Great Western Trail Tracks Wanted bits and pieces OK!!!!

[wbbnm]

Originally Posted by Countdown

How do you get any resolution from these picturres? I can't see a thing.

I was trying to use these to track the GWT before I discovered the notations on the Benchmark maps. Back then I would key on things like forest boundary corners, other roads, etc. to try to place waypoints on actual roads as shown on Topo maps.

[HogWild]

Originally Posted by wbbnm

I chose the southern road leading up the hill because it looked better defined on Google earth.

The road you have in that GPX file is what I have been calling the "North" road, i.e. North of Kane Trail. The "South" road is about 14 miles south of what you drew.

[Countdown]

Originally Posted by HogWild

The road you have in that GPX file is what I have been calling the "North" road, i.e. North of Kane Trail. The "South" road is about 14 miles south of what you drew.

I assume you are talking about the three ways shown in my Jacob Lake file? With Cane (Kane) in the center.

[HogWild]

Originally Posted by Countdown

I assume you are talking about the three ways shown in my Jacob Lake file? With Cane (Kane) in the center.

That's correct.

The tracks you posted actually show a two way split on that "North" way up. The "Track 041" is real, and matches the way wbbnm posted. The slighty further North way in the "GWT BM 11" track does not appear to be a real road. In that area I have much better imagery than what's in GE, and at best that's a rabbit trail that a Jeep followed down once a decade ago. At the bottom it also goes through an apparent fence where I don't see any gate or other through passage.

[wbbnm]

This sounds like a useful technique for trip planning. I think I will try it. I am down from DS riding for a while until my new clutch parts arrive.

Can you link the map picture to GE view scaling so that when you zoom in on the Google Earth view, the map picture also zooms in?

[HogWild]

Originally Posted by wbbnm

Can you link the map picture to GE view scaling so that when you zoom in on the Google Earth view, the map picture also zooms in?

It does that automatically. One issue is sometimes the overlay map doesn't exactly line up with the GE view across the whole image. It can be perfect in one area and off a bit in another area. This happens a lot when the overlay map covers a large area. So, when comparing the overlay map with the GE image, sometimes you have to re-adjust the overlay position a bit as you go along. The other critical factor is the transparency adjustment. You have to play with that a bit to get it just right so you can see both the overlay map and the underlying GE imagery.

You can overlay an image from a website, as I did with the GWT maps, or you can scan your own maps and link to them on your hard drive.

[Countdown]

Spent 4 days, completed tracks form South Rim up to just south of Bryce when storm sent me home. Lots of mud and washed out roads. Will Work on Southern AZ next spring then back to Utah next summer.

See latest file on GPSXchange.com

[HogWild]

Jerry, can you list which tracks are the ones you just rode. I can't tell which were there before you started, and which ones are your active logs from this ride. I still have a trip planned for that area in a couple of weeks, and may have a chance to verify some of the other GWT paths between Jacob Lake and 10mi into Utah.

[Countdown]

Originally Posted by HogWild

Jerry, can you list which tracks are the ones you just rode. I can't tell which were there before you started, and which ones are your active logs from this ride. I still have a trip planned for that area in a couple of weeks, and may have a chance to verify some of the other GWT paths between Jacob Lake and 10mi into Utah.

Very simple just open the track and look at the time stamp and you can see when I rode it. I post all Active Logs with all the data. You can also tell how hard the route is by looking at my speed. Everything from Camp Verde to Bryce are my Active logs or hand drawn optons (with no time tag) that I didn't get to ride or noticed after I left the area.

I quit just north of Hwy 89 when I came to a washout after a lot of mud.

[Snuffy]

Originally Posted by Countdown

Spent 4 days, completed tracks form South Rim up to just south of Bryce when storm sent me home. Lots of mud and washed out roads. Will Work on Southern AZ next spring then back to Utah next summer.

See latest file on GPSXchange.com

I'll take a wild guess that you were on the Sand rd. headed up to Deer Springs ranch. I believe it is the only road listed as GWT in that area.

Once at Deer Springs there is a road(GWT) that will take you up to Tropic Res. There is a gate at Deer Springs that could be locked. If so, ask someone to open it for you.

I was up there 3 weeks ago but unable to ride Deer Springs north due to mucho rain.

I have not seen your or anyone elses proposed routes. From Tropic res heading north i'm presuming you head up onto the Aquarius Plateau?

