The Sheep Creek Jeep Trail

By Jerry Smith

Not long after we moved to Grand Junction, Colorado in '85, I began exploring area Jeep trails in my ’73 CJ5 (Old Blue).  As a traveling salesman at the time, my time off from work was extremely rare and valuable.

New to Grand Junction (GJT) and seldom home, I had nearly no local friends to find out about the area.  The answer was to take a map of the area and draw a 50-mile radius circle around GJT and go drive ALL Jeep trails within that circle.

It took till about 2009 to be able to say I accomplished that goal and then a little, but it’s safe to say that at one time or another, I have traveled 98% of all Jeep trails in that circle and many beyond.

During that time frame, we (Old Blue, Happy Trails [my ’06 Rubicon] and I) managed to find some trails in need of some TLC.  Trails that Mother Nature had closed for one reason or another were not to be ignored like most people do.  In my younger and healthier years, when an impassable obstacle presented on a Jeep trail, we simply removed or repaired it. 

To me, THAT is just part of the Jeeping experience.  You see a problem and remedy it.  Overcoming obstacles is part of the fun.  Opening a new trail or reopening an old trail is something few of us ever have the pleasure of… and yes, it definitely is a pleasure.  But you must find the opportunity to do it!

Exploring every sidetrack is the way of finding old and new opportunities.  They are out there.  If nothing else, look at the trails that have been closed by land management.  There ARE possibilities of reopening them if you get creative and solve the problems that caused the closure in the first place.

The first trail with that kind of show-stopping problems we worked on was the Pace Lake road.  The bottom of the road showed lots of erosion damage.  Tons of rock falls littered the road.  Some required removal to get by, so we rolled them into some of the deep “V” channels cut into the lower side of the road to slow the erosion.

Happy Trails on Pace Lake

Part of the trail goes through an old burn and several of the old dead snags had blown down over the road.  The tracks in the trail were common.  People would drive up to the first tree blocking the road and turn around.  Between a hand saw and the winch, we moved several trees to get to the first main obstacle.

This obstacle turned out to be a 3-foot wide gash snaking its way down the road about 3-feet deep and 75-yards long.  Trying to straddle the trench only resulted in the first body damage to Happy Trails.  Now it was a working Jeep… not a pleasure Jeep.

Before I worked on the ditch, there was a short walk up the trail to make sure all that work would be worth the effort.  From that walk, I knew there was a big rock fall not far up the trail, but it looked like something we could get around.

So… for the next few hours, I threw everything I could find in that ditch.  Trees, limbs, rocks, dirt, and sweat mostly filled it in.  There was some REAL satisfaction when we drove the full length of that thing!

At the big rock fall, taking a turn around the first kitchen table-size rock, we started to climb the high-side bank of the road to evade another large boulder.  That would have worked well except the rear slid over into the boulder we were trying to avoid and broke the plastic wheel cap (the second damage to Happy Trails) on the right rear.

After a few more trees, we finally reached the top and end of the Pace Lake trail.  The lake is on the Utah side of the border, which is on the wrong side of the fence to the JB Ranch.  The JB Ranch has an agreement with the Fish and Wildlife as a private hunting preserve and they are adamant about trespassers.

** As a side note, we are working with the USFS, BLM, and a private landowner to connect the top of the Pace Lake trail to another trail to make a loop trail.  This is going through the Manti-La Sal Forest Planning presently. See – opportunities!!  ** 

Next came the Calamity Mesa Loop Trail.  This one had been closed for an estimated 25+ years.  Calamity Mesa took some help from two Jeep Clubs to officially open the first half of the trail.  The second half was mostly just myself again.  The Calamity Mesa Loop Trail is a 19-mile loop from the trailhead to the end.  If you count the mile from the end to the trailhead, it’s 20-miles.

The Twisted Drop obstacle winds up your suspension.

Calamity Mesa also has one other smaller 5-mile loop and another trail on top of the mesa from the airstrip to an intersection with the big loop that we reopened.  There is a library full of uranium mining history in the area and some drop dead beautiful scenery.

Narrow shelf roads sometimes scare people.

