Lost in the Maze - September 2022

Day 5 – Lost in the Maze

Our fifth day started in a beautiful fashion.

Far out in the distance, rain was falling on another portion of The Maze District, the portion we had just been in one day prior.

The mixture of distant rain and early morning sun light led to a few beautiful photos.

_MG_4292 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

_MG_4296 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

I took this all in from the seat of my plastic throne, enjoying some privacy as I tended to one of life’s unavoidables.

The morning was lackadaisical, all of us dressed for the cooler temperatures while we prepared our breakfasts and went about our individual morning routines.

It wasn’t long before the sky cleared a bit and the sun started shining down on us.

Every so often I would move away from my kitchen area to engage in friendly conversation, talking about sleep quality, tips and tricks involving camper setup, etc.

I made Stacy and I a breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, sweet potatoes, and tea. As usual, it was delicious, satiating our hunger for at least a small portion of the day.

The Golden Stairs is a great campsite, it has areas to explore nearby, and impressive views. Today however, we were headed to one of the best sites in the entire district, Maze Overlook 2.

Excited about seeing it in person and going on the ~7 mile round trip hike to The Harvest Scene, it wasn’t long before the three of us had our gear organized and our tents stowed away.

We don’t have far to drive today, which is ideal as it gives us ample time to get to the site and go on the hike before the sun goes down.

With that in mind, we set off.

We take the small turnoff that leads to the Golden Stairs back to the main trail that leads us to the far northern reaches of the district.

Once on this route, we quickly come to a stop, as the trail gets narrow, with a large hole on one side and a steep drop on the other.

Will gets out to investigate on foot.

LM - Day 5 - 01 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 5 - 02 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Nothing troublesome. It is simply nice to lay eyes on things before you drive over them.

_MG_4298 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

Will watches silently as I make my way down the rocky, uneven, trail. This is one of my favorite photos of my truck from this trip. It looks so poised, despite the uneven terrain. I simply like it.

_MG_4303 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

This section down, we continue along some sandy two track, with Will @Sixthelement in the lead, and me in the rear. I hear the radio come alive, and it tells me that it’s time to back up to a wash we passed a while back.

Three bikers, and their large support vehicle, were coming the opposite direction on the same route.

I’m not a fan of backing up long distances, but it is what the situation required, so I got down to business.

Eventually we all made it to the wash and the bikers and support vehicle passed us.

LM - Day 5 - 03 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We stop twice to explore small washes; water still present at the bottom. It was awesome to see the waters destructive power, as large bushes and even small trees bent to the flow of the raging water.

_MG_4316 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

With just a couple more miles to go we are in no particular hurry, letting the trucks drive easily, and the things that catch our eye take a piece of our time.

_MG_4328 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

LM - Day 5 - 04 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 5 - 05 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

At one point we drive across a large, bare rock area that is edged by a massive rock face. It was beautiful to see, and my curiosity to peer over the edge had me leave my camera behind, so I didn’t get any photos of its beauty.

Brent @PcBuilder14 did snap a single photo of the place.

_MG_4336 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

The beautiful cliff behind us, we quickly reach the turn off for the Maze Overlook 2.

We descend down towards the edge, all of us immediately in awe of the view surrounding this place.

We hop out and have a quick chat about how to set up the trucks to best protect us from the imminent rainstorm.

We decide on placing the two trucks with their 270 degree awnings next to each other, spaced apart appropriately, to create a large central area protected from the rain and most of the wind.

For good measure Brent backs into the opening in between the trucks, adding an excellent touch to the final layout.

Will and I guesstimate the distance we will need to be parked away from one another to avoid the awnings running in to each other.

Through some mysterious power we are able to get within 1” of perfection, the two awning edges parallel along their length.

The Chocolate Drops in the background add just a bit of taste to the scene.

LM - Day 5 - 07 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

_MG_4354 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

LM - Day 5 - 08 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

_MG_4362 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

LM - Day 5 - 09 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 5 - 11 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

It’s hard to capture the stunning view from this place, as there is no high ground nearby to gain that perspective. So you’ll just have to believe me that it is stunning and go check it out on your own when you have the time.

