Moab May 9-12

[Bwelker85]

Hey Everyone,

Heading to Moab for the first time on May 9th and camping through Sunday May 12th. All of the reservable campsite are already booked, so I will be looking for any open first-come-first-serve camp spots when I get there Thursday afternoon. I will plan to try and find a campsite at Sand Flats rec area first, but open to suggestions. Since I don't have coordinates yet, you can reach me on my cell (336-601-5770). All are welcome to join for a group camp, the more the merrier! Below is tentatively the schedule of trail runs, but I'm open to whatever the group wants to do:

Meet: Thursday, May 9th, 6PM
Hells Revenue trailhead (just a meetup spot since the camping area is TBD)
Hells Revenge Safari Rte, Moab, UT 84532


Friday:

• Hells Revenge: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...-hells-revenge
• Top of the World: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...p-of-the-world

Saturday:

• Fins n' Things: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...ins-and-things
• Poison Spider: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...on-spider-mesa

Sunday AM:

• Elephant Hill: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...-elephant-hill

Other trail ideas if time allows:

• Gemini Bridges: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...gemini-bridges
• Dome Plateau: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...plateau-upland
• Shafer Trail: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...6-shafer-trail
• Hurrah Pass: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...57-hurrah-pass
• Chicken Corners: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...hicken-corners
• Onion Creek: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/uta...79-onion-creek

Other campsites:

• Onion Creek
• Goose Island
• Ken's Lake

Radio:
GMRS: Channel 6, no privacy code

Calendar Link: https://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums...y=2024-5-9&c=1


Hope to see you there!
Ben

[Mountaineer01]

Great itinerary! Some of those runs look pretty long so it might be tough to hit two a day, but if there are campsites along any of them maybe those could be overnight options. Maybe the more experienced Moab guys have some input in that regard. Looking forward to it!

[Bwelker85]

Mountaineer01 previously posted:

[Jim]

I can supply personal / prior visit track logs - which would include times.

What trails are of interest for times? I do not have all of them though.

[Mountaineer01]

Bwelker85 previously posted:

[Bwelker85]

Jim previously posted:

[Jim]

Tracklogs are primarily from my 2018 & 2019 Moab visits. The index pages for the two trips also have time & distance info (plus nice maps and pictures)

2018
www.JimWilliamson.net/automobile/2018-10-18--moab-2018/

2019
www.JimWilliamson.net/automobile/2019-10-09--trail--moab-2019/

Trails for me often have stops for scenery but few stops to run optional obstacles.

I'll be looking to attend Mass in Moab - either Saturday @ 5p or Sunday @ 9a. I'm angling for Saturday @ 5p which would leave the day open for Elephant hill - but if I can't get to Saturday Mass, I'll be "out" for Elephant Hill. Plan around your schedules and I'll fit in wherever.

What are folks thinking about leaving - head to Colo after Elephant hill (likely a very long day) or overnight and head back Monday morning (such if there's time - see some sights on the way back??).

[Mountaineer01]

I will look to leave by noon on Sunday unless we stay another night, which I could possibly swing.

Looking through your summaries Jim it is a bit tough to see exact times for each trail but it looks like you were able to squeeze 2 runs in most days. I think if we have a second run planned for each day along with a plan B shorter run/camping spot we should be ready to either scenario.

Elephant Hill shows 8 hours of trail time in your summary where Trails Offroad notes it as 5 hours, which tracks with my experience of their estimated time - I always add about 50% to their estimate.

[Jim]

The GPX files will show exact trail times. Open the GPX files and then also open the trackpoints list. You can then locate on the graphic map associated trackpoints and their times.

For the Elephant Hill GPX file, the first trackpoint, Moab, is at 7:06:57am. The time zone might be off by an hour - but that does not matter - we're looking at elapsed times. The final trackpoint, back to Moab, is at 8:30:01pm - so Moab to Moab 13hours 24 minutes and 169 miles for that Elephant hill run.

The items to review when looking at trackpoints is to pay attention to "leg times". We spent 34 minutes at the meet up in Moab, an hour at the trailhead (I was in the "second half" of our group and had to wait 30 minutes past air-down for the first half of the group to move on trail). There was another hour plus (shown in the attached photo) at the slots hiking area. There was also, likely some time at the confluence overlook (a recommended stop).

