The Calamity Mesa Loop - 2017

The Calamity Mesa Loop - 2017

by Jerry Smith

Calamity Mesa is in a remote part of western Colorado near the little town of Gateway.  This one hitch post town has a small school, a volunteer fire station, and one convenience store that dominates town business unless you count the expensive Gateway Canyons Resort.

Calamity Mesa has a rich history.  Most of the riches revolve around the uranium found deep in the ground, but other riches can be found on the surface.

From the mesa top, some of the views are like nowhere else. On a clear day to the south, the San Juan Mountains and Lone Cone Mountain stand covered with bright white snow.  Shift your eyes to the west and the Sewemup Mesa Wilderness Study Area will dominate your view.

Lone Cone Mountain is about 50-miles south

With no mention of under what conditions, this warning is for the road to Calamity Mesa.

Sewemup (Sew-em-up) Mesa has a rich history of its own.  Cattle rustlers once took their stolen herds into Sinbad Valley where they surgically removed the brands, sew-em-uped the wound, and later rebranded the animal.

Above Sewemup Mesa are the snowy tops of the La Sal Mountains.  Just to the right of Sewemup, the Salt Creek canyon winds its way up into Sinbad Valley.  Below your feet at the “lunch with a view”, the dark red Blue Creek Gorge dumps its stream into the larger Delores River. 

The La Sal Mountains have an anomaly in the spring.  A giant shark with his mouth open faces east.

To the north, there is Cone Mountain and the Sky Mesa Ranch.  Then Flat Top Mesa and Tenderfoot Mesa melt into Maverick Mesa. 

Saturday and Sunday, May 20&21, Calamity Mesa saw several of the Grand Mesa Jeep Club in trail maintenance mode.  Saturday we ran the Calamity Airstrip trail and the last 2/3s of the big loop.  Sunday, the entire Calamity Mesa Loop was run.

This is the confluence of Blue Creek and the Delores River

There are three major trails on Calamity Mesa.  The Calamity Mesa Loop is about a 19-mile loop with 12-named obstacles.  The Airstrip trail is on the mesa top where the views are incredible.  The third loop is a shorter loop with a small mining camp still standing.

The Calamity Mesa Loop was closed by Mother Nature for a minimum of 25 years… long enough for a Pinyon Pine to grow to about 5” at the butt in the middle of the road with no room to go around.

The Airstrip trail received limited brush cutting but will require more in the future.  Some of the oak brush that once covered the road has begun to regrow.  The day was near perfect for sightseeing with all the rain and snow we’d had.  The air was mostly clear and the San Juan Mountains and Lone Cone were looking cold in their white top hats.  The same could be said of the La Sal Mountains.

The Airstrip trail is reverting to an oak brush forest.

Saturday was largely uneventful compared to the Sunday trip.  Sunday began like any normal Jeep trip, but that didn’t last long.

Upon reaching the Gatekeeper obstacle, it was obvious that this winter had been very tough on the trail.  Serious erosion and the havoc it causes was apparent right from the start.  That is nothing new on Calamity Mesa. 

Many question the sanity of entering the Gatekeeper Wash

But when the trip leader sets off to show the rest of the group the line going down the rocky wash only to become stuck on the two large rocks in the bottom of the wash, things deteriorate.  When the rear axle rubbed on the rocks, rear axle traction became substantially reduced --- in two-wheel drive. 

Jumping out to assess the problem, I noticed there were no scratch marks under the front tires like there should have been.  Having been in 4-low, that meant the front wasn’t assisting the rear.  A quick turn on the front hubs and we pulled right up on the road.  Not much of a “stuck” compared with what was to come.

With the Gatekeeper behind us, the “Narrows” is the immediate next obstacle.  The wash that makes up the Gatekeeper continues down along the right side of the trail in a deep ditch with very steep sides.  This ditch cuts through a bentonite ridge and the trail has eroded away to barely the width of the average Jeep.  Bentonite is slick when dry.  When wet, forget it!!

The left side of the road is a steep bentonite hillside that one does not want to slip off onto and the narrow trail is crowned so much, a small-tired rig leaves an imprint where the differential drags.  One error in driving, either way, WILL result in a rollover.  We all made it safely across “The Narrows”. 

Further down the trail, we came to “Gyration Wash”.  Here again, serious erosion had changed the character of the obstacle.  At the beginning of the obstacle, you cross a deep wash diagonally that will require some serious articulation.  The water had cut a new, deep channel parallel to a fallen tree in the narrow wash bottom next to a steep off-camber stretch of trail.  Going into that new channel would have been bad and the traction on the off-camber trail tended to slide you toward it.

