jeepin'

While we were a little annoyed with the results of our Sunday hike, we managed to shake it off and have a fantastic day on Monday.  Up at 7:15 a.m., we wolfed down a breakfast of bananas and PB&J, and walked over to Twisted Jeep Rentals.  We filled out all the paperwork and got a bit of a deal when owner Nick asked us what he had quoted us the night before, and then proceeded to charge us less.  After doing a walk-around of the jeep - which had "some dings, a few scratches and a small dent" - they took the doors and rear windows off for us and we were off.  Nick:  "Bring it back by 6, or later, if you're having fun - whatever!"

Let the jeepin' begin! 

Our plan for the day was to do the Shafer Trail and Long Canyon, with Gemini Bridges and maybe the Willow Springs road if we had time.  We didn't want to do anything too technical since we're not experienced jeepers; we just wanted to go out on some of these dirt roads in something more rugged than our truck.

Here we are, middle of nowhere

We drove out to the end of the paved Potash Road (25 miles), continuing on when it turned to dirt.  It seemed like a science fiction landscape as we passed the salt evaporation ponds, all red rock and strangely-hued minerals.  There were some rough spots and, later, some narrow blind corners, but generally-speaking, the road was in pretty good shape.

We crossed salt company and BLM land until we got to the Canyonlands National Park border, where we would take the Shafer Road up to the White Rim.  As we crested the terrace, there was an intersection: left on the White Rim Road to Musselman Arch and right to the Shafer Trail up to the Island in the Sky mesa.  Nick had suggested that we go out to Musselman Arch, even though nowadays you need a park permit to drive on the White Rim Road.

 

Gooseneck in the Colorado River

He said it was only about a mile but it was closer to four miles, and we crept along the cliff edge past the "Thelma and Louise Point," standing in for the Grand Canyon at the movie's final scene.  The road was very narrow and the cliff face fell away over eight hundred feet, so we were thrilled that we didn't meet any oncoming vehicles.

 

The road ahead

There were a couple of MTB tours taking a break out at Musselman Arch, heading on their last day of three around the White Rim Road.  Musselman Arch itself is narrow and flat - and very dramatic as it soars over the cliffs to the river bottom.

We were grateful for the cloud cover - not too hot

We retraced our route back to the junction and then started up the dramatic switchbacks of the Shafer Trail.  When you look up at the cliff face, you truly can't see that there is any way to get up it.  But there is: when the mining companies decided that it would be cheaper to build a road up than to schlep their ore back out the Potash Road.

Portion of Musselman Arch (left)

And up we went.  After meeting just a couple vehicles who were coming out just as we were heading in, we had that road all to ourselves.  There are plenty of pull-outs for when vehicles meet, but the downhill side is steep and loose and we were plenty happy that we didn't have to use any of them.

Both hands on the wheel (you can 

see theroad out over H's arm)

I don't know how it seemed to H, who was doing all the driving, but it seemed like we got to the top in no time.  At the top of the dramatic switchbacks, the road widened and leveled out to bring us up to the top of the mesa.  At this point, we'd gone 25 miles on dirt and it had taken us about 2.5 hours since we left the pavement.

Twisty!

After taking a couple of photos of the Shafer Trail from above (with all the tourists), we drove out of the national park on 313, turning right on the road to Dead Horse Point State Park and then turning left onto another dirt road that would take us down into Long Canyon.  Neither H nor I had ever heard of Long Canyon, but the jeep guys had recommended it so we were game.

It was another narrow dirt road, with switchbacks, drop-offs and views, and a pinch point - that we think is called "Pucker Pass" - where we had to drive under a boulder.  We met one car heading up and a couple of MTBers going out the way we were but again, we largely had this road to ourselves.  Long Canyon meets up with the Potash Road by Jughandle Arch.  We'd like to go back and explore further some day, see if there are any hikes in that canyon.

Shafer Trail, as seen from above

We drove back up the Potash Road to 191, then went north on 191 (my least favorite part of the whole day, riding at highway speeds in a jeep with no doors) to the Gemini Bridges road.  For years we have watched jeeps, OHVs and dirt bikes going up and down that road, when we hang out in the MOAB Brand Trails parking lot after a ride.  Now, at last, we were going to take it ourselves.

That's what we came up.  Yup.

The sketchiest part was right at the beginning, where the road hugs the side of the cliff and there are several blind corners.  We didn't meet anybody and soon had followed the road down into the drainage.  This road was much dustier and sandier than the ones we'd been on earlier.  There were a lot of OHVs and dirt bikes and I think these tear up the roads more than jeeps do, leading to more sand and dust.

Not as tight a squeeze as we thought (in Long Canyon)

There are a ton of MTB trails out there - most above my pay grade, I suspect - so there is a lot of activity; I would imagine that this area is a circus on the weekends.  We stopped for a quick walk out to the Gemini Bridges (two thick natural bridges right next to each other), before continuing on the road which spit us back out onto 313.

Long Canyon: also twisty

We still had time so we thought we'd give the Willow Springs Road a shot.  We hadn't asked Nick at Twisted Jeeps about it but we'd driven a chunk of it before, coming in from the Arches National Park road, and it had been easy, if sandy, driving.  This time we were coming at it from the other side, driving out to the Klonzo MTB trails and then continuing on into the national park.  You don't have to pay when you sneak in the back way.

One of the Gemini Bridges

When we had crossed the park boundary, we started driving over a slickrock section that presented us with the most technical driving we'd had all day.  H really enjoyed this part, stopping to get out and scout the best route, then hopping back in to inch forward to the next scouting spot.  We weren't making very good time, however, and before long we realized that we'd need to return the jeep.  We turned back before making all the way through - there's another road we'll need to explore further.

H, near Gemini Bridges

We dropped off the jeep, every surface of which was covered in fine, red dust (as were we), but that is part of the rental agreement.  (If you bring it back muddy, you have to wash it first, however.)  The guys did the most cursory review of the jeep before sending us on our way.  Couldn't have been easier.

Willow Springs Road(-ish)

As dirty, dusty and windblown as we were, we were also jazzed about our day and stopped off at Woody's Tavern to debrief over beers.  Back at the motel, we hung out with Pearl and Mei-Mei, the motel office dogs, and chatted with Katie the owner.  It may have slowed our clean-up process but after 13+ stays at the Kokopelli Lodge, it's nice to have made a connection.

Straight up = Shafer Trail

Straight down = Long Canyon

Peaked up = Gemini Bridges

Dinner that night was a return to 98 Center, with basically the same food selections as before, with slight adjustments (two orders of steamed buns, no noodle salad).  After that, it was just cocktails in front of our room and conversations with other motel guests as the stars came out.  An immensely satisfying day, we thought.