Hole in the Rock, my slow crawl through Hell...
- Thread starter moab_cj5
- Start date
- Location
- The Village of Kay
I am done until I edit the hours of video and post that. Sorry for the delays and teasers. I had to leave Sunday night for work, and won't be home until Wednesday night.
Troop92
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Layton, UT
I'm amazed that you went after the initial omens and feelings as crappy as you did, but I can fully appreciate the desire to accomplish something you've been wanting for a long time. Nice to see you still took advantage of a crummy situation to enjoy where you were and what you were doing. Props, man.
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DAA
Well-Known Member
- Location
- West Bountiful, UT
Heck, that wasn't Hell, that was a good time! Just enough adventure spice to make it memorable. Go back again and kick it's ass next spring! That trail is much more pleasant in cooler weather, in my opinion.
- DAA
- DAA
Not having ever been on this trail what is it that beat you guys up so bad. It is bad surface, non stop obstacles, combination of the two? Glad you were able to make it out and get home safe.
I think you had mentioned it before but what type of drivetrain does your dad run? Is he locked front and rear? What are his specs?
I have been to HITR a few times but from the boating side. Which side of the trail is where boats dock up? I think it would be pretty awesome to get there from the 4x4 side and go for a swim in the lake after a long hot day.
- Location
- The Village of Kay
I told my wife Tuesday morning that I felt like I should cancel. With all the money and time in preparation I had spent, and my dad had spent, I figured I would be fine and it was just the sickness talking. I have learned my lesson, yet again, not to ignore promptings. They ALWAYS cost me money in the long run when I ignore them.
We did manage to have a good time though, and I will be back on the trail at some point.
I agree 100%! One of the reasons I love Jeeping and being outdoors with my kids is the life lessons they can learn when things don't go 100% as planned. I hope my son learned a valuable lesson from my bad example. If he makes better choices as he grows up, it will be more than worth it on this trip.
I agree to an extent. The hell part is from my health. If I were 100% healthy, my attitude would have been even better, but it was hot (to me anyway), bumpy, and I was not feeling well. It was still an adventure! I loved the trail, we just did too much each day. I will be back! There are so many roads to explore, and things to see. I will certainly be back in cooler weather.
This is NOT a road. It is a trail! The surface is rock for a vast majority of the trail, and the going is slow and bumpy. There are stretches of nonstop obstacles, and there are LONG stretches of rough, rocky, trail. I am guessing, but I would estimate the 60+% of the trail is rough trail over rock, with about 40% being dirt road. It is the 60% that beats you to death.
My dad is essentially stock. He has a 54 Willys CJ3B. The only modificatations have been converting it to 12V instead of 6V, non stock tires and wheels (but essentially the same height), and the paint. Being so short and narrow, we was able to take lines I would never dream of being able to do. He does lack altitude, and that was a major factor when he took the wrong line. If he takes lines that suit his setup, he hasn’t needed lockers. He would certainly benefit from a winch though, and possibly some lift and bigger tires. The challenge is the F-Head motor and drive train. That being all stock, bigger tires would have an impact on drivability. He would need power steering at a minimum, and power disk brakes, if he locked it up and put bigger tires on it.
- Location
- The Village of Kay
Like other wounds, my wallet will heal with time...
You did miss a good time! We'll get there next time.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
The actual Hole-in-the-Rock proper is reached via the Hole in the Rock Road as opposed to the Hole in the Rock Trail, opposite sides of the like, all part of the same route traveled by the San Juan Mission. It is entirely possible to drive the HITR Road in a passenger vehicle to nearly (and quite possibly) the end, worst case you have a 2WD pickup for the last mile at which you are literally parked at the top of the original cut seen from the lake. It's absolutely a easy hike to the bottom for a swim and is quite refreshing, even in January
You can also reach Lake Powell from the Hole in the Rock Trail though it is a much more strenuous hike and obviously involves driving the rough & bumpy trail into the trail end. There are some trip reports on ExpeditionUtah that include the hike to the lake, I've never done that hike myself.
Great report
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- Location
- The Village of Kay
The actual Hole-in-the-Rock proper is reached via the Hole in the Rock Road as opposed to the Hole in the Rock Trail, opposite sides of the like, all part of the same route traveled by the San Juan Mission. It is entirely possible to drive the HITR Road in a passenger vehicle to nearly (and quite possibly) the end, worst case you have a 2WD pickup for the last mile at which you are literally parked at the top of the original cut seen from the lake. It's absolutely a easy hike to the bottom for a swim and is quite refreshing, even in January
You can get a high clearance car to the end of the trail from Escalante now. It is a real shame they have improved the road to that point. I was really disappointed to see that when I was there in April.
I don't know that I would call the hike from the top down "absolutely easy". Not being a jerk, and I know I am out of shape, but that hike kicked my but! It is very much bouldering 75% of the way (climbing up, down, over, and under rocks). It can be done for sure, but it is a fairly strenuous hike.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
It's been a couple of years but I don't remember it being that rough? and I'm surely not in shape Then again we had just swam in the frigid waters so we were doing everything we could to stave off hypothermia
Then again we had just swam in the frigid waters so we were doing everything we could to stave off hypothermia 
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
As far as hikes go, I wouldn't classify it as strenuous (compared to most other hikes). It does involve the hands in a few places, and it has a pretty good elevation gain, but it's pretty short. That's not to say you won't be winded, but it's not a grind.