This is the second time that I had wished I had brought my harness and canyoneering ropes. It would have been immensely fun to rappel off of the truck, down the sheer rock wall, to the bottom. We could have ran out the winch line and been hoisted back to the top too. I always need to have that gear on hand when we visit southern Utah.

The animals here are very friendly, seemingly unafraid of people, as Will was able to get close to a rabbit while he was exploring around camp.

LM - Day 5 - 10 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The mice are also very curious, or bold, or crazy, I don’t know. What I do know is that one straight up jumped into my boxers as I was sitting in the pitch black using the Luggable Loo! It legitimately scared the **** out of me.

If you’re ever here, just keep that in mind. Be on your guard while your pants are down!

Camp setup and exploration over, it was time to get to the main adventure of the day. The hike down the canyon to the Harvest Scene.

We don’t know much about the hike, but we do know that it requires us to hike/climb down the canyon and then traverse the canyon itself for some distance. We have a vague idea of where the Harvest Scene is, but that’s about it.

Perfect.

With plenty of daylight left, we fill our packs with water and snacks and we hit the trail.

The trail immediately has us drop several times down rock ledges, giving us a small taste of what is to come in the near future.

Stacy and I love this stuff, and Brent is also a natural, with Will quickly getting into the swing of things.

We forego carrying our big DSLR’s on this hike, so no photos of note to share.

This hike is very enjoyable, as the descent down the canyon is steep in some places and full of switchbacks in others. You will be strolling along one moment, and then out of the blue, it’s time to navigate a rocky ledge, equipped with custom foot and hand holds that someone chiseled into the rock for your use.

There is one particular rock that we won’t ever forget, and if you have ever done this hike you know exactly what I am talking about. It is unmistakable.

All of us thoroughly enjoy the down climbing.

At one point you have a decision to make. To the left is a narrow, albeit wide enough path between two boulders.

Will, Brent, and Stacy take this option.

Harvest Scene Hike by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

And on the right is a similar option, though this one is of the ‘very tight’ type.

Without thinking too long, my pack comes off and I start squeezing my way through.

I enjoy watching spelunking videos and listening to stories of people trapped in tricky places. Though that will never happen to me, I assure you that. Haha

The crack gets tighter, and soon my chest is wedged tightly between the two rock faces. I use this as an opportunity to change the orientation of my feet, my chest keeping me in position while my legs move around.

Feet repositioned I let out my breath and shimmy down a bit further.

Breathe in and repeat. Inch by inch I make my way down, hands and feet and chest working together to get me through.

Before I know it, I am free. The crack was never that long to begin with, but it was a fun experiment to see if I could fit through.

We continue along, eventually coming to a set of smooth ledges where you have to use the carved holds to make your way down.

This part is a bit sketchy; the exposure is certainly injury inducing, and the rock is smooth, giving you no purchase outside of the holds.

We wouldn’t learn this until later, but the Ranger who Will talked to on the way out mentioned that he often recommends people take along a 50 ft rope to use to safely get up and down this portion of the trail.

We came out unscathed, but I’m sure Will would have enjoyed the comfort a nice solid rope would have offered!

We eventually make our way to the bottom off of the rock, where we follow the sandy base, and occasionally other people’s footsteps, towards the general direction of the Harvest Scene.

The going is tough for me, as I am never a fan of walking in deep, soft sand. We keep the conversation light as we continue on.

We come to the spot where we think the scene is, but after exploring the area for 20 minutes we come up empty handed.

Will and Brent walk ahead a little bit as Stacy and I slowly make our way back to the sand.

Will and Brent spot a cairn and give us a holler, so we make our way through tall reeds to where they were. We find their path and continue on, catching up with Will.

They didn’t find the scene, but Brent ran ahead just a little ways to check, just to be sure.

And wouldn’t you know, he found it.

Once we arrived it was impressive to see. I am always a fan of petroglyphs, and these were no different. Especially way out here, these were very difficult to get to.

The tall, lanky figures were truly captivating. We all took it in on our own time.

Satisfied, we begin our journey back to the trucks. The sandy bottom is much the same, trudging along slowly as the sand robs us of our energy.

Eventually we end up back at the start of the rocky section of the hike.

Our excitement returns, and with renewed vigor, we begin the ascent.

