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View Full Version : Trip Report Annual November Cedar Mesa Trip 2009



IntrepidXJ
11-23-2009, 07:55 PM
Saturday, November 21, 2009 | The Citadel

This past weekend Amanda and I headed south for our annual November Cedar Mesa weekend trip. We left right after work on Friday and made our way to Blanding where we had some hotel reservations for the weekend (we're not into cold weather camping).

Saturday morning we headed to our first destination of the weekend: The Citadel. I have wanted to check out these ruins for a while, and am glad we finally did.

After taking the short spur trail from the Cigarette Springs Road, we reached the rim of Road Canyon.

View over Road Canyon
http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_1984.jpg

After hiking along the rim of Road Canyon for about a mile and a half, we soon got our first view of the peninsula that the ruins are located on.

http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_1999.jpg

http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2006.jpg

From this point we had to make our way down some steeper slickrock to reach the peninsula.

Amanda headed down
http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2011.jpg

http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2015.jpg

About to make our way across
http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2021.jpg

IntrepidXJ
11-23-2009, 07:55 PM
Soon we reached the ruins
http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2034.jpg

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http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2071.jpg

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IntrepidXJ
11-23-2009, 07:56 PM
After checking out the ruins and relaxing for a while, we started on our way back to the Jeep.

http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2170-2.jpg

Climbing back down
http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2174.jpg

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Some water filled potholes along the rim of Road Canyon

http://myxj.net/citadel2009/IMG_2241.jpg

We soon reached the Jeep again and made our way to our next destination....stay tuned for that.

Cirrus2000
11-23-2009, 08:21 PM
Very nice! :2thumbs: Looking forward to more!

IntrepidXJ
11-26-2009, 06:17 PM
Saturday, November 21, 2009

South Comb Wash | River House Ruins

After our fun hike to <a>The Citadel</a>, Amanda and i headed back out Cigarette Springs Road, took a left on UT 261 and made our way down the Moki Dugway. We made a quick stop at Goosenecks State Park since we were in the area.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168039-2/IMG_2254_5_6.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168043-2/IMG_2263_4_5.jpg

Then we made our way back towards Bluff. Before heading through Comb Ridge, I decided to take a right onto South Comb Wash Road. I have driven the sections of Comb Wash north of US 163 before, but I had never headed south towards the San Juan River before, and I wanted to see if there was anything cool along this route.

As I suspected, when I got near the San Juan River I came across some of the markers indicating this was part of the Hole in the Rock route.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168017-2/IMG_2272.jpg

I followed the markers down a short spur until I reached San Juan Hill, where the road ended anyways.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168021-2/IMG_2276.jpg

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After heading back to the main road I passed by the remains of a trading post on The Rincone

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168027-2/IMG_2282.jpg

IntrepidXJ
11-26-2009, 06:18 PM
Just a little further up the road we came upon a large alcove that contained the River House Ruins. We spent some time checking out these ruins.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167980-2/IMG_2289.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167983-2/IMG_2290.jpg

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Some petroglyphs
http://myxj.net/g2/d/167989-2/IMG_2311.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167948-2/IMG_2331.jpg

Above the ruins in this photo, you can see a large snake painted on the back of the alcove. Another name for these ruins are the Snake House Ruins.
http://myxj.net/g2/d/167957-2/IMG_2341.jpg

IntrepidXJ
11-26-2009, 06:18 PM
While we were checking out these ruins, we chatted up a Bluff local who was here at the same time and he told us about an interesting granary and some more petroglyphs along the ledge we were on a few hundred feet away, so we went to check them out before leaving.

Some of the petroglyphs
http://myxj.net/g2/d/167964-2/IMG_2349.jpg

This definitely was an interesting granary....built around a fallen piece of rock that had naturally created a semi-enclosed area
http://myxj.net/g2/d/168036-2/IMG_2352.jpg

The entrance was hidden behind the fallen rock
http://myxj.net/g2/d/167971-2/IMG_2364.jpg

After heading back to the highway, we continued on towards Bluff, but made one more stop at the Sand Island Petroglyphs.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168014-2/IMG_2382.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167999-2/IMG_2395.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168002-2/IMG_2410.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168005-2/IMG_2411.jpg

We finally reached Bluff just before sunset and then headed north to Blanding to end our day at the hotel after grabbing some dinner.

Stay tuned for Sunday....

Iceaxe
11-26-2009, 08:11 PM
:popcorn:

oldno7
11-27-2009, 06:59 AM
Randy
From the river house ruin, did you keep driving along the river(Easterly)?
There is a huge panel as you approach Butler Wash.

IntrepidXJ
11-27-2009, 01:16 PM
Randy
From the river house ruin, did you keep driving along the river(Easterly)?
There is a huge panel as you approach Butler Wash.

No, we ended up turning around at the ruins and heading back. I'll have to go back and look for that panel in the future...thanks!

Sombeech
11-27-2009, 04:27 PM
great stuff. :2thumbs:

IntrepidXJ
11-27-2009, 07:50 PM
Sunday, November 22, 2009

Cedar Mesa | House on Fire

Sunday morning we left Blanding and headed towards Cedar Mesa again. Our destination this morning was South Mule Canyon where we looked forward to hiking to the famous House on Fire ruins. We spent about an hour exploring the ruins and taking some photos. Here's a few of the photos...

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168188-2/IMG_2431.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168143-2/IMG_2439.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/168146-2/IMG_2443_4_5.jpg

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http://myxj.net/g2/d/168155-2/IMG_2455.jpg

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http://myxj.net/g2/d/168182-2/IMG_2557.jpg

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Still more to come from Sunday...

offpiste
11-27-2009, 08:47 PM
Great TR Randy, looking forward to Sunday....