Canyonlands - Needles and Maze Districts

pjpvi

Observer
My wife & I and another couple in a Jeep Wrangler (with trailer in the Maze District) wrapped up a couple weeks in Utah. Fun trip except for the insane winds that accompanied us for most of the second week.

Instead of regurgitating my blog post here I'll just point you to it for the read and video link.

If interested in raw GoPro & phone videos I uploaded some to YouTube.

I was anxious to do Needles District for Elephant Hill and the squeeze portion. The only other van I'm aware of to do this was Badger (remember him). While Elephant Hill is definitely steep and a bit narrow, it isn't really that technical. You can definitely expect some scrapes in the squeeze. If you attempt it, make sure the driver side of your van is "clean" (no ladders or other attachments) and I recommend bringing several lengths of 4x6 wood to prop up the driver side. After completing it and watching the video I think I would do a much better job if I do it again. I had no idea the passenger front tire was climbing the wall so much but there is a good size nub on the cliff wall that was a bit in my way (to put it mildly). The Jeep had no problems in the squeeze portion being much narrower than I.

Having done the Maze and Island in the Sky Districts before I think I can now say that Needles is my favorite. All three are different though and should all be experienced.

Enjoy!

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dstefan

Well-known member
Nice trip report on your blog! We were in the SR Swell and the Maze District at the end of April and first week of May. We’ve experienced spring winds in the area before, but this time was effing crazy. Had to retreat in the camper a couple nights too. It was bad winds in Natural Bridges while we we’re tent camping in 2018 that finally made us move to a camper for the ability to retreat inside.

What’s the closed height of your van? We went through the squeeze years ago in our second gen Tacoma, and I love to go again, but at 8’6” high with our camper the tilt to the D side in the squeeze makes me think we’re tall enough now that we’d rub the D side top edge on the wall with the tilt. I almost think I’d rather go down Bobby Jo’s hole to get in that way and out Elephant hill …
 

pjpvi

Observer
Thanks. I think the camper is right around 8' closed. Like I said, I'd bring and pre-position some 4x6 lengths of wood first to tilt to myself more to the passenger side and try to be more aware of wether I'm climbing the wall on the passenger side. There is a nub that sticks out on the driver's side that was right around the height of my outside mirror that was a major obstacle.

I'm working on a hard side camper setup on a F250 flatbed and was contemplating if I could get through with that. I don't think I'd try though as on paper the truck camper setup will be wider than the van.

We lowered the top on the van 2 nights as I was convinced it was going to rip it off. The gusts were intense!

Really beautiful in there though!
 

MOAK

Adventurer
Impressive. We have been in the Needles countless times in the past 12 years, camped at Peekaboo, Devils Kitchen and Horsehoof, in our 80 series Landcruiser and a small expo trailer with RTT. I’ve often wondered if a 350 such as yours could get in and out of there. Now I know and a 350 may be on our horizon. How far down into the Maze did you get? We were there about a week before you. Thankfully our RTT held up to the extraordinary winds. Again, impressive you piloted your 350 through elephant hill. Cheers !
 

pjpvi

Observer
Thanks Moak. I've been into Doll House a couple times before in the van so we passed on following our friends in there this time and headed off on our own for a while.
 

Ace Brown

Retired Ol’ Fart
Years ago i read that several Sportsmobiles went through the squeeze. I know they left paint on the walls off the custom rear bumpers.

I also know of a guy who took his Sportsmobile onto the Maze. Don’t recall if he got to the Dollhouse with it. His report is on here somewhere.


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Ace Brown

Retired Ol’ Fart
I used to own a Sportsmobile RB-350. I cant even imagine taking it into the Dollhouse. No way Jose.


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