XJEEPER
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Highland Springs
July 11-12, 2014 NAXJA IC Trail Run up Blacksmith Fork, UT to Paris, ID Ice cave
This is a family friendly, stock+ rig run for fellow XJers who want to explore Cache Valley and get in some camping.
CB CHANNEL 34
I had to modify the original map and didn't want to redo the entire thing, so note that the ROUTE BEGINS WITH THE BLUE MARKER ON THE MAP
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zcFaDbQIdt2A.klz3AWtHw3ls
We will meet at the Ridley's Market in Hyrum, UT at 4PM on July 11th and then proceed up Blacksmith Fork Canyon to Left Hand Fork. We will proceed on Left Hand until we reach the 4 Corners area, where the group will locate a campsite for the night.
On Saturday morning, July 12th, the group will head out to Logan Canyon via Right Hand Fork (those not camping overnight can meet up with the group at the Hwy 89/Right Hand Fork turnoff on Sat morning -Meet time 9:00AM) and proceed up to the Franklin Basin turnoff, where we will travel through Franklin Basin into Idaho and then up the German Dugway to the Paris Ice Caves. We can spend a few hours exploring the ice caves.
Bring flashlights and warm jackets because the temperature of the inner chamber of the cave is about 35*. You can hang out in the outer area of the cave, where the temps will be more in the 60's, as the cold air rising out of the inner chamber keeps it nice and cool and a welcome escape from the summer heat. Depending on the previous winter snowpack, there is often a snow drift for the kids to play in near the outer chamber.
This inner chamber is young kid friendly 5+, IF they have a parents hand to hold, because the floor of the cave is solid ice. Think frozen pond, 2ft thick, with misc. rocks sticking out above the surface of the ice. If you fall, you will be landing on something hard and sharp.
There are also some cool (puny, I know) ice columns which form near an ice chute......which will swallow a man, so no screwing around near these. I plan on bringing my climbing gear and GoPro to do some exploring in one of the chutes.
After the ice cave exploration, we can head into Paris, ID and then back down the highway to Garden City on the shore of Bear Lake for some famous raspberry shakes.
Folks can stay at Bear Lake and play in the water or head out on their own for home, back through Logan Canyon. For those who want to camp again on Saturday night, there are lots of campsites along the road in Logan Canyon and fishing is said to be good there as well, or up Beaver Creek or Franklin Basin.
This will be a great run for the family, not really hardcore but loaded with beautiful scenery of Northern Utah.
IMPORTANT
There will be little/zero cell coverage for much of this trip, so a working CB radio setup is highly recommended and should be standard equipment in your rig. Check your rig over before the run and fix broken stuff. Bring your own tools and parts for trail repairs and the required fire extinguisher and first-aid kit per rig. Bring plenty of water for your group, toiletries ( Leave No Trace), food for the trail and camping gear for those staying overnight. There are no fuel stops on our route between Hyum, UT and Paris, ID, so start the trip with a full tank.
This is a family friendly, stock+ rig run for fellow XJers who want to explore Cache Valley and get in some camping.
CB CHANNEL 34
I had to modify the original map and didn't want to redo the entire thing, so note that the ROUTE BEGINS WITH THE BLUE MARKER ON THE MAP
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zcFaDbQIdt2A.klz3AWtHw3ls
We will meet at the Ridley's Market in Hyrum, UT at 4PM on July 11th and then proceed up Blacksmith Fork Canyon to Left Hand Fork. We will proceed on Left Hand until we reach the 4 Corners area, where the group will locate a campsite for the night.
On Saturday morning, July 12th, the group will head out to Logan Canyon via Right Hand Fork (those not camping overnight can meet up with the group at the Hwy 89/Right Hand Fork turnoff on Sat morning -Meet time 9:00AM) and proceed up to the Franklin Basin turnoff, where we will travel through Franklin Basin into Idaho and then up the German Dugway to the Paris Ice Caves. We can spend a few hours exploring the ice caves.
Bring flashlights and warm jackets because the temperature of the inner chamber of the cave is about 35*. You can hang out in the outer area of the cave, where the temps will be more in the 60's, as the cold air rising out of the inner chamber keeps it nice and cool and a welcome escape from the summer heat. Depending on the previous winter snowpack, there is often a snow drift for the kids to play in near the outer chamber.
This inner chamber is young kid friendly 5+, IF they have a parents hand to hold, because the floor of the cave is solid ice. Think frozen pond, 2ft thick, with misc. rocks sticking out above the surface of the ice. If you fall, you will be landing on something hard and sharp.
There are also some cool (puny, I know) ice columns which form near an ice chute......which will swallow a man, so no screwing around near these. I plan on bringing my climbing gear and GoPro to do some exploring in one of the chutes.
After the ice cave exploration, we can head into Paris, ID and then back down the highway to Garden City on the shore of Bear Lake for some famous raspberry shakes.
Folks can stay at Bear Lake and play in the water or head out on their own for home, back through Logan Canyon. For those who want to camp again on Saturday night, there are lots of campsites along the road in Logan Canyon and fishing is said to be good there as well, or up Beaver Creek or Franklin Basin.
This will be a great run for the family, not really hardcore but loaded with beautiful scenery of Northern Utah.
IMPORTANT
There will be little/zero cell coverage for much of this trip, so a working CB radio setup is highly recommended and should be standard equipment in your rig. Check your rig over before the run and fix broken stuff. Bring your own tools and parts for trail repairs and the required fire extinguisher and first-aid kit per rig. Bring plenty of water for your group, toiletries ( Leave No Trace), food for the trail and camping gear for those staying overnight. There are no fuel stops on our route between Hyum, UT and Paris, ID, so start the trip with a full tank.
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