55 replies to this topic

[dsrtrat]

Gene I hope you are right. I have been pretty involved in this issue for a while and the mining companies have thrown a lot of money around at the local and national level. I urge anyone who loves these wild areas to become informed on this issue and support the proposed withdrawal. I'll step down off the soapbox now.
Dsrtrat

I am thinking with the nuclear tragedy going on in Japan and many countries stopping, even reversing their nuclear policies, uranium prices are about to crash. Hopefully, a final nail in the coffin to the uranium industry.

[ski3pin]

MarkBC, just showed the Lady your post about Toroweap. She got excited. I believe you may have just changed our spring break plans in April. Happy travels.

[dsrtrat]

Just a heads up.

There are only 9 single and 1 group campsites at Toroweap. They usually fill up in the spring. If you plan on camping there try to get there before noon after the previous days campers have left. If you can't find a spot you will have to backtrack past the park boundry and camp on BLM land. Toroweap is a fine place to spend a couple of days, plan on about a 3 hour drive from the paved 89a. While in the area Pipe Springs National Monument is worth a visit, it's just down the road from the turn off to Toroweap. Gas is also cheaper at the tribal run station at Pipe Springs than in the Kanab area, fill up before you head out to the strip.

The Lava falls trail is a real grinder, if you do it take plenty of water and leave early, there is no shade of any kind on this trail and it is fully exposed to the afternoon sun.
Dsrtrat

http://www.nps.gov/g...isit/tuweep.htm

MarkBC, just showed the Lady your post about Toroweap. She got excited. I believe you may have just changed our spring break plans in April. Happy travels.

[MarkBC]

The Lava falls trail is a real grinder, if you do it take plenty of water and leave early, there is no shade of any kind on this trail and it is fully exposed to the afternoon sun.
Dsrtrat

When I did that hike (back in '94, as I said) it mainly struck me that the trail was in poor condition...like, washed out in places and merged with an erosion gully in others! I still thought it was worth it, though!

Dsrtrat (or others who've been there in recent years): is the trail still bad? Steep of course, that's to be expected given where it is -- but besides steep, is it in poor condition?
Given the lousy funding to National Parks, I can't imagine that a remote trail like that is in better condition than when I was there...

[dsrtrat]

Marc,

I have done it within the last year.The trail is classified as a route and as such is not maintained. The worst parts are like hiking on marbles as the scree is very loose and unstable. If you decide to do it talk to the Tod the Toroweap ranger about the conditions. Lot's of falls and injuries, one death in the last couple of years. There is also the Whitmore trail that is much less steep and goes to the river. You have to take a different road into the trailhead than the Toroweap road but it is still in the area. You cross quite a bit of sharp lava on these roads so go slow to save your tires.
Dsrtrat

When I did that hike (back in '94, as I said) it mainly struck me that the trail was in poor condition...like, washed out in places and merged with an erosion gully in others! I still thought it was worth it, though!

Dsrtrat (or others who've been there in recent years): is the trail still bad? Steep of course, that's to be expected given where it is -- but besides steep, is it in poor condition?
Given the lousy funding to National Parks, I can't imagine that a remote trail like that is in better condition than when I was there...

[MarkBC]

Marc,
I have done it within the last year.The trail is classified as a route and as such is not maintained. The worst parts are like hiking on marbles as the scree is very loose and unstable. If you decide to do it talk to the Tod the Toroweap ranger about the conditions. Lot's of falls and injuries, one death in the last couple of years. There is also the Whitmore trail that is much less steep and goes to the river. You have to take a different road into the trailhead than the Toroweap road but it is still in the area. You cross quite a bit of sharp lava on these roads so go slow to save your tires.
Dsrtrat

OK, so it sounds like the condition is no better (and maybe worse) than when I did the route 17 years ago -- yep, marbles-on-a-steep-slope is how I remember it. But you did it and didn't die, right? Anyway...this trip I'm more-likely to pass on it because my current aerobic fitness isn't what it should be...we'll see.

After I did that hike back in the good old days I read the trailhead register and saw entries by a group of frat boys using foul language to rant about how sh!tty the trail was. I remember thinking how uncool it was to write stuff like that in a public register that little kids might read...and patting myself on the back 'cause I didn't think it was all that bad.

(BTW: On WTW, only guys who own XPCampers spell their name as "Marc"...I'm Mark. )
Thanks for the info, dsrtrat.

[ski3pin]

Just a heads up.

There are only 9 single and 1 group campsites at Toroweap. They usually fill up in the spring. If you plan on camping there try to get there before noon after the previous days campers have left. If you can't find a spot you will have to backtrack past the park boundry and camp on BLM land. Toroweap is a fine place to spend a couple of days, plan on about a 3 hour drive from the paved 89a. While in the area Pipe Springs National Monument is worth a visit, it's just down the road from the turn off to Toroweap. Gas is also cheaper at the tribal run station at Pipe Springs than in the Kanab area, fill up before you head out to the strip.

The Lava falls trail is a real grinder, if you do it take plenty of water and leave early, there is no shade of any kind on this trail and it is fully exposed to the afternoon sun.
Dsrtrat

dsrtrat, thanks for the great information. This is how we're thinking also. Although this is a remote area, we will probably get there during the prime season. Thanks for the ideas on plan b's and gas info. It's appreciated, thanks!
We will find the Whitmore Trail on our topos.

[MarkBC]

dsrtrat, thanks for the great information. This is how we're thinking also. Although this is a remote area, we will probably get there during the prime season. Thanks for the ideas on plan b's and gas info. It's appreciated, thanks!
We will find the Whitmore Trail on our topos.

ski -
When are you going there?

[ski3pin]

ski -
When are you going there?

The Lady's spring break is the 16th to the 23rd.

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

The Lady's spring break is the 16th to the 23rd.

Too bad, it looks like I will miss you guys

Have fun, though!