The takeaway, the general start and end times should be fairly close to another general trail ride for the trail. Of note would be leg times that are long - what is the reason for such a long leg time (zoom to a map to see what the location is - a vista point or an obstacle??). Vista points can be eliminated and obstacles, if optional, can be eliminated - but if not optional - could be longer or shorter depending upon group size and vehicle capability.

edit: For the Elephant Hill run - Moving onto the trail and moving at the exit of the trail (moving times - not counting waiting to get onto the trail or airing up) 7h14m (20.4 miles). The slots area stop (often including lunch) was 90 minutes. The confluence stop was 40 minutes. There was another 90 minutes atop what I'll call Elephant Hill (leaving the trailhead/parking lot you go up and over a rock area - I call this area Elephant Hill as the actual hill is nearby). I was in the first group to get 'out' and I waited for the second half of our group to meet up for some pictures. So, could the trail be shorter in time - yes - but only about 90 minutes cutting out my last 90 minute elephant hill stop. The first two spots are recommended stops if folks have never been there before.

Also, for an Elephant Hill run - on the way into the park the road goes right by Newspaper Rock - that's another stop for folks that have not been there before. Ten minutes perhaps?

[Bwelker85]

Thanks for all the helpful insight Jim!

I’m pretty flexible on what trails we run. We can always change plans whenever we finish up with one trail. My priority list would probably be Hells Revenge > Top of the World > Poison Spider. It’ll be my first trip to Moab, and will likely be my ride along buddy’s only trip to Moab, so hoping to hit the highlights.

[Jim]

On-Trail times (not counting air down / air up / time to get to the trail from Moab)

04:06 Hell's Revenge
04:32 Top of The World (this is from Dewey Bridge which does include a few miles of county road; only two jeeps so not too much time at the overlook [67 min])
07:10 Poison Spider (three jeeps with two overlook stops [56 min & 24 min]; includes 1 hour at the major obstacle; from my GPX file this does subtract 2h20m for the Where Eagles Dare trail segment)

[hiimmike]

You going by yourself at this time? I may be able to swing Friday - Sunday. Might come out Thursday after work, get in late.

I need to run:
Top of the World
Steel Bender
Golden Spike
Hole in the Rock

[Bwelker85]

hiimmike previously posted:

[Mountaineer01]

I'm confirmed for the trip and it looks like the only thing holding Jim back was the parts for his Jeep which he got today, so we should have 3 at this point. Join the party Mike!

[Mountaineer01]

Looks like we've got 3 confirmed. I'm gonna work on my sleeping/camping setup a little this weekend to see how I can improve it since the last trip. Are we trying to get as much trail time in as possible and the camping is just to sleep somewhere, or are we looking to have some downtime and do a more proper camp setup to cook and relax each night?

[Bwelker85]

Mountaineer01 previously posted:

[Jim]

It looks like the RSVP/Calendar page was edited. Doing that resets the RSVP's. Everyone interested, please RSVP again (Ben, it's good for the organizer to also RSVP).

EDIT: Interesting - I'm double checking and the RSVP's show for me now. Perhaps a glitch in the matrix.

[Mountaineer01]

Bwelker85 previously posted:

[hiimmike]

Dude that was so fun drinking and eating tacos and debating politics and religion! 😆 As much crap as we went through and stress of long days, that trip was great company.

[hiimmike]

I'm up in the air right now. I'll talk to my wife tomorrow.

The only two I'd suggest doing in one day are Fins and Things and Hells Revenge. They're both in Sand Flats Rec area (pay area) and can easily be done in one day. You could probably do Poison Spider and Golden Spike in one day but that would be a very exhausting day with a lot of technical driving. I understand you have a tight timeline and want to get a lot in. I would argue that trying to cram too much will leave you exhausted and being exhausted on the trail is not safe for your rig.

I'll recommend:

Thursday - setup base camp (sand flats? anywhere free if you go overland style)
Friday - Fins and Things then Hells Revenge - Both trails are in sand flats rec area which is a pay area. If you camp there, that covers the entrance cost
Saturday - Poison Spider
Sunday - Top of the World - Doing this on Sunday puts you the closest back on the road to CO. Camp somewhere over here because it's around an hour away from Moab. You could take Triangle road and find a BLM spot to camp. Cowskin Camp Ground is close to the trailhead of Top of the World. Starting this early enough, you could potentially head back to CO this day.
Monday - Home

Mountaineer01 previously posted: