ogdendude
Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2013
- Messages
- 86
So I tried to go to Shaman's Panel last weekend. The road to June Tanks was like a carpet. Incredibly well maintained. I did see a lot of semis rolling down it, so whatever mine company is doing a pretty good job of maintaining Road 109.
So then after the turn at June tanks it was worse than I was expecting. It looked like it had been wet, and then it got rutted, and then someone tried to grade it but not very well. It was just chewed up a lot and bumpy and rutted and soft. Not how I have heard it described.
So then I get to the GCNP boundary and about a mile after the boundary there is a big ditch running along the middle of the road making a ravine long-wise in the road. If you had a large truck then you would straddle it. But in a narrow vehicle you are basically down in the V-shaped ditch with your tires running on their sidewalls. Maybe I could have made it fine. But 40 miles from pavement and no Plan B I decided to turn around.
So I drove out to a cave I heard about in the area. Pretty damn cool pictures.
Then I went to the mapped and signed Nampaweap pictograph area. Also very cool. Tons of elk track near by.
Then I decided I had nothing else to do so I went to the North Rim of the GCNP at sunset. Also very spectacular.
Next day went to the South Indian Fork site next to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Pretty sandy road and a bit of a problem if you meet another vehicle coming the other way.
So. even if I chickened out on the road to Shaman's, I still saw some cool stuff. Perfect weather.
So then after the turn at June tanks it was worse than I was expecting. It looked like it had been wet, and then it got rutted, and then someone tried to grade it but not very well. It was just chewed up a lot and bumpy and rutted and soft. Not how I have heard it described.
So then I get to the GCNP boundary and about a mile after the boundary there is a big ditch running along the middle of the road making a ravine long-wise in the road. If you had a large truck then you would straddle it. But in a narrow vehicle you are basically down in the V-shaped ditch with your tires running on their sidewalls. Maybe I could have made it fine. But 40 miles from pavement and no Plan B I decided to turn around.
So I drove out to a cave I heard about in the area. Pretty damn cool pictures.
Then I went to the mapped and signed Nampaweap pictograph area. Also very cool. Tons of elk track near by.
Then I decided I had nothing else to do so I went to the North Rim of the GCNP at sunset. Also very spectacular.
Next day went to the South Indian Fork site next to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Pretty sandy road and a bit of a problem if you meet another vehicle coming the other way.
So. even if I chickened out on the road to Shaman's, I still saw some cool stuff. Perfect weather.
