MOAB 4x4, UTAH'S DEADHORSE STATE PARK & CANYONLANDS
Elev 5500 Low 40 Hi 71
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| 207 miles |
Left on a Saturday morning for Moab to do some slickrock 4x4 with some of the Touareg gang, who drove in from Denver, Lubbock and Las Vegas. Arrived early enough, about 2:30, to hop over to Arches to hike Delicate Arch one more time (#3). Perfect day, cool enough to enjoy it and though crowded somehow we hiked alone most of the time. It’s only 1.5 miles, up it’s all up and well worth the trek. While leaving the park got a cell call from the gang to come over for dinner. The ladies fixed a delicious steak dinner accompanied by their garden fresh vegs, excellent. Set departure for 9am; I’m trying to get out of going but they all assure me it’s not that bad, even though the books rate Fins & Things “DIFFICULT.”
Sunday – ok ok I decided to go – it was Sunday and no one would be working anyway and the weather was just perfect so I went along. It was an all-day crawl – from about 9:30 ‘till 5. A very careful group -- everyone was spotted through difficult areas, which always looked worse than they actually were (but then I wasn't IN the car). If I didn’t like something I’d jump out and take the pics. That worked out. Amazing what the car can do on climbs and angles. Back at the house we had another delicious dinner, Texas-style.
Monday – This day I sat it out while they did Dome Plateau. Bill said it wasn’t as action packed but they saw a lot more – an arch, a cave spring, a miner’s house and an overlook. They didn’t get back until after 6. Meanwhile, I rode the bike 3 miles to town and did some shopping and came back to find work waiting for me so that was good. Perfect timing. Back to the house for burger night. Glad these ladies like to cook. Don’t know where they find the energy after all day on those trails. I was exhausted that first day.
Tuesday – Time to move on to Dead Horse State Park. Provisioned at City Market and on the road by 11am., with only 30 miles to the next spot. Had reserved site #4 in this small campground with electricity about .25 miles from the visitor center. Got out the bikes and rode to the overlook – that was a challenge – had some hills to keep pace on. Heart was tickin’ like a rabbit. We’re not endurance bikers. Or hill bikers. We’re flat Florida bikers. Great overlook but unfortunately it was a bit hazy but took lots, no TONS, of shots anyway. Went back later for the sunset with some margaritas. Days in the high 60s and nights maybe the low 40s, good weather.
Wednesday – This day we went next door to Canyonlands to drive all the overlooks. Did some short hikes, such as the Mesa Arch and watched the ravens and swallows zooming around; 1.5-mile Aztec Butte hike to see a grainary, and the Upheavel Dome overlook, then on down to Green River overlook, and then the Grandview Point. Enough views already. Then a trip to the visitor center for a stamp and check on the Shafer Trail only to find out Mineral Bottom had washed out big time in August. It is closed and will cost $3 million to fix, maybe start next year. Did the 4x4 drive down Shafer to the bottom, then back up again. Came back and wanted to do a short bike ride, but first I had to do a little work, then off on bikes .25 mile downhill toward the visitor center for an easy ride on the Intrepid trail, and it was so much fun we decided to do the Pyramid Overlook Trail, which got a little tougher. And of course we forgot water. It was a fun and challenging (to us – have you read anything about us mountain biking on this blog??) 4-mile ride, without helmets. And very fortunately neither of us hit the dirt. Made it back, tired and very thirsty. Watched some videos and call it a night, heading back tomorrow.
For a slideshow of more 4x4: http://s1186.photobucket.com/albums/z362/bntreg4x4/Moab%2010-10/?albumview=slideshow
Area Info: The U.S. Department of Energy has started a project to move 16 million tons of uranium tailings from the banks of the Colorado River, near the city of Moab, to a permanent disposal site 30 miles north, near the town of Crescent Junction. This project is called the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. And we were camping right next to it. The Moab Tailings Project Site is located approximately 3 miles northwest of Moab in Grand County, Utah, and includes the former Atlas Minerals Corporation (Atlas) uranium-ore processing facility. The site encompasses 439 acres, of which approximately 130 acres is covered by a uranium mill tailings pile.
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| Just because everyone else went down this road doesn't mean you have to. Oh yes, it does. |
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| No really, I'll walk up this one. |
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| Sure, go ahead. I'll be over here. |
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| Cars of uranium tailings? The Moab Project is currently shipping two trains a day Monday through Friday. The length of each train is up to 26 railcars, each holding four containers. During the month of November 2009, about 110,000 tons of tailings were shipped to Crescent Junction for disposal for a total of about 540,000 tons. |
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| Who goes to a place like this ON PURPOSE??? |
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