Third Time's A Charm: ADVENTR Jeep III

[IntrepidXJ]

Moab Meanderings: Arches on Amasa Back
Sunday, March 12, 2023


I was originally planning to go hiking on Saturday this weekend, but the rain in the forecast made me change those plans late in the week. So instead, I opted to stayed home on Saturday to work on my Jeep a little and start getting prepared for an upcoming backpacking trip. The weather forecast was looking better on Sunday, so after moving the clocks up an hour for Daylight Savings Time I got up early and drove down to Moab for a day hike on Amasa Back. I had hiked onto Amasa Back with Diane over the 2021 Christmas weekend, but we didn’t make it as far as I would have liked that day, so I was hoping to reach a couple new arches this time. The full Trip Report can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/03/moab-meanderings-arches-on-amasa-back/



Colorado River Morning by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Tower View by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Tower & Clouds by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Canyon Overlook by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Christmas Arch (Pothole Arch) by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Amasa Back Exploring by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Walking Man Arch by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Afternoon Portal by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

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[IntrepidXJ]

Well, it looks like I am changing my backpacking plans for this upcoming weekend. I had a permit starting Friday for Paria Canyon, but it looks like I should probably stay clear of that area for now. Here's an updated article about the situation in Buckskin Gulch on KSL.

 

[SaintNick]

Well, it looks like I am changing my backpacking plans for this upcoming weekend. I had a permit starting Friday for Paria Canyon, but it looks like I should probably stay clear of that area for now. Here's an updated article about the situation in Buckskin Gulch on KSL.

Yeah safety first.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Rainbow Bridge: A Circumnavigation of Navajo Mountain
The Canyons of Navajo Mountain & Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Wednesday – Monday, March 15-20, 2023


This year for our annual spring backpacking trip, Jared, Dave and I were planning to spend an easy four days and three nights hiking down Paria Canyon from the White House Trailhead to Lees Ferry. It’s a trip we have all wanted to do for a long time and were looking forward to, but back in December when I reserved the permit we had no idea what the atmospheric river would have in store for us this winter! A couple of days before our trip was set to begin there was a large flash flood in Buckskin Gulch and the Paria River that unfortunately killed two hikers and resulted in the rescue of about a dozen more. With reports of deep cold water crossings and continued precipitation and cold air temperatures in the forecast, we decided that this was probably not the right time for this hike and started considering different options. Since I try to be prepared, I already had a backup plan to hike around Navajo Mountain to Rainbow Bridge ready to go in case the weather did not cooperate with us on this Paria Canyon hike, so we decided to try that one instead. The full story with plenty of photos can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/03/rainbow-bridge-circumnavigation-of-navajo-mountain/

Rainbow Bridge by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Navajo Mountain Sunrise by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Navajo Mountain Morning by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Rainbow Lodge Ruins by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Upper Horse Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Views From the Trail by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Yabut Pass by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Sandstone & Tree by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Painted Rock Pictographs by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Redbud Pass Hikers by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Bridge Creek Hikers by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Approaching Rainbow Bridge by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Under The Rainbow by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Echo Camp by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Rainbow Bridge Canyon View by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Between Canyons by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


North Rainbow Trail View by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Owl Bridge by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Bald Rock Canyon Trail by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr​

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Horseshoe Canyon & Burr Point
Rambling Around Robbers Roost IV | Saturday, March 25, 2023


After a rough ending to a backpacking trip earlier in the week, I thought it might be a good idea for me to stay a little closer to home and take it a bit easier this weekend. I left home early on Saturday morning and headed west to Robbers Roost country in Utah so I could hike into another section of upper Horseshoe Canyon that I had not been to before. I parked near an old corral at the end of a short spur road and then followed an old closed road to Trail Spring where I was able to get down into the canyon and follow it to it’s juncture with Horseshoe Canyon. I wandered down the main canyon for a few miles and then returned the way I had come. The full Trip Report can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/03/horseshoe-canyon-burr-point/



