Maze TR

I'm going to post my TR here in the Hiking forum rather than spread pieces of it around between 4X4, backpacking and canyoneering.

I have one very sad piece of news, that will affect the quality of this TR: I lost about half of my photos :cry1: I think I dropped a small black bag somewhere during our hike in Sweet Alice Canyon. If anyone heads down that way keep an eye out.

Meanwhile, if any folks would be kind enough to post photos they may have from:
- Land of Standing Rocks road
- Chimney Rock
- Ridge leading to Pete's Mesa and Jasper Canyon from above
- Pictograph Fork
- Maze Overlook
- Colorado/Green Overlook

I would appreciate it. That way I can at least share this thread with other friends who want to see where we went.

I feel really bad about this epic screw-up. But...

We had a fantastic trip! The memories are still there. The family LOVED it and it will still be there for us to return to someday. It's going to take a while to write this all up and upload the best shots from the last half of the trip.

Day 0:

Arriving into SLC on Friday April 3 we find it to be cold and snowing. My wife is not thrilled! I remind her that the NWS is showing it to warm up in a few days.

We pick up the Jeep and head out to get the supplies we'll need. The first stop was an Army Surplus store to pick up large water containers, cooler, etc. I found this soft-sided thickly padded Army cooler that worked out great for $15. My son noticed these wool ponchos and begged to buy one. My wife and I thought it was dumb but he had his own money and wanted it. We cave in. Watch for more mention of the poncho later :naughty:

Next stop REI for some iso-butane and backpacking food.

Then onto to Harmons. MAJOR THANKS to blueeyessmiling for that recommendation. That store competes well against any competitors from California. I think Don also suggested the homemade Brats. They were great! We stock up on homemade rolls, some special cheese selections (Barely Buzzed Beehive was killer) and other staples.

All this takes longer than I planned but we're still heading south out of the city areas in front of any traffic. I had considered camping at Goblin Valley but it's very cold, still slightly raining and getting late by the time we reach Green River. Instead we opt for a motel and plan on an early start to do some day hiking in The Swell.

Day 1: (Saturday April 4) "Sure is a Swell Area"

We breakfast in Green River early and drive on to the Little Wild Horse trailhead. This is the first weekend of many people's Spring Break. I was prepared for The Hordes (tm) to be out in force. Indeed we pass several groups of people camping on the BLM land as we approach LWH. But maybe it has something to do with the fact it is 37 degrees because when we pull into the parking lot it's empy. Zero. Nada. No other cars.

One truck pulls in behind us as we start hiking up the trail. At least it's mostly clear and we enjoy the hike up into the narrows. We get through the first set past the open area and into the second set when we encounter water. It's not really any warmer, maybe 40 degrees tops. But my wife is very goal oriented: >20 marathons and a few ultras including one 50-miler under her belt. She hates the idea of not being able to complete the circuit back through Bell. So we talk my son into the idea of slogging through the water. She goes first and it quickly reaches mid-calf and ICE COLD!

Her determination quickly vanishes and she's kicking herself as to why she didn't make me go first! Sorry, Dear. 2 out of 3 of us have dry feet when we head back and explore up Bell Canyon until it chokes up with water too. Quite unusual for these two I think.

We head over to Goblin Valley for a picnic lunch. We are the only other nut cases trying to have lunch at the picnic tables. The wind is whipping by and it's much warmer down in the valley below. But we didn't want to schlep our stuff down there so we quickly make sandwiches, wolf them down and go play in the goblins.

There's still time so we drive to the north of the Swell to try out Crack. We had a great hike into and out of Crack. But, it starts snowing hard before we get to the final narrows and the family is now cold and ready to call it quits. I also forgot to call Hans Flat before we turned to the north of the Swell and I can't get cell reception here.

I really wish I could show you the snapshot of my wife smiling and giving me the finger in the midst of the snow showers as she was saying "Next year I'm picking our Spring Break trip"! We all had a good laugh over that one and it was still a very fun day.

