Pinnacle Peak to Consumers Loop

[Udink]

I went for a 66-mile ride yesterday in the cold and snow. It was 21 degrees when I began the ride just outside of Price at around 9:00AM, and it was 24 degrees when I stopped for lunch in Bob Wright Canyon after 1:00PM. I was wearing many, many layers of clothing.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fcastlecountry.org%2Fgeo%2FPinnaclePea kToConsumersLoop.kmz&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.038806,86.572266&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=12
http://castlecountry.org/geo/PinnaclePeakToConsumersLoop.kmz


I started at the county fairgrounds and rode west past Pinnacle Peak until I entered the Manti-La Sal National Forest, then I began exploring side roads (most of which dead-ended) up a few different canyons. I saw a moose in First Water Canyon, which is only the second moose I've seen in person. I also saw a lot of deer throughout the day.

Pinnacle Peak
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHC4nzoNgI/AAAAAAAAQgU/C9EUtyz6yjU/s640/IMG_9743.JPG

Pinnacle Peak
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHC6V2vr9I/AAAAAAAAQgc/soF-7Qm1mR8/s640/IMG_9751.JPG

Porphyry Bench
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHC82xLyVI/AAAAAAAAQgk/ofcElAoC0_s/s640/IMG_9756.JPG

Near Haley Canyon
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHC_zXNEMI/AAAAAAAAQgs/9uMSdgB4heI/s640/IMG_9759.JPG

Power lines on Wiregrass Bench
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDD0tiW3I/AAAAAAAAQg4/p0Q_5OQ0bV0/s640/IMG_9770.JPG

Mud Water Canyon
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDE_gpfgI/AAAAAAAAQg8/wsMlg3k9wKo/s640/IMG_9775.JPG

A buck bedded down in the scrub oak
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDHUKVV0I/AAAAAAAAQhE/DbYD4Ze7IGg/s640/IMG_9784.JPG

Moose in First Water Canyon
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDJvEQsfI/AAAAAAAAQhM/BdvK_Q7Grqw/s640/IMG_9787.JPG

First Water Canyon
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDMkpNkVI/AAAAAAAAQhY/tEK2-cM7BTc/s640/IMG_9795.JPG


I ate lunch in Bob Wright Canyon, and started a small fire and warmed up, then I checked out a couple more side roads. The first was near some property owned by the Division of Wildlife Resources, where they plant and irrigate during the summer months so that deer and other wildlife have some forage during the winter. There's an old log cabin and some old farming equipment there, most of which I couldn't even begin to guess what they were used for. The second road I explored led to the top of Telephone Bench, and it had a nice view down lower Bob Wright Canyon.


Bob Wright Canyon
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDRtgdu9I/AAAAAAAAQhs/v5ODf5O_E1k/s640/IMG_9808.JPG

Cabin at the Gordon Creek Wildlife Management Area
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDW0aJKLI/AAAAAAAAQiA/UCdqRGLepks/s640/IMG_9824.JPG

Old farming equipment
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDXs_jEQI/AAAAAAAAQiE/0VkehAxgixo/s640/IMG_9826.JPG

Old farming equipment
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDdVFtdyI/AAAAAAAAQiY/eLvUYlsZdd4/s640/IMG_9839.JPG

View into Bob Wright Canyon from Telephone Bench
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDjRlUDRI/AAAAAAAAQis/7mJtI9kCOQo/s640/IMG_9866.JPG

Panorama from Telephone Bench
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDj6ZGfMI/AAAAAAAAQiw/yrJ7zF3_qrI/s1024/IMG_9869_stitch.jpg

Parked at the overlook on Telephone Bench
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDk481X6I/AAAAAAAAQi0/dchfnOt2smg/s640/IMG_9874.JPG


Once I hit Consumers Road, I was growing weary of the cold and the snow. I pulled my hat down low and my coat up over the lower part of my face and hauled ass down the six-mile stretch of pavement. I hit my next turn at the Wildcat coal loadout and got back on dirt roads leading south to where the truck was parked. I passed under the Gordon Creek railroad trestle, and crossed Gordon Creek through the broken ice.


Deer on Consumers Road
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDmPP85zI/AAAAAAAAQi4/88djIV6_FKA/s640/IMG_9877.JPG

Deer on Consumers Road
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDndn_YiI/AAAAAAAAQi8/C2sYPnrP8MI/s640/IMG_9879.JPG

Wildcat coal loadout
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDpIN83iI/AAAAAAAAQjA/TeXMdDqpiqM/s640/IMG_9883.JPG

Crossing Gordon Creek
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDqapxQFI/AAAAAAAAQjE/nI5nIT1T0LE/s640/IMG_9885.JPG

Gordon Creek railroad trestle
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDsb5nvFI/AAAAAAAAQjM/UjawmY74B9E/s640/IMG_9889.JPG

Another buck
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDuTqFK3I/AAAAAAAAQjU/QoF1pQ76zsQ/s640/IMG_9894.JPG

Tunnel under the railroad grade in Haley Canyon
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDvWqF6gI/AAAAAAAAQjc/O8erlFmxQU4/s640/IMG_9896.JPG

The setting sun shining on the Book Cliffs back in town
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TPHDyBE6vaI/AAAAAAAAQjs/zPXYbxfc5tk/s640/IMG_9909.JPG


PinnaclePeakToConsumersLoop
http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/PinnaclePeakToConsumersLoop#

[BruteForce]

Nice! I'm glad you got out. Great wildlife photos!

I tried to get out on Friday, but my machine just didn't want to cooperate, so its in for service.

[ibenick]

Looks might chilly to be on a 4 wheeler! :cold:

[Udink]

I tried to get out on Friday, but my machine just didn't want to cooperate, so its in for service.
Yeah, I read about your cold-start problems. I hope you get them sorted out. Is this the first year you've had issues? This is only my second winter owning 4-wheelers, and I haven't had any problems starting them yet, but like you, I ride them year-round.


Looks might chilly to be on a 4 wheeler! :cold:
I had on sweat pants, jeans, snow pants, a t-shirt, sweat shirt, wind breaker, and heavy coat. The only thing that got cold was my face. But yeah, :cold:. :lol8:

[accadacca]

That looks like a nice adventure. I ride my Beemer year round too. The wind chill going 80 mph the other morning when it was 18 degrees... :cold:

http://www.webmaster10.com/ldr/windchill.html

[rjmax]

Udink,

Once again you give an awesome trip report :cool2:. Wish I lived closer to Price so I could go.

[fourtycal]

That is a great report! I love to watch deer this time of year and you took some great shots.
Thanks for the pictures and write-up.

[Deathcricket]

Good post man. I also love how you were able to take the dog, hehe. Looks like it had fun too.