Utah Sucked this Month!
#13
09-30-2014, 06:16 PM
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Abilene, TX
Posts: 5,050
Michael, I will admit that one thing did suck on this trip. On the request/advice of some of my acquaintences on the ADV Rockies Forum, I was tasked with checking out the Chokecherry Point trail that goes from hwy 12 up to Boulder Mountain...or Bluebell Knoll as it is officially named...over 10K feet. They had been turned away due to an injured rider and a couple of bikes that were too big to ascend it.
So...my second day in the area I head up this trail which is signed as a 4X4 trail. I figure...4X4...piece of cake on a dirtbike. Here I've excerpted a part of the report I wrote for ADV...
Hey Bill, just got back last evening. I did Chokecherry in the downhill direction, and it was murder. I was camped in three different locations in the area off highway 12 from south of Torrey to just east of Henrieville for about 12 nights and did a ton of riding in areas all the way from that Chokecherry area, Powell Point, Burr Trail (Lampstand and Wolverine spurs), and all the way to areas west and south of Bryce Canyon. I had some of the best camping spots for my midsize toy hauler I've ever had.
On Chokecherry, how far did you guys go? Did you get to the cattle gate spot? The first day I tried to ride this trail I was camped just a few miles from the entry off of 12. Yeah, it was darned rocky and steep in a few locations, and I was leary doing it by myself...but it was doable for the most part. I got to a cattle gate and in a short bit I encountered a forest sign post with no sign attached. From my distance and GPS, I thought this sign post was for Chokecherry Point. A thunderstorm was looming over Boulder mountain...or Bluebell Knoll...same mountain, different names for some reason. I had to turn around, and I thought I conquered the hardest part of that ride. Wrong!
On the 9th a flooding rain came through the area and killed real mountain riding for a couple of days, so I went out on the Escalante area and rode some great stuff out there since temps were so moderate. I was camped just off the Burr Trail about 5 miles from hwy 12 at Boulder...great spot. I decided to do the Chokecherry deal all the way through this time from the downhill direction...piece of cake, I thinks. I went 80 miles mostly all dirt from Boulder, getting on the Hell's Backbone route and going by Posey Lake/Camp. I got off on a great, semi-rough piece of trail off 154 called FT285...Rock Springs Draw. It had a little of everything...open meadows, tight trees with rocks, and other stuff...nothing tough but not a dirt road...even saw a herd of antelope in one of the meadows. 285 finally dumped into a big dirt road that takes you to Boulder mtn/Bluebell Knoll.
I had 80 miles on the clock when I took the Chokecherry turn off 178...I think CC is actually on 177. A little sign showed just 6 miles to CC point, so I figure I have about 9 miles total to hwy 12. Almost immediately I hit really rocky terrain with big imbedded rock. It was on flat ground, so it was just a matter of picking and poking through these fairly tight rock sections...you couldn't get around them. However, you'd break out into a meadow here and there, thinking the worst was over...no...here would come another rock section. Still, it was not as bad as trying to climb some of those spots going uphill on CC from hwy 12. When I had about 4 miles left to hwy 12, I think I've got this whipped, since any minute I'll hit that spot I turned around on the other day.
I encounter a man and wife in their 40's coming at me on two 4wd ATV's...no helmet or serious gear. I really think I've got it whipped now. They ask me if I'm continuing on down to hwy 12 and I say "yes". The man gives me that "look". I know good ATV's can crawl over all kinds of stuff, but I figure I've seen the worst between today and the other day on my uphill attempt. We have a friendly conversation about the area and other trails...they're from Utah. He seriously tells me to be very careful, and that they will be coming back down a little later, as they're parked down on hwy 12. We said our goodbyes, and I jokingly said I hope I don't see you again...for obvious reasons. So, I fire up and head off to finish the small part of my ride left ahead.
