Trip Recap - Moab/Utah/Arizona 2017
- Thread starter STX4Runner
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STX4Runner
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The next day we planned to head over to Zion in SW Utah. We knew it would be a long drive, especially since we had to get out of Canyonlands and we were also planning on taking some back roads.
Sunrise at camp.
Along the trail out.
Made it back to the trailhead and started to air up. I have a Viair 440P that had been having no problems airing up mine and my friend's tires in one sitting. So I was surprised when it wouldn't restart after only airing up three of my tires. Decided it must have overheated and shut off as it was a warm day and it was sitting in the sun near the hot engine. So we made sandwiches and had a beer to let it cool off. That still didn't work, so we decided to drive slowly to the park headquarters and see if it would cool off by the time we got there. That still didn't work. I was getting a little concerned. The Park Service didn't have air (despite having a Rubicon with NPS marking on it) and was unsure if the Needles Outpost gas station just outside the park had any. The only sure air source was Moab or Monticello, both a long way away. The inline fuse on the compressor was intact, but I remembered having trouble with the fuse holder when I bought the compressor (used), so I tried taking out and reinstalling the fuse. In the process, the brittle plastic fuse holder broke. At this point we need to air up and get going, so we cut the fuse holder off and connected the two leads together. Success! We knew this was likely the last time we'd need the compressor on the trip as the rest of the time we'd be traveling highways or gravel roads. I'll wire a new fuse holder back in now that I'm home.
Sunrise at camp.
Along the trail out.
Made it back to the trailhead and started to air up. I have a Viair 440P that had been having no problems airing up mine and my friend's tires in one sitting. So I was surprised when it wouldn't restart after only airing up three of my tires. Decided it must have overheated and shut off as it was a warm day and it was sitting in the sun near the hot engine. So we made sandwiches and had a beer to let it cool off. That still didn't work, so we decided to drive slowly to the park headquarters and see if it would cool off by the time we got there. That still didn't work. I was getting a little concerned. The Park Service didn't have air (despite having a Rubicon with NPS marking on it) and was unsure if the Needles Outpost gas station just outside the park had any. The only sure air source was Moab or Monticello, both a long way away. The inline fuse on the compressor was intact, but I remembered having trouble with the fuse holder when I bought the compressor (used), so I tried taking out and reinstalling the fuse. In the process, the brittle plastic fuse holder broke. At this point we need to air up and get going, so we cut the fuse holder off and connected the two leads together. Success! We knew this was likely the last time we'd need the compressor on the trip as the rest of the time we'd be traveling highways or gravel roads. I'll wire a new fuse holder back in now that I'm home.
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STX4Runner
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Stopping at the Needles Outpost to top off. $4 a gallon.
They didn't have any air that I could see.
Went down Beef Basin Road and Forest Roads traveling south with the intention of making our way to Utah Highway 276 and the ferry across Lake Powell at Hall's Crossing
Scenery along the way was spectacular. This was exclusively in the new Bears Ears National Monument. Whatever your politics or belief about this national monument, the landscape was stunning.
They didn't have any air that I could see.
Went down Beef Basin Road and Forest Roads traveling south with the intention of making our way to Utah Highway 276 and the ferry across Lake Powell at Hall's Crossing
Scenery along the way was spectacular. This was exclusively in the new Bears Ears National Monument. Whatever your politics or belief about this national monument, the landscape was stunning.
STX4Runner
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More views along the way.
Dark Canyon Wilderness
At higher elevation now.
Stopped at this view and noticed we could see all of the Four Corners states. It's probably not visible in the photo below, but Shiprock in New Mexico is just right of center and approximately 85 to 90 miles to the southeast, the Carrizo Mountains in Arizona are at the far right of the photo and are about 70 miles to the south, southeast, Ute Mountain in Colorado is at the left of the photo and is about 60 miles away. The San Juans in Colorado were visible in person, but are not showing up in the photo. They're about 90 to 100 miles to the east.
View descending down towards the highway after passing between the two Bears Ears peaks. Monument Valley and Navajo Mountain were visible from here.
Dark Canyon Wilderness
At higher elevation now.
Stopped at this view and noticed we could see all of the Four Corners states. It's probably not visible in the photo below, but Shiprock in New Mexico is just right of center and approximately 85 to 90 miles to the southeast, the Carrizo Mountains in Arizona are at the far right of the photo and are about 70 miles to the south, southeast, Ute Mountain in Colorado is at the left of the photo and is about 60 miles away. The San Juans in Colorado were visible in person, but are not showing up in the photo. They're about 90 to 100 miles to the east.
