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| San Rafael Swell Part 2, UT | | -
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| | San Rafael Swell Part 2, UT | | | |
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San Rafael Swell Part 2, UT
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| no partners | | This was the favorite part of my trip. It certainly did not start out that way. My initial foray into the area was a failure due to my not following directions closely and thinking I could wing it. I left frustrated, and went to a nearby area to a canyon I will call the Eroded Rock Formation canyon. Along the way some large boulders with snake petroglyphs on them, one quite large, and then a windy road into a canyon that looked like nothing from a distance; an optical illusion. This canyon had quite the selection of eroded into weird shapes rocks, and some interesting rock art, which appeared to have multiple artists and origins involved. I enjoyed the discovery work and the scramble to walk on the ledges and the bushwacking in the heavily vegetated bottom. I car camped near there again with a big view and windy, but was inside so no matter.
The next day I had to go back. I followed my directions very carefully, studying the map also. The only way I got to the destination was noting a road coming in across the river, I knew the area was just opposite there. I did not check the road as carefully as I should have, despite notations of a bad road. At the top of a hill I thought " this doesn't look too bad". Well, the top was undercut and I dropped the front end of the Toyota down several feet. Fortunately I was creeping it. Once I got my teeth out of the steering wheel, nothing to do but go on down slowly.
I decided I would deal with getting out later.
I drove to the TH, the view across the small river of pastoral farming country and derelict barns and a cabin or two. I left the Toyota with a camera and walked south. The country fairly open with small trees and scattered area of slickrock and dirt. Started studying the ground, esp in the areas of heavy varnish on the rock. Nothing. I walked on out, getting discouraged. Coming back, noted a few cairns here and there. And near the cairns were what I sought. Petroglyphs of sandals. On the rock like you would walk. One here, one there, two over there, then nothing for a while, then another slightly different style. Culminating in a grouping about a mile from the car, on a narrow varnish rock, no different than hundreds other. I spent time " hunting" for others, no more but did find some old purple glass from a medicine bottle, and some really cool rocks. This was like a carved ceremonial trail. The sandal representation seemed pretty true to life from maybe a size 6-10 foot for modern times. I thought this was so cool, I have never seen anything like it.
A great car camp listening to the birds and the water flow in the evening. Next morning I went down to the river, for the pictograph hunt. You could see some from the car camp rim. The bottom was wild, brushy and active. Lots of birds, animal cries, etc. Near one panel I disturbed an owl family and had to take some pictures of them, one owlet acting sort of comically although I know I scared him/her unintentionally.
Brush was over my head in spots, and of course you had to go through it to either cross the creek or get to the rock walls to look for art work. I saw some scattered bones, then the haunches of a deer, not too old the kill. Growling in the brush almost unnerved me since I really could not see more than a few feet around in the dense growth. I finally thrashed using my trekking poles and yelled " Shut the """ up" and the growling stopped and the cat or whatever slunk away, no movement or noise of movement in the brush.
I found the panel I sought. It was up high, you cannot climb to it. I appeared some moron had taken a BB gun or .22 cal to it though. The panel is large, although photos do not show that. I loved the theme and presentation. The art work in this general area is really neat and not the norm of other places I have been in Utah such as Grand Gulch. I just stared at it. I seemed magnificent to me. I moved on, found other things, but nothing like that.
I enjoyed the creek, so dry this year at home. Birds flew around me, hundreds of nests on the walls. Later, even had some bats cruise by.
Late, but I decided to try and drive out. I also looked over some non road options, but I did not want to be that gal. I ended up rigging a snatch block and dragging with the winch and tow rope some large rocks to make big steps for the Toyota. I filled in with smaller rock, of which there was plenty. I lowered the air pressure in the tires more, and put it in 4 lo and locked the rear diff. Take a deep breath, pick your line and do not hesitate. I knew once I got the front end up I should have it. And so I did. I looked at the rock stack and I had done a fair job, only one was pushed out and down the hill.
I stopped at the top of the hill and looked back. Such a insignificant little area, but very satisfying for me. I would not mind coming back here and exploring more. And parking at the top of the hill and camping in the junipers this time.
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