Heading W from Glenwood Springs after a nightime rain cleared the air.
Roan Plateau near Parachute
Debeque Canyon
Old US 6 from I-70 to Cisco. I drove this highway to college (in California) in the fall of 1960--50 years ago!
Too many Boulder folks take this way to Moab....
Nearing the Colorado River--beautiful cottonwoods and the La Sals.
Classic view of Fisher Towers and the La Sals.
Meeting Bob at Milt's for a quality check.
We are happy to report that the burgers and o-rings are still the best!
Kane Springs, S of Moab.
Hole 'n the Rock fun.
Heading down Indian Creek (towards the Needles District)
Turn off to head S, up North Cottonwood Wash.
S and N Sixshooter Buttes
Indian Creek ford--no, wait, Indian Creek Syncro, no, oh, well....
Heading S up North Cottonwood Wash.
Looking N to the La Sals.
As the road leaves North Cottonwood drainage we found a camp spot with view of the Abajo Mtns.
Sunrise the next moring on Bridger Jack Mesa.
Cathedral Butte (on the right)
Road around the N end of Bridger Jack Mesa.
Up on Salt Creek Mesa, looking back at the La Sals.
Looking down into Salt Creek.
Angel reading a book while climbing butte?
The other side of that same butte.
Looking back down at Cathedral Butte.
Getting near Beef Basin turnoff. This section is impassable with mud when wet. For us, it was frozen.
Beef Basin turnoff.
Down into Beef Basin.
First view of Beef Basin area.
Down, down into Beef Basin.
Down, down, down into Beef Basin.
House Park, the first part of Beef Basin.
Finally.
Main jct--right to Bobby's Hole and Canyonland Nat'l Park. Left to more of Beef Basin.
Ruin Park and the Henry Mtns.
Henry Mtns beyond the red mesas that are across Cataract Canyon of the Colorado.
Bobby's Hole country--rough terrain between Pappy's Pasture and the parks that lead to Chessler Park.
The stopper section of the road down from Bobby's Hole. Nobody is driving up it these days and only a few down.
At the bottom, smooth road heading on the Chessler Park of the Needles District of Canyonlands.
Above the rough part there is a secret park in Bobby's Hole.
Ruins in Pappy's Pasture.
Outlying ruin in Ruin Park.
Farmhouse ruin in Ruin Park.
Sunset and the Henry Mtns from Ruin Park
Sunrise and the Henry Mtns from Ruin Park.
Tower ruin in Ruin Park.
Graineries in Middle Park.
Can't get to that doorway.
Big buck in Middle Park. Deer tracks everywhere in the whole area. Coyote tracks, too.
The road goes down and back and forth across Big Basin Wash for about a mile--the worst part of the loop through Big Basin.
Beetle-kill pinyon around, so we had wonderful pinyon pine camp fires most evenings.
Ruin at the mouth of Ruin Canyon
Pattern on the rock in front of the ruin.
A little lookout ruin...
...that looks out onto Beef Basin.
Cliff ruin up Ruin Canyon.
Branches holding up the top of the entry.
Rafters still in place on top.
Our bikes on Ruin Canyon road.
Beautiful camp spot at end of Ruin Canyon--Syncros only, since the roadway is very narrow with bushes. This would be a great spot in hot weather when you'd like the sun to go down behind a hill sooner rather than later.
Our camp spot near the mouth of Sweet Alice Canyon.
Beef Basin view from above our camp spot.
Sunrise, Beef Basin.
Going up Beef Basin wash--a Syncro stopper. Everybody walks from here.
Up the wash for a mile or so and then around a corner to see a ruin high on the cliff.
Hmmm...I don't think I'll try that narrow ledge to get there.
Ruin in Beef Basin.
Lookout ruin in Beef Basin.
Mel Turner cabin in House Park. Built 1888.
The fridge.
Addition to log cabin--cedar posts in ground, then finished inside with adobe.
The bottom log is 24 inches high!
Last night camp spot on the saddle between House Park and Middle Park.
Sunset pan of Middle Park
Finally, a desert sunset.
Sunrise the last morning on Middle Park.
Up out of Beef Basin. We can see the La Sals again.
Climbing out of Beef Basin, we realized that we were looking down on the wing of the butte where the cliff ruin is.
Up out of Beef Basin and then 34 miles S along the high country of the Abajo Mtns.
Big Notch--a spectacular view to the NE of Notch Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon and the Abajo peaks. Then on to Blanding and a burger at the Patio Drive-in....
