Dave I.
Escalante-Class Member
Great pics, many thanks! At the risk of being politically incorrect.....
BREAK OUT THE DRONE!!!!
Blue notch
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Rainbowbridge
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
How ravens can fly and text the pics back at the same time is truly amazing.....and to think Edgar Allen Poe said.....'nevermore'.....
jayfromtexas
Well-Known Member
Awesome photos Dave. Thanks for sharing. Looks like a drive I'd love to try sometime as long as conditions allow. My only concern is my CRV clearance stinks.
Dave I.
Escalante-Class Member
Thanks Jay. The road is freshly graded right now and we haven't had any damaging rains yet so now is the best opportunity for your CRV as long as it is AWD or 4x4. I wouldn't to get down to the water, but would make a great night or 2 camping trip though.
Sadly, there is no road report for these kind of trails. Just word of mouth and right now, it is a double thumbs up for accessability to at least 10-12 miles in.
Happy trails!
Dave I.
Escalante-Class Member
OK, I'm officially taking donations for the ULTMATE rescue vehicle.
If anyone has the money lying around, you get free services for life if ya buy this for my business.
HAHA, Imagine the possibilities!!!!
If anyone has the money lying around, you get free services for life if ya buy this for my business.
HAHA, Imagine the possibilities!!!!
Freightliner Unimog w/Case bucket and backhoe 4x4 diesel excavator -...
2003 FLU 419 military SEE tractor (small emplacement excavator) 1162 original miles. These are based on the same model as the 406 Unimog. On the front of the truck is a front end loader bucket with...
denver.craigslist.org
greyhackle
Escalante-Class Member
That’s a cool rig. Bad news though if you ever got it stuck how would you get it out. I’ve seen a 4 wheel drive backhoe stuck and it was ugly.
Great job getting those guys out
Great job getting those guys out
nzaugg
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
This is the truth! I once saw a road grader get stuck while trying to grade out a pipeline excavation. The offending party went and grabbed a tracked bulldozer to try to get the road grader out. Promptly got that stuck too! Had to get a much larger loader and some 200 foot chains to try to pull them both out. Just about got that stuck too before he realized he needed to sacrifice the sagebrush to get some extra traction and keep off the pipeline excavation route.That’s a cool rig. Bad news though if you ever got it stuck how would you get it out. I’ve seen a 4 wheel drive backhoe stuck and it was ugly.
Great job getting those guys out
Dave I.
Escalante-Class Member
That’s a cool rig. Bad news though if you ever got it stuck how would you get it out. I’ve seen a 4 wheel drive backhoe stuck and it was ugly.
Great job getting those guys out
You're both right. I once got my 660 Motor Grader ( 1966 model, No plastic and heavy, Big 6 cylinder cat & 14' blade) stuck in the muck when I got too close to the pond. It took a 988 loader to get it out and it was at all not very easy.
But, with the proper thinking (just like what had to be done with these guys on Blue Notch) this thing would do awesome at rescues. I'm also thinking a 20T hydraulic winch on each end and things would be golden. Remember, the exit plan is ALWAYS the first thing you plan in a rescue.
Now, just trying to get a business partner to buy it and let me do all the work.
Squirrel
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Wait, you can use mine. Sq
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KBJ
Active Member
In Colorado I heard of a Jeep that got stuck in a bog, then the tow truck that came got stuck, then a tracked cat, got expensive when they had to clear a road for the crane, reminds me of the children’s song “There was an old lady who swallowed a fly”.You're both right. I once got my 660 Motor Grader ( 1966 model, No plastic and heavy, Big 6 cylinder cat & 14' blade) stuck in the muck when I got too close to the pond. It took a 988 loader to get it out and it was at all not very easy.
But, with the proper thinking (just like what had to be done with these guys on Blue Notch) this thing would do awesome at rescues. I'm also thinking a 20T hydraulic winch on each end and things would be golden. Remember, the exit plan is ALWAYS the first thing you plan in a rescue.
Now, just trying to get a business partner to buy it and let me do all the work.
Thanks again Dave I appreciate the help. Here is a picture of just before I went down there if you fall the red dots you can see the tracks I was following then the blue dot is were I decided to find the soft spot lol.
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jayfromtexas
Well-Known Member
Great photo illustration of where ya'll got stuck. I'm glad ya'll got out safely in one piece.
