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View Full Version : San Rafael Swell--Dec 7-10



Cody
12-10-2007, 11:42 PM
This is a fast write up. I don’t have the patience to get into more detail tonight….


We decided to go explore some roads we hadn't seen yet, and thought it would be especially deserted out there this time of year. We weren't sure until the last minute if we would actually go since the weather was so awful, but in the end 3 brave toyota's, 1 rover, and 1 damned Jeep decided to take a trip.

We left around 5:30 pm on Friday during a blizzard that made the rush hour so pleasant. I was about 45 minutes behind the group and hit the entrance of Spanish Fork. From here on, the snow stopped other than just for a bit over Soldier Summit.

I met up with Kurt, Richard, Jason and Tami (It was Tami right?), and John in Ferron at about 10 pm and we gassed up and headed out. The road out was covered in snow and we had fun blasting fresh tracks down the road. After about 15 miles we stopped and set up camp in the middle of the road.

We ate around the fire, and hit the sack.

Next morning we headed up the Eva Conover road
Here is the wash just outside of camp 1. A little foggy in the morning.
http://www.fototime.com/5AD7D41F0EEF0E5/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/9CED4AFFEB533E2/standard.jpg

Starting to clear up...the road ahead
http://www.fototime.com/CF45A84852FA2EB/standard.jpg

out of the wash
http://www.fototime.com/CCC457572433BE3/standard.jpg

Down into Eagle Canyon under the I-70 bridges
http://www.fototime.com/8F59EC3800EB285/standard.jpg

Just before we get to the Ice Box and Swayze's cabin I discovered a broken hub. Imagine that, a broken 44 part on the only part of the trail where it is needed. A few tries and I made it up the hill, but without spare hubs I was on the 3 wheel motion for the rest of the trip.

Swayze's Cabin--and about the only period of time it snowed--just a dusting.

http://www.fototime.com/BAB244F292D1502/standard.jpg

Sunset from camp 2
http://www.fototime.com/8C645A9B786AA4C/standard.jpg

Morning view from camp 2
http://www.fototime.com/374DCA81F1C4285/standard.jpg

camp 2--and the miscolored monstrosity
http://www.fototime.com/CF0033E56DE5C99/standard.jpg

devils racetrack
http://www.fototime.com/FDE37659C9BB58F/standard.jpg

Kurt in the lead...getting up to the cliffs edge
http://www.fototime.com/189089E80FC612D/standard.jpg

I think Kurt called this slipper arch
http://www.fototime.com/7B7F821348F0F1C/standard.jpg

From here we continued up and over Fix it Pass which we were blessed with perfect exposure and the difficult portion of the trail was dry. I managed to get the hobbled ZJ through and the other rigs had zero problems. We went over the pass, into an awesome high speed run of Cane Wash out to Buckhorn Wash. The group set up camp just down the Mexican mountain road and I stayed around just long enough to benefit from some awesome Elk Tacos.

I had to work on Monday so I headed out on my own. The fog turned a 2.5 hour drive into a 4 hour drive, but other than that no problems.

All in all a great trip. Excellent weather and luck and fresh tracks on 125 miles of Utah dirt roads.

These are all dumb camera phone pictures so I'm hoping that someone will post something a little higher quality too.

thanks for playing!