It's been a difficult season for skiing: little snow and big crowds. With my knee acting up from time to time, it has been frustrating to keep pushing forward. All is forgiven today.
Read MoreATV ride to Red Hills, North. Parowan Gap - UT, quad
Another route spur and I decided to give it a try. This trail is in the shade and consequently has large snowdrifts. I have fun spinning the tires and try to follow the route. It soon crosses another path that I recognize as the trial I need to reach Red Hills.
Read MoreLittle Virgin Peak. Whitney Pocket - NV, quad (Gold Butte National monument)
The Backcountry Byway of Gold Butte National Monument is a massive 90-mile loop through the park. It circles through Whitney Pocket, the old township of Gold Butte, and follows the Lime Canyon Wilderness area, border back toward the main Gold Butte road.
Read MoreBlack Knolls. Purgatory Canyon - AZ, quad
On the northern face of the large cairn, I find an epitaph of sorts indicating that this individual has spent "55 years of searching.”
Read MoreRed Cliffs Conservation Area ATV ride, Babylon Arch, UNP 3980. Hurricane - UT, quad
I enter through a gate in the fence and follow the well-worn path, which quickly spiders in dozens of directions. Of the information I did read, not being able to follow the trail was the largest complaint.
Read MoreATV ride to Starvation Point. Purgatory Canyon - AZ, quad
Viewpoints exist along the trail, each more remarkable than the last. Starvation Point resides along the southern side of the rising mountain ridge before dropping into the web of canyons created by the Virgin River.
Read MoreColor Country ATV Trail P17 & UNP 7076. Dry Willow Peak - UT, quad
UNP 7076 is an actual peak, meaning the mountain rises on all sides towards a point. I won't be walking around a plateau looking for the highest elevation; I will arrive at the end when I step onto the summit—my favorite kind of peak to climb.
Read MorePanaca, NV ATV trail system and Cathedral Gorge. Panaca - NV, quad
Finishing my lunch, I take a look into the slot canyons. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but towering walls of dried mud 30-50 feet tall wasn't one of them. It is stunning, and I jocky to get a good picture that will show even a resemblance of the fantastic place.
Read MoreLogandale ATV Ride, N 104 E Benchmark, Valley of Fire State Park. Weiser Ridge - NV, quad
I don't have a plan today; I want to ride a few of the trails, find possible camping sites, and summit a peak or two that I have identified in the area if I can. I start the ATV and continue down the well-maintained gravel road.
Read MoreATV ride to Jodey Point, Jodey Point Summit. Slickrock Bench - UT, quad.
Jodey Point is a minor bump on the plateau compared to the towering cliffs surrounding Rock Springs Bench. I maneuver my ATV under some Juniper Trees and text Linda that I am beginning my summit attempt. Fifteen minutes later, I send her the "I reached the summit" text message.
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