 Next, we found Flat Top Mesa closed due to two monstrous rocks blocking the road.  This one took some extreme nerve to drive past the second rock.  Your paint was less than 1” from being removed by the rock because you tipped into the rock as you passed it.  Those were some intense moments the first few times we drove this trail alone. 

People have elected to pass driving their pretty paint jobs through this on the two trips we have lead up this trail.

Next was the Coon Hollow Jeep Trail.  This was marked on BLM maps as a “Jeep trail”, but it had not been used by full-size vehicles for many years and had grown in tight to ATV width with four-foot tall sagebrush on both sides and had some deep washes to deal with.  It took a lot of work to reopen Coon Hollow.

Coon Hollow has some difficult crawls

 When we did the work, the area was still managed as “open” to cross country travel, so what we did was legal for you who are touchy about such things.  We created bypasses of two washouts of the trail and trimmed and trampled miles of the tall sagebrush to reestablish a full-width trail again.

Coon Hollow has become another “highlight” trail for our annual Rock Junction event.

The Coon Hollow wash can be tricky

 South Beaver Mesa was next.  This one is a steep, narrow, heavily eroded shelf road down to an old cowboy camp.  The trail is a great Jeep experience for seasoned drivers.  Others may find it frightening.

In 2018 I was contacted by the Paonia Forest Service office and asked it we would come and widen a Jeep trail by cutting miles of heavy overgrown brush back.  It took two trips, but we got it done.

So. Beaver Mesa is steep, rocky, and eroded.

 Just counting these trails, that is over 100-miles of Jeep trails that we have been responsible for reopening.  Some we must work on nearly every year just to maintain them.  Sheep Creek is a prime example.

In the fall of 2018, a nasty storm hit the upper region of the Sheep Creek Jeep Trail.  It brought down tons of debris off the mountainside onto the road and severely eroded the road surface.  This is a common occurrence on Sheep Creek.  Once or twice each year this trail is subject to closure by Mother Nature. 

Sometime during the winter of ‘18/’19, more storm damage added to the previous carnage and added a humungous rock (15’ tall and the width of the road) to our problems.  Sheep Creek is part of one of the favorite trips we lead people on for our Rock Junction event.  Having it closed was not going to make some people happy.

Steep and winding is Sheep Cr.

 Because of all the damage and the huge rock, we met with the BLM to discuss what could be done to reopen the trail “legally”.  Our club has a very strong working relationship with the local BLM.  They gave us some parameters to work within to reopen the trail.

Sunday, May 19^th began as a workday to reopen the Sheep Creek trail.  We started out with a good-size crew of eager beavers ready to move the world if necessary.  In reality, they turned out to be a worthless bunch that never moved a rock all day.  Not even one shovel full of dirt turned.  It wasn’t their entire fault, though. 

While airing down at the Sheep Creek trailhead, a phone call from Keri informed us that a crawler tractor had already been up the trail and had removed all obstacles.  Work party disaster!

With that news, we lost Jeff and his buggy.  The rest of us decided to run the trail through to Glade Park.  On our way to the top, over the radio comes word that Luke will be riding through Granite Creek where the word is there are “rock falls” near the “homestead”.

The exit from Granite Cr. is a steep, narrow, rocky shelf road

 After a brief stop at the cabin near the top of the Sheep Creek trail, Roger’s freshly “repaired” LS powered JKU shot another code and became questionable, so the Bartons turned around with Dick following and left the mountain (we hope).

Topping the trail, we elected to head for a meeting with Keri somewhere along the trail toward Glade Park.  She couldn’t explain her location, so we were on a search and find mission.  On the radio, we were still hearing bits and pieces of what had been found down on Granite Creek.  The broken radio reception didn’t sound all that bad, so we did a quick turnaround and headed down Lost Horse Canyon on the way to Granite Creek Canyon.

After about 8-miles of travel, we stopped at the “homestead” and glassed a pickup that could be seen on the shelf road exit from the canyon bottom.  Even with drone flyover pictures, the overall predicament with the truck could not be determined, so up the road we went.