Checking in with the rangers they say that the Flint Trail got a lot of snow that day but that none of them had driven it to report exactly on the condition. I decide we'll drive in from Hite tomorrow. We head for another night in a motel in Hanksville.

So far sounds awesome. Snow in the desert is a cool thing to see. I think water in Bell and LWH is fairly common.

Can't wait for the rest :popcorn:

Ditto! :popcorn:

me three. bring it on. :2thumbs:

I'll keep going later tonight, but I also went through some photos today. Most will be much better to include at the correct point in the narrative. But here's one as a teaser that's just a generally nice scene. It was taken along the way on the Ernie's Country trail heading west out of Dollhouse 3.

My son kept joking that we could go home and tell people who asked what we did for Spring Break is that we "took lots of pictures of sticks, rocks and dirt". Of course that's Juniper sticks, Cedar Mesa Sandstone and Cryptobiotic Dirt, but only Bogley-types would appreciate that particular distinction.

Enjoy

[quote]"what we did for Spring Break is that we "took lots of pictures of sticks, rocks and dirt""[quote]

doesn't get any better than that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by denaliguide

Quote:

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what we did for Spring Break is that we "took lots of pictures of sticks, rocks and dirt"

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doesn't get any better than that.

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x2
:2thumbs:

StStephen,
Great report, I can't wait for the rest. I'm jealous that you have been to the maze. I'm going to throw a locker in the rear of my Jeep and put the Maze on the list of thing to do this year, work is really cutting into my preferred life style :roflol:
Peter

Day 2 (Sunday April 5): Into the Land of Standing Rocks

The drive down 95 to Hite is a great intro to the geology into which we will be immersed. While the road descends somewhat the layers of rock keep rising above us even more. Navajo, Kayenta and and soon Wingate loom overhead. We stop at the Hite viewpoint and then descend down to the river/lake level and stop at the empty visitor station. A note to anyone else getting permits this way: I could get no cell phone reception at the visitor center and while the pay phone was working it is a long distance charge back up to Hans Flat. Now it may be a "long distance" to drive, but WTF :ne_nau:, a raven could fly there in an hour or so! Geez. The phone won't even take coins for long distance but fortunately the operator puts me through to the station long enough for me to give them the number to call me back.

We go through all the restrictions, yada, yada. No pets, No guns. Yes I have my WAG bags. I ask about springs and trails and we're off with our permit!

The drive from Hite is very pleasant and beautiful. Towers and walls of Organ Rock shale above and peaks of bits of grey colored Cedar Mesa sandstone below. It's interesting how the beautiful red and yellow bands in the Cedar Mesa don't appear until you are basically inside the national park.

When we get to the four-way junction of the Flint Trail, Maze Overlook, Hite and Standing Rocks road I take the time to air down, but it's easy still for quite a while until we reach Teapot Camp. At Teapot we see our first other vehicle. A pickup truck is parked at the camp and two backpackers are just getting ready to hike the road. For the next hour we play cat-and-mouse and they are usually ahead of us! I felt a little bad that they had to be bothered by our Jeep continually catching up to them but Robin and Aaron chat with them a bit in between spotting me and they seem mostly OK with it; Hey if you hike the road you gotta expect the chance of Jeeps.

I am very glad I spent some time honing my 4WD skills before this trip. The road isn't really that bad, but it has it moments where you need to think about wheel placement and gently work your way over the obstacles. Robin and Aaron do a good job spotting, though they sometimes forget about my rear wheels and also the longer wheel base of the 4-door does give us some trouble with break-over angle. We scrape the undersides lightly a couple of times and nick the tail pipe once, but by mid-afternoon we finally reach Chimney Rock. Whew!

First thing Aaron wants to do is climb on Chimney Rock. I have to go with him and make sure he's really aware of how brittle that Organ Rock shale is. Nervous Dad, yes, but I sure don't want an injury on our first day with a 5 hour drive to get out. Time for a Full Suspension Ale...Ahhh! We're here, staring out at the Chocolate Drops and looking into Shot Canyon and Pictograph Fork. I can't F-ing believe it!

