Bag Night Challenge 2021

Udink

Still right here.
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
1,691
Alright. Start! Same rules as always. You are supposed to post your status and count to date and post one or two pictures for each status report. Thus if you are reporting out your status update with three trips put up one or two pics for the most recent camp. If you don't post a pic you won't be eligible for the prize drawing at the end of the year :)

There are no official rules, but a bag night in the tread is typically defined by a night out camping in some form. It doesn't matter if you sleep on a tarp, in a tent, or in the back of your car. It is more of an attitude thing. If you are outside to enjoy nature, if it's camping baby, it's a Bag Night.

Okay, I'll start off this year's thread.
 
I spent three days on and around the Mojave Road this past weekend, mostly in Mojave National Preserve. My first-ever January trip out-of-state was to this same area five years ago, and since then I've done two other trips to California, and one each to Arizona and New Mexico. This year was only a little different. I made certain to follow all health regulations, but also learned of some apparently relatively new fire regulations (you need a camp fire permit on public lands in CA now). I'm not sure when that restriction was enacted but I hope I didn't break it on previous trips.

I headed down on Friday evening and drove most of the Mojave Road over the next three days, with a couple of side trips to check out some rock art and to fuel up midway. Daytime temps were double that of where I live, and nighttime temps were mostly comfortable with the exception of last night when it was horrendously windy.

Total: 4 Nights

1/15/2021 - Dead Mountains, CA
1/16/2021 - Marl Spring, CA
1/17/2021 - Rock Tank, CA
1/18/2021 - Rock Tank, CA

Dead Mountains
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Marl Spring
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Rock Tank
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Rock Tank
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I think I'll do monthly updates this year, so here's January.

Total: 10 Nights

Jan 8 – 10 | Indian Creek | 2
Jan 14 – 15 | Cathedral Gorge State Park | 1
Jan 15 – 17 | Pahranagat Valley | 2
Jan 17 – 18 | Parowan Gap | 1
Jan 22 – 24 | Rock Canyon | 2
Jan 29 – 31 | Black Dragon Wash & Ernie Canyon | 2



South Six-Shooter Peak
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Slot Canyon Entrance
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Cathedral Gorge Sunstar
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Big Sheep Boulder
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Chinese Trail Cairn
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Mille Crag Bend
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


San Rafael Reef Sunrise
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Black Dragon Canyon Sunrise
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr
 
Just back from eight nights in the Southwest; Joshua Tree, Blythe intaglios, Picacho Peak, Saguaro NP, Chrircachua NM, Organ Pipe NM, and more. What fun. Cool weather---breezy during the day, and downright cool at night, close to freezing. And lots of things we need to go back and see,...Feb 15- 22. 8 bag nights.

This is Picacho Peak


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Sunset:

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Chrircahua hoodoos


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Organ Pipe Cactus NM--Estes Canyon trail

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Ajo Valley from Organ Pipe Cactus NM

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Painted Rocks, near Gila Bend

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Joshua Tree: Lost Horse Mine Trail

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1. Virgin Falls, TN
2. Sipsey Wilderness, AL
3. Big South Fork, KY
4. Savage Gulf, TN
5. Fiery Gizzard, TN
6. Big South Fork, TN


All quickies in TN this month. February is over for me, since my next off day is March 2.
Savage Gulf was a in/out of Collins Gulf.
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Fiery Gizzard was 1 way with a shuttle, rather than doing it as a long in/out.
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Big South Fork was very short. I canceled a longer route and focused on trail maintenance, as there was a lot of storm damage.
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One of the spots I cleaned up.
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That little mini Corona pruning saw gets it done!
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How's the road in Horse Canyon? I drove it down to LDH years ago and it was super fun, but it seemed like it would be prone to washing out. Does the county blade it I wonder?
The northern half-ish was freshly graded in the last week, I had first tracks on it yesterday. The rest was still in great shape, you could almost drive a car to the end of the road. The worst part was at the end of the graded section where the grader churned up a lot of rocks in some soft sand. I can't speak for anyone else's driving skills, but I could get a Subaru to the end of the road and back. :)
 
The northern half-ish was freshly graded in the last week, I had first tracks on it yesterday. The rest was still in great shape, you could almost drive a car to the end of the road. The worst part was at the end of the graded section where the grader churned up a lot of rocks in some soft sand. I can't speak for anyone else's driving skills, but I could get a Subaru to the end of the road and back. :)
wow, I didn't realize it was getting this sort of maintenance, when I drove it it wasn't really 4wd but I hit the bottom of my 4runner a bunch of times going over those berms that you get when the waterway and road cross each other.
 
February update.

