I'm trying to get some of the old Pass Patrol guys out for a trip to Utah in the spring. Boss from TX wants to do Hole-In-The-Rock Rd. Just the short section from Halls Crossing to Cottonwwod Hill. Halls crossing has trailers to rent. It is the most difficult section of the Rd. I wouldn't mind doing the rest of the rd. if some one wanted.

I would also like to start at Robbers Roost Spring and work my way North as Larry did in an article on the Outlaw trail in Off Road magazine. The route goes through a section called the Devils highway.

What I'd really like to do is take Cottonwood Rd. north from 89 and then east through Coyote Creek. There is a nice climb out of the creek up onto Brigham Plain. Then an awsome drop back down to connect again to Cottonwood rd. near Hackberry canyon.

April is a nice time to go out that way. Still a chance of snow though. But nice weather. And the spring thaw can mess with things a bit. May would be warmer and the bugs would have to be delt with for those camping.

Let me know if anyone would like to tag along.

 

Looks like Boss from Austin, TX is really wanting to do HITR in April. Dutchy from Chicago, IL is considering the trip. So is Sundance from Denver. Outlaw from Denver may tag along and write an article for an offroad magazine. I'll most likely go out early for some stuff. I would be open to stay out afterwards if someone wants to do other stuff.

 

That sounds like fun, but I don't know if my finaces will be back on their feet by spring... maybe fall?

 

Looks like mid April is when Boss is looking to do his stuff. HITR, Hotel Rock and maybe Elephant.

 

How long would the trip last? It sounds like fun but I'm not sure I could afford to take to much time off work for it.

 

You'd need a day travel time out. And of course another for the trip home. Utah is 8-900 miles. Colorado and Utah are are great places to camp. There is BLM and Forest Service land everywhere so you can camp for free. I take my owne food and water and the fuel bill is the biggest expence I have. I like to stop in a town for a shower ($2 to $7) every 2 days. Many like to stop at a restaurant when available also. I try to stay out of towns as much as possible.

I go early and stay late, but I can meet up with folks that want to come out. If your not a camper we can work around that also. Boss is not a camper. He has to camp one night when we do HITR. But the rest of the time he will have a place to stay in Halls Crossing or Blanding.

If I go out the south route (54, 50, 160) I camp at Comb Ridge west of Bluff the first night. If I go through Denver there are plenty of places to camp off I-70. One at Rifle. Another at Rabbit Valley. And then at Green River.

To answere your question it lasts as long as you want. Just let me know what you want to do and when and we'll work it out.

 

Some of the things I like to do in Utah:

Robbers Roost, east of Hanksville. Robbers Roost spring is a nice place to camp. It's a place Butch and other outlaws were sure to have visited. Just up the stream is Silver Springs where there was a documented gun fight between Outlaws and Lawmen. Between the two is whats left of a cabin. Many old buildings up on the Roost.

Smiths Cabin, west of Green River. It is believed that one of the out laws from Butch's Castle Gate hold up split off and headed NE near Mexican Moutian for Browns Hole with the money. He is beleived to have ridden past Smiths cabin. Larry has looked for that trail for many years. Good camping spot at the cabin.

Paria movie site, east of Kanab. Looks like the town of Santa Rio from the movie The Outlaw Jose Wales. I was there many years ago. After Clinton made it a Monument and the management plan was put in place I tried to go back and was told it was closed to motorized traffic. It was suppose to be open but they closed because it was too wet to drive on the road. Seemed to me they just closed it with out closing it and just let the folks in they wanted to. You can still walk in it you like to do that kind of thing and are able. Cottonwood rd. is close by and I've been wanting to go back a see if things have eased up a bit since W's been in office.

 

Is there any exact dates? I have to have my vacation in by next week, and I thought about scheduling vaction for that time, just in case of the the unlikely event I get to go.

 

Best I have from Boss is he is looking at the middle of April for his stuff. I have e-mailed him that I have others that need to get vacation scheduled by the first and need dates. I'll let you know as soon as I get a reply. He makes his living cutting on folks brains so he can get tied up a bit from time to time. Just put in for early or late if you want to. I go out early and can stay late. Are you going to camp with me or at then local motel?