After a lunch snack we hike around into the very top of Shot. I promised Aaron I would let him practice rappelling a bit so even though I want to hike down into Shot as far as I can I find a nice sloping bit of rock with a good anchor and let him try out his new harness, helmet and ATC.

We set up camp and cook up those delicious Harmon's chicken w/garlic brats. OMG they really hit the spot. Other than the backpackers we passed we never saw another person or car that day. Night falls soon and the waxing moon is out lighting up the whole camp and the canyons and standing rocks as well. The night air is thick with silence. Our breathing is the loudest thing we can hear (fortunately, I skipped buying beans :haha:).

Tomorrow we don our packs and head into The Maze...

If any readers have a photo of the Hite Road they'd like to upload or of general views of the standing rocks now would be a good time. I'm such a putz to lose that memory card... :frustrated:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by psl53

StStephen,
Great report, I can't wait for the rest. I'm jealous that you have been to the maze. I'm going to throw a locker in the rear of my Jeep and put the Maze on the list of thing to do this year, work is really cutting into my preferred life style :roflol:
Peter

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Thanks, Peter.

As to the locker, I never locked either front or back on that ride. You need good articulation and a shorter wheel base or more lift for just a couple of the features. Now, that said, if it rains things can change in a hurry, so being able to lock might be a nice contingency plan. If you want to feel humble though, I think hatchcanyon has a photo of him driving in there in a Ford Explorer :hail2thechief:

I've literally wanted to do this trip for 29 years. I first saw the Chocolate Drops from the air when some Deadhead friends flew me out to the Needles Outpost in a single engine Piper to backpack into Chesler Park. Looking down on them I asked what that was and how to get there.

Patience pays off.

Here is some pics. Have more than these though. Was there about the same time. Sun, wind, rain, snow, warm, cols....typical spring in Utah.

All the trails are heavily cairned...not used to that in canyon country. A bit of a scramble down from the Maze overlook and getting in/out of the the canyon heads. Enough potholes for water right now,.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02605.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02609.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02627.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02640.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02660.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02683.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02687.jpg

Nice collection of photos. Thanks!

I grabbed a few photos of the drive from my son's point-and-shoot. I also forgot an important poncho mention. The drive from Hite is nice but quite long and it's my turn to pick the CD. I've been working on indoctrinating my son into appreciation for my music idols from eras past. Some just don't work for him, but for some reason he does like Frank Zappa. On this trip I've picked out the reissue of Overnight Sensation and Apostrophe.

Both albums have mention of a poncho: "Is that a Mexican poncho or is that a Sears poncho? Hmmm...no foolin'." How appropriate.

More photos from the point and shoot

Here's a few more. Takes to long to upload a lot.......and I have a lot of S Utah stuff!

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02626.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02651.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02675.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...9/DSC02686.jpg

Nice Bighorn! Where was that?

Day 3 (Monday April 6): Sometimes the stars align

After a hearty breakfast (I scramble some eggs with bacon and cheese) we break camp and move the Jeep to the "parking area" by Chimney Rock. We haven't walked more than 20 yards away from camp when a pair of Ravens swoops in to scour our camp for crumbs. Those birds are scary smart!

The first 2+ miles follows the ridge that separates Jasper Canyon and Pictograph Fork. The Chocolate Drops are off in the distance and the standing rocks of Lizard and Chimney Rocks, the Plug and the Wall behind us. It's a glorious blue day and easy walking on this ridge.

When we reach the point where the route starts to dip into an arm of Pictograph Fork we stash our packs, zipper-side down to try to thwart those brainy Ravens so we can explore Pete's Mesa. I had gathered beta about two routes onto Pete Mesa. The first one follows the spine of Organ Rock spires that point out from the Mesa towards our ridge directly. No way am I going to convince the family to try to ascend that! The next route looks to be just "a little bit" around the mesa skirting close to various side arms of Jasper Canyon so we keep working our way in that direction. Like most walking in this area it's seldom as straightforward as it appears on map or from a distance. At each minor drainage there are obstacles and route choices. Drop to a lower level or rock? Scramble over those car-sized boulders? But, the views into Jasper are stunning and we keep going.

