Beef Basin Weekend

Friday | October 8, 2010

On Friday morning Amanda and I loaded up the Jeep and headed to Beef Basin for a three-day weekend. I had been planning this weekend for a while since I wanted to spend some quality time exploring Beef Basin. We made it to Monticello to fuel up and then took UT 211 towards the Needles District of Canyonlands, where we turned off onto the Cottonwood Canyon Road. I had been worried about the condition of this road with all the rain we had recently, but we found it in good condition and it was dried out (I've been on this road when it was wet before, and it's no fun). We climbed up towards Horse Mountain until we reached the Beef Basin Road turnoff and dropped back down into House Park where we setup a basecamp for the weekend.

Once camp was setup I headed straight for Middle Park to find the granaries there. They were easily found but the lighting was bad when we arrived, so I figured I'd head back later in the evening before it got dark out. We continued on into Ruin Park and stopped at some of the ruins along the way.

A tower in Ruin Park that I planned to visit later that night
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181508-2/IMG_6837.jpg

Farm House Ruin
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181511-2/IMG_6957.jpg

We took the Bull Valley Spur all the way back to the Gypsum Canyon Spur where I found the arch located near the end of the trail.

The arch near the end of the Gypsum Canyon spur.....bad picture because I was shooting right into the sun
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181514-2/IMG_6999.jpg

We hopped on the Beef Basin Loop Road from there and headed back to complete the Homewater Spring Loop before heading back to Middle Park. This time the light was better, so I took some photos.

View across Beef Basin
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181517-2/IMG_7010.jpg

Double-Stack Granaries in Middle Park
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181520-2/IMG_7016.jpg

The Upper Garnary
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181526-2/IMG_7031.jpg

My favorite granary in Middle Park to photograph
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181535-2/IMG_7086.jpg

Photo from further back
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181541-2/IMG_7102.jpg

We headed back to camp for some dinner and to take a short nap until it was dark out. Once it was dark we headed back over to ruin park to shoot some star trails.

Here's one Amanda composed
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181831-2/Amanda_Star_Trail.jpg

..and here's mine. Probably one of my favorite photos from the weekend.
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181828-2/Tower_Star_Trail.jpg

It was a good way to start a nice long weekend of camping and exploring :)

:popcorn:

Saturday | October 9, 2010

After a cold night of camping we had some breakfast and started the day out by heading up Beef Basin Wash. The first few miles of this road had been recently graded and it was in good shape, however at the first gate is where the recent maintenance had stopped. As we continued through the gate we noticed that no one had been down this trail since the last storms had come through. When we reached the first wash crossing we were met with some cut banks on both sides. I thought I could drive through the crossing, but soon found out that I was wrong. I managed to get stuck in some deep sand along the wash. It had been a while since the last time I got a vehicle stuck anywhere. With nothing good to winch to, Amanda and I spent the next 45 minutes to an hour digging and stacking rocks. Luckily I was then able to back out of this situation. Once out of the sand, I parked the Jeep and we hiked the rest of the way along the road to the cliff dwelling I had set out to visit.

By the time I reached the ruins I was a little too late and there was a shadow cast onto the top of them.
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181637-2/IMG_7196.jpg

Closer view
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181640-2/IMG_7210_1_2t.jpg

After hiking back to the Jeep we continued on back to the Beef Basin Loop and checked out the Calf Canyon Spur followed by a drive up into Ruin Canyon. While in Ruin Canyon we stopped at the large ridge-top ruins.

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181646-2/IMG_7263.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181651-2/IMG_7274.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181654-2/IMG_7287.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181562-2/IMG_7384.jpg

Back at the 5-way intersection
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181786-2/IMG_2204.JPG

We stopped at another small granary just off the main Beef Basin Loop
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181568-2/IMG_7409.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181565-2/IMG_7404.jpg

Finishing up the main loop
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181580-2/IMG_7440.jpg

We stopped back at camp for some lunch and then headed back up into House Park to visit a ruin we had bypassed on our way in the day before.

Apparently this wall needs some help...
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181589-2/IMG_7454.jpg

Nice window in that wall, though
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181592-2/IMG_7476.jpg

Cracking foundation
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181595-2/IMG_7490.jpg

Fingerprints are still visible after all of these years...
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181598-2/IMG_7493.jpg

We headed back to Ruin Park next, but on our way we took another short spur into Middle Park that I had neglected before. I'm glad I did because there was another small granary near the end of this trail, too.

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181613-2/IMG_7545t.jpg

Ruin Park Road
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181753-2/IMG_2209.JPG

Two-Track in Ruin Park
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181762-2/IMG_2212.JPG

Made a quick stop at this small ruin right off the road
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181616-2/IMG_7599t.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181619-2/IMG_7612.jpg

I hiked to one last ruin for the day in Ruin Park. Last time I was here there was a trail that lead to this one, but it has since been closed by the BLM with their new travel management plan that went into effect earlier this year.