I always prefer to climb up, rather than down, so I have even more fun as we make our way back to the top.

This is a great hike, and if you are ever at the Maze Overlook campsites think strongly about doing the hike.

We make it back to camp, walking past and chatting with a couple people who are biking and camped at the Maze Overlook 1.

The Overlook 1 campsite is much less preferred, to us at least, than the Overlook 2 site, if you are ever going to book a campsite out here. You just can’t get near the edge at 1, where at 2 you are literally at the edge.

The weather begins to turn slightly, so for the first time ever, I deploy the single support pole for my Shadow Awn, and Will and I tie our awnings down to a 5 gallon water jug he is carrying.

Dinner is another delicious event, and I think we share another group meal with one another, but I am not sure. Almost every overlander on YouTube puts a ton of effort into filming the food they are preparing and eating, and I don’t even think about grabbing the camera.

The four of us gather under the dual awnings, protected from the light rain, where we eat and talk about the day, how exciting the hike was, and what the rest of this trip has in store for us.

We all realize that this trip will not contain the same amplitude of exciting scenarios as our previous September trip, but we are still enjoying ourselves immensely.

Being out in nature, following the timing of the sun, and dealing with the elements, it simply has an effect on you.

To wrap up the night we again pull the cameras out for some Astro photography. Having done literally zero research since my first attempt, the second try is much of the same. The clouds overhead make it a bit too difficult, as the beginner level DSLR lacks the ISO sensitivity for shorter shutter speeds. Too much blur, but still a fun time.

LM - Day 5 - 12 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I also knew nothing about adjusting white balance either, as you can tell by the funky color.

LM - Day 5 - 13 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

I promise, I have immersed myself in the ways of the camera, and next trip my photos should come out better.

We experiment with ‘painting’ the trucks with light, attempting to get both a lit foreground and the Milky Way above, but the photos don’t end up coming out right, so we don’t have them to share.

Photo time over, it was time for bed. We all say our goodnights and get to sleeping, always pleasant in these rolling homes with their fancy mattresses and built in amenities.

Something tells me that I could really get used to this.

 

good stuff here. Thanks for sharing

 

To give others context on when we say shared meal.
I pre made all kinds of stuff.
Barilla beef for tacos.
Cuban style Picadillo for tacos or on rice or whatever.
Spaghetti sauce.
Chili
etc. So it was easy heat and I could feed everyone dinner.

 

I 100% agree that Maze Overlook campsite 2 is better than 1. Both are great, but 2 is preferred.
That scramble down and up from the campsite is really fun!
And at the Harvest Scene, if you continue up the canyon along that same wall there are many more petroglyphs. Not as large, but worth the additional 5 minute hike beyond the main Harvest Scene.

 

Day 6 – Lost in the Maze

I woke up slowly, a beautiful night’s sleep reenergizing my body and mind.

Still tucked under the covers, I stretch out and unzipped the large back window of the Canopy Camper to give the two of us a better view.

Looking out over the edge of camp, off towards the Chocolate Drops, was a great way to wake up and start the day.

Slowly, I hop out of bed and begin the days food preparations. Breakfast is more of the same. And by that, I mean it is delicious.

Once again, there is little rush, as we didn’t want to rush this trip. However, we do need to meet up with Alan @TailHook and Daryl @Phessor as they make their way from Golden Stairs to the northernmost campsite in the entire district.

Brent @PcBuilder14 captures a photo of the morning.

_MG_4392 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

Our #wedgelife campers make tear down a piece of cake, so we are quickly ready to meet the other two at our rendezvous a few miles down the trail.

Today’s trail, according to the white board way back at the Rangers Station, will be a tricky one. This area has been hit with a lot of rain recently, and there are many large washouts that we will have to contend with.

Leaving the Maze Overlook campground, this part of the district is empty, so we will not be running into any other travelers as we make our way north.

The overcast weather was very nice. It also helped to set the mood to our drive, as the ground was wet and the area felt grey and subdued. It really is no man’s land out here!

Bouncing along, the trail is devoid of large rocks, but it still keeps you on your toes.

LM - Day 6 - 01 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We make our way towards Ekker Butte, our reserved campsite for the evening. Alan and Daryl have reserved Millard Canyon, the northernmost site in the district, for this evening.

