Canyonlands Adventure Ride. May 2013

Here is a link to a ride report from last May, going up Elaphant hill and across to Bobby's Hole where I did not have the proper gearing to get my bike up the hill. I had one of the girls (a much better rider) take the bike up the hill for me. Lots of pictures along the way.

http://www.xt225.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=10686&Number=97268#Post97268

Even though pics don't always display the difficulty present on some trail features, that's a pretty good set of pics, Slojoe. It shows some pretty good detail of some of the more challenging areas of the loop. You can probably add about 1/3 to the steepness factor that doesn't translate well from stationary pics. That's a great writeup too. Sounds like Jenny was a good resource to have along on that ride.

Hey Assfault it is getting worse--I may be an hour or so late in May

yeah, but you'll be really easy to pull up the hill

Tomas,

140 will be fine (some MSRs would be a nice safety net), but one thing to consider for everyone in the camping group is how much exploring and riding around you want to do once we set up camp. That will be the biggest factor when considering range and I would say unless you just want to hang out around camp at least 20 miles extra would be good to have (so 140-150). Everyone will need to have a good idea of their range and adjust their "free" riding around beef basin accordingly so they have enough to get into Hite the next day.

The more the better in my mind because there are a lot of cool ruins and some fun riding to blast around once you dump all the camping gear.

Looks like a stator upgrade???
And like Blake mentioned, easier to push pull.
Your boot soles will be worn out Fred Flintstoning that rig.

I'm still undecided on what bike to bring.
Ride in relative comfort on the 690 or rip and ride on the 450 exc
Guess there are worse decisions to have.

If you've ridden it, then I will default to you! I'm using a Benchmark Map of Utah and on the map there's not a route that shows it going thru. I understood that it dead ended, but there has to be a reason it exists. I did however just pull it up on Google Earth and it looks like there is a 2 track road than goes South, then reconnects in Ruin Park a few miles later. I have been thru the area a few times, but I'm far from an expert about Impossible Hill and beyond. I have hiked down it, checking it out... but that's the extent of my knowledge.

At least with Impossible Hill, you'd be going down rather than up like Bobbys Hole Hill. Sounds like a good option for those that don't want to ascend Bobby's Hole Hill.

I guess I need to explore what lies beyond Impossible Hill...

Hey Greg, I often use Google Maps to do what you did, but I've never done it for this section. I just did, and I was impressed at how well you can see that route that I believe Hellsickle led us on. I can see that split to the right of the climb at Bobby's Hole that's at the end of a long, flat straightaway in a small valley. That spot to the west of Bobby's Hole looks like Impossible Hill. You can tell how the road just disappears for a bit as it goes down a rough section of rock, then picks back up at the bottom. It then makes a huge meandering counterclockwise route that ends up near the Ruin Park area of Beef Basin. Then you can head out to the Dugout Ranch exit to hwy 211 or go south to the forest and Elk Ridge road.

Edit: I just noticed on Google what also appears to be the overlook trail to the Colorado river that Hellsickle was going to take us to when we ran out of time for the day. There's a faint spur that goes west off the loop we've been talking about.

Disclaimer: I have not ridden either of these routes on a bike but i have traversed them in a Jeep.

Impossible Hill is at 38° 2'14.10"N, 109°57'0.51"W. Impossible Hill is typically a whole lot rougher (steep, rocky, and loose) than the climb out of Bobby's Hole but, as noted, you will be going down rather than up if you are riding north to south. Impossible Hill drops down toward Imperial Valley and you link back up with the route toward Ruin Park via Bull Valley. It is not a short bypass, I make it to be 12-13 miles before you rejoin the main road, I remember the route as being long, slow, and rough in the Jeep (it should be much faster on a MC). Other than the hill out of Bobby's Hole, the route through Ruin Park, etc is a pretty good (fast) road. The route out of Imperial Valley is not. But gravity is definitely working in your favor on Impossible Hill.

Wish I was going with you, the route is one of the most beautiful and interesting in southeastern Utah and that is saying a bit.

Impossible Hill per Trailwerks coords:



Here it is in relation to Bobby's and the route:

Yep, it was a long day even without going out to the overlook for the Colorado that's to the west of this trail. We made the loop back out to Dugout Ranch and to our camping spot on Lockhart Basin road. This is one of the only rides that I've ever run out of water on, but luckily I found some folks in a car at Ruin Park to bum some drinking water from. On a motorcycle the section from Impossible Hill to the reconnect with Beef Basin road, it was pretty fast...nothing too tough at all. Still, if time and/or mileage is of any concern, going up Bobby's Hole hill will certainly shorten the ride. After seeing Slojoe's pics of Jenny riding Yamaha XT's up BH hill without too much trouble, surely a bunch of manly men will have no trouble.

Check earlier in the thread for pictures. After Impossible hill, there is a loop that will take you back into Ruin Park, bypassing the hill out of Bobby's Hole (as per TNC's earlier comment).

I'll handle it like most of the Ut trails we ride. Look it over then send EV up to test the waters

yep, in Ev we trust........

He can get lost on a trail with no turns---so what do we do when he doesn't come back

You have a point.

Chris, from my understanding in your group's past excellent ride reports and vids, all you have to do is crack open a beer and Ev will reappear momentarily.

Yup, that's how we call 'em in.

Yeah, we discussed that option last night after seeing the route on Google Earth and TNC mentioning that you guys had ridden it. I was looking at my maps (Benchmark Maps) that show Impossible Hill dead-ending shortly after dropping down into the valley. Like I said, I haven't investigated what lies beyond Impossible Hill and I don't claim to be an authority on the area... just sharing my experiences.