San Juan Hut Trip - Day 6

We woke up to cloudy skies again on Day 6. The Paradox Hut was cool and comfortable. I was able to talk the group into starting a little later as we would be climbing into the La Sals and cooler temperatures. Andrew was long gone; he left at 6 am to drive back to DIA. He was headed to London the next day, so he couldn't take a chance on missing his flight. Outside the hut were two strange dogs, we figured they were just farm dogs visiting from near by. After another protein deficient breakfast (no eggs) we were off. The lack of protein was really catching up to me; I rode semi-bonked all day and never felt nourished. It was the hardest day if the trip with 6000 feet of climbing in just over 20 miles.

The dogs followed us all the way into the town of Paradox. We couldn't get them to leave us. As we started the 2000 foot climb up carpenter ridge they continued to tag along. We started to wonder if they weren't strays or lost. As we continued the climb turning around became less of an option. We decided to find someone at Buckeye Reservoir to take them.

There was a hang glider launch at the top of carpenter ridge. It was a beautiful sloping gravel ramp that dropped off a 300 foot cliff. Even though it was early morning, the wind was blowing straight in and the ridge was soarable. I took a minute to take in the scene and store it in my memory for a future hang gliding expedition.

We reached Buckeye Reservoir just as a massive thunderstorm rolled in. We were planning on swimming but the temperature dropped and the skies opened with torrential rain. Doug, Jo, Jean-Paul and I huddled under a survival blanket next to a vacant RV. John and Joni crawled underneath to stay dry. After about 45 minutes it was still raining hard and we were becoming hypothermic. We would need to build a survival fire. Everything was wet and all we had were waterproof matches. It took an hour, but John, John-Paul and I finally got it going enough to provide some heat.

After the storm passed we tried to leave the dogs with some locals from Moab, but only one would go. The other, who we named Pepe, was determined to stay with us. He did, climbing all 6000. My lack of training showed in my slow climbing. Jo and I were the last ones to Geyser Pass Hut, which was clear of the weather high in the La Sals. It was an epic day from the dramatic change in weather to the dramatic change of scenery. As we climbed the terrain went from high desert, to conifer forests, to aspen forests, to alpine meadows. Cooler temps and much needed eggs waited for us at the hut. It was my favorite hut of the trip. Here are my notes from the day:

• Andrew gone when I woke up.
• No cereal for breakfast, just and apple and bar while riding.
• Two farm dogs outside of hut.
• Farms and Cattle in the Valley.
• Carpenter Ridge was super steep.
• Dogs would not leave.

Enter the Dogs

They Ran Strong

They Would Not Leave

• Huge Scorpion on the road.
• Paradox Valley beautiful from above.
• San Juans where we started in the distant south.
• Hang glider launch at top of the climb.
• Soarable the whole time I was there.
• Dogs still won't leave, must be strays.

Black Hairy Scorpion

Paradox Valley from Carpenter Ridge

Hang Glider Launch

It was Soarable



Jo Worried about the Dogs

• Split into 2 groups.
• Doug, Joni, John and Jean-Paul, Jo, Alex, & the Dogs.
• Literally climbed out of the desert into the forest.
• Storm clouds building.

Out of the Desert into the Forest

Towering Cumulus Cloud

Last View of Paradox Valley

Dogs Resting

Storm Clouds Building

• Storm hit at Buckeye Reservoir.
• Lighting strike very close.
• Walls of water falling from the sky.
• Found Doug, Joni, & John huddling next to vacant RV.
• Got very cold, rain did not stop.
• Huddled under survival blanket for 45 minutes.
• Sever cold.
• Needed to build fire, everything soaked.
• Took and hour.
• Heat was wonderful.

Following Doug's Arrows

The Storm Hit!

Huddling to Stay Warm

Building Survival Fire

Heat - Finally!

• Skies cleared, split up again.
• One dog stayed, the other came with, named him Pepe.
• Bummed a Pepsi - Bliss!
• Long climbing continued, getting high.
• Crossed into Utah.
• Left conifer forest for alpine meadows and aspen groves.
• Bonked near the top.
• Geyser Pass Hut a sign from heaven!

Utah State Line

More Climbing

Out of the Forest into the Aspen Groves

Beaver Dam

Bonked

Geyser Pass Hut

Geyser Pass Toilet

Food!

Haystack Mountain from the Hut

• Ate burritos and eggs for dinner, needed protein.
• Slept good at altitude.

