Fall 2022 - CanyonLands - Maze (Routes Set)

I appreciate the recommendations, but I went with an ICECO VL60 Dual Zone Fridge Freezer with Cover.
It has a five year warranty on the compressor and I found a coupon worth $110.00 along with free shipping.
Amazon gave me a $490.00 gift card for my old fridge failure.
The SnoMasters looked nice, but a little out of my price range. That and bezos doesn't sell them.

 

Bruh, thats what I have at @MR E30 place selling. Exactly that fridge. Which is also the same one that failed spectacularly on the last trip. Customer service took 5 months to actually warranty it.
So, I dont know how much you paid, but I'd beat that price.

 

Well that sucks!!!

 

Oh geez, yeah I have that exact fridge sitting in my garage right now, fridge, cover, and slider for cheap.

I didn't bring it up because the IceCo failed us on a trip and I wasn't going to recommend it to a friend.

Shucks.

 

Well I hope the one I'm getting lasts longer than the three years my last cheapo fridge lasted.

 

So after several emails back and forth with ICECO my order has been cancelled and they refunded my money.
I searched all over for a SnoMaster 56L and they were out of stock. So I searched a little deeper and came up with a fridge with good reviews and that was in stock.

I just purchased a National Luna NL 52 Legacy Stainless Steel Refrigerator & Freezer with cover. With a 3 Year Warranty on the fridge and an 8 Year Limited Compressor Warranty, I should be safe.
For this trip I plan to remove my passenger seat and built a platform to secure it while on the trail.

 

National Lunas are bad ass...I'd put them on par with Snomaster

 

National Luna are good fridges. One of the OG out there for a fridge.

 

After the last multi day trip I was seriously considering doing the same thing.

 

My iceco Go20 has been going like a champ. Survived crown king fine. I’m guessing it’s a hit or miss with their products.

they have a new VLPro line that I might try out. Looks like 15% off Memorial Day sale right now.

 

on the topic of fridges,,, back in the day when i was in the market i remember two distinct fridge types, scanden and swing motor. the swing motor was an energey sipper, i think thats what Engel was. Dometic was the blue collar scanden with National Luna being more white collar.

anyway, i wanted a scanden compressor and had a volkswagon budget so Dometic would be my choice, but at that time ARB had just bought them and were in process of a total redesign, so i waited a bit and got one of the first blue ARB's.

the ARB has been rock solid for 15 or so years, i cant recommend them enough. i do hear Snomaster has become the big kid on the block for features and quality, but i have no experience with them.

edit: i think what happened was Dometic was making an ARB branded version for them, then ARB designed there own fridge.

 

I received the email with our permits, along with additional information about the trip, this past weekend. I will post up relevant details soon. They have a video we all need to watch, things like that.

 

They called me yesterday, concerned that I was traversing Flint Trail 4 times (due to site availability), and will run out of fuel. Not my first rodeo (or even 20th), but checking in with them today to see what possible ideas they have...

ETA: I'm not super thrilled about the G2 itinerary and the doubling back a few times, but that's what was available when we made the reservations...maybe the rangers have access to the secret squirrel side

 

I did not do much hiking when I was there back in 2019, so I don't have much to offer, but I did get to do the chocolate drops and would definitely recommend that hike, especially if you're someone who finds geology and the erosion of the canyons with the layers left over interesting.

Based on the camp sites, I'm guessing you guys are coming in down by Hite, and coming out at the north end by the ranger station? Looks like it's going to be an awesome trip. I am super jealous and can't wait to go back there.

 

Was able to modify the itinerary and eliminate a bunch of miles/backtracking

Night 2 - Sat - Chimney Rock
Night 3 - Sun - Doll House 3
Night 4 - Mon - The Wall
Night 5 - Tue - Golden Stairs
Night 6 - Wed - Millard Canyon
Night 7 - Thu - Maze Overlook 2
Night 8 - Fri - Flint Seep (w/ G1)

 

I was a guide/outfitter in Canyonlands for 12-years. I’ve driven every route in the Maze (Including Tea Pot Canyon/Standing rocks/Doll’s House) many times in full stock Ford F-250 short bed/standard cab trucks loaded with 90-gal water, 3 Yeti 240 coolers, all 7-clients camping gear plus kitchen, recovery gear, etc… You don’t need full armor, sand trax, extra fuel (I could do 5 days in 4-lo with a V10). The one thing that ya’ll are missing is a fire extinguisher! Also, who’s going to carry the groover?

Not trying to be Debbie Downer here, but the this trip’s preparation comes down to expedition mentality. If you snap a ball joint (or a leg on a hike) your recovery will take a long, long time and be very costly (and painful.) Helicopters don’t just appear and swoop you away. Don't get hurt, lost or thirsty!

Make sure you vehicle is expedition prepped. Sliders aren’t going to help you if you have a poorly prepped truck. Have a complete set of tools for your rig, a fire extinguisher, spare parts that may be problematic on your rig, McGuiver stuff (vice grips, bailing wire, gorilla tape, tire plugs…) maybe some fuel (if you get lost you might need it), plenty of water (2-gal per person/per day gets you drinking water plus dishes, etc), plenty of TP, real paper maps, sat phone (great cell service at Maze overlook). Put a wrench on every bolt before you go and look over your truck every morning at camp with coffee (not at night with a beer).

Enjoy this incredible place!

 

Thanks for the tips. Definitely not our first rodeo though. I always keep a fire extinguisher in the truck but would like to add another in the bed. Tools are always carried along with first aid, satellite communications, and paper maps. Only things I need to stock up on are more spare parts.

 

Not our first rodeo. We all carry sat comes either by Garmin, Zello or both. Plus we have a guy thats a medic. Now, if he gets hurt. Plus all of us are Vets or currently Active.

Secondly, WTF is a groover? Tire groover?

 

Tie rods. I have one, but probably need two. Thats my biggest worry is bending them. So, if we all could carry one then we should be good.
@Phessor has the 1st gen that I do worry about ball joints though.

 

Oh and so people know. We have a group chat going that we discuss a lot of other small things. That doesnt make it here. Became more convenient for questions answers and coordinating stuff.