Once past that part of the obstacle, large rocks greet you in the wash.  In years past, that ended in a rocky waterfall with about a two-foot drop.  Some of the rocks were now further down the trail leaving a new obstacle to learn.  With a little spotting, everyone got through unscathed.

The next few miles have been relatively easy in the past.  Today, there were some new rockfalls that eventually got one of our group in trouble.  The first three vehicles were able to sneak around a large rock in the middle of the trail. Number four… not so much.  The “sneak” required you to get dangerously close to the lower side of the trail. 

Upon returning to the scene of the accident, it was clear that the people planning the extraction with a tow strap were about to make the situation worse, so we moved on to plan-B. 

After pointing Happy Trails toward a tree up the uphill, we ran the winch line through a snatch block and back to the Jeep off the side of the road.  With minimum trouble, we were back on the trail and headed for the “lunch-with-a-view”.

After the lunch, we made our way to some of the more difficult obstacles.  Most went well, but then we got to “Hogback”.  The entrance to Hogback has changed dramatically.  The wash that cuts diagonally across the trail is much deeper and ugly looking.  We all managed to get through the crossing and upon the rocky, narrow Hog’s back. 

"Rocket Man" showing why the name

"Hogback" with some showing off

Some did it with a little show by lifting the right front tire.  Then came “Rocket Man” in his white TJ.  His right front got some significant air time.

Once upon the top, your line choosing is critical or you become “turtled” very easily.  All the Jeeps managed to negotiate the tough obstacle just fine.  The FJ Cruiser with its typical limited articulation slipped off of one of the rocks and went laterally to the driver’s side.  So the second winch line came out to save the day.

Proper line choosing is critical on "Hogback"

In all fairness to the FJ, a Jeep had the same “calamity” on Saturday.  A short winch pull later he was on his way.  We hated to use the pristine wound virgin winch cable, but that's what a winch is for.

We broke in the winch and recovered the FJ

It’s been a long time since we needed to pull cable on the Calamity Mesa Loop.  Maybe we have been doing it all wrong.  Sometimes a little erosion can be a Jeepers friend.

Our next problem came at the “Overnight Wash” obstacle.  In past years, this wash has been a major problem.  Literal tons of rocks have been placed in the lower wash to keep the trail passable.  Every couple of years, more rocks are needed as they get washed downstream.  Some of those rocks have weighed hundreds of pounds and required a winch to move them.

The crew moved several new rocks from the upper wash into the lower wash to both slow the water and to beef up the lower bank of the road.  The roadside was becoming unstable and dangerous.  We like a difficult trail but draw the line at dangerous.

The next obstacle is “Tippy Rock”.  It’s a fairly large rock in the middle of the trail.  Over the years, people have stacked rocks to make it easier to crawl over.  The first few years, you had to go up around the rock on the high-side requiring an extreme off-camber condition.

Some took the rock and others went around.  Then came the FJ again.  We thought it would crawl the rock with no trouble, but that was poor planning.  But after a couple of false tries, the FJ showed we were right.

"Tippy Rock makes a suspension work hard

Getting on "Tippy Rock" is easy, getting off... not so much

The last of the named obstacles is “The Squeeze”.  On the very side of the trail is an old Utah Juniper tree.  In the middle of the road is a substantial rock/boulder.  The distance between them just barely allows a JK width vehicle passage. (We do NOT allow full-size vehicles on this trail)

"The Squeeze" leaves little room for error

There are other obstacles and some narrow shelf road to negotiate along the trail.  Some of the shelf road has caused some to get out and walk. 

If a 19-mile loop road with some significant obstacles along the way sounds like your kind of trail, get signed up for the annual Grand Mesa Jeep Club’s “Rock Junction” event.  We have this and a couple other trails that are right on your “wanted” list.

One last thing needs to be addressed.  Yogi Berra said it first, but any GREAT Jeeper lives it;  “When you come to a fork in the road… take it!”  That is where adventure often awaits.

Widening the trail has been necessary more than once

This is another look at "Overnight Wash" from long ago

Note the large rocks on the right.  They have washed away.

This is the stump of the tree in the middle of the road when we reopened the Calamity Mesa Loop

"Mike's Rock" will take mirrors or paint if you're not careful

Happy Trails on "Twisted Drop"

Working on the Tabeguache Trail 2017

Tabeguache Workday ‘17

By Jerry Smith

Sunday morning at the Orchard Mesa City Market looked like a Jeep convention.  Fourteen rigs of the Grand Mesa Jeep Club lined up for a great day on the Tabeguache Trail.  Even though this trip was advertised as a workday, people were eager and willing to turn out.

Cody leading up the first climb

After a quick safety meeting, trip leader Cody lead from the rear of the line to the “Tab” trailhead parking lot across the highway where the airing down process took place.  Tom had the keys to the gate and was waiting with the open gate.

