TR: Road Canyon/McCloyds Canyon/Mule Canyon - Cedar Mesa

[tmartenst]

We were rained out from our original plans during Memorial Day and went back to do it right this past weekend. The weather was perfect the whole time, a few clouds, approx. 80 degrees, glorious.

Drove down from SLC early on Saturday. Left at 5:30am, drive took 5 hours. Got on the trail to Citadel at 12:30p and after not finding a successful way down into the canyon from Citadel (I know there probably are ways), we went back and dropped into Road Canyon proper. Ate lunch at 7 Kiva but didn't go into them since they weren't as impressive as other sites (aesthetically at least.) There were also chains around the site. Headed out past 7 Kiva to another ruin in the canyon that we got ledged out on and since it was 5:30, decided to head back for a nice meal and a Sapporo. Nice 7 hours of hiking after a long drive!

After dinner, we drove to the trailhead of Moonhouse and camped there. Got on the trail at 8:30am and checked out Moonhouse only, not the other close-by ruins since we had a plan in mind. Moonhouse is definitely amazing. Back to the car in about an hour and a half and we drove to Mule Canyon for a photo op that I missed during the rainy Memorial Day weekend. A quick hike up Mule and back and we were on the road back to SLC by 2pm. Great quick weekend with barely a soul in sight. We saw people on the trail to Citadel, no one in Road Canyon, one person at Moonhouse and no one in Mule Canyon. No cars even at the trailhead. A vast difference from Memorial Day weekend with perfect weather to boot.

Citadel; My wife in the lower right:
http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/roadcanyoncitadel.jpg

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

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

7 Kiva Monster:
http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/roadcanyon7kiva.jpg

Moonhouse:
http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/moonhouse%202%20(1).jpg

http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/moonhouse%201%20(1).jpg

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

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

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

Mule Canyon:
http://www.purelightimages.com/pics/fs/houseonfireruinscallietom.jpg

[CarpeyBiggs]

awesome :2thumbs:

[denaliguide]

allegedly there is a route down from the citadel right off the end. ive looked down it nad it looked possible.

the way i do know is to come back across the neck and instead of going back up the trail to the top you contour around the north side of the canyon that the citadel looks over and find a place thats about an 8 foot drop/slide to the bottom. easy drop onto soft dirt. or go a little bit further upcanyon to a ruin and its another easy drop into. then just hike down canyon. only one big pouroff just below the citadel that you bypass on the south.

[asdf]

Great TR and photos as always.
I really need to get down to CM later this year.

[IntrepidXJ]

:2thumbs:

[Brewhaha]

Very nice pics. Thanks for sharing. There is a way right off of the end of the Citadel. It requires some chimneying to get down one ledge and then either a short rope or a strategically placed log to get do the next ledge.

[oldno7]

Excellent trip report, I love that area.
Still so much to see
I think Les is the only guy who has stepped on every rock on Cedar Mesa.(that guy knows didly) :nod:

[Win]

Thanks for the good TR. We've been out there twice and need to get back, this year might not work, though.

Win

[apcronnelly]

Thanks! That looked like a good time.