Just a short walk around a corner from the pickup was a serious rockfall blocking forward progress.  A quick look and some thoughts about it made me think we “could” move the big rocks enough to pass, but taking the walk around the corner made the effort fade into oblivion.  Not only was there another large rock partially blocking the road, but also a disabled pickup with unbelievable body damage and what appeared to be a broken front axle sat smack in the middle of the road.  Game over!

Back out through Granite Creek Canyon and Lost Horse Canyon to the road to Glade Park.

Overall, it was a good (long) day of Jeeping.  Many in the group saw some new country and trails they had never traveled, so all was not lost.  One of the Rock Junction favorite trails is again useable and we only had one and a half casualties.  I forgot to mention that Dick aired down two tires TOTALLY.  Whoops!!

This should give you some ideas of what can be done for motorized trail access “IF” someone takes the lead and follows through.  Of course, having support from other people makes this happen easier, but that all-important “point man” is VITAL to things like this!  Are YOU that person?

One of the first things you must do is get on a first name basis with local land managers.  Being on their speed dial is even better.  You’ll get better cooperation if they know and trust you.

One last thing… always remember when you come to a fork in the road, Yogi said; “Take it!”  That is the first step to finding opportunities.  

Sheep Creek / Granite Creek Pre-run

Sheep Creek / Granite Creek 

Pre-run

May 10, 2014

By Jerry Smith

Providing the most enjoyable 3-days of Jeeping our “Rock Junction” guests can possibly have is the ultimate goal of the Grand Mesa Jeep Club.  That does not include working to make a trail passable or leaving their paint on trees or brush that has overgrown the trails.

Steep, narrow, and rocky is the Granite Cr. shelf road

Rock Junction is an annual 3-day event held in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Off Road Expo.  The Expo is the first Saturday of June in Grand Junction, Colorado.  Rock Junction is the three-days prior to that Saturday.

Those 3-days are spent out on some of western Colorado's and eastern Utah's premier Jeep trails.  Those Jeep trails range in difficulty from mild and scenic to extreme and scenic.  Your choice.

At the end of each day on the trail, you are treated to a BBQ dinner where we mingle with others who have some "tall tales" you're going to want to hear.  Between the trails and the BBQs, this event brings rigs from all over the US and Canada to Grand Junction.

With this in mind, 7 rigs began early Saturday morning for a “working” trip up the Sheep Creek and Granite Creek trails.  Granite Creek had been run earlier this year with several hours of brush trimming reopening miles of overgrown trail.  (see this link for that story:  http://happytrails4wdblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-granite-creek-trail.html 

The Sheep Creek trail had not been run, so we did not know what to expect.  

Historically, this trail can have “issues” in the early spring after the winter ravages and spring runoff.

A less sharp, but still steep hairpin on Sheep Creek

On the bottom of Sheep Creek, deep wash crossings can have high vertical banks left after high water has abated.   Further up the steep, narrow shelf road, rock falls are common and erosion of the road surface can change the “personality” of the trip.

After airing down at the Hwy 141/ 4.2 Road intersection, we ran the 6-miles down along the Delores River to the Sheep Creek trailhead.  From here, the trail goes from a fast county road to a bouncy, rough, and slow progress type of trail.  Once you climb up on the lower mesa, the trail becomes one of loose round river rock that keeps speed and comfort to a minimum.

Dropping down into the washes that empty the runoff from the higher ground, we discovered that a dozer had been hired to reopen the road not long before this exploration.  As usual, the dozer operator went at the trail as if to create a “passing lane” up an otherwise narrow, challenging Jeep road.

Pictures don't relate the roughness of Sheep Creek

While we applaud the BLM for keeping the trail open, we would argue that leaving the trail more “primitive” would be preferable.  Repair of impassable or dangerous obstacles is a good thing.  Destroying a perfectly good primitive Jeep Road is not!

