Muddy Creek Canyon - San Rafael Swell

[Hatchcanyon]

Muddy Creek created an impressive canyon NW of Hanksville where it breaks through the San Rafael Reef.

Its not always possible to travel through: too much water, flash flood danger and occasionally a very soft canyon floor.

Some pictures:

Th creek outside the Swell


Canyon mouth


Entering the canyon


Tight and shady


Walls


Buttes


Rockfall


Flat


Buildings of Vernon Picks Hidden Splendor Mine aka "Hidden Blunder


View back from the old landing strip


Much more pictures (with German text): http://hatchcanyon.eu/Inhalt/San_Raf...dy_canyon.html

[RedMan]

Nice photos.

Did you start at the east end and navigate all the way up to Hidden Splendor mine?

[CarpeyBiggs]

Isn't this route now closed?

[CarpeyBiggs]

Isn't this route now closed?

[James_B_Wads2000]

Last time I was there three years ago it was posted and closed. I know that the ORV/ATV groups have worked with the BLM to open once closed routes in the Swell. The Behind-The-Reef road used to be closed but back in '04 I think they opened it up and I have come acrossed many groups of ATV's and bikes on it.

Has this road been reopened? Maybe Redman, BruteForce, ExpUT or fortycal might know.





James

[Scott P]

The route is still closed unless things have changed since last May, which is unlikely.

[ExpUt]

Very interested to hear more about this.

It is closed at the boundary of the WSA, though its obvious the historic roads is still seeing some use. Its not very well marked on the eastern side, but as you drive past the cabins and up to the old air strip, it is extremely marked and barricaded.

A route I would absolutely love to drive, I've hiked portions of it but the road looks soooo neat.

So how about it Hatch Canyon? When did you drive this? How did you exit by the air strip without moving the buck/pole fencing? Did you by chance think to pick up a Motorized Travel Map from the BLM?

[Hatchcanyon]

We drove it upstream in 2004. At this time there were no signs or blockings on either end. It had exactly the same status as in 1996. As far as I know the route is an old mining road serving Hidden Splendor Mine at times the creek made travel possible. At other times one hat to use the much longer route through Temple Mountain Wash and down from the landing strip.

Basically you

[Don]

I've hiked there too. It was very beautiful, but after a long day in a technical slot the gorge is a loooong slog back to the airport camp site. While there is no "road" in the canyon, there is a very clear and obviously still occasionally used Jeep trail running in and out of the river through there and I remember thinking that my Jeep would do just fine. I would love to drive through there but I'm quite sure it's closed to motor vehicles. If there is no road or trail printed on your "San Rafael Motorized Route Designations" map wouldn't that mean that the area is closed to motor vehicles?
I know there were big roadblocks and signs posted on both the switchback road dropping South West down from the Airport and the ramp-road dropping South East from the airport that takes you right to the mine.
I thought it was part of the WSA, but I'm stuck at work and don't have maps on hand...
Going to call Price BLM for clarification.

EDIT: Called BLM, got an answering machine. Learned nothing.

[ExpUt]

We drove it upstream in 2004. At this time there were no signs or blockings on either end. It had exactly the same status as in 1996.

In 1996 you were completely in the clear, in 2004 you were on the fringe and technically breaking the law. The new travel management plan was official by 2003. By 2005 (possibly earlier) barricades were constructed just above the Hidden Splendor Mine and as you indicated the route is not on the latest versions of the Motorized Travel Plan. (2003 or 2006)

As far as I know the route is an old mining road serving Hidden Splendor Mine at times the creek made travel possible. At other times one hat to use the much longer route through Temple Mountain Wash and down from the landing strip.

Your absolutely correct, it is a historically existing route and should remain open. However that doesn't change the fact the BLM has closed the route for the time being, dis-obeying their travel plan not only jeopardizes the future of that route, it jeopardizes and polarizes the decisions on other routes in the area.

[quote=Hatchcanyon]Basically you

[ExpUt]

...I thought it was part of the WSA, but I'm stuck at work and don't have maps on hand...
Going to call Price BLM for clarification.

I'll post the maps later this afternoon if you can wait.

