Spring to Summer in One Week

I headed out to Little Moab this past week (Tuesday - Saturday) to check on some of my geocaches, ride, and get away from everything. I took our dog, Shelby, out with me but after the first morning, she was limping around and having a hard time. I decided to run her home. It is only about 60 miles. After dropping her off and doing a few things in Town, I headed back to take in a late afternoon ride. It was windy most of the week except in the early morning hours.

I camped where Adams and Dibbles usually camp, on the west end of Little Moab area before the cattle guard.

Camp, looking south west towards Eureka

The desert is a carpet of green as we have received quite a bit of rain and snow this year. It is absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed riding but it was cool until Friday when it turned summer overnight.

Looking east past Allen's Ranch through 12-mile pass

I had no visitors until Friday with the exception of three people on Wednesday. Two of them were on the west side of camp over one of the hills and were shooting several different firearms with some bullets hitting rocks every once in awhile. They came awfully close to camp. The other guy on the east side of camp, over a ridge, was shooting a rifle across the canyon. I saw him drinking and shooting. I stayed away and hoped he did not try and shoot up the canyon. I would have had to return fire if he wanted to play that game.

Wednesday I took a ride over to 12-mile canyon and placed a cache. On the way over I ran into a small herd of antelope.  As I made it to the trail I wanted to search I had to maneuver slowly around the sheep and even found one stillborn. It was sad to see but food for other animals. I placed a cache nearby and headed home for dinner but was met by those three guys shooting.

Antelope on west side of Allen's ranch

Stillborn in 12-mile canyon

  Thursday, I ran into Santaquin and activated my two caches I had hidden and then came back to camp and read for awhile before taking another afternoon ride. Friday came the hordes of people and I knew it was time to head back to civilization (for a few weeks). Both Friday and Saturday I explored new areas in the Little Moab area and placed another cache in a dead-end canyon. It had a great view of the valley south of  Fairfield, Cedar Fort and Eagle Mountain (although you cannot see the towns).

Looking north towards Fairfield

Looking north from dead-end canyon

On Saturday, I met up with some geocachers who were new to the game and helped them find a few. We watched a few crazy people climb Little Moab in their rigs and then I headed back to camp, packed up and left. It was a great week except on Saturday it got warm extremely quick. I just wish the snow would melt so I can head into the mountains.

 Additional pictures of the area:

Lewiston Peak in background

Sheep herder leading two additional horses (in 12-mile canyon)

Looking south towards camp

Dead-end canyon on right

I could not believe this guy took a large fifth wheel to the base of the hill. The road in the bottom left goes through a wash that is only 10' across. He had to take the right trail that comes down the ridge (just above his trailer)

Chimney Rock (from the west side)