The good thing is that Mother Nature has a way of “curing” what the BLM and a dozer have done.  Historically speaking, one or two years from now, Sheep Creek will return to a very fun, challenging trail.
One year, the first trip up Sheep Creek nearly came to an abrupt end on one hairpin point.  The heavy runoff had cut a deep gouge down the side of the mountain and then turned down the road for about 50-yards before diving off the lower side.  The deep V-notch cut had left just enough of the narrow shelf road for a Jeep to pass if the driver wasn't squeamish about dropping the passenger side tires into the V-notch.
A wrong decision at this point could result in a long roll to the bottom of the canyon.  As it turned out, the two of us made it through without any problems.  A call to the BLM ended with the trail temporarily closed for several months.
Other times, rockfalls from the high cliff above the road can drop huge boulders onto the road.  More than once, some inventive winching has been required to remove the debris.  Once, dynamite was used to "shrink" the rock into a portable size.  We like to think that Colorado Jeep trails have their own special needs.

Climbing the steep Sheep Creek trail

At the top of the ridge, the Pinon pine and Juniper trees have been encroaching on the trail for years. We stopped several times to do some widening of the trail to make it less abrasive on the vehicle sides.

The Delores River Valley from upper Sheep Creek

After a very light rain-shortened lunch stop, we continued down into Lost Horse Canyon.  The trail here becomes fairly mild for quite some distance.

As you approach where Granite Creek intersects, the trail begins to get rough and the brush along the sides gets downright ugly.  Even after our first “work trip”, the brush had begun leafing out and reaching for your paint job.

We spent a lot of time further trimming some of the worst areas to make them more “user-friendly”. 

Mary and Chuck performing trail maintenance

The Granite Creek canyon is a beautiful and grand place.  High, steep, canyon walls are topped by nearly vertical cliffs with jagged looking, weather-beaten crags.  The scenic values alone are worth the trip.  Along the way, you transition from Colorado to Utah, though you better watch closely on the GPS to notice it.

Once you reach the old “homestead”, most of the scenic qualities pale while ascending the very narrow shelf road up and out of the canyon.  The steep, rocky roadway keeps your attention away from the “views” for the most part.

Granite Creek

Your concentration is more limited to; “don’t go over the side” than; “that sure looks pretty”.  Depending on what you drive, there are places where your outside tire may protrude slightly over the edge of a very steep, very deep canyon.  You may use the word “unnerving” if it’s in your vocabulary.

We left Granite Creek and Sheep Creek in much better condition than we found them… ready for “Rock Junction” on June 4, 5, and 6, 2014.

You will have some Off-Camber moments in Granite Creek

Come enjoy 3-days of Jeeping some of western Colorado and eastern Utah’s premier trails.  We have trip leaders who will take you on trips from the mild to the extremely wild… your choice.  Then enjoy a hosted evening BBQ each day to reminisce your journeys with others who have just done theirs.

Happy Trails to you.  

And remember, when you come to a fork in the road, "Take It!" 

Winding up the Granite Creek trail

Dodging large rocks on tight turns

Sometimes over is preferable to around

Close to the edge can be "hairy"

"Choice words" were no doubt being exchanged here

Wendy admiring the deep canyon view

Passengers get a better view of the canyon 

One of several steep, sharp hairpin turns on Sheep Creek

The inspiring rim of Granite Creek

Glade Park to Gateway, CO

By Jerry Smith

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Keri Hawthorne had announced this trip nearly a week prior to this Saturday morning.   She had been told it would be a fairly mild run.  Under reasonably normal circumstances, that would have been correct.

Under the conditions we encountered, Gilligan and the Skipper might have written the script for what was ahead.  Read on… 

Several times in the past, we (Happy Trails & I) had made this trip in as little as 3 to 4 hours.  Alone, you can set your own pace, stop if and when you need to, and find little to talk about on the roadside. 

Airing down on the CO/UT border.

Add another rig or two and all of that changes… we had 10  vehicles in our entourage making for several extended stops for varying reasons.  

One thing is very true about the Grand Mesa Jeep Club; 

“The Grand Mesa Jeep Club is the Colorado “Club of the Year” for 2013 for good reasons.  This club “ROCKS”!

Our membership can relate to everyone and anywhere from very mild to extreme in relationship to vehicle capability and/or personal experience. 

