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4Xploring Let's Explore the Back Country

2022 Fall Adventure Recap

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon
October 17-21, 2022

On this 5-day adventure, we had eleven 4×4 vehicles:  5 Jeep Gladiators, 1 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 1 Jeep Wrangler JL, 1 Jeep Wrangler JL Unlimited, 1 Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited, 1 Jeep Wrangler LJ (TJ Unlimited) and 1 Power Wagon.  This was an *extremely* remote adventure, with nearly 400 miles between gas stations on the first and last day.  We had to bring a trailer full of fuel to accommodate everyone.

 

Day 1 started by leaving Mesquite, Nevada and heading into the Grand Parashant National Monument. Early on we hit a rocky and steep trail called Lime Kiln Pass, then it was on to Whitney Pass. After that we meandered our way over to one of the most challenging trails in the Arizona Strip: Grand Gulch Canyon. From there we visited the old Grand Gulch Mine and we camped at the Grand Gulch Mine airstrip, where we had a fabulous Korean meal of Beef Bulgogi with a gigantic chocolate chip cookie and ice cream for dessert.

The vehicles at a stop along the way
The vehicles at a stop along the way
Mickey getting some love
Mickey getting some love
Crawling up Grand Gulch Canyon
Crawling up Grand Gulch Canyon
An old hauler at the Grand Gulch Mine
An old hauler at the Grand Gulch Mine
A Korean dish of Beef Bulgogi
A Korean dish of Beef Bulgogi
Grand Gulch Mine airstrip sunset
Grand Gulch Mine airstrip sunset

 

Day 2 started out with another fantastic breakfast from the 4Xploring crew, this time consisting of biscuits and gravy, before heading out further into the Arizona Strip. We stopped to visit an old abandoned ranch, before moving on to see our first views of the Grand Canyon. We set up camp for the night at the fabulous Twin Point overlook, where we had a phenomenal meal of lasagna, with cherry cobbler for dessert!

Biscuits and gravy breakfast
Biscuits and gravy breakfast
Off to the Grand Canyon
Off to the Grand Canyon
Just one of the many incredible views on this trip
Just one of the many incredible views on this trip
A sense of scale
A sense of scale
Sitting on the edge of the Grand Canyon
Sitting on the edge of the Grand Canyon
Dutch oven baked lasagna
Dutch oven baked lasagna

 

Day 3 started out with a breakfast of sausage pinwheels at Twin Point overlook before starting the long trek to Kelly Point. Along the way we stopped to hike out to Twin Creek Viewpoint and then stopped to visit the old Waring Ranch, before making our way on the trail out to Kelly Point, which was about 25 miles long, with much of it being VERY rough, bumpy and pinstripey. Dinner was Hungarian goulash with beer bread, with dessert being chocolate brownie and ice cream.

Sausage pinwheels for breakfast
Sausage pinwheels for breakfast
Fuel trailer
Fuel trailer
Off to the Grand Canyon
Off to the Grand Canyon
Waring Ranch
Waring Ranch
Kelly Point
Kelly Point
Chocolate Brownie for dessert!
Chocolate Brownie for dessert!
 
Day 4 started out at Kelly Point with a scrumptious breakfast of blueberry pancakes and sausages before making the long trek back up from Kelly Point back onto the Arizona Strip. On the way out we stopped to visit the historic Shanley Cabin, which actually still has glass in some of the windows. From there we made the journey over to another overlook near a ranch and an airstrip, where you could get down lower into the canyon to very clearly see the Colorado river. Dinner that night was chicken pot pie with pineapple upside down cake for dessert!
Blueberry pancakes
Blueberry pancakes
Gladiator at the Grand Canyon
Gladiator at the Grand Canyon
Heading down to the Colorado river
Heading down to the Colorado river
The Colorado River facing east
The Colorado River facing east
The Colorado River facing south
The Colorado River facing south
Pineapple upside down cake
Pineapple upside down cake
 
Day 5 began at the overlook just above the Colorado river with a 4Xploring breakfast favorite: Cowboy Waffle Bake. From there we started heading back towards civilization, first stopping at the historic Mount Trumbull school house. After that we stopped to see the ancient Nampaweap petroglyphs, followed by our last stop of the trip, to see some extremely rare color pictographs. From there we made the long trek back to civilization.
Cowboy Waffle Bake for breakfast
Cowboy Waffle Bake for breakfast
The FJ Cruiser found an epic camping spot
The FJ Cruiser found an epic camping spot
Barrel cactii and lava rock
Barrel cactii and lava rock
The historic Mount Trumbull school house
The historic Mount Trumbull school house
Nampaweap petroglyphs
Nampaweap petroglyphs
Color pictographs
Color pictographs
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