I keep thinking the drainage that leads to the mesa top route is just around the next corner. But each one shows yet another one. Finally I decide this is cutting into the time I want to reserve for day hiking from our eventually campsite in Pictograph Fork. But I don't consider this a defeat. We had a nice exploration of the shelves below the mesa with great views. Back at our packs we eat some snacks and head down to the Maze itself.

Again the route into this arm has its challenges. Some pour-offs must be negotiated. Sometimes we have to hand packs down, but it's just enough challenge to be interesting and soon were walking down the sandy wash with the Cedar Mesa walls all around us!

The spring at the confluence of the main arm of Pictograph Fork is right where we expect it. There's a few spots 4 or 5 inches deep that will work well for filtering water. Now we hunt for a campsite. We decide to explore a little side canyon near the spring. It's a challenge to find something both not directly at the bottom of the wash nor trampling the crypto soil. I find something suitable beneath some large Pinyon Pines. After we set up the tent Robin goes off to explore and comes back saying "you've got to come see this". Huh? I follow and just 30 yards up-wash there is the PERFECT campsite. It's even got a sandstone table for four with chairs! OK, we're moving the tent...

After we're situated I fill water bottles so we can day hike up to the Maze Overlook. Robin and Aaron seem a little doubtful when I point out the top of the Nuts and Bolts formation on which I announce we will soon be standing :haha: But, off we go. I'm sure to many of you the Overlook trail is a walk in the park. But it is was really fun and a bit exciting for my
family. Scrambling over lips by Moki steps. Squeezing up an off-width chimney. Hauling ourselves over pour-offs. Great stuff! We all feel very satisfied when we reach the top with the whole of the Maze at our feet. What a spot!

Back at camp, we enjoy our fancy dining room and relax after dinner as the waxing moon rises into the canyon opening above us. I announce that we have one more activity: a short moonlight stroll. Aaron moans a bit, but we set off. It's delightful with the bright moonlight playing off the cayon walls and our moon shadows dancing on the rock beside us. As we return I notice a small alcove. It's just a wide slightly overhanging part with a sloping bench. I ask everyone to go in and lie on the bench. The alcove wall forms the boundary of our peripheral vision and frames the moon, stars and the shimering walls of sandstone on the oppoiste side. As we lie there an ENORMOUS meteorite shoots by! I'm talking about a sputtering pulsating orb leaving a thick glowing trail in the night sky.

That was one perfect day!

This is a terrific report - really enjoying it! I figure I'll post a few pics of mine from the area, too. Spring 2007.

At the Hans Flat Ranger Station, with denaliguide and Craig from Colorado:
http://kev.cirruswebsolutions.ca/uut...e/imgp3089.jpg

Looking northwest into the Maze from the Chimney Rock area:
http://kev.cirruswebsolutions.ca/uut...e/imgp3182.jpg

denaliguide , Craig and I setting out at Chimney Rock:
http://kev.cirruswebsolutions.ca/uut...e/imgp3220.jpg

Dropping in via the "Chimney Rock Route Trail":
http://kev.cirruswebsolutions.ca/uut...e/imgp3238.jpg

In the Maze:
http://kev.cirruswebsolutions.ca/uut...e/imgp3267.jpg

The Chocolate Drops:
http://kev.cirruswebsolutions.ca/uut...e/imgp3295.jpg

Heading back up the pouroffs to the ridge to Pete's Mesa:
http://kev.cirruswebsolutions.ca/uut...e/imgp3348.jpg

Climbing up a pouroff:
http://kev.cirruswebsolutions.ca/uut...e/imgp3354.jpg

Nice to see everyone else's pictures too.

Time to continue on with my story...


Day 4 (Tuesday April 7): Is it backpacking if you use a car?