I'm su****ious because I still seem to be very high up and haven't seen that place I turned around the other day on my uphill ride. I go around two bends in the trail, and the trail immediately turns steeply downhill in something resembling a piece of the Erzberg Enduro rock section. OK...it wasn't quite a jumble of 3 foot diameter sharp boulders, but it was some pretty big rocks just piled all *****-nilly, completely filling the trail from side to side...no avoiding the rocks by railing the side. I **** my pants. My initial impression is that I cannot get down that. I'm seriously contemplating going back 80 miles to insure I can get back to camp. You know this area a bit by being there and looking at maps. There are no short ways back to Boulder or hwy 12 in general. It's getting late in the day. I hate the idea of surrendering this course. I think maybe this is the worst, but even then, I'm seriously doubting that I can control my bike down this mess.
Honestly, I'm a bit scared, but I start down. Knowing the couple I met will be coming down after a bit, I think at least I might get some help if needed. I also have my SPOT. I try to ride at first but quickly have to dead-engine some of that first switchback. Then I have to get off and bulldog the bike some. It's absolute hell. Maybe enduro-ince, Tom, could tackle this with no problem, but I think at least two or three of these fairly long switchback descents would even give him some excitement...and I'm not sure he could ride up a couple of these. The rocks were not imbedded and just rocked-and-rolled all over the place...and they'd try to lock my wheels into place between some of the bigger rocks. Like I said, it was a little example of that Erzberg rock section...at least for a mere, old mortal like me.
When I finished that first descent switchback, I was worn out and breathing so hard...after all it is about 10K altitude. I now see another identical steep downhill switchback. I start to think I may have to leave my bike leaned up against a tree or the sidewall and just walk out...figuring out how to get my bike later. I'm darned scared to be truthful. I figure I'm in a real mess. I rest a few minutes and head down the next switchback...I can barely control the bike...it's steep and the rocks are moving underneath me. I make it down that switchback, and I'm about dead. How I've managed not to crash or drop the bike, I have no idea. One more switchback like the rest, I make it, and I'm just about out of gas...human gas, not the bike.
But the next switchback is smaller rock for the most part and a little more doable. Each succeeding switchback is better and actually becomes rideable. I forget how many switchbacks, but it's the first three or so that were really brutal. I knew I could not ride back up as I started into that first switchback, so it was a done deal one way or another. I hit that place on the trail with the empty sign post and knew the worst was over. I was whipped. I would never do this trail again...neither up nor down. It's brutal. I was glad to make it down, but I've seen all I want of this one.
On pics, I took several the day I was riding uphill...also got the cattle gate and empty signpost. When I started that switchback downhill section on the day I did it, taking pics was the last thing on my mind. I was in survival mode. I really regret that now. It was an adventure I don't care to repeat. I noticed a small sign when I entered the CC trail near the Boulder mountain peak. Some Utah off road club allegedly maintains the trail.
Now, while I survived that trail section, and I'm somewhat proud to have gotten my bike down that mess with me and it in one piece, it basically sucked...so there's the "sucks" part...LOL! I tell ya...I raced enduros for decades and have ridden all manner of crap over the years. Those switchbacks were as hard as anything else I've even ridden. As stated, I really regret getting at least one pic of those rock sections. I was breathing so hard I probably couldn't have held the camera phone steady enough.
The pics I took on the day I headed up this trail show little of the steepness or consistent rockiness...and that was the easy part.
So...my second day in the area I head up this trail which is signed as a 4X4 trail. I figure...4X4...piece of cake on a dirtbike. Here I've excerpted a part of the report I wrote for ADV...
Hey Bill, just got back last evening. I did Chokecherry in the downhill direction, and it was murder. I was camped in three different locations in the area off highway 12 from south of Torrey to just east of Henrieville for about 12 nights and did a ton of riding in areas all the way from that Chokecherry area, Powell Point, Burr Trail (Lampstand and Wolverine spurs), and all the way to areas west and south of Bryce Canyon. I had some of the best camping spots for my midsize toy hauler I've ever had.
On Chokecherry, how far did you guys go? Did you get to the cattle gate spot? The first day I tried to ride this trail I was camped just a few miles from the entry off of 12. Yeah, it was darned rocky and steep in a few locations, and I was leary doing it by myself...but it was doable for the most part. I got to a cattle gate and in a short bit I encountered a forest sign post with no sign attached. From my distance and GPS, I thought this sign post was for Chokecherry Point. A thunderstorm was looming over Boulder mountain...or Bluebell Knoll...same mountain, different names for some reason. I had to turn around, and I thought I conquered the hardest part of that ride. Wrong!