Rainbowbridge
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
THAT is an amazing photo.....how did he let you hold him? Was he injured??
Dave I.
Escalante-Class Member
You guys were GREAT! Awesome all the way around.
The best I could illustrate was was with the Sat. picture that was shared. That "S" curve around the sandbar is was the defining picture for me tryimg to show where you were from the Sat. pictures
One thing none of the pictures show is the surrounding muck, where the other truck got stuck or the simple 3' incline to get out of the wash.
Pictures make it look all too easy. haha.
Without every effort there, this woudn't have been a success. We all got out of there together. But truth be told, you called me there to get stuck too. haha
Of course that is just simple, crude humor.
Stauy safe out there guys! Maye next passing will be on solid ground.
There was alot of prep digging trying to make sure when you showed up it would be alot easier on everyone. I have a picture of where the other truck was trying to come up and ya it wasn't much of a incline. Just the soft hiding black muck. Heck we tried to get you stuck but you definitely got out of it lol. Dave also you are missing one of your new chains I have it with me it was on the ground but we couldn't get caught back up with you I will holler at you tomorrow to figure that out. See you on soild ground but if not I definitely know who I'm calling.You guys were GREAT! Awesome all the way around.
The best I could illustrate was was with the Sat. picture that was shared. That "S" curve around the sandbar is was the defining picture for me tryimg to show where you were from the Sat. pictures
One thing none of the pictures show is the surrounding muck, where the other truck got stuck or the simple 3' incline to get out of the wash.
Pictures make it look all too easy. haha.
Without every effort there, this woudn't have been a success. We all got out of there together. But truth be told, you called me there to get stuck too. haha
Of course that is just simple, crude humor.
Stauy safe out there guys! Maye next passing will be on solid ground.
You guys were GREAT! Awesome all the way around.
The best I could illustrate was was with the Sat. picture that was shared. That "S" curve around the sandbar is was the defining picture for me tryimg to show where you were from the Sat. pictures
One thing none of the pictures show is the surrounding muck, where the other truck got stuck or the simple 3' incline to get out of the wash.
Pictures make it look all too easy. haha.
Without every effort there, this woudn't have been a success. We all got out of there together. But truth be told, you called me there to get stuck too. haha
Of course that is just simple, crude humor.
Stauy safe out there guys! Maye next passing will be on solid ground.
BPappas
Well-Known Member
Great pictures,it’s such a beautiful drive.View attachment 16749View attachment 16750View attachment 16751View attachment 16752
View attachment 16753View attachment 16754
These are for all the people who haven't been to Blue Notch. I'm not a professional photographer, so please be gentle.
After you leave Hwy 95 you'll look at the bluffs and wonder how the road even goes up them. It is a beautiful drive full of switch backs. Recently graded and VERY dusty right now
Then in 2.5 miles you are at the ridge. It is a must stop the first time your there to take in the views. You get an unobstructed view on both sides of the road. This is where the "big view" pictures were taken, but of course, the camera doesn't do it justice.
Once you start up again, you have some rocky, cliff roads for a mile or 2. Like I said, the road was recently graded so it wasn't to severe right now, but my feeling is this is not a part of the road you would want to be on while a good rain is happening. It is obvious this is a high drainage area. Right now, it is very easily passable.
Then you get down into the bottoms. You cross the wash several times. I think I counted 6 crossings. No rain/water right now and completely passable. Of couse, water could change all that very quickly.
The only spot where I felt the need for 4x4 this trip (just the drive down, not the rescue) was over the steep hill down by the original waters edge. It is steep but any decent 4x4 with good AT tires can do this little obstacle. If you're not sure how the road goes, you will need to get out and look at the crest because you cant see the road over your hood. There is a small curve to the road here but be careful and you'll be fine
It's too bad this is a National Park. It would be illegal for me to fire up the drone, put it in "follow me" mode and show some of the obstacles that way. Because, like the barneys said, there is a lot of air traffic and there are dangers of flying a drone in the park and that is why they are illegal. Just being a little facetious there.
In the last picture, I got to see the lake. Never made it there, but I did see water! haha
fishfry
Well-Known Member
I would love to be stuck in Blue Notch
Squirrel
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Be careful what you wish for, it could get pretty expensive. SqI would love to be stuck in Blue Notch
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