Total: 18 Nights

Feb 5 – 7 | Airport & Gooseberry | 2
Feb 12 – 15 | Pleasant Creek | 3
Feb 19 – 20 | Salt Valley | 1
Feb 26 – 28 | Horse Canyon | 2



Overhang
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Airport Point View
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Resting Sheep
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Sheets Gulch
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Canyon Walls
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Tire Change
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Salt Valley Sunset
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Alcove of Stripes
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


ADVENTR Jeep in Horse Canyon
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Sandstone Under Clouds
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Part 1 of this trip is done, and I'm doing laundry in a hotel, so...
1. Virgin Falls, TN
2. Sipsey Wilderness, AL
3. Big South Fork, KY
4. Savage Gulf, TN
5. Fiery Gizzard, TN
6. Big South Fork, TN
7. Canyonlands NP(Squaw Flat)
8. Canyonlands NP(Devil's Kitchen)
9. Canyonlands NP(Peekaboo)


Flew into SLC to avoid being stranded at the Grand Junction airport due to lack of rental cars again, and drove straight to Squaw Flats. Day 1 was Squaw Canyon(since I used Big Spring Canyon last year) to Elephant Canyon, down to Druid Arch, then Chesler Park, Joint Trail etc. and up to Devil's Kitchen.
Day 2 was out Devil's Kitchen to Squaw Flat for a water refill, then from there to Peekaboo.
This morning was out Peekaboo, then a detour around through Lost Canyon(since I hadn't hiked it before), and up Squaw Canyon to Squaw Flat.

How come noone told me Peekaboo is the best trail in Canyonlands?!?
I went there hoping I'd feel up for a 1 day in/out to Angel Arch, but I didn't feel good, and nixed that one.
Salt Creek from the bottom is on the "someday" list, though...

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All overcast, and it sprinkled snow a bit for a little while, starting right when the arch first comes into full sight on the climb up. Wasn't much, but it made that moment seem kinda magical.
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The view coming out of that...tunnel thing.
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Little reminder I've been getting fat and out of shape!
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Devil's Pocket
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Another reminder...hmmph
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Leaving Lost Canyon
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1. Virgin Falls, TN
2. Sipsey Wilderness, AL
3. Big South Fork, KY
4. Savage Gulf, TN
5. Fiery Gizzard, TN
6. Big South Fork, TN
7-9. Canyonlands NP, UT
10. Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness, CO
Researching names from the headings of photos by @IntrepidXJ has had me planning to include the Rattlesnake Arches of the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness in this trip since some time last year(thanks!)
I mangled a pinky toe at Canyonlands, and had a rough go of it most of the way in, but after a little trailside operation and some tape, the finale and hike out were much better.
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I've never seen a bighorn in CO, but judging from the tracks, it appears one has seen me.
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I ended up being truck-less for a bit longer than expected. But after just 127 days of not having a vehicle to go camping, it came, and I drove to Nevada the next day. It'll take a bit longer to get the flatbed and camper installed, but I'm just thrilled to be able to get out into the desert again. Sure, it rained on my two out of three nights sleeping in the bed of the truck, but whatever.


Total: 3 Nights

March 11-14 | Southern Nevada | 3 Nights


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3 more nights! We got in a few hikes and a lot of driving. I got some lights and my winch installed since the last trip and I got to use them both! We made someone's day after they drove into lakebed mud at the end of a 20-mile dirt road with no cell service.

Total: 6 Nights

March 11-14 | Southern Nevada | 3 Nights
March 25-28 | Central Utah | 3 Nights
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Total: 2 nights

3/14/21: Zion Wilderness | 1 night
2/28/21: Zion Wilderness | 1 night


I still can't hike much with my knee, so these quick and easy overnighters are at least a starting point to get out a bit. Since it's short and easy, I can sneak away after work in the afternoon and am back the next day. I definitely need to do more of these overnight trips

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This weekend I spent a couple of nights on the rim of Beaver Canyon (south of Angel Cove) and descended Angel Slot with some friends.

Total: 8 Nights

1/15/2021 - Dead Mountains, CA
1/16/2021 - Marl Spring, CA
1/17/2021 - Rock Tank, CA
1/18/2021 - Rock Tank, CA
2/26/2021 - Horse Canyon, UT
2/27/2021 - Horse Canyon, UT
3/26/2021 - Beaver Canyon, UT
3/27/2021 - Beaver Canyon, UT

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Now up to 16 nights, with our recent trip to Death Valley and the Grand Canyon,. March 25-April 5., This is moon set at dawn in Furnace Creek
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And this is a panorama from Shoshone Point

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One more from later in the day

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