When this short trail segment was constructed a year ago, some of the BLM’s criteria were that it would NOT be highly visible from the highway and that it would be sufficiently difficult to keep the typical party crowd from accessing the area.  Then someone complained that it was too difficult and even dangerous, so the BLM went back with machinery and did everything but pave it.

Airing down in the parking lot.

Now, anyone in a Subaru can get to the top of the first grade to begin doing whatever.  I predict they will make the BLM pay for this.

The Jeep club is working through the process of acquiring a grant to construct a legal highway crossing for unlicensed vehicles before the official opening of this piece of the Tabeguache.  It will be a BIG day when that occurs.  Presently, this 19-mile section of the "Tab" is a one way in and out that makes for a long day.  Most of this trail is a sloooww go.

Some off-camber and rocky conditions

After the first hill climb, you enter a gully where having a flexible suspension is a great asset.  After that, for several miles, the trail is relatively mild going as it steadily climbs through a Utah Juniper and Pinyon Pine forest.

Last year, the Jeep club did a workday project on the northern end of the trail.  Thick trailside brush and tree limbs had encroached into the trail making it tough on the paint to proceed.  They also blocked off several of the braiding (trail widening) problems and illegal side trails that were in the progress of being used.  The day grew short and the southern end was never finished.  This was the mission for today.

After a few miles, we began encountering some of the overgrowths and the trimming began.  Then, some braiding and more side trails were blocked with dead trees.  It seems that some people can’t be satisfied with a perfectly good “legal” trail in front of them.  If something looks interesting off the trail, rather than investigate on foot, it is more convenient just to turn the steering and go.

A Sunday drive on the Tabaguache Trail

The braiding is largely a result of the UTV invasion occurring across the country.  The new technologies allow a lighter vehicle with a softer ride and the speeds that people drive have increased exponentially.  Those speeds apparently are not conducive to encountering obstacles on the trail, so they evade the slightest obstacle and widen the trail.  This is becoming a huge issue with public land management agencies.  Trail closures are the result.

As we went further along the trail, it was obvious that some can’t take a hint.  Some of the barriers we had built last year had been breached, so we rebuilt them.

The southern end can be quite mild

Well into the trail, there is a side trail that I had never been to the end of.  Deep snow had thwarted the first expedition and another chance to explore the road had never been convenient.  Today proved to be convenient enough, so 5-vehicles left the main body and went exploring. 

As the maps suggested, the trail wasn’t too long, only about 3-miles to the end.  But the maps did NOT say that that there were some side trails along this route.  Tom’s GPS suggested that we would encounter another trail that would loop us back to the Tabeguache.  That proved to be a false as I predicted.  Too many other trips into this area had shown no signs of a trail leaving the “Tab”.  Technology isn’t perfect.  My past is full of taking any and all side trails, so I was confident that we wouldn’t be getting through.

Contrasting the gray bentonite with the red cliffs, Tom tops the sharp breakover

At the end of the one trail was an awesome view of two intersecting, very rugged canyons with an “island” peak between them.  The effort of trimming many tree limbs to get there was fairly worth the effort.

You must "hope" no one is coming from the other side here.  it's a totally blind hilltop

We returned to the Tabeguache and headed to the Bangs Canyon Staging Area to air up for the short drive to town.

The Tabeguache Trail will be one of the offerings during Rock Junction 2017.  Rock Junction (May 31, June 1&2) is three days of guided trips on some of western Colorado and eastern Utah’s premier Jeep trails.  This year, we added some new trails so that previous participants could see something new if they choose to.

Choosing a good line is important

For perspective, those are 40" tires

You may find a rock or two along the Tabeguache

The 3D Trail and Others

By Jerry Smith

March 26^th, 2017

Per the pre-arranged directions, we (Happy Trails – my ’06 Jeep Rubicon and I) pulled off the I-70 exit at Loma to meet with Tom and Connie for our trip down to the Highway 191/313 intersection north of Moab.   We were to meet with the happy campers who had been running Moab area trails for the last two days. 

With so many area trails, confusion is easy to come by

On the CB radio, we decided to make a quick fuel stop at Thompson Springs.  The drive to the springs had only one lonely antelope to show for the 65-mile journey.  Except for the BookCliffs and the La Sal mountains, the scenery along this stretch of road is non-existent.  Only a low-growing grass and some other short plants adorn this entire region.  If it weren’t for the “Eagles on Road” signs to pique your interest, boredom WILL overtake you.

Pulling into the parking lot at the meeting place, we assembled in the midst of eight rigs eagerly waiting for a day on the trail to begin.  Trail leader Cody conducted a short driver meeting and then we were off. 

