Do I go? The Wave

blueeyes

blueeyes

ephemeral excursionist
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
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So I have two permits tomorrow for The Wave and of all the weekends it decides to finally rain down here in Southern Utah. :mad: grrrrr. Started raining this morning and suppose to rain again tonight with chance of snow over by The Wave.

I have a Subaru Forester do I go. Weather is suppose to be sunny tomorrow but my last experience on that road while it was wet was not pleasant! I am beginning to think I am cursed and not meant to see The Wave.

Summit told me awhile back to go early early drive out while road is frozen plan to spend the day to drive back on it at night while frozen. How long after the sun goes down will that take? I have to work Monday morning.

So right now the plan is to get up 3AM and head over about a 3 hour drive. Put us at trail head by 6AM. I was going to drive over tonight and camp but not relishing the idea of being rained on all night. I figure about 8 hours to hike out look around enjoy and hike back, not moving at break neck speeds. Put us back at the car by 2PM and then what sit around and twiddle thumbs until the road freezes back over.

I guess I am mostly bitching about the weather. But in the event we are stuck due to road conditions what should we do until the road freezes over?

I plan on taking plenty of food for me and the 15 year old garbage disposal (must keep this 6'2 kid happy). Will take sleeping bags and other necessaries just in case.
 
That's a tough one. The clay on the House Rock Road could be really nasty. If it were colder, I'd say do it but looking at the point forecast for the area, it looks like it will be warm enough that the road could be a mess. But on the same token that Partly Sunny forecast for Sunday could mean awesome skies for taking pictures...

And like Bill said, if the road is crap, you can just wait until evening and it will freeze back over. I'm sure it wouldn't stay bad very long once the sun was off of it, might even be good by sunset since the sun falls behind the ridge to the west pretty early. And the hike itself would be awesome with dramatic skies. I think I'd do it. Just be prepared to stay out there longer if needed, food, water, maybe even sleeping bags and stuff.

waveweather.jpg
 
Yes.... just spent $177 dollars on new hiking shoes, thermal underwear, ski pants and coat for Spencer (we plan on snowshoeing and skiing sometime this winter so went ahead and bought them and just in case we need them tomorrow, he only has Levi's). Kid needs to STOP growing. We are going to head out as planned, hopefully leave the house by 3:30AM if I get on that dirt road and it is a mess by 6:30 we will turn around and just go sight see somewhere else.

I have asked Rod to check on my girl if he doesn't hear from me by 11PM, but they are to give us until 6AM Monday to officially worry if for some odd reason we don't make it back tomorrow night. There is a funny story behind this much planning. We will just say my daughter panicked awhile back when Spencer and I went on a Snow Canyon hike. She fell asleep on the couch and woke up 2 1/2 hours later disoriented (thought it was the next day)... called my mother in Northern Utah and we almost had a search party sent out to look for us we were only gone 3 hours. For the record she is staying with friends tonight and they will bring her home tomorrow night about 7PM, I really hope the road is fine and we are home by 6PM.

Things I have already decided to change.... buy a new GPS unit. This one Spencer has is very basic and cumbersome.

I don't know why I am so nervous about this but I am.

Wish us luck!
 
Good luck! You'll have a blast.

A couple of tips though. Don't head out too early. Sunrise is at 7:40am tomorrow. It takes 30-45 minutes to get to the slick rock section of the trail. Up until then, you can pretty much hike in the dark with headlamps but after that, you'll want at least some pre-dawn light to navigate. As you're following the cairns on the slick rock, look for the big crack on top rock in the distance. The wave is directly below this so if you just head straight for that, you'll find it. There is a big wash you'll cross right before heading up into The Wave and a good trail after that. The wash you cross is where Sand Cove comes out, a good way to loop your way around the area.

findthewave.jpg
 
For what its worth, we left the Wire Pass trailhead right before 7am and it looked like this when was just barely getting light out when we left the slick rock section. (sunrise was at 7:50am)
6682171803_8d80a416a5_b.jpg
 
Anxiously awaiting her TR! Sounds like they were in Kanab pretty early and out pretty early??? Chere.......hope you have an adventure to share. :)
 
FYI - I'd head in from the South, not the North if it was me. The road from the south is MUCH flatter and straighter, plus you won't have to cross the buckskin which will be flowing from all the weather. I don't know if you'll see this before you leave or not, but others might find this helpful too...

A few years back it snowed on us the last night we were there. House Rock Road (left to the south) wasn't that bad (had 4x4 truck), but we were camped a few miles off a side road to H.R.R. and there was one sketchy part where the road went past a watering hole and the road sloped toward the hole. We were able to make it out without any troubles although it was a muddy mess!
 
As the resident emergency contact, I am glad you went. And glad you made it back. Can't wait to see the TR.
 
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