Not long into the trip, we had this white stuff falling.

We have club-sponsored trips any given weekend that may be from strictly scenic, easy going to more intense mid-range difficulty.  Then there are some who seek the extreme “trails” that can make a lizard cringe.  (Lizards have been known to hang upside down). 

The really great thing is… we all find this “sport” to be as addictive and fun at all levels of difficulty.  Adventure comes in all sizes, shapes, colors, and levels of experience.  Yet the club membership seems to have “gelled” into a common love for the Great American BackCountry, no matter what it has to offer.

No joy could be found in this pretty face.

This trip was to be no exception.  When we arrived at about 08:30, Adam was already waiting for some adventure.  We found out that he was somewhat of a novice to Jeeping, but was eager to find new trails and others to experience them with.

His relatively “new to him” LJ appeared to have some “experience” on it, but he admitted to little of that being personal.

Within just a few minutes, others began arriving until we had 10-rigs fueled up and ready to go.  At the assigned 09:15 time, we pulled out.

This day was one of those where shadows were non-existent.  A totally gray sky lurked above with the threat of rain or snow. 

The drive to the end of DS road and the CO/UT border was mostly uneventful except for the chatter on the CB radios.

For those who have not yet invested in a CB and enjoyed a trip with friends who have them… you miss so much fun and information that gets passed on by those of us who have practically lived in this American BackCountry for years.

This rock was once in the middle of the road.  When I stopped to point it out, we had some difficulty getting everyone moving on the uphill slope.

Passing by arches and other scenic things can go unnoticed without communications.  The friendly banter about nearly anything always adds “flavor” to the day as well.

At the border, we paused to air-down and Happy Trails was designated “Trip Leader”.  We related that we would likely be leaving the trip at the top of the Sheep Cr. Road to turn back for some “assessment” of the Granite Cr. Road that has had varying reports as to its condition.  We wanted some first-hand knowledge so plans to re-open the road next spring could be planned for.

With this many rigs and shorter daylight to work with, we knew this was going to be asking for a lot, but should have been doable.

At times, visibility was a little suspect.

This is a second view of Luke climbing in the snow.

Crossing Spring Cr. and climbing up to Red Gap we made good time.  The stop on Red Gap was short as the stiff breeze had an uncomfortable “chill” on the exposed point.  Sometimes the grand views just don’t require a lot of scrutinies.

As we were nearing Ryan Park, I remember predicting that we were on the apparent leading edge of a winter storm.  I have learned to be a strict weather watcher traveling the canyon country of western Colorado and eastern Utah.

Dodging large rocks and holes in
these conditions slides you into
some interesting places.

Storms in this part of the world don’t have to be very close to interrupt your day.  Many times we have altered our direction of travel because of what the skies tell us.

Not too long after, a light snow began falling.  As our elevation increased, the snow got considerably more intense.  By the time we came to the upper Granite Creek crossing, the snow was making the trail much more difficult than usual.

There was some talk on the CB of turning back, but we encouraged everyone to “stick with us” and that the trail would get easier soon. 

Having some turn around would have meant that the entire group, or at least the majority, should follow suit.  My experience is that you don’t leave the least experienced to fend for themselves… especially in these conditions.

Adam sloshing along.

Having people wandering around in a snowstorm in an unfamiliar country is a great way to lose a friendship at best or a friend at worst.  I value both too much for either.

The prediction of trail conditions proved to have some “flaws” as the snow continued and the trail became more difficult from the recent rains that had left run-off damage that slowed progress even more.

By the time we had stopped for lunch, we were about 2/3rds of the way to Gateway.  With the trail in its normal condition, another 1 to 2 hours should have us in Gateway with no problem. 

The “normal condition” description did not apply well.  Mom Nature will lure you into some “higher adventures” if given enough opportunity.  This was one of those times.

Snowflakes got large for a while

Some of the long uphill grades were scouted ahead before allowing the main contingent to follow.  On too many of them fairly deep channels had been carved by either water or people spinning tires deep into the muddy road surface. 

Luckily, with only one real exception, we were able to keep the line moving without much difficulty on these slick grades.

