Pace Lake Road (Part 1)

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Pace Lake  (part 1)

10/05/2008

By Jerry Smith

 

The Pace Lake road was one trip I had been looking forward to trying. 

   

This wash on the Pace Lake Road is an off-camber, narrow climb.

The maps showed it as a fairly short trip from Grand Junction down Hwy 141 and south of Gateway another 10-miles or so. 

Just across the bridge that crosses Salt Creek is a "Historical Marker" about Sewemup Mesa. 

It tells about Sewemup Mesa that stands hundreds of feet behind and above the sign being a Wilderness Study area and a little history of the area.

 This is the corner with the big boulders (not visible in this picture).

It seems that cattle rustlers once used the area to hide their stolen cattle.  Back in the Sinbad Valley behind Sewemup Mesa, they had a large natural holding area.

There they would surgically remove the old brands from the cattle and then "sew up the wound" (Sewemup) before later re-branding the cattle.  (Anyone need a tattoo removed?)

Recrossing the bridge and taking a left turn up the Salt Creek road took us (Happy Trails and I) into the Salt Creek Canyon. 

 Note the point of the rock near the rear passenger tire.  It eats tires and wheels.

This is a deep, narrow canyon with nearly vertical red sandstone walls on both sides.  To say it's a "spectacular canyon" is unworthy of the magnificence.

Salt Creek crosses the road twice as you travel up toward Sinbad Valley.  The white high water mark was very easy to see.  

Just days before there had been a serious rain in Sinbad Valley.  The resulting "gully washer" had been between three and four feet deep and the road crews had already been there to reopen the road, but the "WARNING" was still very evident.

When Jeeping in canyon country, one must be cognizant of the area weather.  Not just straight above you either. 

 Rocks of this size are common on the Pace Lake Road.

Sometimes the water in these canyons travels a long way from the source as a flash flood.  Sinbad Valley is a giant bowl with 800 - 1400 foot high, near vertical cliffs surrounding all but the Salt Creek canyon. 

Salt Creek is the only way in or out of Sinbad in a vehicle. 

Sinbad Valley once was a small salty sea that dried up leaving a salt dome the width of the valley.  It is thought that the weight of dust from Utah's southern region eventually collapsed the salt dome. 

This helps explain that the water going down Salt Creek is about 2/3 as salty as seawater.  The creek bottom turns white as the creek recedes and dries. 

 Cody is obviously nervous about the side of his Grand Cherokee.

After entering Sinbad Valley and about half way to the foot of the mountain toward Pace Lake, the road had signs of what it would be like if real wet. 

One track or the center of the road was cut up to 24" deep with near vertical walls snaking back and forth across the road from rain runoff.   

The clay-like surface was still just damp and it built up in the tires enough to limit traction to near nothing.  Being here while it rained would be "really dumb".

Staying out of the deep channel was a full-time job but soon the elevation changed enough that there was a river rock-like surface that was "slow-going" and very rough.

Nearing the bottom of the mountain the road splits.  As the general direction toward Pace Lake was to the right, we (Happy Trails & I) took the right fork.

In about 200 yards, we came to the remnants of an old log cabin.  The current resident (a lizard) ducked for cover as I rummaged around taking pictures.

Back on the road, we immediately began a steep climb.  Another 100 yards brought us to a bad scene.   


The lower side of the road no longer existed.  It was a deep, wide channel at least 3-4 feet deep and about as wide.

After walking up the road nearly a quarter mile, I determined that this way was not going to be passable without some serious excavating.  We backed down to the cabin and turned around for a look at the other fork.

This fork of the Pace Lake road circled the foot of the mountain with another fork to the left along the way. 

Staying right, we came to a wash that looked intimidating.   


The close bank was almost 5 feet straight down and then the climb out began exactly at the foot of the mountain.   No hill for a climber.

After "jumping" the wash, we began climbing the Pace Lake road.  

The road narrows as you go with deep V-cuts in the lower side from runoff and many large rocks scattered from the hillside above littering the roadway.

The first mile or so required nearly two hours of work moving rocks over the side or into the V-cuts to slow the erosion.

 This part of the Pace Lake Road is where the first downfall tree was removed.

The Pace Lake road had been closed by Mother Nature for at least two years according to the BLM.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had a goal in mind that drove me onward. 

A little way up the mountainside an old burn is still evident.  Old burnt Juniper and Pinon Pine trees still stand though many have fallen or are about to. 

Coming to a fork where the eroded road from the cabin intersects, the Pace Lake road begins a steep climb.

There was a large burnt fir tree across the Pace Lake road blocking progress just above the intersection.  I got out to see about removing the tree when I looked up and saw a terribly black storm cloud rolling over the mountain above in the direction of where Pace Lake would be.

Having the knowledge of what rain meant to the Pace Lake road and the creek below, it seemed like a very good time to get out of there.   


By the time we hit the bottom of the mountain it had begun to rain.  This was not good.

Long before we got to the clay portion of the Pace Lake road, rain had thoroughly wet it making it exactly slick.   


Staying clear of the deep cut was difficult, but we were doing well... until a large rock protruding up from the right side of the road left only inches between the left side tires and the deep ditch.  Add to that the off-camber leaning toward the deep ditch tripled the danger on the Pace Lake road.

After 4 unsuccessful attempts to get by the rock, we slid into the ditch and became high centered with the axles firmly on the ground.  Bummer!  Pace Lake had just become very difficult.

As it was raining hard, I decided to wait for the storm to pass (I hoped).  After a half-hour it let up enough to get out without becoming too wet and cold.

After a quick assessment of the situation, out came the winch line to a nearby tree on the Pace Lake road and soon the recovery was over.  Luckily the creek had not swollen and we left the Pace Lake road for another day.


 If you have enjoyed this, please “Like” it on FaceBook and spread the word about it to your 4-Wheeling friends.  Let them know about the Pace Lake Road.

 NOTE:  Most of the pictures here were taken on other trips.
 

One last thought; when you come to a fork in the road…  take it!

Happy Trails to you.

(continued in Pace Lake {part 2}) 

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