Exploring the Capitol Reef NP and the Swell, Late Winter '09

TimB

Homesick
Location
Weatherford, Tx
That's something I started realizing a few years ago - the places for hard core wheeling are not to plentiful and usually crowded. If you can get past needing a challenge, it opens up a lot of territory.
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
These trip reports make me so jealous. Wish I had another rig for these type of trips.

That Suburban tow rig could do all this stuff! :D

We were lucky, bought the FJ80 last Summer and were able to do some exploring one weekend with the Landcruiser, then hardcore wheelin with the TJ the next weekend. It's been difficult to leave the hard stuff behind honestly, but IMO exploration stuff is just as fun in a different way.


That's something I started realizing a few years ago - the places for hard core wheeling are not to plentiful and usually crowded. If you can get past needing a challenge, it opens up a lot of territory.

Well said! There's still the occasional hard obstacle, which allows that past hardcore wheelin' experience to pay off. :D
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Awesome report and pics.

Enjoyed the pics :cool: Daisy is looking a little large-ish these days :ugh:

Great Pix!!


It's a great area, hard to take a bad picture. I can't wait to see what else is out there!

Yeah, that last pic with Daisy was pretty funny. We set the timer on the camera and I hurried over, with Catherine holding Daisy. Catherine then let go of Daisy's collar and Daisy wandered over right in front of the camera just as it took the picture. When we saw the picture, we laughed our asses off... she looks huge!
 

Alabama

Registered User
Im taken the fam down there 4-9 thru 4-13. It has been a long time for me. im going to gess 1974 when the last time i hung out down there. I need to get out of the city and just kick back for a couple of days


Steve Lee
 

Thomas128

New Member
great pictures, I was down there last year. the deer never leave that park do they?
Nice looking Grey ghost.
 

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Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Im taken the fam down there 4-9 thru 4-13. It has been a long time for me. im going to gess 1974 when the last time i hung out down there. I need to get out of the city and just kick back for a couple of days


Steve Lee

Sounds like it will be a good time! Have fun!


great pictures, I was down there last year. the deer never leave that park do they?
Nice looking Grey ghost.

Thanks! Nice looking Pup, under a year? Is yours as much of a trouble-maker s ours is?! :rofl:
 

Thomas128

New Member
Thanks! Nice looking Pup, under a year? Is yours as much of a trouble-maker s ours is?! :rofl:

he is 4years old now now and yes,with a capital T
They have character that's for sure.
BTW his name is Fuzzy, we call him "The Fuzz"
 

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R

rockdog

Guest
Ahh weimers, they are a handful! Great pictures Greg. I really enjoy seeing stuff like this. Thanks for sharing.
 

Scott39

Registered User
Location
Lakewood,CO.
Nice write up, I can`t wait to get out of this crap hole Denver, and get over to the west side and explore.
I would like to do the Rabbit Valley trail, or whatever its called, to Moab.
Has anyone here done that trail lately?

Scott
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Ahh weimers, they are a handful! Great pictures Greg. I really enjoy seeing stuff like this. Thanks for sharing.

They really are! We knew what we were getting into, but Daisy continues to surprise us... blocks of cheese, loafs of bread, cubes of butter... gone. She's a little piggy.


Nice write up, I can`t wait to get out of this crap hole Denver, and get over to the west side and explore.
I would like to do the Rabbit Valley trail, or whatever its called, to Moab.
Has anyone here done that trail lately?

Scott

Thanks, there's a ton to explore on this side of the state.

You're probably talking about the Kokopelli trail. Last time I ran it was last Fall, report here-

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=59357

Going to do it again real soon here.
 

Scott39

Registered User
Location
Lakewood,CO.
Yep thats it. I haven`t been over there for about 7-8 years, use to go to Moab alot.
I like to do more expedition stuff now with some ruff stuff mixed in, I also like to do more miles than just sit all day at an obstacle waiting for other people to get over it.
I heard the river crossing can be tricky.