Once at Ekker Butte, we all hop out to take it in.

It is a very unique campsite, situated on a flat portion of exposed rock near the edge of a ~200 ft drop.

LM - Day 6 - 02 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The bowl extends around ~180 degrees, creating numerous vantage points for taking in the surrounding scenery.

This is another moment where I wish I had my rappelling gear. I wonder if anyone has ever rappelled over the edge of this particular wall. It would have been awesome to descend down to explore the terrain below, a place I reckon very few people have ever walked!

LM - Day 6 - 03 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The colors blend so well. I am super proud of this machine.

LM - Day 6 - 04 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 6 - 05 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The views from camp are expansive as can be. I can only imagine how pristine the view would be on a clear, sunny day.

LM - Day 6 - 06 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

While I am snapping photos of my truck, the rest of the group is walking around and analyzing the campsite.

Once we all reconvene, we begin to discuss what is best for our group. Our safety becomes a concern, as there is still plenty of rain in the forecast, and we can clearly see that this camp is located in the direct path of flowing mud filled water. And it is located right at the edge of a deadly drop.

Will and I both had once fallen asleep at a completely dry campsite in Southern UT, only to awake to find a very large river flowing right next to camp. Talk about a wakeup call!

In the end, despite it being against the rules, and with us knowing that we make the decision for all 5 of us to push on to Millard Canyon, where we will camp together, away from any deadly cliff edges.

With that in mind, we have an additional ~7 miles of driving to get done.

From this point on, the going becomes fairly slow, as large washes have carved away the dirt to form large washes that we need to traverse.

Still, nothing a little skinny pedal can’t solve.

_MG_4404 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

_MG_4429 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

More large, sheer drops pepper the trail. We will eventually have to drop down a few hundred feet in elevation. Although for now we stay high up on the ridge.

LM - Day 6 - 07 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Will @Sixthelement looks on, expressionless as ever.

LM - Day 6 - 08 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Up and over, those 32’s getting the job done.

LM - Day 6 - 09 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Daryl making his way along.

_MG_4436 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

This was the part of the trail that contained the steepest off-camber turn of the entire district, probably in the entirety of Canyonlands NP. It was heavily rutted, and water had flowed solely down one of the two tracks, making it extremely off camber.

No photos, but it was really unsettling to be leaned over that far.

Still, no issues. All 4 wheels stayed firmly planted on the ground.

Finally, we begin our descent.

LM - Day 6 - 10 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Shortly thereafter, we arrive at the main attraction of Millard Canyon, the Green River!

LM - Day 6 - 11 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The final ¼ mile from the parking area that provides access to the river, to the actual campsite itself, requires precise lines and the use of 4lo, a setting I hadn’t used in days.

It is extremely rocky, a huge outcropping of rock that separates the two locations.

Will takes Brent and they go to check it out.

Through GMRS chatter, we realize that what they found is the actual campsite, a very large, flat, grassy area where we will all easily fit for the night.

Will and I head in first, as we will be recreating our dual 270 degree awning setup, creating a large gathering area for everyone.

Home for the night. Not too shabby.

_MG_4444 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

The river is a bit too far away to hear it flowing from camp, but it was still very relaxing to physically be near it.

_MG_4445 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

With some daylight still in the sky, we all opt to hike around camp up and along the surrounding raised portions of Earth that extend down river.

Carefully avoiding the biological soil, we make our way to the top.

The view is lovely.

_MG_4454 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

Stacy and I break off to go for a run in one direction, while the remaining 4 head to an even higher vantage point a bit up river.

_MG_4457 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

After everyone had their fill of the views, it was time to get their full of dinner. IIRC we had a combination of self-cooked meals and a smaller group meal, but Will can correct me if I am wrong.

We all put on slightly warmer clothes, as the overcast day kept the temperature low. The warmer clothes also helped against the bugs that were ever present at our grassy, next to a large river, campsite.

As the night descended, it wasn’t long at all before the bug problem started to become a bit less of a problem.

Bats.

Little guys. They would fly right under the awnings, right past us, with incredible speed and precision.

I guess when your food source is comprised of tiny, quick flying bugs, a few human beings sitting on their butts are nothing to worry about!

