Pastafari 2011

[JLRockies]

Pastafari is an expedition through the most remote district of Canyonlands NP which will span 4 days and 3 nights in May. We are fully permitted with the NPS and we have an excellent team assembled so far. Due to the remoteness of the area, limited authorized sites and the need for group cohesion this trip is limited to 9 vehicles by permit regulations. When I announced this even on LOST, we had 5 vehicles confirm and 3 maybe after Day 1.

The admins oven on LOST have given us our own section for Pastafari which is being set up as I type this. http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=142

If you're sure that you can go then tell me that you're "all in".

If you do go, I promise you will have an adventure unlike most imagine and it will transform you forever.

Here's some info on The Maze District: http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/maze.htm

We also have a facebook group set up as well.

 

[JLRockies]

An update:

We now have 6 vehicles confirmed, which leaves 3 openings.

 

[JLRockies]

Pastafari FAQ

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7421925/

 

[JLRockies]

Update: there are now only two spots left open.

 

[JLRockies]

Update: there is now only one spot left...

 

[JLRockies]

Update: as of 12/27 there are no more openings on the permits. There is an alternate list with 3 names on it so far.

 

[JLRockies]

Update: we had a cancellation so there's room for 1 vehicle on the permit.

 

[JLRockies]

Update: as of 4/9 there are no more openings on the permits. There is an alternate list with 3 names on it so far.

 

[yellocoyote]

Pictures!

Getting ready to run!

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The Illinois fellas...

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Stopped to air down and for CB antenna repair...

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And a quick look around...

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Back on the... um, road...

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9 arrive at the ranger station

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And we pay a little homage to our missing Durangotang (wish you were here)...

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We headed out on Flint Trail to find our respective camp sites.

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We had 'roommates' at the North Point campsite...

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And for being at the least-desirable campsite, our view of things wasn't too shabby.

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The homestead...

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And as the sun went down, the Utah desert transformed into a breathtaking array of colors!

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The rest of the Day 1 album can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150627369250052.686371.851890051&l=ff2c990f74

More later...

 

[Dave]

That is just awesome Jayme.

Dave

 

[yellocoyote]

Day 2 shots...

Looking down from atop the ridge at the road in which we'll be navigating soon...

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The group stops to look and take this photo opportunity...

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The descent...

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Nice views from here.

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Trailboss leads the way...

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With the rest of us in tow.

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We navigate some obstacles - some not so hard, and some that were challenging - all the while watching out for each other (the stocker did great, btw... making great use of the skids and rails).

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As we get closer and closer to our final destination for the day, we see some of the more notable landmarks...

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The Wall

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Standing Rock

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Until finally the groups split off into their campsites for the evening.
The trail that leads into Dollhouse camp #1

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Our camp included our own personal windows... 8)

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Our donor vehicle for the week (thanks to JL)...

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And the various views from the end of our canyon.

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Before turning in, we wandered over to see our neighbors at Dollhouse camp #2 just on the other side of the canyon wall.

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Remainder of Day 2 images can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150627891020052.686500.851890051&l=dc1a9f6a07

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Beautiful pics, I always look forward to them.

 

[OneOneNiner]

Aaron: Seriously dude, stop messing around! Now are you gonna bring me back my keys or what?
For realz, I got a cold grape powerade with your name on it......

MountainGoat: Naaaaaaaaa

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Nice pics Jaym.

 

[yellocoyote]

Day 3 photos:

Dollhouse Camp #1 started by making preparations for the day ahead...

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In way of fuel for the Toyota...

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And the other important additive... COFFEE!

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The area wasn't too shabby looking by the light of the morning.

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The group gathers and heads back out the way we came in yesterday... and all commented on how it really didn't feel like the same trail, having to work the obstacles backwards. But as the day before, everyone did great escaping the Maze.

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And so begins the trek from the highway out to Lake Powell!

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There's the lake... but it's still a long way off.

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Taking in the sights.

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And we drive...

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Until we finally reach our desired campground. Reaching the campground wasn't without issue, or near-death experience (I hate that guy on the quad!), but we all made it and got settled in. A few of us even enjoyed a cold, yet refreshing dip in the lake. 8)

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This site was nice for a few reasons... but mostly because we could have a campfire, and this was the first time in the entire trip that we could all camp together instead of splitting into groups.

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The sun sets again over camp Lake Powell.

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All photos from this day can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150628917005052.686838.851890051&l=4e5fbb7992

 

[yellocoyote]

Day 4!