Thanks,
Scott
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Yep thats it. I haven`t been over there for about 7-8 years, use to go to Moab alot.
I like to do more expedition stuff now with some ruff stuff mixed in, I also like to do more miles than just sit all day at an obstacle waiting for other people to get over it.
I heard the river crossing can be tricky.

Thanks,
Scott

:cool: I'm kind of in the same boat, more about the scenery & history rather than the hardcore challenge these days.

The river crossing on the Kokopelli is nothing, if you're referring to the one by Westwater. That's really the only crossing on that trail. It's usually dry, the only reason it had running water the day we did it was because it rained hard the day & night before we ran the trail.

If you end up coming out this way, let me know! I'm always game for a Koko run. :)
 

Scott39

Registered User
Location
Lakewood,CO.
:cool: I'm kind of in the same boat, more about the scenery & history rather than the hardcore challenge these days.

The river crossing on the Kokopelli is nothing, if you're referring to the one by Westwater. That's really the only crossing on that trail. It's usually dry, the only reason it had running water the day we did it was because it rained hard the day & night before we ran the trail.

If you end up coming out this way, let me know! I'm always game for a Koko run. :)
Sounds good, I will take you up on that.
Its just my wife and I, no kids, they are already out of the house:D
Her and I just got married last year at the Royal Gorge.
So now its time to explore more of Colorado.
I do like to have to put my Dodge Cummins in 4lo, that diesel really crawls.
I read something years ago about a trail that went from GJ to Moab, but you had to cross the Dolorse river, so it was best to do it in the late fall, Have you heard of this?
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Sounds good, I will take you up on that.
Its just my wife and I, no kids, they are already out of the house:D
Her and I just got married last year at the Royal Gorge.
So now its time to explore more of Colorado.
I do like to have to put my Dodge Cummins in 4lo, that diesel really crawls.
I read something years ago about a trail that went from GJ to Moab, but you had to cross the Dolorse river, so it was best to do it in the late fall, Have you heard of this?

The Royal Gorge is awesome, congrats!

Yep, there's a couple different ways to go from GJ to Moab, I've been on a few of them. The 2nd one is currently not doable by 4x4, since the trail washed out. The BLM is supposed to fix it, not sure when. Hope so, because it would be a great trip. The Dolores rages in the Spring and Early Summer, so the best time is Fall for sure. Even then, the river ford in the Fall was over our 33" tires.

Here's 2 ways I've done GJ to Moab-

Fruita, to Glade Park to the Dolores River and into Moab

Fruita to Gateway by way of Dolores Triangle, over La Sals into Moab, back to Fruita by the Kokopelli trail
 

Scott39

Registered User
Location
Lakewood,CO.
The Royal Gorge is awesome, congrats!

Yep, there's a couple different ways to go from GJ to Moab, I've been on a few of them. The 2nd one is currently not doable by 4x4, since the trail washed out. The BLM is supposed to fix it, not sure when. Hope so, because it would be a great trip. The Dolores rages in the Spring and Early Summer, so the best time is Fall for sure. Even then, the river ford in the Fall was over our 33" tires.

Here's 2 ways I've done GJ to Moab-

Fruita, to Glade Park to the Dolores River and into Moab

Fruita to Gateway by way of Dolores Triangle, over La Sals into Moab, back to Fruita by the Kokopelli trail
Those roads/trails sound like fun, I would like to do them all.
I have been in a few parts of the La Sal mountains before, but that was back in the mid 90`s when I use to go to Moab to mountain bike and I was alot thinner:D.
 

themaniam1

Just Empty Every Pocket
Location
Syracuse, Ut
I love reading trip reports like this. Pictures + narrative = great reading and learning. I wish more of the trip reports were as long and informative. These types of trails / roads are also important to keep open as are the "recreational" trails. Both have a lot to offer. Thanks for the great report.
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
I love reading trip reports like this. Pictures + narrative = great reading and learning. I wish more of the trip reports were as long and informative. These types of trails / roads are also important to keep open as are the "recreational" trails. Both have a lot to offer. Thanks for the great report.

Thanks for saying so! Makes me that much more willing to spend a little extra time writing the next one out. :)
 
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