The night continued on, as did our conversation. Stacy continued to be amazed at the fact that 5 guys who had spent the last 6 days together could still find truck stuff to talk about!

We all stayed up, sharing drinks and retelling stories of days gone by.

Like all good things though, it eventually came to an end.

Chairs were closed up and headlamps were stashed away. It was now time to sleep.

And sleep we did.

 

Amazing trip report, thank you for sharing.

 

Day 7 – Lost in the Maze

For a day that had no driving in the forecast, for Brent and I at least, we started it out nice and slow.

Daryl, Alan, and Will would be packing up this morning and heading back towards Maze Overlook 2, for Daryl and Alans turn at the stunning site.

But for Brent, Stacy, and I, we needed to find something to do for the day!

More breakfasts were cooked, more friendly conversation was had, as we all simply enjoyed ourselves. The in’s and out’s of living out of our trucks was natural at this point.

Before long the three others are ready to roll, as they have their eyes set on the Harvest Scene hike themselves, Will for a second time!

Just before they go I manage to take one acceptable photo of a Tacoma.

LM - Day 7 - 01 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The sounds of their engines quickly fade into the distance. That leaves just two.

LM - Day 7 - 02 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 7 - 03 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

With nowhere to go, and nowhere to be, we find ourselves figuring out something to do. We are all too adventurous to sit around all day, so we quickly don our backpacks after coming up with our plan for the day.

We will be hiking upriver a ways, walking along the exposed edge over the river, for as long and as far as we can.

Pretty harmless I would say.

Disclaimer: There are no other photos of today, we didn’t want to bring along our expensive cameras and risk them getting damaged or banged up along our hike.

We set off from camp, slowly making our way upriver. We trudge through thick, mucky, mud as we cross the various offshoots of the river.

We push on through dense brush as we head towards the rocky edge of the river.

At one point we hear voices. This confuses us, as the White Rim Trail across the river is too far away for voices to carry.

It isn’t long before we realize that there are people canoeing the river below us, enjoying this part of the world in the way they best see fit, just like us.

At one point, we crossed one very treacherous section at the edge of the rock, ~40 ft above the surface of the river below.

After this we push much higher along the side of the river, avoiding any ultra-exposed areas that could be dangerous.

We are having a great time, and we are glad that the sun is out and shining in full force on us.

We make it a couple miles upriver before we spot an area where we can travel down from our current position, down to the level of the river.

This seems like a good place to head to for lunch and a bit of relaxing.

Also, it seems like a fitting place to put ourselves into the river. Because who would want to walk back when one could simply float back?

Brent and I are a bit hesitant at Stacy’s idea. Nevertheless we get right to the river’s edge and begin blowing air into our hydration packs, turning our backpacks into little buoyant bags of air.

We discuss a plan for if the water is flowing too quickly, or if it is too cold, for us to exit and make our way back to the shore.

With one final look at each other, we all get in!

And………….

The water is cold. Temporarily. Very quickly we all get used to it, as the river easily carries us downstream.

We start along a massive rock face, and the river here is medium width, and very deep. So deep that I cannot reach the bottom.

It is all great fun. I mean, it’s exhilarating to be in the middle of nowhere, floating down the Green River in the middle of a beautiful day!

Our worries of the river flowing too quickly disappear very rapidly. The portion of the river near camp is full of rapids, but up here the flow is ~3 miles/hour and very pleasant.

Laughing together as we float along, we are having a blast.

We continue to float, sometimes with the riverbed within reach, other times fully supported by our makeshift life vests.

In one section we are basically fully out of the water, and the direct sunlight does wonders at warming us back up.

Up ahead we think we can see two people sitting on a rock, and before long a man stands up, hops into his canoe, and starts paddling towards us.

He has no idea that The Maze has a campsite nearby, so he is curious as to why three random people are walking along in a river in the middle of nowhere!

We chat with him for a few minutes, explaining our situation, and asking him about his journey. He and some friends are floating the river, making camp along its banks each night. They’ll continue on for a total of 10 days, where they will meet at the conjunction of the Green and Colorado Rivers, before being boated back to their cars.