[Don]

HC,
While I'm quite sure you were in the wrong driving in there I hope you don't get attacked for admitting it. A mistake was made and if, as you say, the route is not posted then some of the blame falls elsewhere. You got away with it, lesson learned, right?
Of course if I found people blatantly disregarding the travel plan I'd be pretty pissed about it and would likely call law enforcement. I believe in mixed-use land management; there is a place to drive and a place to walk. Having seen this piece of land first hand of course I thought that I would love to drive my Jeep there and still I think it should be closed to motor vehicles because the route is in the river for a large part of the trip.

[RedMan]

The Barricades were originally erected in 2003 and disappeared/reappeared several times. It would not surprise me they were gone when you arrived.

Found them used as firewood once. Looked like someone had a real nice party.

Last time I was there a group of Kayakers had knocked it down and driven to the river to put in.

As far as I know there was never anything at the bottom.
The maps in 2004 showed this as a route.

Its sort of a lighting rod route now.

[RedMan]

Last time I was there three years ago it was posted and closed. I know that the ORV/ATV groups have worked with the BLM to open once closed routes in the Swell. The Behind-The-Reef road used to be closed but back in '04 I think they opened it up and I have come acrossed many groups of ATV's and bikes on it.

Has this road been reopened? Maybe Redman, BruteForce, ExpUT or fortycal might know.

James

The Behind-the-reef road was never "closed". It washed out quite severely and nobody wanted to do the work to fix it. When the work was done it was done just enough to allow ATV width passage so it was designated ATV only. Not because anyone wanted to restrict larger vehicles but because the cost to fix it for large vehicles would have been too much.

Its a great Mt Bike ride as well.

To my knowledge (and I am intimately involved) not a single "once closed" route in the swell has been re-opened. In fact quite the opposite is true. Many routes have been closed. None re-opened.

[ExpUt]

...The maps in 2004 showed this as a route...

Which map is that?

[ExpUt]

...To my knowledge (and I am intimately involved) not a single "once closed" route in the swell has been re-opened. In fact quite the opposite is true. Many routes have been closed. None re-opened.

The Sids Mountain WSA routes were technically closed and then re-opened. Eva Conover, Fix It Pass, Devils Racetrack. These went down right as I was getting into the land use scene so the details are a bit sketchy, others might have more info.

[ExpUt]

HC,
While I'm quite sure you were in the wrong driving in there I hope you don't get attacked for admitting it. A mistake was made and if, as you say, the route is not posted then some of the blame falls elsewhere. You got away with it, lesson learned, right?
Of course if I found people blatantly disregarding the travel plan I'd be pretty pissed about it and would likely call law enforcement. I believe in mixed-use land management; there is a place to drive and a place to walk. Having seen this piece of land first hand of course I thought that I would love to drive my Jeep there and still I think it should be closed to motor vehicles because the route is in the river for a large part of the trip.

Agreed,

Hatchcanyon, I'm not attacking you. Like I said in 2004 this wasn't a really known closure, since then it has really received some notice including a protest ride in 2006 by a disabled gentleman that called and invited the BLM to watch him move the barricades and ride to the cabins. They didn't show up but I believe mailed him a ticket. To be honest this hold more clout with me than someone just rolling up and running it because it "looks" like a trail. The maps at kiosks throughout the swell have had updated travel maps since 2003 (located at Temple Mtn, Buckhorn, etc).

The days of driving wherever other tracks or trails are is no longer an appropriate practice. If we want continued motorized access to our public lands users need to educate THEMSELVES on where/when they can travel ahead of time.

That said I'm extremely jealous you were able to drive it!

[Don]

That said I'm extremely jealous you were able to drive it!

Me too.

[James_B_Wads2000]

The Behind-the-reef road was never "closed". It washed out quite severely and nobody wanted to do the work to fix it.

That makes sense, my mistake. I hiked the western portion from Ramp Canyon to Cistern Canyon in

[Hatchcanyon]

First point:

I have nothing to do with any Mining Company. I'm simply a tourist from Germany.

Second:
We asked the Hanksville BLM office and the lady told us there is no restriction but it might be dangerous to do so. Reason: Flash flood and weak surface.

There were absolutely no signs or remains of barricades. The road from the landing strip down to the mine buildings appeared exactly like we had seen it all the years before. (As far as I know restrictions applied a year later.)

At this time we were not the only ones. (Might have been Memorial Day weekend?) A crowd of folks from Hanksville(?) did the same. We were more or less in a party of 4 vehicles even though the local guys did not have enough courage to enter the gorge until we arrived accidently. They feared to get stuck and asked us if they could make it! A weird situation.