View descending down towards the highway after passing between the two Bears Ears peaks. Monument Valley and Navajo Mountain were visible from here.
STX4Runner
New member
Along the road at one point my friend radioed back that he heard a loud thunk and thought his slider fell off. Sure enough, I rounded the corner and there it was laying in the road. He had made these just before the trip and had his neighbor (who welds for the railroad) help him weld the legs to the plates and slider body. He made it all out of 1/4" wall tubing. He said his neighbor told him he got a good weld on there, but we could see that there was really no penetration of the welds. No big deal, we just threw them up on the rack, strapped them down tight and kept going. Just like the compressor, we knew the hard trails where these would be needed were likely over for the trip. He'll re-weld once he gets home with a more powerful welder.
It's always a good wheeling trip when you end up with broken parts strapped to your roof rack!
It's always a good wheeling trip when you end up with broken parts strapped to your roof rack!
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STX4Runner
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Made it to the Hall's Crossing Ferry for the last crossing of the day (6PM).
View of the Henry Mountains from Lake Powell.
View of the Henry Mountains from Lake Powell.
STX4Runner
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Topped off again in Bullfrog and headed up the road before turning on to the Burr Trail.
Made it to the switchbacks at sundown.
Made it to the switchbacks at sundown.
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STX4Runner
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Unfortunately, we had to travel some at night and miss the excellent scenery between Boulder and Escalante, but we needed to be closer to the next day's destination; Zion. We were getting tired, so we pulled off on the first forest road we could find and set up camp in record time.Had the tent deployed, the stove and lantern fired up and ate a quick dinner before going to sleep. We woke up to a nice looking campsite.
STX4Runner
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Thanks. It was a great trip and I really enjoyed the change of pace from my typical Moab trip of saying in a condo. I've done a ton of camping in my life but somehow, my trips to Moab always involved staying in a house or condo and just wheeling the trails around town.
STX4Runner
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Yeah, Florida is a looong way from Utah. People think I'm far, but it's an easy drive. I can leave here at 8:30AM, be in Albuquerque in time for dinner and a quick break from the car and then go another two hours and be in the Farmington area. From there, Moab is just about 3 hours the next day. My friend in Amarillo has it even better. He can be in Santa Fe in 4 hours, Moab in 10 and southern Colorado in 5 or 6.
From Florida you should probably head up to Georgia or North Carolina, or even the national forests of north Florida or south Alabama. You can at least have some good camping and exploring.
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Raoul_Duke
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What an awesome trip. Great write-up and pics.
That's a slick roof rack you have. What kind is it?
That's a slick roof rack you have. What kind is it?
STX4Runner
New member
I got the rack before this trip and it was great. It's the Rhino Rack Steel Mesh Platform - size small.
Steel Mesh Platform Small - #RPBS | Rhino-Rack
It was great. I attached an axe and shovel with quick fists using brackets I made. I also strapped a 5 gallon water jug, camp chair and table up there. Later in the trip I was able to strap our fire pan and trash up there, which was nice to keep dirty stuff like that out of the interior. Also strapped some firewood up there one day. Very versatile and I was very glad to have it for this trip.
Brookey_813
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Is this attached to your oem roof rack?? Or do you have an aftermarket set up?
STX4Runner
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It attaches to my OEM rack and crossbars with U bolts. I'd also recommend the wind fairing. It had a lot of wind noise before I bought the fairing.
STX4Runner
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Definitely a long drive from Toronto! Make time for it if you can, though.
STX4Runner
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Left our camping spot and made it to Bryce Canyon for a quick trip to the famous overlook.
We left Bryce Canyon pretty quick and headed for the day's main destination.
We left Bryce Canyon pretty quick and headed for the day's main destination.
STX4Runner
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We planned to hike Angel's Landing, a 1,500 foot high sandstone fin that gives amazing views up and down Zion Canyon. Here's a view of Angel's Landing from the canyon floor.
And the warning sign when you reach the exposed portion of the trail.
Views of the trail to the top.
And the warning sign when you reach the exposed portion of the trail.
Views of the trail to the top.
STX4Runner
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The views from the top were incredible.