He also explains that recent heavy rains have piled immense quantities of silt onto everything within, and next to, the river. This explains why we are walking through knee high muck in the river.

We quickly get close to the end, and the river opens up at this point. It slows down considerably as it widens.

We can see one of the river offshoot crossings we did earlier, but just beyond that is the section of rapids that we can see from camp.

I really didn’t want to bypass arguably the most fun section of the river, but I also didn’t know what the rapids would be like.

So I swim ahead, letting the other two know that I will holler out the conditions once I’m in the rapids.

I know that the rapids are rather short, and that they end before our campsite, but I don’t know if they will spit me out on the shore of our campsite, or on the far shore.

I also know that just beyond our camp, the rock wall extends high into the sky, so getting swept downstream past camp would make for a hard hike back upriver on the far shore (whose bank was at the rivers level) to safety.

With that in mind, I swim directly into the rapids.

At first the rapids are very shallow, less than a foot deep, as the river slowly narrows from its previously wide berth.

But then, as it gets much narrower, it deepens, and picks up pace rapidly.

At this point the water is impossible to fight against, so I simply let it carry me wherever it chooses.

Which happens to be directly into a churning eddy walled by smooth rock.

My legs act as springs as I load into the wall and then ‘jump’ off and away from the churning water of the rocky pocket.

I holler back upriver as I fight to control myself within the water that it probably isn’t the best idea for the other two to follow me.

I’ve always been comfortable in water. I also happen to be (or was I guess, it’s probably expired by now) a MCWST (Marine Corps Water Survival Training) graduate, so I never once feel uncomfortable or in danger in this situation. I’ve been forced to tread water for 8 hours straight, nearly blacked out underwater, have seen many people lose consciousness from lack of oxygen underwater, swam in full combat gear, carrying bricks, practiced hypothermia survival tactics, you name it, it was probably in there.

It sucked, but it was all good fun and a great experience now that I look back on it.

Still, exiting the river before it became un-exit-able, was a difficult challenge. I was still in the rapid section of the river and I had to swim with all that I had in me just to grab a small chunk of rock which I could then use to pull myself completely out of the water.

I felt amazing. That was a boatload of fun, without the boat!

Stacy and Brent make their way to me as I am catching my breath.

We finish the short walk back to camp as I relay the rapids, and how the water is pretty merciless once you’re stuck in it.

Satisfied for the day, we all just relax.

I lay out our blanket and Stacy and I lay out in the sun to warm back up. We read books and watch downloaded shows on our iPads.

We all eat dinner together before once again returning to our tents, just enjoying the very slow pace of the evening.

A bit worn out from the days adventure, the three of us retire to our tents early, using this opportunity to get to sleep extra early.

Tomorrow we all need to make our way all the way back to the entrance of The Maze, and our final group campsite of the trip!

With a long day of driving ahead it wasn’t long before I was lights out, floating downriver towards dreamland.

 

Day 8 – Lost in the Maze

On this eighth day, there wasn’t a whole lot of lollygagging going on. Two Tacomas had to travel for a few hours just to meet up with the other three Tacomas, so that meant an early start for Brent and I.

Fed, washed, and packed, we set off right around 8 am.

We had no need to drive aggressively, as we left with plenty of time, so the two of us spread out a bit and took the trail at our own pace.

I was fully comfortable with the Tacoma at this point. It handles everything so well that it was really effortless to drive out here.

I took the lead on the exit.

LM - Day 8 - 01 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We stopped for a few photos every now and then.

LM - Day 8 - 02 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

It was at this point that Stacy was tired of sitting inside of the Tacoma. So, as the adventurous young women that she is, she opted to stand on the slider and hang onto the Shower Cube as I drove along the bumpy trail!

30 mph was her limit, but she thoroughly enjoyed it, and she remarked that she wished she had been traveling this way the entire time!

LM - Day 8 - 03 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 8 - 04 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Back past Ekker Butte

LM - Day 8 - 05 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 8 - 06 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We meet up with Daryl, Alan, and Will at the intersection of the trail and the turnoff to the Overlook campsites.

Here, while waiting for them, we chat with a group of mountain bikers who are out enjoying the district on just two wheels.

Before long we are all back together, and we each share what we had done the previous day.