Fallen Tower
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181625-2/IMG_7635.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181628-2/IMG_7640.jpg

We headed back to camp, had some dinner, and went to bed early. As the sun was setting Amanda took this photo from our campsite.

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181678-2/IMG_2217.JPG

Sunday | October 10, 2010

Sunday morning we were up early, had some breakfast and packed up camp. We would be heading home today, but not the way we came. We would be heading out through Canyonlands National Park's Needles District.

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181675-2/IMG_2219.JPG

Warning sign before dropping down into Bobbys Hole
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181750-2/IMG_2220.JPG

The trail down into Bobbys Hole wasn't bad, just a little rough
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181705-2/IMG_2221.JPG

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181717-2/IMG_2225.JPG

Welcome to Canyonlands
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181723-2/IMG_2227.JPG

The Needles
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181729-2/IMG_2229.JPG

We stopped to take a hike on The Joint Trail to Chesler Park. Amanda really enjoyed this hike since she had not done it before.

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181816-2/IMG_7698.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181666-2/IMG_7736.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181669-2/IMG_7741.jpg

Large balanced rock
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181801-2/IMG_7758.jpg

More needles
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181738-2/IMG_2232.JPG

Pictographs along the Devils Lane
http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181804-2/IMG_7762.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181807-2/IMG_7765.jpg

http://www.myxj.net/g2/d/181813-2/IMG_7769.jpg

We finished up the Elephant Hill trail and then started on our way home. I had hoped to get a good photo of Newspaper Rock on our way out, but the lighting was wrong when we were there, so I will have to try that another time. We had a great long weekend exploring Beef Basin and the surrounding areas.

Good hell do you get some nice shots and places to explore. Hmmmmmmmmmmm, Colorado... :hydro:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by accadacca

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, Colorado... :hydro:

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Colorado? This was in Utah :)

Excellent trip report. :hail2thechief: I'm definitely planning some upcoming trips around a few of your TR's, especially this one. THANK YOU!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ibenick

Excellent trip report. :hail2thechief: I'm definitely planning some upcoming trips around a few of your TR's, especially this one. THANK YOU!

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Thanks! If you need any help planning your trips, feel free to let me know :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IntrepidXJ

Thanks! If you need any help planning your trips, feel free to let me know :)

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I can pretty much guarantee I will take you up on that offer. :mrgreen:

I'd heard of Beef Basin, but had no idea what was in the area. Pretty cool stuff! Thanks! :2thumbs:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IntrepidXJ

Thanks! If you need any help planning your trips, feel free to let me know :)

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very nice and if that offer is extended I might take ya up on it .... besides we are practically neighbors lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bowjunkie

very nice and if that offer is extended I might take ya up on it .... besides we are practically neighbors lol

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That offer is open to anyone on Bogley :)

Great TR, Randy! We just touched on the Needles area last week, simply an amazing place.

Win

:2thumbs: Never disappointing Randy keep'em coming.

Great adventure.

Randy,
As usual awesome. Years ago we went around counterclockwise in March and had no idea that we were going to gain so much elevation on that mountain range there. We came to serious snow and we did not have enough gas to back track. Needless to say it was a hoot. Three extremely well built jeeps with no tops and pretty much bottomless slushy snow. I have never been stuck so many times. We had smoke coming out of one of the winches due to over use. We eventually made it thru. For those that have not made the Beef Basin Elephant hill loop I highly recommend it, nice drive. Just not when there is 3 or 4 ft of slushy snow.

Wow, looks like alot of fun!.. I'll take you up on a little bit of that offer. Hoping to do something similer here in a couple weeks. Tried it in the spring, too mucvch snow up in the national forest there. How many miles did you travel, starting at say, 211. How much gas did you use? Do you need a permit to travel thru canyonlands or is that just for camping?
thanks

I don't recall the mileage, but I didn't even come close to going through a full tank of gas. You do not need a permit to drive through Canyonlands....only need one if you are camping.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dburt

Wow, looks like alot of fun!.. I'll take you up on a little bit of that offer. Hoping to do something similer here in a couple weeks. Tried it in the spring, too mucvch snow up in the national forest there. How many miles did you travel, starting at say, 211. How much gas did you use? Do you need a permit to travel thru canyonlands or is that just for camping?
thanks

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Thanks..can't wait! Will have the dog so we wont be goin thru canyonlands.

Ok, well now, we arent sure the weather is gonna cooperate with us at the higher elevations again. Any suggestions for something similer if the wet weather keeps up? High concentration of ruins/rock art, decent camping, dog friendly?
Thanks in advance,
Don

Very cool trip. I've wanted to do Beef Basin for a few years now but have found little info on it. Took the kids backpacking to CP via Elephant Hill last Sept and they loved it. Will have to do it again and make plans to include BB.

Your TRs are great. Keep 'em coming!