Just a short way north, we left Highway 191 for the Cotter Mine Road that took us away from the civilized world of pavement.  A slow, rough trek through the low country passed a few remote campsites with hoards of people and vehicles.  As destinations go, Moab draws backcountry recreationists like flies to a dumpster.

Along the way to Hidden Canyon

Soon we joined up with the Mill Creek Road and then the 3D trail.  This area is a spider web of trails and one can become confused or disoriented easily.  This was my first trip into the area in a long time.  Following along gives one time to get more involved in gawking and not paying attention to a map, so soon I was just about exactly lost.

Years of wandering the vast west alone have given me a sense of direction and another sense of awareness of country that I find most people lacking.  Exploring side trails is like a bad habit.  When I’m with a group like this, my “style” is severely cramped.  Every intersection is another torture test.  Unknown side roads and tracks are like charged electromagnets and my front bumper is the only metal around.

Just a few weeks ago, this syndrome graced me with a new nickname when I strayed from the group as they were stopping for lunch.  The side trip I thought would take only 10-minutes took well over an hour.  My missing presence disturbed two searchers into looking for this wandering goofball.  The initial results left us too far behind the big group to catch up, and later I received several generous semi-angry, one-sided “conversations” convincing me “I did a bad thing!”

A long time ago, I was blessed with the handle; “Intrepid Explorer.”  A slight demotion to being called “Side Track” has been the latest result. Life is not always at the top of the roller coaster.

After a while, we crossed Tusher Wash on the 3D trail and headed for the Tusher Tunnel.

Exiting the back of Tusher Tunnel

To me, Tusher “Tunnel” is somewhat a misnomer.  The “tunnel” appears to have been started when a ridge of solid rock split from side to side.  Over a few weeks or so, geologically speaking, weather and erosion have widened the crack to a few inches allowing water and the wind to filter down and pool at the bottom in a caldron of acidic stew that slowly carved out a serious tunnel through the bottom of the ridge. 

The adit to Tusher Tunnel.

The crack above allows just enough light into the tunnel to make walking through without a flashlight possible, but the slanted walls can be hard on the head if you don’t walk down the middle.  The view out the back side is one worth the walk.  Climbing to the entrance is becoming difficult as tall ledges erode to new heights.

Returning to the 3D trail, we traversed part of the Bartlett Wash and into Hidden Canyon.  The canyon is a fairly narrow wash with nearly vertical sides.  The upper wash emerges into a dead end, deep double box canyon that is a bit above awesome as scenery goes.

Hidden Canyon from above

The canyon splits into two box canyons with high sandstone cliffs that beg you to explore them as they go around the corner of the tall peninsula separating them.

A sentinel at the entrance to Tusher Tunnel

Returning down the trail, we split off again following the 3D across “Mashed Potatoes”.  This is an odd slickrock obstacle that takes you across a white-capped formation of a roughly eroded version of a large bowl of mashed potatoes.  Here, headshake is tiring and there are some ledges and potholes to negotiate.  It is a typical Moab environment; only the color has morphed to a creamy white.

On Mashed Potatoes

At the top of Mashed Potatoes, we stopped for a friendly lunch.  The cool day felt good in the direct sunlight.  If you elected to sit in the shade of your vehicle, the cool chased you back into the sunlight.

On Mashed Potatoes

Arch or Window?

After lunch, we continued up the trail toward the Dubinky Well road.  Somewhere along the way, another one of those dilemmas arose.  Trail leader Cody had to return to the camp before heading home, so the majority followed along.  Three of us caught the “exploration bug” and turned left to the Bartlett Overlook.

The short trip out to the end of the Bartlett Overlook mesa was a scenic jaunt.  Views of much of the terrain we had been traveling the whole day gave a feeling of the expanse of this country.  The deep, dark squiggle of Hidden Canyon stood out in the distance.  We watched some UTVs driving the bottom of Bartlett Wash while they enjoyed their day in the Great American BackCountry.  Views like this just make you feel good.

Some of the Bartlett Wash

Back at the main trail, we continued on to the Dubinky Well road and back to Highway 313 to air up.  It was decided that we would follow the “scenic route” along the Colorado River home.  This stretch of road makes a nice ending to a day on the trails of Moab.  Driving through the deep river canyon is so serene you hope it won’t end.

Another beautiful day in the eastern Utah countryside had chiseled off more of the winter’s cabin fever crust.  There is nothing that compares to a long day on the trail.  And having come to the “fork in the road, we took it!!”  THAT is what life is all about! 

Mashed Potatoes is a large area

The snow-capped La Sal Mountains

The trail to Tusher Tunnel