Laccolith Tour | Abajo Mountains

[IntrepidXJ]

This weekend Amanda and I finished up our Laccolith Tour this year by heading up to the Abajo (Blue) Mountains. We started out by heading west out of Monticello to North Creek Pass.





Then we followed Indian Creek and Johnson Creek to the Nizhoni Campground.





From there we made our way up Dry Wash to do a little hiking and find some ruins. While hiking, Amanda decided that she wanted to sit down and rest while I continued on a little ways. Shortly after we split, I heard a noise off in the trees ahead of me. I stopped and listened, but did not hear the noise anymore, so I decided to carry on. Right after I started hiking again, the noise in the tress started up again, and two large bears started crossing the trail about 20 feet in front of me. At that point I turned around and safely got out of there!

We made it back to the Jeep and followed another spur road in Dry Wash that did lead us to some ruins high up in the cliffs.





We then left Dry Wash and continued on across The Casueway



View down into Tuerto Canyon


The Casueway

[IntrepidXJ]

On our way to North Elk Ridge




We dropped down off North Elk Ridge and made our way across North Long Point and the Dark Canyon Plateau.

View over Beef Basin as we descend the switchback


Dark Canyon


Henry Mountains in the distance....it feels like I was just there last weekend ;)


Henry Mountains from the end of the trail on Middle Point




View over Bowdie Canyon


We made our way back onto North Elk Ridge and setup camp for the night near Duck Lake.

[IntrepidXJ]

The following morning we continued on to South Elk Ridge


Overlook of Hammond Canyon


Abajo Mountains from Elk Ridge


We took another break from driving and hiked to the viewpoint for Over/Under Ruins.





When we reached Blanding, we turned north again and made our way through the Abajo Mountains again






We noticed that the colors were starting to change at the higher elevations. You can spot a yellow area in the trees behind us in this photo


When we reached Monticello again, we grabbed some lunch and then headed home for the weekend.

[Brewhaha]

Great shots.

[oldno7]

Nice TR Randy........

No Pics--No Bear.

There are a lot of bear in the area, earlier this summer we followed fresh bear tracks up mule canyon.

[IntrepidXJ]

Nice TR Randy........

No Pics--No Bear.

There are a lot of bear in the area, earlier this summer we followed fresh bear tracks up mule canyon.

Getting pics of the bears was not the first thing that came to my mind ;)

[offpiste]

[accadacca]