Onion Creek, Rose Garden Hill, and Top of the World
We got an opportunity to go back to Moab this year so we jumped on it and hooked up with some South Texas Jeepers that had a room available. The planning started almost right after we got back from our March Moab trip, so the anticipation of returning was brutal! We have not wheeled Moab any later than March so we prepped the Jeep with overheat goodies along with other tools and supplies. The scenery, amazing! The sun, HOT! The trails, well, IT’S MOAB for goodness sake!
Day 1 started with an early rise so we could hit a couple of off-road shops in search of a forgotten sunshade that was left back in Texas. That problem was solved, then we were off to get gas and ice. Our first day trail set was Onion Creek to Rose Garden Hill and on to Top of the World. Our group for the day consisted of a Can-Am, 2 JK 4 Doors, a TJ, and a Chevy Blazer. We trailered the Can-Am and the Blazer since the trailhead was over 25 miles from the house. Once at the trailhead, we aired down and got set to hit the trails.
Onion Creek is a great starting option with a low trail rating. There are several small water crossing that didn’t disappoint with the recent rains. Jonathan took the Cam-Am out front to get some fresh air and some speed runs. His wife Katie drove her JKU Rubicon as our lead on Onion Creek. I was second followed by Chris in his built TJ, then Derek in his trail modified Blazer. Once in the sand meadow of Onion Creek past the stinky sulfur spring, both Jonathan and Katie opened up their rigs for some sand fun. Small problem, I had the map. We stopped at our turn to Rose Garden Hill as we watched the dust trail for our two leaders disappear in the distance. We hopped on the CB and reeled them back in to join us at the turnoff.
The start of Rose Garden Hill has a lot of trails that leaves you wondering when you will get to “the hill”. Once you make the final turns in the valley, you see the ominous climb not too far ahead. We waited in the valley to get the group together and survey the hill. Jonathan decided he would start the challenge in the Can-Am. The little machine bopped right up to the loose boulders to the first slick rock shelf where he turned off and waited to spot. Derek was next in the Blazer. He set his transfer in low, not sure if he used his doubler to get up. We watched from the bottom as the blue beast climbed to the top without much problem. Next, Chris and I decided to sandwich Katie in between us with me leading and him tailing. We went as a group and they stopped at the first ledge while I climbed out of the top. Katie was next up the ledges and handled it flawlessly! Chris found a nice hard route for some fun up the ledges. We then watched Jonathan tackle the hardest part of Rose Garden Hill in the Can-Am. At the top, we took a break to check out the view and get snacks and drinks.
After Rose Garden Hill we had a decent trail ride ahead of us to get to Top of the World. We wound our way through Fisher Valley and Seven Mile Canyon until we reached the trail for Top of the World. We climbed the Top of the World trail to the Y-intersection and chose the left route up instead of the traditional right safari route up. Once at the top everybody got their pose on for photos on top of the world. We ate a bite for lunch and then planned to head down. About the time we were ready to depart we noticed we had two problems with different rigs. Derek’s tie rod adjustment bung had come loose at the weld and was going to be sketchy getting down. Chris had noticed rear control arm issues but wasn’t concerned of a break.
On the way down Derek’s tie rod end separated from the tie rod bar leaving him with no steering. He engineered a fix with Gorilla tape, 2 box end wrenches, and a ratchet strap to maintain the pressure on the steering knuckles. Chris stopped to help out and realized his rear sway bar had let go. A bolt-on the torsion rod spline clamp had sheared off and let the sway bar end fall off the torsion rod. He was able to flip the sway bar end and tighten the bolt enough to get it down the hill to us. Derek made it to us and then took the lead so we could watch his rig steering work-not-work. About a mile down the trail the tie rod separated again. This time we plugged the end back in the bung and used 3 ratchet straps to keep the rod from coming apart again, and wrapped the Gorilla tape with a layer of zip ties. This time we made it off the trail and to the parking lot without a break!
We broke up as a group while some fetched trailers and others headed back to base camp in Spanish Valley to get ready for dinner at The Moab Brewery. A great day with friends on the trail followed by good food, beverages, and laughs. Time for day 2 prep!
