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White Rim and Elephant Hill Report
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=44646		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  durangotang [ Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:40 pm ]
Post subject:  White Rim and Elephant Hill Report
I left work at 8am and headed straight over to Moab... sleep is overrated anyways :D Met up with JL Rockies at the OK Campground and were introduced to our digs... what seems to be a converted tool shed rented as a cabin... can't complain though (see also: cheap)

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The rest of the day was spent making lots of noise in the campground and installing JL's Rock Lizard Sliders.

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The next day we planned to hit the White Rim trail and make camp at the Gooseberry Campsite. The White Rim is a 100 mile loop around the Island in the Sky area of Canyonlands.

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Airing Down:
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The White Rim Trail is not technically difficult (a stock KJ could do it)... but it is remote and the scenery is just awesome...

A few shots:
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A storm began brewing as we approached our campsite...
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Waited out some crazy lightning and finally got our camp set...
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The sun set and the rest of the night was calm... we didn't see or hear another person the entire time.

Stay Tuned for Day 2....
Author:  67Customs [ Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
That scenery is absolutely beautiful.

I would love to be able to do something like that.
Author:  durangotang [ Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Elephant Hill... Wheeling Day 2

(OK so it's actually day 3... but day 2 consisted of wrapping up the White Rim and doing a night run of Long Cayon/Shafer Trail... tough to get pics of that)

We met up with Groo2, the "uncle Dave" crew, an energetic 5th grade geologist, and the strictest 6 year old junior park ranger I've ever seen. After some breakfast and whatnot the whole crew meandered down to Elephant Hill in the Needles District of Canyonlands. THis is the most difficult trail in Canyonlands and is perfect for KJ's.

I was greeted at the trailhead by a lone Brit who destroyed a rental Commander somewhere on the trail... he was waiting for the park service to rescue him and help him change a tire. The ranger soon showed up and took the guy up the trail... park service apparently has pretty sweet JK's.

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Then it was our turn to climb Elephant Hill.

Groo2
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Groo2 and Uncle Dave on the steeps
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Groo2 squeezes through the narrow slot.. (I had to fold my mirrors in)
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THe group stops and herds children :lol:
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Dave rocking down the "Silver Stairs"
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Once again... we were the center of it all
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Then Dave fell in a hole..
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OK not really... but we did have some fun on this steep drop. Dave re-enacts how his Jeep left that white skid.
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Groo2 tests his approach angle with the TJM bumper..
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Me and some sexy Daystar flex :lol:
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Dave on the tail end of the loop..
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And climbing some of the crazy steeps on the back of Elephant Hill.
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Sun just started to set as we peaked Elephant Hill on the way back...
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Groo2 posing at sunset...
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I had an awesome time guys!! Met some great people and ran my favorite trail thus far in Moab.
Author:  kskj [ Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
Great pics I sure hope we get to run this trail in a couple of weeks 8)
Author:  callaway [ Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:31 am ]
Post subject: 
Man that's a pretty place. Nice pics as usual 8)
Author:  Cameraflage [ Tue Jul 07, 2009 1:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
Great shots! My wife and I are heading to Moab in September and plan to drive the whole length of the White Rim Trail, so I've got a ton of questions for you:

1. Did you have good lighting on the western side of Island in the Sky in the morning? I'm guessing that you did the White Rim counterclockwise, since you said you had to go through Long Canyon in the dark.

2. We are also camping at Gooseberry, which, if I recall, has more than one site. Are the sites close together, or should I not worry about listening to a bunch of sprocketheads whoop and howl all night long at the next campsite?

3. How long did it take you to get from Monument Basin up to the campground? We plan to run the trail clockwise, setting up camp and then heading down to Monument Basin to get shots there at sunset.

4. How difficult was Elephant Hill? We had planned to try this but we found that we couldnt work it into the schedule (mainly because we're going to the Jeep Jamboree in Ouray 2 days after we camp at Gooseberry). I've walked the eastern side of the hill and have seen a lot of images from the other side. I've got a KJ with good knobby tires and skid plates, but no lift and no rock rails...am I nuts to want to try this sometime?

Ok, I lied, my four questions only weigh about 8 ounces instead of a ton...I tend to exaggerate.
Author:  Edvalencia [ Tue Jul 07, 2009 3:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
Awesome pictures.
I have to say that even thought White Rim is a very easy trail, It's definately one of my favorites.

Did you do the switchbacks? Those are a blast!
Author:  JL Rockies [ Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
Cameraflage wrote:
Great shots! My wife and I are heading to Moab in September and plan to drive the whole length of the White Rim Trail, so I've got a ton of questions for you:

1. Did you have good lighting on the western side of Island in the Sky in the morning? I'm guessing that you did the White Rim counterclockwise, since you said you had to go through Long Canyon in the dark.

2. We are also camping at Gooseberry, which, if I recall, has more than one site. Are the sites close together, or should I not worry about listening to a bunch of sprocketheads whoop and howl all night long at the next campsite?

3. How long did it take you to get from Monument Basin up to the campground? We plan to run the trail clockwise, setting up camp and then heading down to Monument Basin to get shots there at sunset.

4. How difficult was Elephant Hill? We had planned to try this but we found that we couldnt work it into the schedule (mainly because we're going to the Jeep Jamboree in Ouray 2 days after we camp at Gooseberry). I've walked the eastern side of the hill and have seen a lot of images from the other side. I've got a KJ with good knobby tires and skid plates, but no lift and no rock rails...am I nuts to want to try this sometime?

Ok, I lied, my four questions only weigh about 8 ounces instead of a ton...I tend to exaggerate.


1- We did the trail counter clockwise. Long Canyon was a different day.

2- The sites are not close together with "A" being the farthest away. You're in a big, quite area with lost of reflective surfaces so sound is going to travel.

3- Not entirely sure what time we started but we got to camp much ahead of when we figured. If I were to guess, we left 10:30 AM and got to camp at 6:30 PM.

4- Well, the question is moot since you don't have to time to do the trail. I had full skids and rails before my KJ touched dirt but if you wanted to try it, I guess it would work. Your KJ will make it but there's a chance of damage without protection.
Author:  htkrph [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
this makes me want to move out west.
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