Party of Two - Moab and Ouray trip

[BHaner]

At the end of last month the girlfriend Jodi and I took a trip to do some wheeling and sightseeing.   She had never wheeled out of Washington state so Moab was a big bucket list item.  
 

I loaded both our JKU’s up on my trailer and we took off for Moab!

 

 

 

 

 

[BHaner]

First day we started with the normal two trails.   Fins and things and Hells Revenge.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BHaner]

Day two we set out to do the trifecta.  Poison Spider Mesa, Golden Spike, and Goldbar Rim.   
 

I had never actually completed the three trails in my JKU due to past group issues.  But I had done it years ago in my TJ.  It was by far the most difficult day of trails she had ever done.   
 

Outside of being shaky a few times she did great!  She even drove right up the waterfall on Goldbar Rim picking her own line.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BHaner]

Day 3 we decided to do a new trail.  Kane Creek.  
 

It started off slow but had some fun little obstacles to keep us interested.  We thought we were almost done with the trail after being in the creek bed for a while and seeing the end of the trail on the gps.  
 

It wasn’t over yet!  The best obstacle was at the end!

 

This trail will be a great one for a night run if we ever get back to Moab as a group. 
 

When we got to the big obstacle at the end there was a group of two JKU’s, a Gladiator, and a side by side.   They were all kinds of messed up on the trail.   I offered a suggestion and was quickly screamed at so I left them to their struggles.  It was what I like to call a shit show.  So we just sat back and watched them tear shit up.  Dented quarter panel on the JT.  Broken rear axle shaft on the JKU.  Oil everywhere from the PCV system on the JT.   It all could have been avoided but their “Leader” didn’t want to back his JKU down to winch off of.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BHaner]

 

[BHaner]

 

[BHaner]

Day 4 was a travel day to Colorado.  On the way there we hit Elephant Hill trail about an hour south of Moab.

 

Not a really hard trail but there is a "Z" turn that is kind of fun.  Very scenic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BHaner]

Day 5 was going to be Black Bear Pass... But due to some politics it never opened this year.  In fact if the people to Teluride have their way it may never open again.  Sad.

 

Instead we did Imogene and Ophir passes.  Being late in the year the changing color of the leaves made it an all new view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BHaner]

Day 6 was Poughkeepsie and Engineer Passes.

 

Once again much more scenic than last time we made the trip in the middle of the summer.

 

The rocks at the top of Poughkeepsie were also MUCH slicker!  I almost got myself into some trouble screwing around.  We also found a bunch more climbs past the normal play area.

 

All the snow tunnels were gone at the start of Engineer pass.  There was some fresh snow on the shady side of the peaks.  After we left I did see pictures of a few inches of snow at the top of the pass on Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BHaner]

After making it down to Lake City we headed back to the house in Montrose to pack up and head home the next day.

 

It ended up being almost a 200 mile day!

 

 

[KevinG]

Awesome shots!  I don’t think I’ve ever seen pics from this time of year with the foliage. 
 

[Gruff]

looks like a blast! beautiful. 

[Weebz]

Gorgeous man.  Nice trip.  

[Jdofmemi]

Nice trip Byron!

 

Glad you and your (new) lady got to see all those places, and a great time of year to do it. 

[AJK]

Nice trip Byron. Thats looks like alot of wheeling and you picked some great trails. How was Elephant Hill? I hear so many different opinions about it.

[BHaner]

4 minutes ago, AJK said:

Nice trip Byron. Thats looks like alot of wheeling and you picked some great trails. How was Elephant Hill? I hear so many different opinions about it.

I kinda look at it like "Top of the World" trail.  Long drive but some good stuff to look at.

 

It's over an hour drive south of Moab.  You need to get a permit for each rig the day before.  $6 if I remember correctly.  They have a max number of rigs that can use the trail per day.

 

It's not an overly difficult trail...  But enough to make it worth the drive.  I used 4x4 but don't remember using the lockers at all.

 

I did it by myself when everyone took a pool day during EmW so this was my second trip through it.  I would do it again if others wanted to go.  But if you were to ask me this trail or lets say Kane Creek?  I would pick Kane Creek.

[BHaner]

[BHaner]

One of the things I noticed this trip was that Lockhart Basin road links up with the highway just before the trailhead for Elephant Hill.

 

Lockhart Basin trail takes off from the same road that Kane Creek and Chicken Corners does.  Would make a full day of scenery for sure.

[AJK]

3 hours ago, BHaner said:

One of the things I noticed this trip was that Lockhart Basin road links up with the highway just before the trailhead for Elephant Hill.

 

Lockhart Basin trail takes off from the same road that Kane Creek and Chicken Corners does.  Would make a full day of scenery for sure.

I'm Down.

[Jdofmemi]

20 hours ago, BHaner said:

One of the things I noticed this trip was that Lockhart Basin road links up with the highway just before the trailhead for Elephant Hill.

 

Lockhart Basin trail takes off from the same road that Kane Creek and Chicken Corners does.  Would make a full day of scenery for sure.

Kane Creek, then Elephant Hill sounds like a fun day for sure. 

[riskitforthebiskit]

Great little trip.  Went up to the Alpine loop this year.  Just a chill trip with the family.  But did hook up with Bubba and his crew for a little run too.  Always a good time up there.