Wipe-Out Hill Trail

K.C Kay & Masey Kay, Leaders Big Saturday, 4/16

This trail tours a region south of Canyonlands Airport and west of Highway 191. It uses portions of Bartlett Wash, Tusher Canyon, Courthouse Pasture, and the south cliff base of Big Mesa. Variety is its strong point, with a wide range of scenery and trail surfaces, and a few challenging hills. Approximate mileages: 43 overall, 19 off pavement.

Scenery: The landscape varies from drab hills near the airport to the tall cliff s seen from Moab. In between are colorful canyons having colorfully banded Entrada Sandstone walls. Determination Towers, Monitor and Merrimac Buttes, and Big Mesa are some of the large rock features visited. For those who enjoy geology at least seven major rock formations that were deposited over a period of 100 million years (beginning about 200 million years ago) are traversed.

Road Surface: Early in the trip is a sandy hill that sometimes is a challenge. A little later Tusher Wash is usually wet, and features a narrow, rock fi lled obstacle course that will have the wider, longer vehicles struggling to avoid sheet metal damage. There are a couple areas of slickrock, some rock ledges, and a few miles of sandy two track.

Highlights: There is a short hill just before Wipe-Out Hill that is begging for a name these days. Wipe-Out Hill is short but steep. Rattlesnake Hill has its bumps spaced right to give most vehicles a challenge in ascending it. The scenery from most locations along this trail is a highlight as well.

Perry & Leila Reed Tuesday 4/12 Donn & Christine Voss Friday 4/15

Associate Leaders: Ron Dellinger, Dan Ence, Tanner Ence, Bret Jones, Jim Kochenderfer, Dan Lindblad, James Walden, Paul A Williamson.

To be used:

Tuesday 4/12 Friday 4/15 and Big Saturday 4/16

Smart 4WD occupants are in a pretty safe place on these trails; they are moving slowly and are belted into roll-protected vehicles. Once out of the vehicle, however, they face all sorts of hazards.

During the run of a diffi cult trail, you will fi nd that the obstacles bring out large cheering sections. Everyone is ready to help, even to the point of pushing or trying to hold the vehicle upright. The driver, however, is concentrating on the rocks. He cannot be thinking about the guy who may lose his footing under the vehicle or anyone out of his sight. The vehicle may lurch forward or backward. It can literally jump sideways when it hits a rock. Other pedestrian hazards begin when the winch line or tow strap comes out. Most fourwheelers know that wire cables and straps stretch under tension and are anxious to spring back. A cable is a terrible whip, and a hook at the end is a deadly weapon. (Those ropes with metal hook ends are best used as weights to keep the lunch sack from blowing away; we hope someone will have a strap with loop ends.) Keep in mind that not all of these people are towing experts. Someone may have slipped a cable hook over a bumper. The one being pulled may have eagerly driven forward, putting slack in the line, just when the one in front gives an extra tug. The equipment may not be in top condition. Stand back! We strongly advise that your own vehicle have tow hooks. Failing that, a short piece of chain often facilitates a hookup to a secure frame point.

Pedestrians can be in further danger simply by walking on the rocky terrain. We have had more than one incident of broken bones from small-scale falls. Worse than that, we have some largescale cliff s — and you won’t see guard rails on these trails. Many cliff edges are deceptively treacherous. Some are sprinkled with loose rock, while others have fi rm-looking rock that is weak and will break underfoot. Still others have no distinct rim; they just round off in everincreasing slopes.

A couple of Jeep Safari trails go near abandoned mines. Old mines have risks not only of cave-ins but also of dangerous gasses that have accumulated without ventilation.

We urge you to use good judgment — and to share it with your kids and pets.