We snack on some lunch before continuing on. The Flint Seep campground calls out to us!

LM - Day 8 - 07 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

On the way out of this area, before we hit the switchbacks, there is one tricky section to traverse.

Just like many days prior, when the DCSB was the ‘wrong’ length for a particular climb, it was now the DCLB’s turn to be the ‘wrong’ length for a particular climb.

4lo, locked, MTS level 5, and that skinny pedal weren’t getting the job done.

Stacy looks on as Will guides me to the correct line.

_MG_4472 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

The skids do what they are there to do, and with a few well placed rocks I can finally bump my way up the two ledges simultaneously.

Trickiest section of trail yet for this Tacoma.

Brent, once again, spot on with that shutter finger.

Smile and wave for the camera!

_MG_4478 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

It came time to tackle the switchbacks, and apart from an older couple in a rental Jeep who wanted Will to drive off of the side of the cliff, we made it to the top without issue.

_MG_4484 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

The Flint Seep group campsite was just down the relatively smooth road.

We wasted no time. It had been a lot of driving for us all, and we all wanted to park our trucks and slide out of the driver’s seat.

Plus, there were still a few places we wanted to hike to!

Will, Brent, Stacy and I load up on water and head off towards a really scenic outcropping of rock.

_MG_4487 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

We make our way towards it, the hike quickly devolving from smooth trail to a rather rocky one, before we have to navigate some rock climbing sections. We all enjoy ourselves as we pass packs from one of us to another as we make our way to the edge.

Once again, we simply sit in silence as we take it all in. It was tranquil. And relaxing. Just perfect really.

On the hike back the conversation is lively, even though we have all been hanging out together, continuously, for quite some time now. These yearly trips are the only times that some of us see each other, so I suppose we have a lot to catch up on!

Tonight is our final night as a group. Tomorrow we will all wake up and head back towards our respective homes.

But it isn’t time for that just yet.

First, it’s time for dinner.

Once again Will and I’s trucks form the communal gathering area for camp.

LM - Day 8 - 08 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 8 - 09 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

LM - Day 8 - 10 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The LPG Firebox gets pulled out and set up. Will and I get on prepping our final group meal, a delicious recipe that Will has perfected with ground sausage, cheesy pasta, heavy whipping cream, bacon bits, and more.

I could seriously eat a hefty bowl of this stuff daily, so when there is a bit leftover Brent and I grab a second serving. It’s too good to pass up.

We continue talking as the night grows darker, our friendships solidifying with each passing moment.

We talked about one final night of camping, outside of The Maze, on the way back home, but ultimately decided against it. The life that we all temporarily put on hold to be out here would undeniably be calling back to us once we returned to cell phone reception in Hanksville.

Finally, knowing we all had lengthy drives ahead of us the following day, we split up and went to bed.

The final sleep of our yearly September trip.

 

Day 9 – Lost in the Maze

Stirrings around camp began early, and it wasn’t long before I slid out of bed and started prepping water for tea.

It was awesome to mill around camp for just one final morning, content to be where I was, doing what I was doing.

Will and Stacy have a solid friendship, so they struck up conversation as everyone ate and packed up.

With everyone ready, I took the lead out of camp as we all headed towards the Rangers Station. The road back is smooth, for the most part, but it did have a lot of slow, rocky sections that I had forgot about since we had entered.

At the Rangers Station we chat with the friendly Rangers, telling them about the biking truck that went off trail, about the hikes we did, and about the fun we had.

Another patch or two were purchased before we said goodbye and left The Maze.

We quickly tackle the ~50 or so miles of dirt from the Hans Flat Ranger Station towards Hanksville.

Right where we aired down, it was time to air up. Stacy did the honors for our Tacoma, which was very sweet of her.

LM - Day 9 - 01 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We turn left onto Utah State Route 24 and head south, Will in the lead.

The truck feels fine back on the paved road at street pressure, which is always relieving after spending so much time offroad.

We are almost within eyesight of Utah State Route 95 and the gas station that a couple of us desperately need, when Will quickly cuts in and then out over GMRS. I pick up my handset to ask him to repeat himself when I notice we are slowing down a bit.

He doesn’t respond as he pulls over off of the side of the road.