On the 9th a flooding rain came through the area and killed real mountain riding for a couple of days, so I went out on the Escalante area and rode some great stuff out there since temps were so moderate. I was camped just off the Burr Trail about 5 miles from hwy 12 at Boulder...great spot. I decided to do the Chokecherry deal all the way through this time from the downhill direction...piece of cake, I thinks. I went 80 miles mostly all dirt from Boulder, getting on the Hell's Backbone route and going by Posey Lake/Camp. I got off on a great, semi-rough piece of trail off 154 called FT285...Rock Springs Draw. It had a little of everything...open meadows, tight trees with rocks, and other stuff...nothing tough but not a dirt road...even saw a herd of antelope in one of the meadows. 285 finally dumped into a big dirt road that takes you to Boulder mtn/Bluebell Knoll.
I had 80 miles on the clock when I took the Chokecherry turn off 178...I think CC is actually on 177. A little sign showed just 6 miles to CC point, so I figure I have about 9 miles total to hwy 12. Almost immediately I hit really rocky terrain with big imbedded rock. It was on flat ground, so it was just a matter of picking and poking through these fairly tight rock sections...you couldn't get around them. However, you'd break out into a meadow here and there, thinking the worst was over...no...here would come another rock section. Still, it was not as bad as trying to climb some of those spots going uphill on CC from hwy 12. When I had about 4 miles left to hwy 12, I think I've got this whipped, since any minute I'll hit that spot I turned around on the other day.
I encounter a man and wife in their 40's coming at me on two 4wd ATV's...no helmet or serious gear. I really think I've got it whipped now. They ask me if I'm continuing on down to hwy 12 and I say "yes". The man gives me that "look". I know good ATV's can crawl over all kinds of stuff, but I figure I've seen the worst between today and the other day on my uphill attempt. We have a friendly conversation about the area and other trails...they're from Utah. He seriously tells me to be very careful, and that they will be coming back down a little later, as they're parked down on hwy 12. We said our goodbyes, and I jokingly said I hope I don't see you again...for obvious reasons. So, I fire up and head off to finish the small part of my ride left ahead.
I'm su****ious because I still seem to be very high up and haven't seen that place I turned around the other day on my uphill ride. I go around two bends in the trail, and the trail immediately turns steeply downhill in something resembling a piece of the Erzberg Enduro rock section. OK...it wasn't quite a jumble of 3 foot diameter sharp boulders, but it was some pretty big rocks just piled all *****-nilly, completely filling the trail from side to side...no avoiding the rocks by railing the side. I **** my pants. My initial impression is that I cannot get down that. I'm seriously contemplating going back 80 miles to insure I can get back to camp. You know this area a bit by being there and looking at maps. There are no short ways back to Boulder or hwy 12 in general. It's getting late in the day. I hate the idea of surrendering this course. I think maybe this is the worst, but even then, I'm seriously doubting that I can control my bike down this mess.
Honestly, I'm a bit scared, but I start down. Knowing the couple I met will be coming down after a bit, I think at least I might get some help if needed. I also have my SPOT. I try to ride at first but quickly have to dead-engine some of that first switchback. Then I have to get off and bulldog the bike some. It's absolute hell. Maybe enduro-ince, Tom, could tackle this with no problem, but I think at least two or three of these fairly long switchback descents would even give him some excitement...and I'm not sure he could ride up a couple of these. The rocks were not imbedded and just rocked-and-rolled all over the place...and they'd try to lock my wheels into place between some of the bigger rocks. Like I said, it was a little example of that Erzberg rock section...at least for a mere, old mortal like me.
When I finished that first descent switchback, I was worn out and breathing so hard...after all it is about 10K altitude. I now see another identical steep downhill switchback. I start to think I may have to leave my bike leaned up against a tree or the sidewall and just walk out...figuring out how to get my bike later. I'm darned scared to be truthful. I figure I'm in a real mess. I rest a few minutes and head down the next switchback...I can barely control the bike...it's steep and the rocks are moving underneath me. I make it down that switchback, and I'm about dead. How I've managed not to crash or drop the bike, I have no idea. One more switchback like the rest, I make it, and I'm just about out of gas...human gas, not the bike.
