Walk in the park....too.......

[gelswick]

So....we are back staying in Moab. Had my required fish taco from Milts first thing and some relatively easy drives including coming down Long Canyon from the top this time, no snow, and seeing where we came to close to going over the edge last time we were here. As it turns out the road gets steeper and **narrower** just past where we er...ah... turned around last time. Had we made it any farther into the canyon the walls were just wide enough to squeeze the truck into and on an ice covered road we would have been jammed in there cockeyed for sure. But I digress....
Yesterday took a day trip to horseshoe canyon for some hiking. The parking lot is 32 miles from a paved road, route 24, and had warning signs that among other things said no pets allowed. Since the canyon floor is 800' down that was enough for me to decide lets stay in the air conditioned truck and site see. Green River is **only** 50 miles or so north on a 4 wheel drive road across the desert. (Before I forget, if you saw the movie "127 hours" it took place about 5 miles from here in Little Blue John Canyon). So we took our time heading north and enjoying the scenery, once again the entire state of Utah should be a National Park. Saw some geologist looking guys parked on the side of the road and asked them for directions to Cincinnati. They had a good chuckle from that question and proceeded to tell us go about another 30 miles north until you get to I-70 and take a right and go for about 1800 miles. Noted a few side roads to visit in the future, fossil point being interesting looking. Just drove 85 miles of desert four wheel drive roads (Lower San Rafael Road).
So today not wanting to drive in the desert again and since I had washed the dust off the truck decided to go into the La Sal mountains and on the loop road for more site seeing, some hiking, it is much cooler at 10,000' 55° vs 85°, and because most of the traveled roads are paved. Obtained the obligatory coffee from town and off we went up Geyser Pass road. Our plan was to go up to the pass, turn around and return to the loop road and continue on. We were here last year but the loop road was closed for construction. Took a side trip up Gold Basin Road and met some guys with hound dogs that had a bear cornered. He had two tags and was happy to have filled the first one on his first day. Started back up Geyser Pass road and started running into snow drifts across the road. (does anyone see a pattern here??) Since there were deep tire tracks across the drifts and ***I HAVE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE*** what could go wrong? We kept going and didn't think anything of the snow drifts, just made the beautiful scenery even prettier. There was one where the left hand tire track was on the edge of a drop off so crowded the right hand side but of course the deep snow shoved us back into the ruts. We made it fine and I was thinking I hope there were no more like that drift. A couple hundred feet further I got my wish. Two snow drifts 3 to 4 feet deep and.....no tire tracks threw them. Did not want to back down especially with the last drift dangerously close to a drop off. Looked around and saw where a short wheelbase vehicle, probably a Jeep, had backed up the bank as far as possible and turned around the other way. Since the GMC 2500 has the turning radius rivaling that of a greyhound bus that was not an option. Then saw where someone had turned left a little ways into the drift at a sign that said Clark Lake. Noticed that on the down hill side someone had slid off the road and into the beginnings of a ravine. Kept a wide birth of that depression and after much backwards and forwards got the GMC turned around and aimed at the road and the snow drift. Started off and again gave the depression a wide birth so I would not slide into it like that idiot did. Kept my front wheels well into the snow uphill but...the rear end slid right into the depression. Welcome idiot number 2....
After much come alonging, paraphrase "golly" here, and spinning of tires, a jeep with a winch came along and eventually pulled us out. We were stuck there about 3 hours before getting out. Now I have once again had enough adventure for one trip and want to prop my feet up with a good book.

[timandsusan]

Gelswick--you do have adventures. I used to do similar mountain touring in my F350 Long Bed--but have learned that some of those mountain roads can really do a job on your tires that I usually plan to ride on when returning to Texas--usually over 1000 miles. So--having avoided a complete new set of tires as well as the expected tire failures, my mountain driving is limited to mostly pavement. Although I do like Moab--you have convinced me to stay closer to the golf course!

[DQDick]

Sounds like more excitement than an old man like me could take. You should film this stuff. The Discovery channel would have a show about you guys in no time.

[Rainer]

We were on many of the same roads in 2008 with our old 2006 F-250 4x4, but fortunately we never found any snow, other than a minute patch here and there. Yes, there were some precipitous drop-offs, but they made for great views! We'll go back some day with the 2012 F-250 4x4 and do it all again with Monte.

[sreigle]

Gelswick, you might enjoy the Shafer Trail, starting up by the entrance to Canyonlands and ending at a junction with 279 west of Moab. We did it several years ago with an F250 SRW. I recommend starting at the top, not at the bottom.