Jump to content
theksmith

10/2025 Hole in the Rock, Utah

Recommended Posts

here's a shot of our campsite to get us started:

 

AP1GczOvUnU-15hMU9yUK6f8NWDJoQDd7h5IYc_R

  • Like 8

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Day 1 - Just getting started onto the Sandstone features (~ 3 miles in from the pavement).

IMG_8175.JPG

 

Day 2 -  First Emmigrant trail marker located.   These were done as an Eagle Scout project...

IMG_8179.JPG

 

IMG_8180.JPG

 

 

Day 2 - Overlook of the San Juan River, just below Cha Bay...

 

IMG_8182.JPG

 

These are sadly, the only pics I was able to get that turned out good enough to post...   :(

 

Edited by ob1jeeper
  • Like 6
  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Here is some I took

20251019_103111.jpg

20251018_164257.jpg

20251018_164026.jpg

20251018_164031.jpg

20251018_163821.jpg

20251018_163722.jpg

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thanks to all for a great trip and for all the help!  Outstanding adventure!
Below is link to pictures from the ORP Utah 2025 trip along with some photos from Monument Valley! Enjoy
 

ORP Utah

 

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
13 hours ago, Michael Trapschuh said:
Thanks to all for a great trip and for all the help!  Outstanding adventure!
Below is link to pictures from the ORP Utah 2025 trip along with some photos from Monument Valley! Enjoy
 

ORP Utah

 

 

Some great pics Mike & Carol...   Thanks for sharing...  ;)

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

chillin out near the lake waiting for meetup time.

 

AP1GczPszLD3tekMHARMLuzEQCC1RbAHH3bQ7WAE

 

camp, just a little ways before where we camped last time.

 

AP1GczMvATmptfHdo2AjL9bUCAhoymQtVD5FL4JY

 

i camped on the other side of the trail, enjoying a nice flat spot - and the view!

 

AP1GczOfx88blVODwEot1f_BKiPts6ISdhWpImXT

 

artsy photo.

 

AP1GczNLcW5ZGPaxvQU_4Vm1sMshfWxIkN25_EGw

 

looking back at @DBO's sweet RTT setup.

 

AP1GczP2X5b9kOvxwoDE9SglD3hldd1uCGIEyIyK

 

early Saturday morning waiting on the group to all wake up.

 

AP1GczMfKEv8-sqtz-JHToQ3yDYkcE-BpH-gsA3u

 

AP1GczPSW9hiTA9yGDKWEvoO7PRWzaUSgIe83nZg

 

that's a good looking buncha rigs!

 

AP1GczP9158xRmw0B-kFMqD71iHN0KpgEMTeo4cG

 

we failed to make it to the end of the trail again! this time i just overestimated what our pace would be and there just wasn't enough time in the day. no-one wanted to come back down the super technical descent off Grey Mesa in the dark, so we turned around at 2pm.

 

look for yet another trip here to be posted, this time we'll add another whole day to make sure we have time to complete the trail.

 

@Michael Trapschuh suffered a sliced sidewall on the way back to camp. everyone pitched in to get it changed quickly (photo from his wife Carol).

 

AP1GczMCFL1S6Xt52JcoVzuuyu9gKAKvMwYcyryD

 

@DBO and @ob1jeeper coming down the upper staircase to Grey Mesa. note the flex on Doug's rig here - all while navigating a super narrow shelf with a dangerous dropoff just to your side. the photos of course don't do it justice.

 

AP1GczOBJw1CcuIZRAejbcawMvSMkld-rkqOFVyq

 

Steve's turn to flex out @Ladybug's Jeep Gracie.

 

AP1GczNlARNMEPTf4Ta9nIMWWxV_dXYGSpZXP1J2

 

after this descent, everyone made it back up the big waterfall/shelf without any winching. and we managed to get back to camp before sunset despite the minor tire change delay.

 

AP1GczPr1sOoJnzp_PVqXIqwClDNXA3IqT1cN-fb

 

sorry i didn't take more photos, i was busy trying to find the trail most of the time! ;) even with multiple GPS tracks, navigation is a real challenge for portions of this route. i'm glad it's still like that though - it's much nicer looking without the constant black tire marks you see on the overly popular Moab trails.

 

this was a really fun adventure, despite not making the end yet again. oh well, perhaps @4x4tographer and some of the others from our 2024 flooded trip that couldn't make this re-do will be able to make the re-re-do next time. you know what they say: 3rd time's a charm! well, technically that will be 5 times for me, but Hole in the Rock is one of my favorite trails, so i'm always up for another run.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 4
  • Love 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sweet pics, everyone!!  Nice trip report @theksmith! Neat to know about the Pioneer Trail markers being a Eagle Scout project, thanks for sharing, @ob1jeeper. The Hole in the Rock is one of my all time favoritfavorite trails. I just love it up there. 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@ob1jeeper's photo of the San Juan from this trip:

 

IMG_8182.JPG

 

 

a photo i took in 2015:

 

AP1GczPiF5_h0h0A1SY3_CCB7P6jbyRvQ9aemr4w

 

zoomed in on where the river and lake water merge:

 

AP1GczORbV_w8fWhgFxx2MMUF0VXsbNGE9MgcZZF

 

 

and it was even slightly higher during our first trip to the area in 2011:

 

AP1GczNnVgMlpUTt360U4qmNPb6_oZK9LK-XtGIK

 

Edited by theksmith
  • Like 2
  • Wow 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 10/20/2025 at 9:43 PM, Michael Trapschuh said:
Thanks to all for a great trip and for all the help!  Outstanding adventure!
Below is link to pictures from the ORP Utah 2025 trip along with some photos from Monument Valley! Enjoy
 

ORP Utah

 

 

Great pics. It’s on my bucket list. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Love the photos and hope to be able to do the "Redemption" run next year (hopefully fall so my neck is done fusing) or whenever that gets scheduled!

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...