Moab Weekend Trip Oct 2009

Arkarch · Post by **Arkarch** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:12 am

( Highlight Photos and Videos in next posts )
( Full Gallery http://picasaweb.google.com/KF6VOM/Moab2009#slideshow )

I was in Moab this past weekend Friday - Sunday on a short offroading trip. While this trip tends to be VW Touareg-centric, we have been open to other 4x4 vehicles, with some Jeeps joining us the past two years. Another trip is expected in May.

Our mini-caravan consisting of Nald, VegasMatt, and myself left Las Vegas Thursday evening and stopped overnight in Richfield Utah. Taking some time at the view areas of the San Rafael Swell west of Green River, we arrived in the Moab area around noon on Friday. We would be meeting Hap and his family coming from Denver later that evening.

In prior discussions we decided we were going to return to Tower Arch trail in Arches National Park. We could have gone the scenic front way, but after looking for remnants of the Salt Valley Wash from the main highway we decided upon Klondike Bluffs trail and a ridge cut that we had offroaded a couple years back.

Klondike Bluffs is a good starter trail for anyone getting their feet wet with Moab terrain. It offers some good obstacles, a taste of slick rock, and lots of dinosaur footprints to look at. Obstacles include a small dirt v-notch; some off-camber talus / boulder challenges; and a crevice that will get you on three wheels quickly.

At the deep end of Klondike, one can return or go up a short switchback to a ridge that leads down to Salt Valley Wash and Arches National Park. The downslope has some tough bits in it, including a rock slide that is narrow and requires placing tires on sloped boulders that quickly tests the independent suspension and clearance. From the pictures you can see Air-lifted Touaregs can just clear the rockers with our rear high in the air. On our first excursion on steel-suspended Touaregs in 2007 both VegasMatt and I had done our first damage to the rocker panels here. It was great to make it fine with air.

Once on the backroad in Arches, we crossed over to Tower Arch, a neat scenic jeep trail with sharp bumpy steps and deep sand in places. Its best to ESP-off through the sandy parts and keep your momentum. To get to the arch you head southeast on the trail then sharply northeast, running high ground above the Klondike Bluffs slickrock below.

At Tower Arch, we decided to hike down to the arch. To get there, walk down the first fins then follow the stacks of rocks and arrows. There are definite short climb spots and use caution - soon you'll be in the arch. There are some narrow slots to the right you can reach.

While hiking about Tower Arch, we encountered a group of teenagers and mom from Orem. Long-story short, a couple of them decided to hike the Jeep trail back and we encountered them on our way out just as the sun was setting - a couple miles from where their Honda CRV was parked. The rest of their party had return back on the hiking trail to fetch the CRV for a pickup - which they soon discovered was not capable of running the jeep trail - so they were hiking it our way in the twilight. We loaded all five and got them back to the bottom. Had we not found them, they would have been out there with no flashlight, water, food, and light clothing on a moonless 40 degree night. Walking around backcountry Moab in pitch black is asking to fall off a 600 ft cliff.

We met up with Hap and family at Pasta Joes for dinner and beer. They had just arrived from Denver with their 2008 V8. We talked trail ideas, then closed the night finding our rented condo south of town.

Second day was a first attempt at Kane Creek trail. Awesome approach road out to Kane / Chicken Corners where a classic anti-cline can be seen to the north. We got nearly five miles in and finally met our match - a set of boulders that guarded the shelf road around a bend. We gave it a shot, but lack of articulation kept tires off the ground, losing traction even with rear and center lockers; and the immediate danger of body damage. To navigate this for all three of our vehicles told us not to push this fight. A group of quads had a miserable time through there as well. In an emergency we probably could have forced our way through. We'll probably try it the other direction next time - as downhill through there would allow more control.

On our way out of Kane Creek, a base jumper nearly landed atop us. We spotted his shadow on the canyon walls and then saw him appear ahead, landing right in front of us. Overall that canyon is remarkable with the scenery, rock climbers, and other outdoor fun. Had lunch under a ledge just south of the switchbacks.

On to Potash and the ponds, then along Shafer Trail past the Thelma and Louise jump spot and into Canyonlands where we handled the 1200 ft Shafer Switchbacks. Incredible views! The Shafer Switchbacks area is an easy dirt road that just climbs deep into the rock walls of this mesa wall south of Dead-Horse. You really dont see where the road goes - its so well camoflaged from a distance. As you go up it, everything is revealed and soon your skirting the edge high up above the canyon floor.

Once on top, we connected with a highway and ran back to Moab for some backyard BBQ, beers, and story telling of past adventures.

On Sunday we did our favorite - Fins and Things. Not much to say about that, except that land restoration has removed the first descent on the north side of Sand Flats. That was a cool obstacle that is now bypassed. Finally capped it off with a couple runs on Baby Lions Back, including a Geocache opportunity.

Having all air-lifted vehicles with proper tires, we are now looking at MetalMasher and other more aggressive trails on next trips. We had intended to do Elephant Hill - except that Canyonlands does not allow pets in the back country. If you have ever been on any of our offroad trips, you'll know we have plenty of dogs in the group. I sometimes joke that its a requisite for Colorado citizenship to own a dog, given how many I see. We also had gotten word from the guide who ran the Touareg Adventures event that the back side of Elephant Hill is challenging - but we would likely be the first to do it in a Touareg.

Overall, mission accomplished. We love the challenge but at the end of the day, we like to get out of there in one piece. This has always been our goal, rocker panels aside. No body damage!

We'll do Moab again next May.

I'll see everyone at BorregoFest!!

Participants

Hap and Family - 2008 V8 Touareg with Air-Lift, center and rear diff locks, 265/70/17 BFG's
Nald - 2008 VR6 Touareg with Air-Lift, center lock, 265/70/17 Nittos (they have been on three different Touaregs here now)
Arkarch - 2009 VR6 Touareg with Air-Lift, center lock, 265/70/17 BFG's
VegasMatt - Running shotgun.

( Full Gallery http://picasaweb.google.com/KF6VOM/Moab2009#slideshow )

Arkarch · Post by **Arkarch** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:15 am

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Arkarch · Post by **Arkarch** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:16 am

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Arkarch · Post by **Arkarch** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:24 am

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Moab Weekend Trip Oct 2009

Moab Weekend Trip Oct 2009

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