AdventureTaco - turbodb's build and adventures

Shit, you're doing 20 hour drives just to get to the adventure? I can make it to Utah in 6, can I join the next trip? Should have my sleeping platform and OME suspension installed by May...

 

Looks awesome. I'll be out that way in September. Seeing Northern AZ, Utah, and CO. coming from KY. I have my route planned out but obviously don't know all of the smaller trails i'll be taking once I'm around the area, can't wait! Great pics and write up.

 

Seemed like a fun trip until the little mishap with the ujoint

 

More awesome stuff! Thanks for posting.

 

Thanks! Is always fun to relive it again a bit through the photo and writing process!

Thanks and yes - once I get some pics of the u-joint, I'll definitely be writing it up. New one (part# 04371-60070) should be arriving today for install. My guess is that it happened at compression in the last whoops; but was probably already compromised in some way, since others jump "all the time" and don't have the issue. Will definitely be greasing more regularly with the new one.

Man, I'd love it to be 6 hours!!! Why wait till May? Sleep in the bed and get out sooner! Everything we did, I think you could do in a stock 4WD Tacoma - you'd have to be careful with some lines, but it's totally doable. My only recommendation - start with something less remote - perhaps in Moab.

Thanks man, appreciate it. Was quite the morning! Our door too was straight into the wind...though over on the edge, I think everything was! hahahahaha

Was a blast - always seems to be. Even if I knew the u-joint was coming, I wouldn't skip the trip - that's just par for the course every now and then, and needs to be planned for. Heck, even with it f-ed, the truck drove 1000 miles home like a champ.

I think if we'd have had to negotiate those, we'd definitely have waited for safer conditions!

 

I bet it would have been beautiful up there when the storm broke.

And that road status board....they could replace it with a dog and it would be almost as helpful...

Whats the status of Poison Spring Canyon Road?
Ruff!
Whats the status of the Flint Switch Backs?
Ruff!
How about big ridge?
Ruff!

 

As always top notch write up and pictures. Thank you good sir.

 

I hope you had the fortune to see some of the spectactular petrified wood within Poison Springs canyon, there a couple trees nearly 40ft+ just off the road. Also an alleged Butch Cassidy petroglyph, by the kid himself, is etched in a rock within the canyon about 3 miles before the river crossing. And one of my favorite slot canyons in the southwest as well (Happy Canyon), definitely one of my favorite places in my homestate!

Nice trip, I was planning on going out there over my spring break but my plans were corrupted by the snowfall that you experienced as I wanted to go down the Flint switchbacks and out Poison Springs and feared swelled river flows as a result of recent precip. and I was planning on going by myself... Jealous!

 

I do it in the wet or snow. The switch backs aren't that bad and there is a huge rim on the whole thing. Plenty of room.

 

Could turn to soup with enough percip. Would have to evaluate in the moment but I certainly wouldn't say no to some rain or snow.

 

Ya know right before you start your final descent to the bottom of poison springs and cross the river? There is a small "road" (its a county road but is now more catered to atvs/utvs) that heads left about 10 mins before that descent but I can't remember the road number off the top of my head. Essentially you go up that road as far as possible and then hike from there, its like a 2 hour round trip hike to the top of the canyon and back to the parking spot. If you want more specific instructions I can PM you a route description.

 

I imagine you mean Flint trail switch backs? I have not, the soil stratas that the road was cut out from is from the Chinle formation. The Chinle is comprised of a variety of clay members and as such becomes extremely slick when wet. Thats why I had no interest in attempting it this march. The road isn't sketchy but when wet would become way too slick to attempt in my point of view.

 

I did them up and down in march last year. No issues.

 

No doubt its doable in march, its weather dependent not time specific. When I called the Hans Flat station on March 19th they informed me that there was 6inches of snow on the road... thats why I cancelled my plans (and I was by myself, I live in UT so I will have other opportunities to get out there, and I lack more serious forms of recovery gear, and I drive a non-lifted 31" tire truck). To each their own though!

 

No. But wasn't dry either. Also wasn't dry when Mike and I did it. Dropped over an inch of rain the day before.

Im just saying, they aren't that intimidating and I would do them if it was raining.

 

I think we probably would have done them in the rain as well - agreed that the road itself is wide enough, and you've got enough room on the turns to take it easy; or if it was super sketch from a turn perspective, there's plenty of room to slowly back up alternating switchbacks. For sure the road was plenty wet when we went up - parts were covered in snow and of course, it was melting - and it was no real problem.

The thing for us that would have likely been too much was the 4-inches of snow - my guess is that we'd have waited or looked for a way around.

 

yeah that much snow might be interesting.

Only way out is the way you came or straight south to Hite. Not a short trip..but probably not that much shorter then going through Hans haha

 

nah you can go straight south via Cove Canyon and there is no river crossing. Comes out right on hwy 95 right by Hite. Gas at Hite as well.

 

Was it slushy snow? Or good sticky snow like Washington? I have never hit Utah, thus the dumb question.

 

When we went up the switchbacks it was 45-50º so the snow was melting - and it had been for a while I think - couple days at least. So I'd say more slushy.

The night it snowed on us, it was probably 25º and windy - so the snow was relatively dry as it came down, but it wouldn't have taken much temp increase to turn it to a slush. Traction wasn't bad as we drove out - obviously Ben had it best as the snow was fresh for him, but Zane didn't seem to struggle, and I didn't feel like it was terrible as long as you kept up your momentum.