'Gotta get out' Moab Weekend

[IntrepidXJ]

After finally getting my Jeep trail ready again (new head gasket, oil pan, rear main seal, oil filter o-rings, front wheel bearing, driver

[IntrepidXJ]

Once at Secret Spire I got out the tripod and starting to take some photos while Amanda located a nearby cache.

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Holding it up ;)
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After leaving Secret Spire it was just about lunch time, so we drove on over to Spring Canyon Point where we had some lunch and found yet another cache above the Green River.

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Next we were off to see Tusher Tunnel. I had been here back in 2003, but Amanda has never been. We cut across via the Bartlett Wash Road.

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[IntrepidXJ]

From the tunnel, Amanda wanted to head over to the Monitor and Merrimac buttes. After studying the maps I had with me, I found the Mill Canyon road should take us right to them. However, when we tried this route, we came across a freshly installed gate across the road that prohibited all motorized vehicles. I guess this route was closed with the new travel management plan....I need to print out those new maps one of these days....

Instead we ended up heading into Arches via Willow Springs Road before heading into town to grab some dinner. After our meal we headed back to camp and turned in early for the night.

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Sunday morning we broke down camp in the very gusty winds and headed for Canyonlands. My goal for the day was to make it down to the Colorado River via Lathrop Canyon. We made our way down the Shafer switchbacks and started on down the White Rim trail.

Stopped at the Colorado River overlook

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Then Musselman Arch

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Walking Rocks

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[IntrepidXJ]

A short distance after leaving Musselman Arch, I noticed my Jeep was a little crooked in the back and got out to investigate. What I found was the the main leaf on the passenger side had broken in two.

Nice view where I stopped to check on my Jeep
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Sagging on the passenger side
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Not having a spare spring, I decided our best bet was to turn around and slowly make our way home. Lathrop Canyon would have to wait for another trip. We backtracked the small section of the White Rim trail we had already traveled and then headed back to Moab by Potash Road. We grabbed some lunch in town and slowly made our way home, sticking to the backroads whenever possible.

Leaving Canyonlands
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Along the Potash Road
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Check out the full gallery here: http://myxj.net/g2/v/2009_adventures/moab_in_march/

[JP]

Great pics :2thumbs:

[asdf]

nice photos

[Cirrus2000]

Very nice - looks like a fine weekend out! Nice shots around the overlook and Musselman - like the reflection on the river. Shame about the leaf - still, could have been worse...

[offpiste]

As always a fine write up and pics. Glad to see you on the trail again, too bad about the spring.
Looking forward to your next adventure.

[moab mark]

intrepid posted,
I found the Mill Canyon road should take us right to them. However, when we tried this route, we came across a freshly installed gate across the road that prohibited all motorized vehicles. I guess this route was closed with the new travel management plan....I need to print out those new maps one of these days....

Intrepid,
Where was this gate? Was this past the dinosaur tracks area? Or were you on another road? I was not aware of a gate being put up in that area. We motorcycled all though there a few weeks ago and did not see a gate. My neighbor works for parks and recreation, he told me out in this area the local blm guys are having a hard time with people putting up rogue road closed signs. Sinking four by fours in the ground to close areas. Did this gate look like a gov gate or just a farm gate?
They have put up signs all over out by tusher tunnel in the sandy area. As well as at the big sand hill. :frustrated: The blm is headed out there this week to remove all illegal signs before the safari. If you can give some more detail on where the gate was. I can find out from the blm what the story is.
Mark

[IntrepidXJ]

yep, it was just past the dino tracks...it was very fresh, as you could see tracks on the other side still.

it was a wooden fence with what looked like official BLM signs (no motorized vehicles allowed (atv, jeep and motorcycle pictures with a red line through them0 but mountain bikes are allowed).

I checked the new BLM travel management maps, and sure enough, that road ends right after the dino tracks on their new maps.

i should have taken a picture of the fence....but I didn't


intrepid posted,
I found the Mill Canyon road should take us right to them. However, when we tried this route, we came across a freshly installed gate across the road that prohibited all motorized vehicles. I guess this route was closed with the new travel management plan....I need to print out those new maps one of these days....

Intrepid,
Where was this gate? Was this past the dinosaur tracks area? Or were you on another road? I was not aware of a gate being put up in that area. We motorcycled all though there a few weeks ago and did not see a gate. My neighbor works for parks and recreation, he told me out in this area the local blm guys are having a hard time with people putting up rogue road closed signs. Sinking four by fours in the ground to close areas. Did this gate look like a gov gate or just a farm gate?
They have put up signs all over out by tusher tunnel in the sandy area. As well as at the big sand hill. :frustrated: The blm is headed out there this week to remove all illegal signs before the safari. If you can give some more detail on where the gate was. I can find out from the blm what the story is.
Mark

[moab mark]

Strange, did the new management map show how to get to monitor and merrimac now? Do they show going up the draw by the half way station? Millcreek has been the main route forever. Can't remember but i thought the jeep safari went through there for both seven mile rim and wipe out. They may go over past determination tower and down tusher wash. I wonder if there is a fence at the other end. The thing that is strange is not to far up the canyon from there is a 4 way with roads coming from all over. Wonder if they have a gate up there?
My neighbor is in vegas at the drags but I left him a message to call me and I'll have him call his blm guys and find out the scoop.
See what your new map shows.

Mark

[IntrepidXJ]

the maps are located here in PDF format.

http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/motorized_routes/copy.html

map on page #17 is the one for this area

[moab mark]

Sometimes you have to wonder about the gov. So where the map says half way station there is a road coming up that wash also. I wonder if there is a gate there to. Where they want you to come over to the halfway house from courthouse rock road is a goat trail. Unless you know where to drive across the slick rock you would never know where that trail is.
Where they show the halfway trail coming over to millcreek is where the 4 way is, so there must be a gate there now to. Guessing between the two gates I couldn't see the scale on the map but I bet it isn't a mile.
I do not know which way you left tusher tunnel but if you look on that map where the seven mile rim trail goes down tusher wash. By where they have the 343. Right at the end of the road there is a road that goes left (west) this goes to tusher tunnel. It is one of the funnest sand roads in moab. Especially at the top if you stay in the wash.
If you like sand by combining several of the trails out there you can create the best high speed sand driving of anywhere in moab.

By looking at the map the best way to get to merrimac now would be to go up the tusher wash road.
Mark