At a couple of the more challenging obstacles, there were already bypasses around the obstacle and some chose to take the “less challenging” way.

This is perfectly okay with me and I often encourage the “easy way” for those who have issues with tearing up their equipment or just feeling uncomfortable about following the rest.  There is nothing “chicken” about keeping within your “comfort zone”.

Tail gunner Cody had to deal with whatever we left behind.

There will be ample opportunities to “stretch your limitations” if you follow the likes of Happy Trails.  We have “pushed” more than our fair share of folks to their limits many times.  They have all survived and none have complained after doing the surviving.

The Sheep Creek road can be a pussy cat or a full grown lion. Today it was at least a large bobcat. Note the road below the Jeeps as it winds back and forth down the mountain.  Some switchbacks come so fast, you just get straightened out only to begin the next turn.

With over 40-years of trails behind us, if there is a safe way to get a Jeep through an obstacle, we will find it.  Being sympathetic to those with less experience and/or more “stock” vehicles is never taken for granted. 

Encouragement to “take it to another level” will always be tempered with knowing when to say “when”.  Ask club member Sandra Park. 

On a trip to Coon Hollow, I was directing Tim around an obstacle that his Detroit lockers were presenting a problem with.  Sandra was riding passenger.

Note how "Newbies" hug the upper side of a shelf road.  This is very common.  Some people just don't enjoy a good view from their windshield or out the side.

As they were exiting a severe off-camber turn, the lockers were pushing them toward the outside of the road and a long cliff-like place.  With the glare of the sun off the windshield, while spotting, I could not see them inside and my total attention to their position probably wouldn’t have allowed me to look anyway.

I did not know she was panicking to the point of tears, or I would have asked her to get out and either watch from my perspective or to walk down the trail a short way.

As it turned out, they made it around the scary stuff with zero problems, and after talking; I think her confidence in my directions increased to a good level of trust. 

When we showed her how much farther from the danger she really was than her mind was telling her she was in, she realized that her fear was unwarranted.  Often, another perspective is all that it takes.

For a "Newbie", Adam didn't hug the uphill side quite as much.

Whenever you or your passengers are feeling “uncomfortable”, I encourage you to stop, get out, and really look at what is making you or them uncomfortable.  Most of the time, it won’t look as bad as you think.

If the discomfort isn’t solved, walk ahead until you can feel comfortable.  Then get back in and assess whether the discomfort was truly warranted.

If the vehicle came through with no major problems, were you really in jeopardy, or was your mind just telling you there was a danger?  The more you experience these feelings and find there was no real reason for overwhelming fear, just respect for the situation, the easier you will find these situations to be worked through without the full-on panic.

We love the "Thumbs-up" and smiles from both inside and out.

This trip was a prime example of this.  Yes, we all expected minor discomfort from having to drive through a snowstorm.  That is always normal.  Respect the obstacles presented out on the trails… but don’t fear them.

Experience will temper the level of fear you have eventually.  Even the buggy drivers learn their limitations by overcoming their fears.  Often they learn by turning a buggy over… sometimes multiple times.

When you build a rig to do what they do, it will normally survive such “Learning”.  You, on the other hand, don’t have to go to that extreme to learn.

Driving in a winter storm deserves respect… always.  But that doesn’t mean you don’t go to the grocery store all winter.  Just learn when to say “enough” and turn around before you are truly in over your head on the trail.  Being far off the pavement has “rules” you must learn to adhere to.

Cody shows where the more experienced drivers take a trail.  Better views yet safe.

Trips like this demand you go prepared… maybe for an overnight stay.  Your well-being and/or others with you might depend on that.  A little extra food, water, and a heavy coat for all in your vehicle should ALWAYS be a minimum you carry.

Can YOU build a fire?  That, you must be prepared to do in all conditions you may encounter.  Your very survival may depend on that seemingly small task.

Seemingly silly things like this will help build your personal confidence.  Learning these things while on the trail is a poor time to do so.  You want to learn this under ideal conditions… not under stress of a life or death situation.

Luke comes through a deep hole we encountered.

