TR: Mule Canyon & Bullet Canyon

[tmartenst]

Went down to the Cedar Mesa/Grand Gulch area this past weekend and had to change plans due to the weather. It rained consistently all the way down on Friday and through the night. We were going to go to Road Canyon and a few canyons above that but the roads were a mess down there. We probably could have done Road Canyon on Sunday but getting stuck in there would suck pretty bad and we couldn't have known the weather would have been nice for most of the day.

On Saturday, we did South Mule Canyon in the rain and had a great hike. Saw a few granaries, kiva's and other ruins. We went to just about where the canyon splits and goes up and out to the North. We should have made it in to a loop hike with North Mule but that is for another trip. I had no beta on this canyon because I wasn't thinking about plan B/C when I drove down so I did not even realize that House on Fire Ruins were in this canyon. Needless to say, we missed that one. It was overcast enough that the house probably would not have been on fire anyways.

Sunday was sunny and we decided to do Bullet Canyon. The goal was to go to Jailhouse Ruins and turn around. Well, we went to where Jailhouse should have been and somehow missed it and Perfect Kiva. I scrambled up the canyons looking for them and got blanked. I know now that the marker for these ruins is obvious because of white shields above. Awesome hike that we will have to come back to as a loop (I believe Ice may have done that loop with Sheiks this weekend?)

It started raining right when we got back to the truck and kept up pretty well on our way back to SLC. More rain than I've seen in the desert in one consistent set than ever before. Friday especially.

Next weekend or possibly the next will be used for our original plan A!

http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/grandgulchgranary_mule.jpg

http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/grandgulchruincallie_mule.jpg

http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/grandgulchruin2_bullet.jpg

http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/grandgulchkiva_mule.jpg

http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/grandgulchcallie_mule.jpg

http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/grandgulch_rimruins_bullet.jpg

http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/grandgulchcallie_bullet.jpg

[Iceaxe]

Went down to the Cedar Mesa/Grand Gulch area this past weekend and had to change plans due to the weather. It rained consistently all the way down on Friday and through the night. We were going to go to Road Canyon and a few canyons above that but the roads were a mess down there.

We did Road Canyon on Saturday because the routes are shorter than what we had planned.... It started to rain really hard Saturday afternoon and we really churned the snot covered roads to crap getting out. The only thing moving were real 4x4's, everything else was stuck to the door jams. I didn't think we were going to get out a couple of times when I started to drag the skid plates under Big Red.... when in doubt, gas it.... it took me $10 in quarters in Blanding to knock most the mud off the truck.

The kids thought it was a blast churning out in the mud. :roll:

:popcorn:

[tmartenst]

Nice! I've got real 4x4 but you've got bigger balls than I. Or at least a willingness to spend a few extra unplanned days in the desert! Sounds like it worked out well.

[Iceaxe]

Nice! I've got real 4x4 but you've got bigger balls than I. Or at least a willingness to spend a few extra unplanned days in the desert! Sounds like it worked out well.

:roflol:

When we drove in we got to a nasty section and some dude in a white Nissan SUV was standing their looking at it... Honestly I first stopped to see if it was you but it was a newer year than yours.

Nissan Dude: I think I can get through it, but I'm not sure I can get back out....

Ice: Pussy!!.... Said as Ice stomps the gas and drives throught....

That's a true story, my kids were laughing their butts off over that exchange of words for the next 30 minutes.... probably would not have been nearly as funny if we got stuck.

On the way out my wife wanted to stop and take pictures of us going through the nasty section.... I told her "no way in hell".... if we stop this truck were not getting rolling again.....

:popcorn: