Pole Canyon Rim
We weren't sure our Moab trip was going to work out until what felt like the last minute. The coronavirus had the town practically closed until just before we got there, and we were happy to find trails open. The town was filled with people, very few wearing masks, so we stayed out on the trails and at the campground where we could stay away from strangers and keep six feet away from each other. It worked out. Even the weather was perfect.
Matt couldn't leave Denver until the morning, and we hoped to meet up with him later. We started the day by driving out to the Dewey Suspension Bridge (and sadly remembering how cool it was before that kid set it on fire in 2008) and airing down. It didn't look like Matt was going to meet up with us. So we were going to do Pole Canyon Rim and Rose Garden Hill. Of course, plans change.
Pole Canyon Rim is a great way to start the day, with little ledges and slickrock patches right off the bat. When we got to the intersection, we decided to do Pole Vault in the uphill direction. Soon enough, we could see it in the distance, and it wasn't long before we were there. We all got out to take a look.
The obstacle is a sandy hill climb covered in rocks and big ledges. It was a bit more washed out since we saw it last, but it wasn't too bad. Niko went first, finding his "Moab Bump" and cruising right up. A great start!
Julie went next, and she found a great line through the ledges and walked right up -- right up until the top. There is a Jeep-sized rock at the top, and it found its way to right between her front and rear driver's side tires. She couldn't go forward or backward because of the loose dirt. Then she managed to pop backwards off of it, and she thought she'd try a different line before she had Niko winch her over the big rock. The plan worked, and she managed to get around it and up the obstacle without any assistance.
Carter brought up the rear, and he definitely learned from the Jeeps before him. He found the best lines, found his Moab Bump, and went right up the obstacle. We were all through it, and the rest of the trail would be relatively easier.
We went out to the Powerline Overlook first, and we were happy to have spotted it when we were on the highway below it. It's such an impressive view, and we hung out for a while, remembering to put on sunscreen and grabbing some snacks. But we had trail miles to do, so we soon headed out and over to the River Overlook. We watched the cars on the highway so far below us and just enjoyed the morning.
The rest of the trip out was fairly uneventful, but still fun. There are still lots of little ledges on the way out, and the trail is always different in the other direction. When we got back to Rose Garden Hill and the easy road, we turned right to keep going. This was going to be a great trip.
Reports from Other Days: 2
Use the arrows or dots to flip through the previews of the other reports for Pole Canyon Rim. Click one of them to read more and see all of the photos from that day.