 

Boy I'm not sure if I can go yet, but if I do I'll probably camp.

 

Boss just sent me an e-mail saying he's shooting for the week of the 16th of April. Monday is the 16th. Don't know the details yet. He'll either start at HITR (he will stay at Halls Crossing) and then do Hotel Rock (he will stay in Blanding) and then do Elephant on his way to Moab or do that in reverse order. Now he may not do all of that but that's what he likes to do. He will have his son with him to show how the old guy can still cut it.

 

HITR is the most difficult trail Larry says he will take a stock truck on. The famous 4x4 trail section is only 20.6 miles long according to Larry's Adventures of Pass Patrol book Volume 6, 4-Wheel Drive Roads To Hole In The Rock. That book covers the whole San Juan Mission of 1879 from Escalante, Ut to Bluff, UT. For this section of the road you can start in Halls Crossing. Go aprox. 10 miles east on Hwy 276 and turn south. If you make all the correct turns at 6.2 miles you will come to the Fort. And you will have missed the original 1879 road. I know where that's at and if you'd like to see it we need to get there a bit early or make some time to go over there. At the bottom of the hill the Fort is on you can turn left for campsites or cross the stream. Just on the other side of the stream is another campsite and after that lock and load for some real wheeling. Plan on all day with a group to get to the Top of Cottonwood Hill. That trail beats you and the truck up really bad. Jr. should not have much trouble with it. But Green would bring back battle scars. Even with 31's and a doubler. Ok with those last mods a whole lot less battle scars but still a very good chance of damage.

I have a copy of Larry's book if anyone would like to borrow it. I have a few new coppies I'd sell at cost (40% off retail) if you want to buy one.

 

Hotel Rock runs next to Arch Canyon trail. Access is north off Hwy 95 West of Blanding. This is on the West side of Comb Ridge. Going that direction is going up the trail. There is a section that requires lockers front and back to climb that direction. I have always gone the other direction. We go up to Elk Mountian road and drive down it. That spot is still difficult and a locker helps climb it. Most open differential vehicles will need a little help from a winch to get up this section. This trail is in Larry's Lone Riders #2 book Trails of the Ancient Ones. Maps in this book also show Elephant Hill trail. I have a copy or two of this book if folks would like to borrow it. I don't have any new book ones to sell though. There are several places that still sell them though.

 

This really sounds like a blast but I'm pretty sure Corys truck couldn't handle it. Is there anyway we could ride with you?

 

HITR has a night that we camp. The next day we go back the way we came in. So we'd have to carry all of your and Cory's camping gear and food and drinks. The first time I did HITR with Larry I flat towed my eh.........4x4 ya that's it I towed my 4x4 to the campsite at the bottom of the Fort with my 2wd F-150. And I left the F-150 while we were gone 2 days. We could do it but most likely we'd need a bit of help from others to carry your stuff in. Hotel Rock and Elephant are day trips and I should be able to make room for two riders. If you and Cory want to ride with me from Wichita out, I have a trailer that I could use to free up room inside Jr. I most likely will go out early and stay late. And would be out that way at least 10 days or more.

Guess we could leave on Friday morning and drive to Bluff. Saturday drive through Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley then over to and up Cottonwood. Then back track back to 261 on Sunday. Do a bit of mapping I need to get done. Hit Halls Crossing for a shower. Take you guys by the Halls Crossing rd. and HITR rd. intersection. Monday start Boss's deal and go in HITR. Tuesday back out HITR. Wednesday move over to Comb Ridge and get a shower. Might do some of the site seeing or mapping stuff. Have to see what Boss wants to do. Thursday Hotel Rock. Friday Elephant. Saturday head up to Green River to check out the test site and Smiths cabin then head for Robbers roost. Get another shower in Green river. Sunday Head down to Roobers Roost. Or Green River has a SASS club. Don't know what day they shoot but we could check and see if you'd like to shoot a match with some Utah folks. Need to start back Sunday I would think. Camp at Rabbit Valley or Rifle sunday night and drive home on Monday.