Dawn breaks with the the sun hitting the Chocolate Drops first. We can just see them peaking out above the canyon wall opposite our camp area. Tonight our permit calls for one more night backpacking. We have a choice to stay down in the central Maze area or to move on to another area. There are so many different areas of the overall district I want to explore I decide to spend the morning hiking out of Pictograph Fork and then to drive down to the Dollhouse and hike in a few miles from there. Not exactly a purist's idea of a day's backpacking but it seems like a good way to optimize our time.

The walk up canyon past the Harvest Scene is easy and enjoyable. We are careful to keep track of the side canyons on the topo/GPS so as to find the correct side canyon that will take us out of the main arm and back to Chimney Rock. When we finally top out it's noon-ish and our Jeep is still all alone in the parking lot. We have lunch and drive down to the Dollhouse. While we're repacking and filling water bottles a group of day hikers from the river stops by. This is the only group we've seen since the day we drove Teapot Canyon.

We take the Green and Colorador River Overlook trail with the idea of camping somewhere about 3 miles in. On the map the trail looks to be mostly flat. Of course, nothing in here is as easy as it looks on the topo. There are several mini-canyons we have to negotiate that involve climbs and scrambles. At least one is fairly tricky when wearing a full pack. Near that point we pass a lone backpacker who says he is coming from Shot Canyon. After we pass I wonder where he parked. There was no car at Chimney or the Dollhouse. We learn more about him tomorrow.

At about mile 3 the trail comes to an area that is similar to Chesler Park in the Needles. There are spires and fin-like walls rimming an brushy open area. On the map this looked like a good area to find a campsite. But Aaron and I spend 30 minutes walking up and down all the washes looking for a suitable spot to no avail. Finally we find a slickrock camp on the opposite side of the park. It has afternoon sun and rocks to tie down the tent. We enjoy sunning ourselves on the rocks in our camp and retire early.

Day 5 (Wednesday April 8) Change of Plans

In the morning we make the round trip hike out to the overlook. The trail leads to a wide savanah with spires and fins on either side. The savanah narrows until there is slickrock exposed on both sides. In just a few steps you can go from views straight down into the Colorado or the Green and get a peak at where the confluence lies. Quite a stunning spot!

As we are out here the wind starts to pick up. By the time we're back in camp it's blowing quite hard and our tent is on its side barely holding on to the anchors we set. Nothing harmed we load up and head back to the Dollhouse. We have Dollhouse 3 reserved tonight and another night of backpacking for the following night. But, I'm feeling like we could actually be just as effective at exploring by staying put in a 4WD site for two nights and day hiking. Fortunately when we stop at Beehive Arch to rest a park ranger happens by. I ask about making this change.

She says it may be possible if we switch Dollhouse sites. Apparently the lone packer we saw was scheduled to use one of the 4WD sites. But he abondandoned his Cherokee after trying the first part of Teapot Canyon and instead walked all the way in! He's now working on walking back out and she mentions that if we pass him on our way out it would be nice to offer him help by taking him or his pack back to Teapot camp.

When I'm asking the ranger about our possibilities I start to look at her sheet of reservations so I can figure my options. She gets very nervous about how I can't be allowed to see the names, "You could be a stalker". Right. I can see the headline: "Family drives into the Maze in hopes of finding campers to stalk". Whatever. But she does help us switch over to Dollhouse 2 for two nights.

Getting the Jeep into Dollhouse 2 involves a tricky section of boulders and trees. Nothing really technically hard, but the narrow geometry gives us some pause and we need to back and fill a few times to find the right way to pass it. But then we're in to our own private sandstone grotto at the Dollhouse. Yippee! This is *such* a cool spot. You have a wonderful view of the La Sals as well.

We have time for a quick day hike out to the Granary. The views into the Surprise Valley are fabulous on this route. The only downer is that by now the wind is really whipping up. The tumbleweeds are getting blown around and clogging up some of the trails through the joints of sandstone around the Dollhouse area. My family makes me sit outside by myself and cook them dinner. :ne_nau: But by nightfall it feels like it will die down and we have a nice moonlight stroll around the area.