Lockhart Basin & Moab Trails, Sept. 2012 Pictures & Trip Report

[dzJeepChic 2,435]

Did I mention the incredible views?

 

 

George on crack:

 

 

Our next point of interest was The Golden Crack. Due to a battery situation in one camera, I was only able to get still shots of Clifford; but I video recorded everyone crossing the crack. Randy took still shots of everybody, so hopefully Maddog will post them or share a link to them... Anyways, here's everybody lined up while assessing The Crack:

 

 

Clifford:

 

 

My video of 'Just The Crack':

 

 

After passing through the Golden Crack we made our way across some more interesting steps & ledges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then George & I took a wrong turn and had to double back when we came to this :

 

 

Now we were on Gold Bar Rim trail, which slowly starts down a series of steps and ledges:

 

 

 

 

When we came to this ledge and didn't make it up on the first try, I began to wonder if we were going to get out of there! It was steep & slippery, and until George found just the right line, we couldn't get traction on it. When he got lined up just right, he basically hit it, and we went right up. Scott got it after a couple tries, and so did everybody else after that.

 

 

We followed the trail to Gemini Bridges Road, which was basically a river after the rain earlier in the day!

 

 

 

We passed the 'Gooneybird' on the way out:

 

 

Gemini Bridges Road took us out to Hwy 191 where we aired up a little before heading south to Moab.

 

 

We were all so tired we pretty much went our separate ways for dinner, showers and sleep.

 

All my Trifecta Pics >>> Click Here

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[Maddogjeeper 2]

We Took almost 1,000 pictures on this trip so plowing through them takes some time. Here are some more;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Maddogjeeper 2]

Here's a few more;

 

 

 

 

 

[Maddogjeeper 2]

Kane Creek;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Maddogjeeper 2]

Steel Bender;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dzJeepChic 2,435]

 

 

 

 

So, later when I get to Steel Bender day in my trip report, and I tell about the wrong line George took near the beginning of the trail, the top picture above is when I was freaking out telling him to back down.

 

Now, the lower picture above was taken not even 10 minutes later. Can anyone guess why we're stopped and all appear to be on stand-by waiting?

[theksmith 3,832]

So, later when I get to Steel Bender day in my trip report, and I tell about the wrong line George took near the beginning of the trail, the top picture above is when I was freaking out telling him to back down.

 

Now, the lower picture above was taken not even 10 minutes later. Can anyone guess why we're stopped and all appear to be on stand-by waiting?

 

underwear cleaning brake?

[Maddogjeeper 2]

Bladder break?

[Maddogjeeper 2]

Smiley Rock's Utah cousin;

 

 

 

I hate Tuesdays;

 

[dzJeepChic 2,435]

Day 4 - Wednesday: Fins N Things

 

As mentioned earlier in this thread, we had originally planned on running Steel Bender on Wednesday, but it had rained steadily all night and showed no sign of clearing in the morning, and since the Well's book specifically says that Steel Bender has one part that is impassible when wet, we had to go to Plan B. It took us a while in the Maverick parking lot to figure out what Plan B was, but we finally decided on Fins N Things.

 

Decisions, decisions!

 

 

None of us had ever run Fins N Things before, and since it's right there in town, it seemed like a good option. George and I know the way through town to get to the Sand Flats Recreation Area, which is the OHV area where the trail is located, so we lead the group out there. We had to pay $5.00 per vehicle at the entrance gate, and then we made our way to the trail. Fins N Things is the only trail I've ever known to have it's own mailbox!

 

 

So it turns out that Fins N Things is a pretty cool trail up and down and around slickrock and sand with awesome views all over the place. It's a little hard to navigate if you've never been there, like us, the trail leaders, so it was comforting to see these along the way:

 

 

There were a couple of slightly tricky ascents that we announced a heads up on:

 

 

 

Some places were steep enough that you could see the white trail markings on the rocks (other times they were hard to find):

 

 

At one point we had to get back on the main road of the OHV to get to the next part of the trail:

 

 

We passed through a lot of areas that were very pretty and scenic:

 

 

 

 

Hang on Scotty!

 

 

 

A canyon near where we ate lunch:

 

 

 

Daily Group Shot!

 

 

 

See the trail?

 

 

 

 

By the time we finished Fins N Things the sun was out, and we decided to head over to Potato Salad Hill on the way down the hill into town. Here's the 3 Amigos lined up at the bottom:

 

 

 

Last year George and Scott both pretty much walked up it, but this year it was trickier, and Scotty was the only one who made it to the top. Go Scott!

 

 

Everybody watching Maddog's attempt:

 

 

By now the weather was perfect and it was still really early, so we all decided to barbeque hamburgers at the campground together. We gathered at 6 under a ramada there and George grilled some of the best burgers ever, and we ate, drank & yakked about trails and rigs. And we decided that come hell or high water, we were running Steel Bender tomorrow! Okay well, not the high water part...

 

All the Fins N Things photos >>> Clicky

 

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