to do in a situation where they pull up wherever they want. We backpacked but camped on bare rock to not affect anything. Any time I have been down to the swell I have used very heavily used spots and they are all awesome places to camp. When we leave, it looks exactly as it did before we came.

Education is key.

[scoutabout]

Education is key.

That's all I'm really trying to accomplish. I might be tactless, but the objective is to keep our backcountry areas pristine for future generations. I thought that by comparing this activity to off-trail ATV activity (which is so hated by members of this site, rightfully so) that it would help people to understand.

[asdf]

All I know is that the pointy black soil is so soft to walk on and was a perfect spot for our tent also. I notice that when you drive on that stuff it really helps your shocks too. We also hid our trash under rocks so they were not an eyesore. We threw rocks at the goats and poked the rattlesnakes with pointed sticks

:five:

[TreeHugger]

No one is going to say anything about the off-trail trail travel? Parking a vehicle on exposed vegetation? I thought everyone hated vehicle tracks off trail? There are plenty of established primitive campsites in the area that you don't need to damage a fresh area. Take a minute and read here: http://www.treadlightly.org/.

Oh, man, I didnt even catch that you were talking about us. We are literally 3 feet off the main road, and there was already a fire pit there so we figured it was an OK spot.

[denaliguide]

everyone! everyone! get down off your soapboxes and return to your seats.

[asdf]

everyone! everyone! get down off your soapboxes and return to your seats.

I am still ultra pissed :roflol:

[scoutabout]

No one is going to say anything about the off-trail trail travel? Parking a vehicle on exposed vegetation? I thought everyone hated vehicle tracks off trail? There are plenty of established primitive campsites in the area that you don't need to damage a fresh area. Take a minute and read here: http://www.treadlightly.org/.

Oh, man, I didnt even catch that you were talking about us. We are literally 3 feet off the main road, and there was already a fire pit there so we figured it was an OK spot.

I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that off-trail is off-trail. It doesn't matter if you're on an ATV, in a j**p, or driving a subaru. I don't see anyone giving any slack for ATV tracks 3 feet off a trail. It's all the same thing.

[TreeHugger]

No one is going to say anything about the off-trail trail travel? Parking a vehicle on exposed vegetation? I thought everyone hated vehicle tracks off trail? There are plenty of established primitive campsites in the area that you don't need to damage a fresh area. Take a minute and read here: http://www.treadlightly.org/.

Oh, man, I didnt even catch that you were talking about us. We are literally 3 feet off the main road, and there was already a fire pit there so we figured it was an OK spot.

I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that off-trail is off-trail. It doesn't matter if you're on an ATV, in a j**p, or driving a subaru. I don't see anyone giving any slack for ATV tracks 3 feet off a trail. It's all the same thing.

As I said, it appeared to be an established spot - there was already a fire pit there, on a road that was designated for camping.

[DirkHammergate]

No one is going to say anything about the off-trail trail travel? Parking a vehicle on exposed vegetation? I thought everyone hated vehicle tracks off trail? There are plenty of established primitive campsites in the area that you don't need to damage a fresh area. Take a minute and read here: http://www.treadlightly.org/.

Oh, man, I didnt even catch that you were talking about us. We are literally 3 feet off the main road, and there was already a fire pit there so we figured it was an OK spot.

I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that off-trail is off-trail. It doesn't matter if you're on an ATV, in a j**p, or driving a subaru. I don't see anyone giving any slack for ATV tracks 3 feet off a trail. It's all the same thing.

As I said, it appeared to be an established spot - there was already a fire pit there, on a road that was designated for camping.

I thought TreeHugger was getting yelled at for camping in the Grand Central Station of the Swell. Maybe I should take this angle with women I like, yelling...