Rising Sun and Wasatch Cruisers Club Ventures! - Planning

[allen.wrench]

Hey gals & guys, on the 2024 look-ahead thread folks liked the idea of doing a joint Rising Sun and Wasatch Cruisers (WCs) combo club venture. Based on a thread on the Wasatch Cruisers forum, they liked it (link: <https://forum.wasatchcruisers.org/threads/wasatch-cruisers-and-rising-sun-club-ventures.13339/>). I also chatted with our Event Coordinator, @DomOfTheDead, and got his input too.

So... let me start a dedicated thread for planning the event

The basic idea: A Wasatch Cruisers and Rising Sun club combo run adventure. The clubs are neighbors, all the members are cool, and the trucks are even cooler 😎 so we should spend some time together. The Vernal, Dino Natl Monument area is awesome and generally approachable from both the Denver & SLC areas. There are a lot of campsites available, beautiful scenery, and needs exploring. It should be a great spot to do a joint club venture.

I wanted to share since I love being part of both clubs, and looking to contribute to making things even better. Of course I expect the same from everyone else too and I'd love to get your inputs as we progress.

Given prior experiences, inputs here, and on the Wasatch Cruisers forum, August 16-18 are the official dates for this shindig. The arrival, departure, and activities we'll iron soon. Let me first look over maps of the area.

Please let me know if interested. The limit is 16. The following attendee count is:

• Yes interested:
  • Myself
  • @Trail Bum
  • @bh4rnnr
  • @Corbet
  • @MtnAddict
  • @timmbuck2
  • @Herring
  • @J1000
  • @norserunner
  • @DaveInDenver
  • Dave (WCs)
  • 4wheelingPedro (WCs)
  • TheYeti (WCs)
  • Maxx (WCs)
  • JMJ (WCs)
  • Crunchy.Taco.Supreme (WCs)
  • Tkoffroad (WCs)
• Maybe?:
  • @LARGEONE
  • TomF (WCs)
  • Aberickson (WCs)
• Waitlist:

Please have your unexpired National Parks Pass or you might be able to buy a pass that weekend at the visitor center if you're early enough.

I'll keep this top post updated as we go and coordinate with folks on the Wasatch Cruisers forum as well.

Thanks y'allz!
Allen

 

[Cruisertrash]

Great idea, but I won’t be available for those dates. Good on you for spearheading this Allen!

 

[Trail Bum]

Sounds like a good idea. The dates look ok for me so far.

 

[bh4rnnr]

Like the idea! Insky.

Browns Park is a great area to explore as well.

 

[Corbet]

Definitely interested.

 

[damon]

what is the heat like in mid-August out in GJ?

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

what is the heat like in mid-August out in GJ?

It’s a dry heat. 😂

 

[damon]

It’s a dry heat. 😂

so is my oven.

 

[DaveInDenver]

what is the heat like in mid-August out in GJ?

We spend the months of July and August up top of the Mesa as much as possible.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Dinosaur is cool.

 

[allen.wrench]

Good point about GJ. I'm going to hold it as backup for August 2024 and I believe we should do it in GJ next time we do the combo club venture 😃

How's GJ weather in November?

Thanks for posting those pictures @DaveInDenver ! Those are exactly the scenery I'm expecting we'll have in the Dino Monument area. There's so many petroglyphs, caves, rivers, and other awesomeness to check out. Some could potentially call it a "grill and chill" (©️ @Inukshuk).

And so given inputs here and on the Wasatch Cruisers forum, I'm going to say August 16-18 will be the timeframe for this shindig.

I'll update the top post as we go and make sure to also coordinate with folks on the Wasatch Cruisers forum.

Allen

 

[DaveInDenver]

@allen.wrench

Publicly listed rock art tour that might be of interest.

https://siterepository.s3.amazonaws.com/00198200911171204010648.pdf

BTW, those photos are Dinosaur-adjacent and would include spots from Flaming Gorge so Rangely-Vernal regional.

 

[Cheeseman]

This is great. When I started our Cruise Moab trail leader training program for the Rising Sun around the year 2000 event I included the Wasatch for many years. As with the Rising Sun many people have come and gone with new generations of members and eventually trail leaders. We have always had good relations with them with Cruise Moab as a tie in for both of us.

 

[SteveT]

I was out there mid August this year for a day. I did the Harpers Corner Overlook hike before noon. I was glad for the shade everytime I stepped into it. Later I drove to Echo Park down by the river. It was in the nineties and there was almost no one down there. I was tempted to do the Yampa Bench Road, but the ranger suggested that I shouldn’t because the road was nonexistent in some places. The status of that road should be checked into.

 

[FZJ Dave]

I was out there mid August this year for a day. I did the Harpers Corner Overlook hike before noon. I was glad for the shade everytime I stepped into it. Later I drove to Echo Park down by the river. It was in the nineties and there was almost no one down there. I was tempted to do the Yampa Bench Road, but the ranger suggested that I shouldn’t because the road was nonexistent in some places. The status of that road should be checked into.

Hmmm. I drove it in October of 2022. I wonder where it washed out.

 

[MtnAddict]

We are interested in this as well. Great idea.

 

[Cruisertrash]

Well, inspired by this post I spent a good deal of time last night plotting out what would probably be a week long trip. I've never been to this area and would love to really spend some time rambling around. Like I said above the dates won't work for me so maybe this is a solo trip, or roll with 1-2 other trucks for safety in unknown lands. I would start at Rifle, head north up through Dinosaur, and eventually end up near the Book Cliffs and Sego Canyon in Utah.

After doing the Yampa road, I was looking at jumping over to Utah on 1550 to check out some interesting points on the map that are clustered together near the Green: Cub Creek petroglyphs, Josie Morris cabin, Turtle Rock, Swelter Shelter petroglyphs. Then I'd head to Rangely for fuel before jumping onto dirt again for the Carrot Man petroglyphs. After that, head further south to Rabbit Mountain and over into Utah (and the Uinta Reservation) through a "town" called Dragon. Head further south again to something on the map called Rat Hole Ridge that I feel I NEED to check out, then wind my way through what looks like a huge maze of canyons and draws in the Book Cliffs, coming out onto flat land near I-70 through a canyon east of Sego.

I'd be packing a winch, and 10G each of extra fuel and water that I can refill in towns (Rifle, Elk Spring, Rangely). The maze of canyons between Rabbit Mountain and the exit of the Book Cliffs is a bit concerning - there's NOTHING out there and the roads follow the bottom of the canyons. Many dead end and there are many junctions.

Any insight into my crazy plan?

 

[Hulk]

I'm super interested in this trip. Any dates you are targeting?

Edit: just saw the Aug 16-18 dates in the first post.

 

[timmbuck2]

definitely interested, would love to explore more around the area. I always skip it when headed to Moab, but with Moab trails getting shut down and no relief in sight, it is good to have more options!

 

[allen.wrench]

Apologies folks for slacking on the updates here. The last month I focused on making changes on a new career adventure, a few suspension upgrades and Friendsgiving (thank you @DomOfTheDead & @Yarn Cruiser!), getting rid of my dirty roommate, and start of weeks of marathon training 😄

But all the same, I have looked over my Nat Geo Maps Illustrated #220 and a little bit over Gaia. To start check out the pictures below. I traced in green pen a possible route. Red pen highlighting some spots we might see. And Blue pen for campsites I remember from Aug 2022.

Thoughts? Critiques?

I will soon update the first post to include a list of the interested/tentative folks so we have a head count. Between both clubs I'm feeling we'll have a good size pack of potentially a dozen trucks.

Thanks,
Allen