Hole in the Rock trail - the hard multi-day out & back route

[open_circuit]

Maybe. Mark me as interested

[FINOCJ]

I am still interested...May would be a good month for me.

[Java]

May 12-14 works for me, I'm tentatively putting it in my schedule for next year. Thanks Matt, it looks amazing.

[RockyMtRebel]

Awesome, great group so far! 5 months to obsess over this now 🤣

[speedkills]

I'm still interested, but that footage of a Jeep Liberty doing it isn't exactly selling the "hard out and back" aspect. Did they do the whole thing or only go part way?

[Java]

Surviving vs. Thriving. Looks like a lot of work in the wrong rig, a lot of fun in a capable one. A couple of years ago some Subarus did Middle St. Vrain / Coney Flats and left a ton of stacked rocks and fluids on the trail, in one of their videos they fix some bent steering parts that look like little Barbie Jeep parts. I can't imagine it was a fun day, but they did do it. For what IDK. The Liberty isn't that impressive making it, Pioneers dragged wooden wheeled wagons over it. Remember the Crown Victoria on Hells Revenge? Still a fun trail, but it does cut into the bragging rights knowing some guy did it in an old cop car.

[speedkills]

That's awesome.

[TDash]

that is hilarious

[Steve-O]

I'm going to look into it, Matt. Should be doing some long term scheduling at work soon

[Java]

I spent a little time looking at a fun way to get there from Colorado and Utah does not disappoint. Between Blanding and Hole in the Rock are some incredible things, the trip there may be as much fun as the trail itself.

Map from Delta, CO to the trailhead https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Clel...37.3942135!3e0

Cool park in Delta with carved trees: https://cityofdelta.net/parksrecgolf/page/cleland-park

Edge of the Cedars State Park: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/edge-of-the-cedars/

Butler Wash Anasazi Ruins: https://anasazihikes.com/butler-wash-anasazi-ruins/

House On Fire: https://bearsearsmonument.org/house-on-fire/

Natural Bridges National Monument: https://www.nps.gov/nabr/index.htm

Grand Gulch Primitive Area: https://utah.com/grand-gulch

I'd love to leave via the Halls' Crossing / Bullfrog Ferry if we get some water by then: https://www.udot.utah.gov/connect/cu...erry-crossing/

[Java]

[RockyMtRebel]

Gretchen previously posted:

[Java]

Thanks to this thread I have Blanding on my radar now, never considered it before but we're planning a camping / hiking trip there now. It looks like Moab 10 years ago, small and cool with a lot of things to do around it.

This place looks great, the sign on the window @.30 says it all:

[open_circuit]

I'm pretty amped up for this now. I've been watching videos of the trail and with the lack of wheeling recently I'm feeling anxious to get out for some good trail time again.

[Jim]

Any thinking on narrowing date options?



Fuel looks reasonably available - the marina's at both ends of the ferry crossing look to have fuel (more than one at the north end).

Trailhead-ish (37.402848, -110.481773) to gas at...
Hall's Crossing, south ferry landing (Google Map) 15 miles
Hite Sinclair (Google Map) 68 miles
Blanding Sinclair (Google Map) 72 miles
Mexican Hat (Google Map) 77 miles

Hanksville UT to the north ferry crossing (Google Map) looks to be 67 miles


Ferry status:
https://www.udot.utah.gov/connect/cu...erry-crossing/
The ferry does not operate on maintenance days or if water levels in the lake drop below 3575 feet in elevation.

Lake level (update daily?? scroll down the page) & ramp status (the ferry uses Bullfrog (north end) and Hall's Crossing (south end) ramps)
https://www.nps.gov/glca/learn/changing-lake-levels.htm

[RockyMtRebel]

Jim previously posted:

[RockyMtRebel]

I suggested some dates in the original post, Gretchen suggested different dates that work and they work for me also since I’m pretty flexible. Are there other dates you want to suggest Jim? Does May 14-18 not work for anyone? I would love everyone’s input on dates and the sooner we can finalize the better I suppose!
Texhnically this is a 35 mile out and back trail so really can be done with one or two nights camping. My thinking is the first night camping will be at or near the start of the trail after a long day drive to get there. Then we have two nights camping on the trail and a third night on the trail or somewhere else after finishing.
I’m up for making this a little longer to accommodate additional explorations (i.e. taking ferry and running Capital Reef area or something else in the vicinity).
My main objective, however, is to run Hole in the Rock trail but am open to suggestions or changes to the plan!

[Jim]

Not suggesting any change - just looking to have dates bubble up to the top as the November slot didn't happen. May 14-18 works. EDIT: Once a date is firm I'll invite a guest for the passenger seat.

If you're considering camping near the start of the trail - maybe consider camping at the south ferry campground? It's not remote / dispersed but it does have toilets and would be close to the start of the trail. Certainly not a hard item for me - just something to consider.

I'm well hoping the fuel station at the south ferry port will be open for fuel. If yes, I won't need any gas can. If no, I will - more than the maze trip.

[RockyMtRebel]

Ok, those dates work for me too so perhaps I should start a “planned trail” thread with these dates to see who is all in!

I would think the marina gas station would be open by then since the Lake Powell season should have started already…. A call ahead of the trip to confirm would be wise!