Into the Domes by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Trail Fork Alcove by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Rocks In Ice by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Horseshoe Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Barrier Creek View by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Dirty Devil Overlook by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Burr Point Hoodoo by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Sams Mesa Box Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Mount Hillers by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

 

[IntrepidXJ]

The Sculptured Earth: End of Trails in The Maze
Lost in The Maze III | Friday – Monday, March 31 – April 3, 2023


After spending the past couple years working to hike all of the trails in Canyonlands National Park and completing the ones in The Needles and Island in the Sky districts in 2018 and 2019, I turned my attention to my remaining trails in The Maze, but it’s taken me a bit longer to hike them all since it’s not quite as easy to get over there for a quick weekend trip. Last spring I had hiked most of the remaining trails from the Land of Standing Rocks with my friends Dave and Jared, but we did not have the time to make it down into lower Horse Canyon on that trip, which was now my only trail left on this official map that I’ve been using to keep track, and also my final trail left in all of Canyonlands! After that trip I made it my goal to hike into lower Horse Canyon this spring, so I booked a backpacking permit back in November and invited my friend Jackson to come along. The full story can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/04/the-sculptured-earth-end-of-trails-in-the-maze/



Rock Canyon Country by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Gunsight Butte Sunrise by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Elaterite Basin & Orange Cliffs by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


The Narrows by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Maze Arch II by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Maze Camp by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Curved Ledge by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


The Other Way by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Golden Chamber by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Jackson by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Two Big Bighorn by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Shield Site by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Easter Sunday on Winter Camp Ridge
Sunday, April 9, 2023


For a change, I actually stayed home most of this weekend to get some stuff done around the house and relax for a bit. It’s a rare occurrence, but sometimes I need a little break from camping and hiking. However, after being home all day on Saturday I was already ready to get back outdoors and I did end up getting out to hike for a couple of hours on Easter morning. I left early on Sunday without any real plans on where I was headed, and I ended up in one of my favorite areas close to home on Winter Camp Ridge. I drove out to the end of that sandy track and then rim-walked along the edge of Salt Wash just within the boundary of Arches National Park. It was a lovely morning for a walk in the backcountry! More photos can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/04/easter-sunday-on-winter-camp-ridge/

Yellow Cat Morning by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Winter Camp Wash by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Winter Camp Ridge Road by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Salt Wash Rim by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Pool over Salt Wash by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Winter Camp Arch II by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr​

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Dirty Devil River: Lower Sand Slide to Angel Cove
Dirty Devil Daily | Buck Canyon, Pasture Canyon & Beaver Canyon
Friday – Sunday, April 14-16, 2023 | Average CFS: 209


This weekend I had been hoping to go on a short packrafting loop with Jared on a stretch of the Dirty Devil River so I could get a little taste and feel for that particular river before committing to a longer trip in the future, but during the preceding week I was getting a little disappointed to see the water levels drop below 100cfs, which was my absolute minimum level for attempting this trip. On Thursday afternoon when the water levels still had not come up, I figured that the packrafting trip was not going to happen this weekend and we started making alternate plans for an overnight backpacking trip into another canyon of the Escalante River. To my surprise, later on Thursday evening the Dirty Devil jumped up to over 200cfs, so we put those backpacking plans on hold and kept an eye on the water levels all day Friday hoping they would hold. When I left work on Friday afternoon the level was still staying up, so Jared and I planned to meet at a campsite near Hanksville and we would make a final decision on Saturday morning dependent upon what the river did overnight. We brought our backpacking gear along with us just in case we had to change plans again. You can read the full story here: https://adventr.co/2023/04/dirty-devil-river-lower-sand-slide-to-angel-cove/



Dirty Devil River by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Hell Hole Swale Morning by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Jared by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Buck Canyon Stop by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Packrafting the Dirty Devil River by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Floating the Dirty Devil River by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Dirty Devil Mud by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Going Up by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Hell Hole Swale Camp #2 by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Angel Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Dirty Devil River Curves by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Petroglyph Panel by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Sauntering Through The Swell: The Northwest Side
Muddy Creek to the Little Wedge | San Rafael Swell Rock Art XVII
Friday – Sunday, April 21-23, 2023


As I was trying to figure out where I wanted to go this weekend, I realized that I had not been back to the San Rafael Swell since Diane and I did a little mountain biking on the Good Water Rim Trail over the Halloween weekend in 2021, and I thought that this would be a good time to finally get back out there to remedy that oversight. As usual, I left after work on Friday afternoon and headed west into Utah to the northwestern side of The Swell so I could spend the weekend hiking, Jeeping and searching for rock art between Muddy Creek and the Little Wedge. More photos can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/04/sauntering-through-the-swell-the-northwest-side/



Coal Cliffs by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Muddy Creek Hoodoo by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Morning Jeep by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


North Salt Wash Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


The Red Ledges by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


North Salt Wash by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


High Pictographs by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Moccasin Tracks by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Spalling Panel by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Quail Panel Lineup by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Buck Canyon: Rambling Around Robbers Roost V
East Fork of Buck Canyon | Friday & Saturday, April 28-29, 2023


This weekend I needed to spend some time on Sunday preparing for an upcoming River Trip, so I decided to stay closer to home and do a little more hiking in the Robbers Roost area on Saturday morning. After visiting the mouth of Buck Canyon during our short float on the Dirty Devil River two weeks ago, I thought it might be nice to hike into the canyon from above and visit two large arches that are found there. I left from work on Friday afternoon, topped off my gas tank in Green River and then drove across the San Rafael Desert to the edge of Buck Canyon on some sandy backroads that I had never driven before. The full story can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/04/buck-canyon-rambling-around-robbers-roost-v/



Buck Canyon Bend by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Evening Jeep by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Last Light Below by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Good Morning by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Shallow Slot II by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Canyon Cottonwood by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Back Alley Arch by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Slot Canyon Colors by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Not really Jeep related, but since river season is in full swing I thought I'd share some photos from the river trips that have been keeping me busy this month. Hope you don't mind.

Yampa Canyon: The Yampa River in Dinosaurland
Floating Across Dinosaur National Monument | Friday – Tuesday, May 5-9, 2023


For years, Jackson and I have wanted to float the lower section of the wild and scenic Yampa River that carves its way through Dinosaur National Monument, so we have been entering the lottery each winter for a chance to obtain that hard-to-get permit hoping that maybe we would eventually get lucky. This year after we were unsuccessful in the lottery yet again, we decided it was time to actively try harder to get a permit and Jackson was able to secure a Low-Use Season permit for early May just a few days before the High-Use season would begin. This was actually great timing for me since I have been spending the first weekend of May in Dinosaurland these past couple of years and now I could look forward to spending that same timeframe floating across Dinosaur National Monument on the Yampa River this year! The full story can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/05/yampa-canyon-the-yampa-river-in-dinosaurland/

Yampa Canyon Portal by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Yampa River View by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Rafts at Harding Hole by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Jackson in the Big Alcove by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Wagon Wheel Point by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Harding Hole Camp Below by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Signature Cave by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Mountain Above Yampa Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Tiger Wall by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Steamboat Rock by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Clear Morning on the Green River by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Curecanti Trails in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Curecanti National Recreation Area | Saturday, May 13, 2023


After spending last weekend on the Yampa River, Jackson and I had already planned another river trip for this Sunday on the Colorado River near home, so today I wanted to find something a little more local to do. While looking over my maps trying to decide where to go, I eventually settled on hiking a couple of shorter trails in the Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA) that are all located within the upper end of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Aside from an overnight backpacking trip down the Hermits Rest Trail a couple years ago, I have done no other hiking in the NRA even though I drive through it frequently in the summer. There are really only a handful of trails in Curecanti, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to start hiking them all. The full story can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/05/curecanti-trails-in-the-black-canyon-of-the-gunnison/

Curecanti Needle by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Curecanti Creek from Pioneer Point by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Steep Trail & Waterfall by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Bridge #2 by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Gunnison River by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Black Canyon Reflection by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Cimarron River & Gunnison River by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Downstream Gunnison View by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr​

 

[IntrepidXJ]

The Colorado River: Cisco Landing to Hittle Bottom
Average CFS Above the Dolores River: 26,278 // Below the Dolores River: 32,500
Sunday, May 14, 2023


After spending five days on the Yampa River last week and then yesterday morning hiking in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison it was time for Jackson and I to get back out on the river again for a short day trip. Today we planned to float a section of the Colorado River that we had not been on before, starting from Cisco Landing and taking out at Hittle Bottom. With the water level around 30,000 CFS we knew the river was going to be high and fast, and figured that we would make it through this section of the river pretty quickly. We were right since we ended up floating all 23 miles in just about four hours and made it home by the early afternoon! The full story can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/05/the-colorado-river-cisco-landing-to-hittle-bottom/

Hittle Bottom Morning by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Jackson by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Into The Storm by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Underneath the Dewey Bridge by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Into the Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Dewey Dam Site Ladders by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Colorado Canyon View by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr​

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Little Yampa Canyon: South Beach to Duffy Mountain
Floating the Yampa River Through Duffy Mountain | Average CFS: 14,140
Saturday & Sunday, May 20-21, 2023


With the big snowpack in the mountains of Colorado this year I decided to take a little break from hiking and backpacking during the months of May and June so that I could try to get out onto the rivers as much as possible this season. This weekend Jackson and I were looking to get out on an overnight trip and were initially thinking about trying to catch some of the ephemeral desert rivers in Utah, but that wouldn’t logistically work out for us this weekend and we turned our attention back to the Yampa River in Colorado’s Great Northwest. After looking over maps of the area we settled on trying out a section of the Yampa that is just west of Craig and known as Little Yampa Canyon or Duffy Canyon. This 33 mile stretch of the Yampa River carves it’s way through Duffy Mountain and is all flat water. Since we were unfamiliar with this section of the river we were a little concerned that it’s easy nature might change at the high water levels it was currently seeing, but we decided to check it out anyway. The full story can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/05/little-yampa-canyon-south-beach-to-duffy-mountain/

Big Bottom Cottonwoods by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Yampa River View by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Floating The Yampa by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Duffy Mountain Camp by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Little Yampa Canyon Morning by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Wildflowers III by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Little Yampa Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Floating Below Signal Butte by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Tomcat Tandem by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr​

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Into the Ponderosa Gorge of the Dolores River
Dolores Canyon: Bradfield Bridge to Mountain Sheep Point
Friday & Saturday, May 26-27, 2023 | Average CFS: 2,400


After spending the last couple of weekends on the river, Jackson and I wanted to keep the streak going with three different day trips planned over this extended Memorial Day weekend. For our first destination on Saturday we were going to float a section of the Dolores River below the McPhee Reservoir from Bradfield Bridge to Mountain Sheep Point that is known as the Ponderosa Gorge. This nineteen-mile section of the Dolores River is known for it’s quick pace, spectacular campsites, soaring cliffs of red sandstone and of course the tall stands of ponderosa pines. Diane and I had visited the Dolores Canyon Overlook on our way to Mesa Verde last year which looks down into this portion of the Dolores Canyon, so I was really looking forward to seeing the canyon from the river this time! The full story can be found here: https://adventr.co/2023/05/into-the-ponderosa-gorge-of-the-dolores-river/

Bradfield Bridge Campground by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Floating Dolores Canyon by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Along The Wall by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Dolores Canyon Cliffs by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Ponderosa Gorge by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


In the Ponderosa Gorge by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr​

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