Return to White Rim Trail
Gooseberry Campsite to
Murphy’s Hog Back Road
To Candlestick
Part 3
Sept. 06,2010
We all slept deeply that night after much rocking and rolling from yesterday ride from Shafer Trail. Light of the sun was telling us to get moving, for it was going to be another bright and adventurous day.
A light breakfast and off we went on the sandy road, for now.
The weather along the rim trail has been short sleeves and short pants. Like yesterday the trail would change literally from rocky road to sandy hiway for fast motion, sometimes up to 30 mph for only a short distance.
For some unknown reason our pathway would take right next to edge
Over more hills in the road and across dry washes the turn off to White Crack Campsite arrived upon us.
With plenty of time and none of us had seen White Crack, so we headed for this campsite.
On the way in a few bicyclist were making their way out, pulling into the campsite there was only one traveler left and he was just about done.
Jeff, Julie and me walked out to the cliff edge to see a vast chasm.
Jeff pointed out to a rock formation and said that’s why it’s called white crack.
Walking back to our patiently waiting trucks I noticed all the bowls like impressions in the slick rock, nice for catching water.
We’re soon back on the trail with Jeff leading the way and enjoying the sights as we motored along.
Climbing a short switchback, I’d thought this was the beginning of Murphy’s Hog Back road, it wasn’t.
Approaching another climb, a large group of bicyclist was coming down with their chase vehicle close at hand. Jeff being stopped was talking to some of the bicyclist and this is the start of Murphy’s Hog Back road.
There was three more chase vehicles that would wait for us to climb up, they couldn’t believe that two TC were on the trail.
Click on pic for video
Jeff stop to gather information from these good folks about the road ahead, we still had a few miles till we reached were the trail climbs up to Murphy’s campsite. We thank them for the information; getting our TC’s going we faced more rock and sand laden trail road.
Arriving at the “big climb” that will take us to Murphy Campsite perched on the above peck. (lots of pics)
It was a fun and challenging climb up to Murphy’s A where we would take a lunch break.
Moving on to Murphy’s B site, the view from up here was spectacular.
Murphy’s B came quickly, parking our rigs we walked over to the down side of Murphy’s Hog Back road only to have person pop up from behind a rock, this guy and his girlfriend had hiked down Murphy’s Trail from the mesa.
Lots of photos of the backside.
That first drop was steep going down, thought I was going to put nose of our TC into the ground, later Jeff told me one of the rear wheels got some daylight under it.
click on pic for video
Rounding the bend in the road we came to what we call the “bill cap” formation” in which we both had to slide under.
The road ahead would be like what we have been traveling on.
We were able to see the Green River as the trail road snaked around.
Jeff and I had a couple on a off road motorcycle pass us up, later we would catch up to them, they were going to head back at this point something about how much gas they had left.
Candlestick Campsite was a little more unusual than Gooseberry, since we were parked up against a thick slag of rock.
All had agreed to walk out to rocks edge before the sun did set.
Jeff, Julie and I had walked passed several water filled pools.
With the sun lowering to just above the not so distance mountain pecks the light brought out the golden/yellow hues of the river cliff face.
Once again the day is coming to a closed with another spectacular and it was our turn to cook dinner, I’d promise Jeff smoked ribs for tonight.
Alex and Julie,
Again, nice report on a trip that I felt like I was on it was so vivid.
I would say pics we took don't begin to show the 'edgy' nature of the trail.
I do want to say to the viewing TC'ers:
This Alex guy is totally obsessive about this trail. He lives my College motto;
"Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess."
It was a treat to behold "The Alex", in person.
I'm sorry none of the rest of you could be there.
regards, as always, jefe
* This post was
edited 10/13/10 10:57pm by jefe 4x4 *
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