[Countdown]

Originally Posted by Snuffy

I'll take a wild guess that you were on the Sand rd. headed up to Deer Springs ranch. I believe it is the only road listed as GWT in that area.

Once at Deer Springs there is a road(GWT) that will take you up to Tropic Res. There is a gate at Deer Springs that could be locked. If so, ask someone to open it for you.

I was up there 3 weeks ago but unable to ride Deer Springs north due to mucho rain.

I have not seen your or anyone elses proposed routes. From Tropic res heading north i'm presuming you head up onto the Aquarius Plateau?

Snuffy,
Sounds right. A local guy on Hwy 89 told me that they lock gates during hunting season.

I am just trying to document GWT with GPS Tracks. I talked to lady in Escalente today who is mailing some information on GWT in Dixie forest north of Hwy 12. She said it was marked in that area. I followed GWT signs from North Rim to where I quit.

What information can you give me?

Jerry

[Snuffy]

Originally Posted by Countdown

Snuffy,
Sounds right. A local guy on Hwy 89 told me that they lock gates during hunting season.

I am just trying to document GWT with GPS Tracks. I talked to lady in Escalente today who is mailing some information on GWT in Dixie forest north of Hwy 12. She said it was marked in that area. I followed GWT signs from North Rim to where I quit.

What information can you give me?


Jerry

The only sinage that i have seen in that area is up around Teasdale. Teasdale south will end as hiking only.

From hwy 12 north of Tropic Res. and just east of Rubys Inn I would head north on hwy 22 and look for the Pine lake road which would be to the right. From Pine lake up you ascend up to Barney Top and head north to the junction of Griffin top rd. and Main Canyon rd. Fr 140/17. Follow Griffin top rd north to the junction of 140/154. Turn left(north) onto 154 which will take you into either Loa or just west of Torrey. In Torrey, there is sinage for the GWT headed north onto Fr 148 which takes you up to Thousand Lake mountain.

Another alternate route from 12 is to head up hwy 22 to Widtsoe junction and turn east onto Fr17.

Hope this helps. Are you wanting to get to Skyline drive?

[wbbnm]

Jerry,

Thanks for sharing the tracks for your ride last week. I see you took the scenic Grand Canyon overlook route on the north side. Looks like you skipped the Kane trail. Did you check it out at all?

I see you crossed 89 a few miles east of where we were planning. You said you turned back because of mud and the road was washed out. Would the washout have been passable on big bikes had it not been muddy?

BTW our ride up that way last month ended in a minor disaster. We never got past Chinle AZ.
Ride report: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=727309

I am supposed to be headed to somewhwere in souther Utah in about 10 days with another small group. They don't have any firm plan about where we are going. So I will just have to wait and see.

[Countdown]

Originally Posted by wbbnm

Jerry,

Thanks for sharing the tracks for your ride last week. I see you took the scenic Grand Canyon overlook route on the north side. Looks like you skipped the Kane trail. Did you check it out at all?

I see you crossed 89 a few miles east of where we were planning. You said you turned back because of mud and the road was washed out. Would the washout have been passable on big bikes had it not been muddy?

I am supposed to be headed to somewhwere in souther Utah in about 10 days with another small group. They don't have any firm plan about where we are going. So I will just have to wait and see.

I think it is Cane and no I didn't after Crawdaddy's comments. It does not show on forest service map, probably not legal. The East Side Game road was very rocky, but had some great views. There had been a fire on top and I think the GWT signs had burned. The first one I came to was just after the fire. I went back down Buffalo Ranch to where maps show is the GWT and there wern't any signs there either but you can see road going up the hill which may be better than East Side.

My tracks to Hwy 89 follow the marked GWT route. Yes any bike could have made it through but I was alone and if I fell down at the bottom of a muddy wash out (4-6 feet deep) I may not have been able to get out by myself. You will see a short 1/2 mile section just above Hwy 89 that I did not ride. I didn't go far enough and made a U-turn where the last track point is then a rancher told me where the hard right was and I went in the other way and came to a 4' wash out at the end of the straight line which I would never try alone. Next post (only 1 attachement allowed?) has picture of where I didn't want to go further.

See attached plans for scouting next year. I think some or all of it is marked but waiting for letter from USFS. Would appreciate any tracks of where you may find GWT signs. I know it is marked north of Torrey.

[Countdown]

Didn't want to attack this washout.