Moab Bronco Safari 2023 Scheduled For May 2-6

[broadicustomworks]

Hmm, I'm seeing no availability for Murphy on 4/30.

Yeah I'm sure they got snagged up quickly.
You'd be lucky to get anything this close to time.
The first available anything I see is Potato Bottom in mid May.
Might have to either regroup your plan or take your chances and camp in the Bronco along the way, hoping the authorities don't decide on a midnight run check on passes.
From what I can tell they can see pretty much all of the first half (from the Shafer end) from atop the mesa there at Dead Horse point.

EDIT: Google Earth, for all of its faults, gives you a pretty good indicator on what can be seen if you toggle back and forth with a map of White rim to compare the perspectives to in another tab.
I was surprised to see from atop the mesa that you can see as much as you can.
With a good pair of binoculars you'd be in the open there for getting looked at. IF they even had the desire to look.
Hard to say, buddy.
To me it seems as if once you get past Murphy's some it goes dark on the perspective side of things.
I also tend to think (with nothing to back it up other than gut feel) if you are taking care to tread lightly and behave you won't attract the wrong attention anyway.

FWIW also check out the rules and regs on Canyonlands. Very specific details on how you use "the facilities" while there.
I had to rethink and regroup my plan a bit once I got to delving into it. Pack a few more things than I intended to comply.

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[Tricky Dick]

Yeah I'm sure they got snagged up quickly.
You'd be lucky to get anything this close to time.
The first available anything I see is Potato Bottom in mid May.
Might have to either regroup your plan or take your chances and camp in the Bronco along the way, hoping the authorities don't decide on a midnight run check on passes.
From what I can tell they can see pretty much all of the first half (from the Shafer end) from atop the mesa there at Dead Horse point.

Looking like that idea is DOA. I don't want to do a 1 day push, and sleeping in the Bronco is not an option.

 

[broadicustomworks]

Looking like that idea is DOA. I don't want to do a 1 day push, and sleeping in the Bronco is not an option.

Yeah there is so much to do out there personally I would not want to tackle it in one day.
I detest being against the clock while out enjoying nature and scenery.
You could still maybe go down Shafer and over to Musselman arch, maybe via Long Bottom Trail on the way to the top of Shafer.
Still a good day of trails and scenery without the crowds.

 

[Bikeric]

Yeah there is so much to do out there personally I would not want to tackle it in one day.
I detest being against the clock while out enjoying nature and scenery.
You could still maybe go down Shafer and over to Musselman arch, maybe via Long Bottom Trail on the way to the top of Shafer.
Still a good day of trails and scenery without the crowds.

I was under the impression that they don't allow reservations, but instead open the availability to 25 people online and 25 people in-person 24 hours before??

Since you've been to Moab before, what are the Top 3 Must See items? If I don't catch them this trip I'll have to come back again in the future.

 

[broadicustomworks]

I was under the impression that they don't allow reservations, but instead open the availability to 25 people online and 25 people in-person 24 hours before??

Since you've been to Moab before, what are the Top 3 Must See items? If I don't catch them this trip I'll have to come back again in the future.

Well that's the tricky thing.
I have not been there before.
I've been immersing myself in research via the official sites as well as FB groups, blogs, YT videos for months, trying to just be as informed as I can be 30 hours from home.

I could not remember the max amount of visitors (vehicle passes) allowed, but seems to be 50...
Now of those, the people who have backcountry permits to camp overnight are automatically in.
Based on what I read they keep 25 available for first come-first served basis.

But those are only needed IF you get onto White Rim at the bottom of Shafer. If you go back to Moab via Potash Rd or whatever you can do Shafer and Potash to your heart's content without it.

Now in MY opinion, never been there and trying to plan a week-long (actual week in Moab plus driving time to and from), the big things for me are Hell's revenge, Fins, White Rim, and whatever else I can fit into it.
I wanted to do Chicken Corners but that looks to be an almost all-day deal in and back out for not a lot of specific scenery different from other trails.
IF you do decide to go up on the mesa there at Island of the sky, I would personally have to go to the point as far as the road would take me, and would want to see Thelma and Louise point just because.

I'm in no state or desire to do Metal Masher and stuff I'd want a dedicated rig for.
But at the same time, want more than a freshly graveled road can offer.
I'd like to do some Jeep Badge of Honor trails just because I can. I've done a few in the Bronco already and get the badges just to have as a memento.

 

[El Diablo]

If Murphy CG is not available then I will not do White Rim in this trip. Potash Road/Shafer Switchbacks as @Felix808 suggested or Shafer then White Rim to Lathrop Canyon and back might be what I'll end up doing. Looking at lodging now for that week.

 

[Felix808]

Got my MOAB check-in changed to 4-30, so good to go for Potash Rd/Shafer trail Monday 5-1

 

[goatman2]

Shafer Trail is a very nice route, and great if you've never been to Moab before. I love it and have done it many times. You want to start at the top, which is just short of the Canyonlands NP entrance. Also, you'll want to stop at Dead Horse Point on the way to start Shafer Trail. The route is 2wd all the way, and very scenic and it's cool to drop off the rim and drive down the switchbacks.

As far as must see things for a first timer, Shafer trail/Dead Horse Point could be on that list. Hell's Revenge or Fins and Things, Poison Spider Mesa, Moab Rim if really fun wheeling along with scenery is something you want (locker required), and if scenery more than wheeling is priority I'd add in Gemini Bridges and then down Long Canyon. Really, just about anything you do in Moab is pretty cool, can't go wrong with anything.

As far as White Rim in a day, it would not allow as much short side trips to see sights, and definitely a more steady pace rather than a relaxed pace. Though, too relaxed a pace and side trips, plus camping, would still require a long to cover 50+ miles a day. I would like to do White rim in a day for a couple of reasons....I want to see it, I don't want to camp, and I enjoy driving fast. So to me the pace would be fun as well as scenic. I'm not thinking about doing it this trip.

 

[sko]

Do you have to register for this event in May? Or just come as you are? If so I'm interested

 

[Bentpushrod]

I’m arriving 4/30 as well. Might be up for Schaefer/Potash, it was on my list when I was in Moab last July, but ran out of time, and never got to it.

 

[TheKim]

Do you have to register for this event in May? Or just come as you are? If so I'm interested

Register here -
https://www.broncosafari.com/
The sooner you book a room, the better.

Edit: A better link: https://www.broncosafari.com/WP/event-registration/

 

[Tricky Dick]

The 4/30 Schaefer/Potash run sounds like something I'm up for.

Now that we're getting into talk about specific days/trails, is there anyone handy with spreadsheets that can set us up a user editable tracker? Like this one but for happy stuff.

 

[Tricky Dick]

The 4/30 Schaefer/Potash run sounds like something I'm up for.

Now that we're getting into talk about specific days/trails, is there anyone handy with spreadsheets that can set us up a user editable tracker? Like this one but for happy stuff.

I'm starting on a spreadsheet now.

 

[TheKim]

I'm starting on a spreadsheet now.

I was just about to say - typically a Google Sheets or GSheets shouldn't be too bad to setup. Just back it up once in a while in case some ass hat decides to go in and wipe it for whatever reason, if you've got it set to "edit by all".

You could also run a poll instead and see what trails everyone is interested in, and include a description of each trail and difficulty rating.

 

[Bmadda]

I was already booked for 4/30 so I'm down!

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