Building a fire, changing a flat tire, using a Hi-Lift jack, or any of these skills you may be called on to perform should be learned with no time restraints and no actual “need” present. 

Ask for help from someone experienced.  Learn the “right” way and then practice it until you feel confident you can do it under “less than good” circumstances.

By the time we reached the top of the Sheep Creek road, it was getting late in the day as far as sunlight was concerned.  The cloudy conditions only served to hasten darkness.

Because of this, Happy Trails stayed on lead.  There was no time to return to Granite Cr.

This is how to wind-up a YJ.

What we did not know was that the normally moderately difficult Sheep Cr. road was suffering from late summer storm runoff in a fairly major way. 

The Sheep Cr. road is one of the steepest and winding roads you will ever encounter.  Lengths of this road above and below the vertical cliff area in the mid-range have switchbacks that have you barely straightening out from one before you must turn for the next.  Your steering wheel will go from lock to lock as quick as you can turn the wheel.

At more than a few of the switchbacks, you will be required to back up in order to make the turn.  Yes, it is everything its reputation leads you to expect.  For myself, this is the ultimate Jeeping experience.  For others, the fear of heights alone will scare the wits out of you.

The views down off the roadside will keep your adrenaline flowing and a nap will not be possible… unless you would rather sleep through the whole experience.  Heavy drugs will be necessary, though.

In approximately 3.2 miles traveled from the top, you will have dropped 2100 ft. at the last wash crossing… that’s about 632 ft./mile.

Even Roger's LJ did the twist. 

This day, we found copious numbers of loose rocks of varying sizes littering the roadbed. 

At every small stream coming down off the mountain, a deeply cut channel, often located on the other side of a hump of debris left behind as the running water receded, became necessary to chart a safe way across. 

Some of these channels crossed the road straight across.  Other places, the deep cuts wound their way down the road before finally dumping through a “V” cut on the lower side.  Either way, each presented a new and different obstacle to negotiate.

One such obstacle had me out of Happy Trails to walk it.  Here again, experience will tell you when to walk an obstacle before getting into it only to push the “automatic reject feature” button.

Often, walking past an obstacle is warranted.  Getting through an obstacle only to find a worse, or maybe impassible object just around the corner may require you to back through the first one.  Not something you want to do!

JKUs found they could articulate

As I walked this obstacle, most of the others had gathered to “look it over”.  “Seeing” the line, I asked them to watch how we were about to go for their own reference.  I would be back to “spot” the others.

Happy Trails about to go down the long wash in the middle of the road.

Luke making the turn in the middle of the long washout.

Happy Trails did what she was built to do and was soon through and parked where the others could pass and park further down. 

Spotting the others left me with no chances for taking pictures to share so we will need to depend on others who did take a few to “show” the difficulty. 

Even the by-pass had some
off-camber moments.

This turned out to be the most difficult place, but add several small “slow downs” together and you have one big one.  By the time we hit the bottom of the trail near the Delores River, we barely time had time to air-up before it was fully dark.

Keri had offered to provide dinner for the crew at their home in Clifton.  It sounded VERY inviting and the majority apparently took her up on her very generous offer.

Having spent Friday taking care of my grandkids, I was already way behind on some work that absolutely needed doing, so I reluctantly begged off. 

Harley's Zuk "leaned" a little.

The drive down Hwy 141 was a snowy one to somewhere past the divide. 

This day had proven to be one to be remembered… especially when you consider the trip was supposed to be more of a scenic, easy drive.

I will repeat it:  “The Grand Mesa Jeep Club is the Colorado “Club of the Year” for 2013 for good reasons.  This club “ROCKS”!

The Sheep Creek road is full of places you can practically have a
head-on collision with yourself.  

This is where you are entering a serious rockfall danger.  Every year, this cliff drops tons of rocks onto the road.  You don't want to participate in that operation.

Keri showing that the ladies of the Grand Mesa Jeep Club can get the job done.

If you can't do this, scratch Colorado off your list.  This
is an "Easy" trail.

Happy Trails and always remember; When you come to the fork in the road, take it!

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