Route advice please!

[Cummins12V98]

We will be heading from the PalmSprings, CA area in a few days and heading to Elkhart, IN to the MorRyde Factory for an appointment the middle of next week.

The route East thru Oklahoma City and the higher route thru Denver over are the same mileage. What route would you take and why. I am concerned about weather.

Thanks!!!

 

[JR]

Can't offer much advice West of Wyoming but I can tell you my folks in Laramie have been getting sporadic snow squalls ranging from a few inches to shut the roads down and wait it out. Much of I-80 through Wyo is around 8k ft give or take so expect the unexpected this time of year. Higher elevations have several feet of snow yet, even lower elevations around Laramie got a good squall just last night.

If you are in the southern part of the state (not familiar with California) you may be safer staying further south until you get through the Rockies.

Good luck and be safe!

 

[NIsaacs]

I am concerned about weather.

Thanks!!!

Take the southern route, the highest mountain range is about 7500'

It is uphill all the way to Vegas, Utah and Denver with mountain ranges over 10k', I assume you are towing your RV?

Nick

 

[RVTRKN]

I-15 to the I-70, you'll have the best sights along the 70 until you drop into Kansas after leaving Denver. Make sure to stop at all the POI if your into Indian jewelry or pottery. You'll be going through the Great San Rafeal Reef. Also while along the 15 you'll be near Brice and Zion National parks. If sights are what you like, then stay the night in Richfield Utah, that way you get to drive through the prettiest country you'll ever see. Good luck on your trip.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I think it is probably smart to go the Southern route and the first of June return the upper route and take our time, the wife likes "shiny things" !

Anyone know where we would find Ponderosa Pine needles laying on the forest floor that would be easy to collect? The wife wants to try making Pine Needle baskets and they have the long needles that work best.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[RVTRKN]

It's actually better for the return trip through the 70, that way you'll be looking into the Great San Rafeal reef rather than away from. FWIW, stop at Green River and find a tourist map of POI's before going through. I missed a couple of areas I wasn't aware of when I returned from Grand Junction CO and took the northern route to Salt Lake. When we stopped at Price Utah for lunch I saw a tourist map of the 70 between Green River and Richfield and was dissapointed that we missed a couple of POI.

 

[kthaxton]

It's actually better for the return trip through the 70, that way you'll be looking into the Great San Rafeal reef rather than away from. FWIW, stop at Green River and find a tourist map of POI's before going through. I missed a couple of areas I wasn't aware of when I returned from Grand Junction CO and took the northern route to Salt Lake. When we stopped at Price Utah for lunch I saw a tourist map of the 70 between Green River and Richfield and was dissapointed that we missed a couple of POI.

I realize I'm splitting hairs here...it is likely because I spend a lot of time there and I feel it is important to avoid any confusion....

It is called the "San Rafael Swell" (no "Great") and only the rock formation on its east edge is referred to as a "reef".

 

[BarryG]

Ahhh the San Rafeal Reef and the Swell. The reef has some great hiking and sights as does the Swell. There are some great things to see. If nothing else do the pull offs on the freeway to see the views. If it were me and I had the time I would park the RV in Green River for a night or two and explore the Reef and Swell form there. The Powell Museum in Green River is worth checking out. Black Dragon Canyon, not the viewpoint on the freeway but just before that you can turn off the freeway open the gate and drive back there for some great pictographs no rvs there though but is only a mile or less off the freeway truck can make it no problem. Head of Sinbad north and south for more fantastic pictograph panels on the top of the Swell as is Swazey cabin, Rochester Creek Panels, Buckhorn Gulch road drives up through the Swell with a myriad of panels just on the sides of the road, dinosaur footprint, The Wedge Overlook also known as the little Grand Canyon of Utah The Prehistoric Museum in Price is worth checking out. Goblin Valley, Little Wildhorse Canyon and Bell Canyon make a nice loop through two albeit short and lackluster but decent slot canyons that are easy no special skills required for them. Too many to list if you want more slot canyons some require substantial equipment and skills others do not. The lsit goes on and on for POI's there.
Here is couple resources
http://www.castlecountry.com/San-Rafael-Swell
http://utah.com/san-rafael
http://sanrafaelswellguide.com/
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/swell/

 

[kthaxton]

I prefer camping IN the swell.