But the next switchback is smaller rock for the most part and a little more doable. Each succeeding switchback is better and actually becomes rideable. I forget how many switchbacks, but it's the first three or so that were really brutal. I knew I could not ride back up as I started into that first switchback, so it was a done deal one way or another. I hit that place on the trail with the empty sign post and knew the worst was over. I was whipped. I would never do this trail again...neither up nor down. It's brutal. I was glad to make it down, but I've seen all I want of this one.
On pics, I took several the day I was riding uphill...also got the cattle gate and empty signpost. When I started that switchback downhill section on the day I did it, taking pics was the last thing on my mind. I was in survival mode. I really regret that now. It was an adventure I don't care to repeat. I noticed a small sign when I entered the CC trail near the Boulder mountain peak. Some Utah off road club allegedly maintains the trail.
Now, while I survived that trail section, and I'm somewhat proud to have gotten my bike down that mess with me and it in one piece, it basically sucked...so there's the "sucks" part...LOL! I tell ya...I raced enduros for decades and have ridden all manner of crap over the years. Those switchbacks were as hard as anything else I've even ridden. As stated, I really regret getting at least one pic of those rock sections. I was breathing so hard I probably couldn't have held the camera phone steady enough.
The pics I took on the day I headed up this trail show little of the steepness or consistent rockiness...and that was the easy part.
#16
09-30-2014, 09:59 PM
I anticipated a section like that, going up Holy Cross in CO.... I parked the bike and got 2 huge blisters from the hike up/down.
I think I could have made it up with help... maybe wishful thinking though.
I think I could have made it up with help... maybe wishful thinking though.
#17
09-30-2014, 10:20 PM
Great pics. Thanks for posting.
I started riding in CO around Glenwood Springs in the early 70's, but the last few times I've been there just too many vehicles on the trails. AZ isn't as pretty, but it's so nice and empty.
I started riding in CO around Glenwood Springs in the early 70's, but the last few times I've been there just too many vehicles on the trails. AZ isn't as pretty, but it's so nice and empty.
#18
09-30-2014, 10:43 PM
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Abilene, TX
Posts: 5,050
Yep, Utah is the bomb for a good amount of solitude, especially if you get away from Moab during some periods.
#19
10-01-2014, 02:01 AM
The sucked part seemed like quite the adventure!
I need more of your type of trip and less of mine.
More pictures if you've got them please. Some of those photos were not what I was expecting from Utah, but I've only scratched the surface there.
How do you like the new candy *** camping set-up, now that you've used it for your annual bike trip?
Much better than the mini-van, no?
I need more of your type of trip and less of mine.
More pictures if you've got them please. Some of those photos were not what I was expecting from Utah, but I've only scratched the surface there.
How do you like the new candy *** camping set-up, now that you've used it for your annual bike trip?
Much better than the mini-van, no?
#20
10-01-2014, 02:20 AM
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Abilene, TX
Posts: 5,050
The sucked part seemed like quite the adventure!
I need more of your type of trip and less of mine.
More pictures if you've got them please. Some of those photos were not what I was expecting from Utah, but I've only scratched the surface there.
How do you like the new candy *** camping set-up, now that you've used it for your annual bike trip?
Much better than the mini-van, no?
I need more of your type of trip and less of mine.
More pictures if you've got them please. Some of those photos were not what I was expecting from Utah, but I've only scratched the surface there.
How do you like the new candy *** camping set-up, now that you've used it for your annual bike trip?
Much better than the mini-van, no?
On the function of the toy hauler over the van...no comparison. I installed a large solar panel on the roof, so I'm able to primitive camp and still have a fridge and lights...LED lights, of course. I'm thoroughly spoiled now.Utah...honestly it has more varied terrain than just about any other state...a little of everything. It's like Colorado, SoCal, a little AZ, and some unique stuff that is only Utah. Great place to ride off road.