I hop out and ask what’s going on? We are so close to the gas station, why would we stop here to chat?

Well, you see, when one of you runs out of gas, you kind of have to stop wherever you find yourself.

Having a huge laugh we are all smiles as we realize what has happened. With all of the preparation and talks about fuel, a mere ¼ mile separated us all from victory.

If only he hadn’t gone back to check on Daryl when he had a flat, or decided to go back to the Maze Overlook 2 campground twice, he would have made it under his own steam.

Not wanting to take a jug of gas to fill and then bring back, I pull out two soft shackles and a dynamic recovery strap.

I’ll happily pull my friend into town. It was uneventful as you can imagine.

And just like that, we all filled up our gas tanks, purchased some food and snacks for the drive home, and began the long journey back to where we came.

We all drive together until we hit the turnoff for Highway 261. Brent will stay straight and continue on the 95, driving past many of the areas we explored last year.

We say our see-ya-laters, knowing there are more adventures together in the future.

The 4 of us who remain would descend the Moki Dugway (huge fun) before we would lose another traveler, as Daryl would part ways with us in Mexican Hat.

We wish him the best on his upcoming journey before we continue on south towards home.

In Flagstaff, three would become two. The three of us fill up together one last time before Will heads home, less than a mile down to the road.

Knowing I would be seeing Will in the immediate future it isn’t hard to say goodbye. We almost always find a reason to hang out together, and with Will becoming seriously interested in canyoneering with Stacy and I, it’s even easier. (Something we have done twice already, and something that he is quickly becoming good at). The two times he hiked down to the Harvest Scene had him asking for more.

Alan and I get split up due to traffic lights, but he eventually passes me, as the I-17 is a 75mph freeway, and my Tacoma really prefers 65 mph.

We arrive home around 8 pm, where we immediately hop into a shower, letting the warm water clean our dirty bodies.

It takes 1 day more to empty the Tacoma of everything stashed inside of it, and 1 additional day to vacuum and clean the interior and to pressure wash the underside and wash the exterior of the truck.

I cannot put into words how satisfied I am with this machine, and all of the little systems that have been added to it. Everything was flawless. Everything worked the entire time. It was so easy to live out of. It was comfortable, it kept me dry, it kept me warm. It handled everything that was thrown its way, without issue.

This was but one of many long trips that I have planned in this thing, as I prep it for its ultimate test: A full-time house on wheels for two.

Until next time my friends.

 

What is Stacy drawing?!?!?

 

Thanks for sharing your adventures!!

How'd the pics of the trucks and the milkyway turn out? You talked about them but didn't share.
Also how did the small propane fire box work out ?

 

While no substitute for a real fire, the Firecans are pretty sweet in their own right.

We missed you on this trip, man!

 

Brent @PcBuilder14 said they came out not that good, but he was going to try to work on them, but I haven't heard anything about them yet.

We can try again next time. I have substantially increased my photography abilities since this trip, so I'm happy to give it another shot.

 

awesome trip report Mr E30!! so many familiar sights.

you should be getting things dialed in pretty well now huh? i mean, living space, capapilties of the rig ect.

 

Nuke,

Yep, the truck is really coming together as of now. The camper storage is mostly complete. Moving in to the back seat next!

And it is incredibly capable, so far. I love it.

 

Thoes little cans look a lot easier to pack up opposed to the big rings.

I wish I could have been there it looks like it was a great time , definitely missed out on this one!

 

What a great trip you all had, thanks for the detailed pictures and posts!

 

Between @Littles telling me about it, talking to @bot102 last week, and now seeing this thread, I'm definitely wanting to check The Maze out.

 

I'm down to plan a trip. After running White Rim last year, been itching to see more. Will have to bid my vacation for the year in a few months anyways.

This confirms my suspicion that everyone having at least an extra 15-20gal of gas is a safe amount to make it back, with any detours

@YamaDirtrider will be out with the new kiddo. @Red Baron, @Littles and @CharlieCafe might be down

 

Yea. 15-20 and you safe. We even were cautious on way in and stuff as to not burn to much. But alas. I still needed a tad more than 10gal. I averaged like 8mpg in the Maze. I planned 12mpg. But there’s a lot more elevation changes than we had originally expected.