We just camped near Head of Sinbad for a couple nights last month before moving camp to Moab for the week. We took our RZR on The Devil's Racetrack, it's been about 15 years since we did TDRT, so much fun in a RZR!

My favorite place to camp is the Temple Mountain area, on the backside of the reef on the way to Crack Canyon.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Ahhh the San Rafeal Reef and the Swell. The reef has some great hiking and sights as does the Swell. There are some great things to see. If nothing else do the pull offs on the freeway to see the views. If it were me and I had the time I would park the RV in Green River for a night or two and explore the Reef and Swell form there. The Powell Museum in Green River is worth checking out. Black Dragon Canyon, not the viewpoint on the freeway but just before that you can turn off the freeway open the gate and drive back there for some great pictographs no rvs there though but is only a mile or less off the freeway truck can make it no problem. Head of Sinbad north and south for more fantastic pictograph panels on the top of the Swell as is Swazey cabin, Rochester Creek Panels, Buckhorn Gulch road drives up through the Swell with a myriad of panels just on the sides of the road, dinosaur footprint, The Wedge Overlook also known as the little Grand Canyon of Utah The Prehistoric Museum in Price is worth checking out. Goblin Valley, Little Wildhorse Canyon and Bell Canyon make a nice loop through two albeit short and lackluster but decent slot canyons that are easy no special skills required for them. Too many to list if you want more slot canyons some require substantial equipment and skills others do not. The lsit goes on and on for POI's there.
Here is couple resources
http://www.castlecountry.com/San-Rafael-Swell
http://utah.com/san-rafael
http://sanrafaelswellguide.com/
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/swell/

Thank you for the links and everyone for all the suggestions. Nice to hear from people that have been there and done that!

Can't wait we have not been East of an imaginary line from Western SD down to West Texas.

 

[NIsaacs]

Can't wait we have not been East of an imaginary line from Western SD down to West Texas.

That's far enough east, they have Tornado's east of that line and humidity....:-laf

Also, don't drink the water in Green River...I got sick'ern heck there last year, I blamed the water but really wasn't sure...it took two weeks for me to get over it. The river was in flood stage at the time so.....

NICK

 

[RVTRKN]

Sorry about the "Great", but it's a sight to behold. The most interesting fact about the Reef is, before the construction of the 70, you could touch both sides of the crayon walls at the same time as you went through it. Could you imagine what the tree huggers would say if they were to do it today. In 2014 we purposely traveled through there and stayed in Grand Junction just to see the sights. Then returned through it, but had to take the cutoff towards Price, on the return. I'm hoping to get a few Guys, or Gals, together and ride on some Harley's, or other bikes, through that area. The last time I rode near it, I was on a time schedule and to be in Saint Goerge for a HOG rally, and stayed in Richfield.

 

[kthaxton]

One needs to stay in, and explore the Swell, not just drive through it!

 

[Cummins12V98]

Watching the weather on TV last night made me a bit nervous going thru OK and surrounding areas. Will be keeping a close look at the forecast, we are heading out tomorrow am. I think I will put in a long day tomorrow just incase we have to sit for a day.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Had a nice hail storm in Foss, OK last night. The hail was the size of marbles. A gal that was visiting said she had 5 tiny dents when she looked today. I have not looked at my truck.

 

[MMeier]

How did it fare ?

 

[RVTRKN]

When I went through Kansas back in 07 to get my B&W bed installed on my C&C, I was woried about the very issue with hail. It was early April and the weather was closing in on Chanute Kansas when I was leaving. I got lucky with the hail, but when in Colorado, I had to leave early and couldn't stop until Richfield Utah. A snow storm was arriving in the Rockies and I was staying two nights in Breckenridge Co. for some skiing, so I had to lose the prepaid reservation at the hotel and get out quick. I did beat the storm, but I did have to drive through the early arrival of it, and along the I-70, it snowed all the way going west, I was afraid of the the I-70 closing.

 

[Cummins12V98]

So far I see no dents!

 

[NIsaacs]

We will be heading from the PalmSprings, CA area in a few days and heading to Elkhart, IN to the MorRyde Factory for an appointment the middle of next week.

Any update? What exactly are you having done to your RV?

Nick

 

[Cummins12V98]

Went to MORryde and ended up having a 3" spacer added to get the rV to ride level.

DRV is doing a lot of little things and some paint issues.