You can all the pics from the day HERE

San Juan Hut Trip - Day 5

Despite the heat I slept great at Wedding Bell hut. A few rain showers sprinkled the desert during the night, that combined with an aggressive mouse drove Jean-Paul inside from the porch. We got an early start again to beat the heat, but stratus clouds kept our route shaded for most of the morning. We had a hard climb up to the top of Mono Mesa, then it was all down hill to the Paradox Valley. Paradox was the highlight of the trip for me (see Travel Day post). Even with its colors muted by gray clouds the long narrow valley was stunning when it came into view. It's called Paradox because the Dolores River cuts the valley in half rather than run through it.

From Mono Mesa we descended on fire roads to a hike-a-bike section on David's Mesa. It started with a nice piece of singletrack, but like all of the other trail on the trip it turned out to be nothing but a teaser. It soon became too sketch to ride. If we weren't days away from vehicles or hospitals and I wasn't on a carbon race bike I would have tried to ride it, but common sense prevailed and I hiked.

The first stop in Paradox Valley was the Bedrock Store. Just like Basin, the town of Bedrock consisted of just a few buildings plus the store. It was a quaint, rustic building made of aged dark wood that was covered with billboards and a tin roof. It had a full length front porch, the kind you could sit on of hours soaking in the view without a care in the world. There was a matching outhouse complete with a moon shaped hole cut in the door, flowers inside, and a paddled toilet seat. The inside of the store was equally rustic and filled with character. The tidy shelves were stocked with random products from the past and present. The store clerk was a beautiful native woman with tan skin and long gray hair. I could have spent all day there photographing the place. Instead I settled for an icy cold orange soda, an ice cream bar, and beef jerky. The last item may seem out of place, but without eggs in the last two huts we were all starting to feel protein deficient. It was 100 degrees in the valley, but cold sodas and the shade of the porch was an oasis from the heat. I could have sat there all day.

After several failed attempts we motivated ourselves to ride over to the Dolores River Boat Ramp. The plan was to spend the hot afternoon chilling by the river and finish the ride to the hut in the evening. The murky green water of the Dolores might not normally be that appealing, but the oppressive heat made it as refreshing as a mountain spring. We all scrubbed ourselves and our clothes with Doctor Brawner’s eco-friendly soap to cleanse ourselves of two days worth of sweaty funk. Mystery fish (I think they were suckers) would graze our feet periodically and send us running to dry land, but the heat always brought us back in.

After a lazy afternoon cooling off in the water we mounted up and headed to the hut. At the store we stocked up on a few supplies for the road. The scene had changed somewhat as a flood of seedy locals were stocking up on beer and liquor for the weekend. Andrew described it perfectly by saying "These people make West Virginians look like Los Angelinos!" As we rode up the center of the valley to hut we were surrounded by the red rock walls to the valley.

The Paradox Hut was nestled on a small hill south of the town of Paradox overlooking a freshly plowed wheat field. When we got there I rode into town to retrieve the Honda so Andrew could leave first thing the next morning. It was safe and sound where we left it. A few isolated thunderstorms rolled through the valley at dusk. As the sun set behind the clouds its rays lit up the wheat field through holes in the clouds. It was a fitting conclusion to a spectacular day. Here are my notes from the day:

• Rained last night.
• Jean-Paul was visited by a mouse.
• Another super early wake up - Ugh!!
• Clouds.
• No eggs again, need protein bad.
• Rode double track through cliffs and abandoned mines.
• Grueling 1800 foot climb to top of Mono Mesa.
• Stunning view of Paradox Valley from the top.

Abandoned Mine

Paradox Valley from Mono Mesa

• Fun double track on David's Mesa.
• Awesome singletrack with incredible views.
• Turned to hike-a-bike too soon.
• Dolores River waiting at the bottom.

Doug Descending David's Mesa

Singletrack

Jo in Front of Paradox Valley

Andrew in Front of Paradox Valley

Alex Riding the Hike-a-Bike

Jean-Paul Leading the Way

Down Climbing the Cliff

• Bedrock store was a treat, full of character.
• Enjoyed soda and ice cream.
• Relaxed on porch and ate PBJ.
• The outhouse was nicer than my bathroom.

The Bedrock Store

And Outhouse

Chillin' on the Porch

The View of the Valley

Gas

• Stocked up on cold soda, headed to boat ramp.
• Dolores River was silty but refreshing.
• Minnows nibbled my feet.
• Suckers scared me out of the water.
• Bathed and did laundry.
• Rock skipping contest with J.P. and Andrew.

Andrew and Jean Paul in the Dolores River

Chillin' at the Boat Ramp

• Left for hut at 5:00pm.
• Bedrock store filled with sketchy cats.
• Oppressive heat in the valley.

Off to the Hut

Stocked with Supplies

• Paradox Hut best view of all.
• Thunderstorms at Sunset.
• Rained on us at dusk, felt wonderful.

