Utah Trip 4-24-17 to 5-5-17

[RobG]

Quick write-up for a 12 day trip to Utah. Visited Grand Staircase National Monument (GSNM) and did the southern portion of the BDR. Didn’t get any takers on the BDR post so I wound up hooking up with my friends Joe and Dana of Mule Expedition Outfitters.

Kind of wound at Grand Staircase by accident but had a great time the scenery was incredible, GSNM is super dog friendly and not widely visited, the Utah BDR is Beautiful and technically challenging. Couldn’t imagine doing the expert section on a heavy dual sport.


Day 1 – Finish packing leave Socal 1PM drive through Zion NP and sleep

Day 2 - Drive to Kanab UT, Explore and camp GSNP





Day 3 - Explore Trails in GSNM Meet up with Friends Joe and Dana in Kanab, Camp in GSNM








Day 4 - Explore and camp in GCNM















Day 5 - Explore GSNM including 2 cool slot canyon hikes. Stayed in hotel outside of Brice NP 20F and snowing overnight











Day 6 - Explore GSNM outside of Escalante drove Death Ridge trail and camped

[RobG]

Day 7 - Drove out of GSNM and headed for UT Border and start of UTAH BDR. Camped in Valley of the Gods.
















Day 8 - Drove BRD camped along trail

[RobG]

Day 9 - Drove BDR – Stopped in Montecello for supplies







Day 10 – Drove BDR Lockheart Trail Camped on Lockheart trail
















Day 11 – Took Lockhart Trail into Moab. Lunch in Moab, resupplied, camped north of Moab
















Day 12 – Drove from Moab back home to Socal

[4x4mike]

Great pictures as always Rob. The scenery and the trip look fantastic. Lou looked to be having a good time too.

How'd the 4Runner do? With all the road driving and trail miles? It looks like you also have some new lighting. Looks good.

[Seanz0rz]

No fair!

Great pics! Thanks for sharing.

[RobG]

Thanks Mike and Sean,

Was an absolutely great trip, totally mind clearing. Lou was doing great until about day 7 when he lost a toe nail, he was glad to get home.

4runner did great except for trying to hold speed up hills at altitude on the freeway. Couldn't believe how smooth my friends 4th gen rode on moderately rough stuff, totally different than my truck. Except for the Lockhart Basin almost all of the trails were very well groomed and soft, there were actually very nice looking graders parked in a few spots on the trail. I think it is part of Utah's tourism support program.

Yes it is not fair but timing just happen to work out perfectly so I had to do it.

[4x4mike]

Glad you were able to do the trip.

It's funny you mention the graders. I think I have a picture of my old truck next to equipment from one of our Utah trips through Arches and Canyonlands. Some of the trails were actually nicely groomed dirt roads and now that I think of it were in much better shape than the paved roads I drive here on a daily basis.

[RobG]

Some of the trails were actually nicely groomed dirt roads and now that I think of it were in much better shape than the paved roads I drive here on a daily basis.

That is funny because that is exactly what I was thinking. Some of the small towns looked to be 100% dependent our tourism for survival I assumed it was done to keep people coming back.

Did you do white rim road in canyon lands? I really wanted to drive the entire thing but the no pets policy prevented us from dong it this trip.

[4x4mike]

I suppose. I'm sure it's easy to maintain a road every year or two versus major grading every 10 years. I've spent some time in Oregon, Utah and Arizona on week long trips and camped along side road crews that were out in the middle of no where working on dirt roads. They would work all day then set up camp. They had a fuel and water truck so they were set.

I've heard that Oregon has more miles of dirt roads than paved roads. We travel to Oregon every year and every time we do travel on dirt when we can. The roads out there are super smooth and topped with the reddish dirt/tiny rock that helps drainage.

I've mountain biked the White Rim but only for a two day trip and only driven sections in day trip lengths. It's a beautiful spot and I lucked out by having a buddy who lived in the area that took us to the popular spots.

[Robinhood4x4]

Nice pictures Rob. I especially like the campsite where your campfire is inside a cave.

How's your suspension holding up after all these years? My rubber bushings are gone and a few months ago I got death wobble. I have no idea how I didn't get it in the months leading up to it because when I turn the steering wheel I could watch the front leaf springs slide about 1/2" side to side.

I'm in the process of replacing every bushing now so I should be up and going before it gets too hot here.