The official 2011 Pastafarian Line-Up!

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The drive away from Lake Powell...

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The front half of the group stopped for a break in a shady spot to wait for MtnLuvr and others who stopped to assist him with his steering rack woes.

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We've deemed this look as Moab Camoflauge... where's audioboy86? eek2.gif

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Oh, here he is! lol3.gif His newly acquired front-end 'paint job' made him difficult to see at times. Luckily he was between other vehicles, so we knew he had to be in there... somewhere.

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The back of the pack comes around the bend with the KK's steering rack held together with ratchet straps.

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I think we lost audioboy86 again. Wait - no...he's there. Another Where's Waldo photo.

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And a comparative analyisis photo between the CRD's - bugnout's lifted vs. METCRD's stock.

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From here, it was back out onto the highway. A few split off to head home or to other areas, but the majority of the gang went back into Moab to get cleaned up and for the long-awaited dinner at Pasta Jay's (oh, so good!).


All the photos from this day can be seen here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150628969055052.686850.851890051&l=e8a5e4be34


This was a fantastic trip... for me, it's up there as one of the top 2 I've done to date (the other being Ouray 2009). I hope we get the opportunity to go again sometime. And a special note and thank you to JL Rockies for the use of his CRD - without that generous offer, we would have stayed home to watch for trip reports. Props to you, sir.



**on a side note, we, kskj and JL did take the day after Pastafari ended to run Elephant Hill. And the day following that, we and JL ran part of White Rim Trail out to Musselman's Arch. Photos of both are coming. **

 

[HoosierJeeper]

How do you like the CRD?

 

[yellocoyote]

I thought it would be a lot different than my gasser, but it wasn't as much as I thought (outside of mileage, of course). I think maybe part of the reason is because of the 4.10's that I had put in my KJ. Who knows.

It was fun to drive, and did have a bit more power. There are pros and cons to both, and the bigger con that I noticed with his CRD vs my gasser was lift height (certainly noticable out on the trails). Mine is taller, and the ride is a lot firmer. But I could get use to the fuel economy that he has.

Truth be told, I really wish I could have had my KJ there... but I'm super-grateful that he was willing to loan his out so we could experience the trip.

 

[yellocoyote]

Most of the group headed for home or other destinations after the Pastafari expedition part of the trip. We stuck around with JL and kskj to run Elephant Hill on Sunday. I'd never driven it before, and kskj already had just before Pastafari (so he handed over the driving this time around to his son, Taylor).

On the highway en route to Canyonlands and the Elephant Hill trailhead

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The first ascent at Elephant Hill - it looks more intimidating in person...

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Taylor gets a little front-wheel air... :shock:

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The attachment of the famed Pink Shovel - Taylor appears a little perplexed at the mechanics of cable ties... :lol:

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Navigating the trails

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Lots of nifty petroglyphs in the area too.

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Confluence Point

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Taylor navigates a steep descent down this rock with a wayward JK watching in the background (he wasn't part of our group).

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All photos from this day can be viewed here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150629114130052.686907.851890051&l=b75af8adfe

 

[yellocoyote]

This was the last day (morning) in the Moab area. The plan was to drive White Rim Trail out to Musselman's Arch for some photos, and then to Island in the Sky by way of Shaffer Trail before hopping back out onto the highway to return to Salt Lake.

At Musselman's Arch, JL Rockies doing his best "Y" impression from the YMCA song. lol3.gif

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Aaron takes off towards the arch...

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We both posed too...

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Views from the arch...

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Heading up Shaffer Trail...

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Can you find the Yota in this picture? eek2.gif

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We got back into Salt Lake City (Draper), and transplanted our gear back into Aaron's van from the CRD and said our good bye's. We stopped for dinner before heading out of town... and this place caught our eye before we went to Moab, so we had to stop. Great pizza, BTW.

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It had been our intention to stay off of the interstates/major highways until we got near Nebraska ('cause there's nothing cool to see there anyway ), and mapped a way through another national park...

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Only to find out that the road that goes all the way through the park was closed due to washout. We drove in a way anyways to have a look around.

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We stopped after dark at a rest stop to sleep. We'd be taking the scenic route through Utah and Colorado tomorrow.



All photos from this day can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150629215455052.686959.851890051&l=324fdfed63

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Awesome pics.

There was a NYPD pizza back in FL, good place, but nothing compares to good ol' Chicago pizza.