The Paradox Hut

View From the Porch

Taking it In

Sunset

• Mac and cheese for dinner.
• Deep sleep.

You can see many, many, more pics from the day HERE

(Day 5, pages 15 thru 19)

San Juan Hut Trip - Day 4

Day 4 was a stark contrast to the first 2 days of the trip. We had gone from the lush, high alpine surroundings of the San Juan Mountains to the dust and heat of the desert in Dry Creek Basin. We woke up at 5:30am to beat the heat. Andrew's horrible gas had robbed me of oxygen and sleep all night, I was wrecked. Our route took us through the town of Basin which consisted of the Basin Store and a few other buildings. The Basin Store had a grill and I was able to get an egg burrito for breakfast, which would be huge in staying ahead of my protein needs as the days progressed. The group was anxious to press on so we didn't stay long. We spent the next 15 miles navigating our way along flat paved and dirt roads that criss crossed the natural gas well riddled landscape of Dry Creek Basin. By mid-morning the heat was already becoming oppressive. We had opted for an alternate route that would take along the southern edge of the basin. It also offered a sliver of singletrack, less than a mile, but singletrack none the less. We got lost and ended up riding uncomfortably close to a few wells (wells periodically vent toxic hydrogen sulfide gas H2S into the air), but eventually found our way.

There was a note in Dry Creek Hut that read something like "Please be courteous to the oil companies, they are providing a patriotic service for our country and reducing our dependency on foreign oil." I thought this was horribly oversimplified and unnecessary statement. The majority of well sites in western Colorado and eastern Utah are natural gas, which is largely produced domestically and not imported. If done environmentally sensitively and outside of protected lands, I'm willing to cede the need for drilling in the western slope. It benefits the local economy and provides a cleaner resource to heat homes and fuel power plants than crude oil and coal. Unfortunately, drilling has not been always been done sensitively and companies headquartered in other states have amassed huge profits at the expense our a unique environment. Either way, I thought it was an odd thing to see in the hut, I wondered if there had been altercations with groups before us, or if it was just propaganda.

After getting back on route we climbed out of Dry Creek Basin into the picturesque red rock mesa and canyon lands south of Paradox Valley. We had gained elevation, but the heat was still inescapable. Wedding Bell Hut was set on the north side of Wedding Bell Mountain over looking the Dolores River and Slick Rock Canyon. With the La Sal Mountains in the distance it was a beautiful view. This area is still relatively undiscovered. It's on par with anything around Moab, but isolated and free of tourists. The cool water of the Dolores River taunted us (well me), it was about 1500 feet below the hut, but there was no easy way to get there. I repeatedly tried to talk the group into a mission down to the water, but rational heads prevailed. The only other relief from the heat were several abandoned radium mines, but the cool air flowing from them came at a price of radiation exposure. I'm not sure how bad radium is, but I wasn't willing to find out. We spent the afternoon periodically exploring then retreating to whatever bits of shade we could find. Some relief from the heat came at sunset, but it never cooled enough to be comfortable. Here are my notes from the day:

• Gassed by Andrew all night, no sleep.
• Sooo Tired.
• 7 miles on paved road to Basin.
• Egg Burrito, mountain dew, bathroom at the Basin Store.
• More pavement for a while.

Basin Store

Basin Horse

Pace Lining on Rt. 141

• Many gas wells in Dry Creek Basin.
• Very hot and still early.
• Finally singletrack, only .5 miles though.
• Got lost, but not for long.
• Heat becoming a factor.

Finally Some Singletrack

Andrew Pulling Down a Tree



Jo All Smiles



Back on Route

• Rode through gas well, H2S could kill us
• Found way back to standard route.
• Wanted to filter water, but group declined.
• Freaked out and lost my shit for a bit, rode strong.
• Scenery went from drab to spectacular at Wedding Bell Mt.
• Reached Wedding Bell Hut before noon, so hot.

View from Wedding Bell Mountain

The Group Feeling Strong

A & J Above the Dolores River

Wedding Bell Hut

• Incredible view, like Moab, but no Moab.
• Explored cliffs and mines, scared of radiation.
• Wanted to down climb to Dolores River, not sure I'd make it.
• Heat, heat, heat, huddled in any shade we could find.

View to the South

Old Mining Car

Eating Canned Peaches in the Shade

The Dolores River

• Moved to front of hut to stay in shade.
• Jean-Paul built rock chairs.
• Watched sunset with Jo, beautiful.

Jean-Paul Building Chairs

Sunset

• Left headlamp in Dry Creek Hut, early mornings are no good.
• Andrew's gas is horrible, smells like H2S!
• Hot all night.

You can see a ton more pictures from the day Here

(Day 4 pages 12 thru 15)