Late February, Roy and I spent two days out in Fry Canyon, traveling up and down San Juan County Road 258 aka Radium King Road; exploring mines, petrified wood sites, photographing the formations and landscapes. We even braved San Juan County Road 2431 aka Moss Back Road; driving under the watchful eyes of the three "Tables of the Sun". It was exhausting, exhilarating, scary at times, and wondrous at others. 379 photos later, I now have enough material for a three part series on Fry Canyon; this is part one, the first seven miles along Radium King Road to the junction of SJC 2431.
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Our starting point is at the junction of State Highway 95 and SJC 258; Fry Canyon Lodge is privately owned and not open to the public. Makes certain, before leaving Blanding, to have a full tank of gas, water and food; there is nothing available between Blanding and Hanksville.
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Even though you can see it from the highway, Fry Point is finally reached at 1.2 miles; to us, it resembles a railway engine; sort of like the one in the opening credits for the PBS "Poirot Mysteries" series. Then again, it could be a battleship sailing full steam ahead!
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"The Needle" is a desert tower at 3 miles; looking at it from up above, there is a dirt road circling around it. Hundreds of years from now, will someone look at it and say, "What mystical place was this?" There is a dirt trail leading out to it, but only about halfway; hiking will get you there the rest of the way.
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At 4.9 miles, the road begins its trek upwards; it is graded all the way through, but being a dirt road, don't expect perfect smoothness. At certain curves, it will have a switchback to allow other vehicles to pass by; the views are stunning the higher upwards you drive.
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Center, far distance, Jacob's Chair. |
While Roy was checking out a dry wash, I decided to stretch the legs by walking up the road. I could feel the air becoming thinner as I ascended, but I'm pretty acclimated to it now, so didn't bother me much. Now what took my breath away were the views!
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Yes, the road winds around the hills. |
Moss Back Butte
Just as you come up around a corner at 6 miles, you come to an amazing sight...a set of fins, a little arch, and a huge boulder flanking both sides of the road.
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Cracked Fin |
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Looking upwards at the nearby landscape. |
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Just past this dynamic trio was a rock formation that looks like a snapping turtle, with a shark fin nearby.
Not every formation in Utah has a name; but having a good imagination allows you to name it yourself.
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Almost done with this post as we near mile mark 7; a grotto of multi-colored adobe and sandstone hills. Melting snow was flowing down and created a small stream; a drainage pipe allowed it to flow underneath the road and cascade out into a small canyon on the opposite side.
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View from the seven mile point. |
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Water drains down into this small canyon like area.
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...and this ends part one, the first seven miles. With this photo, around the next corner, begins part two.
Mary Cokenour
Fantastic photos. Just discovered your blog via FaceBook posts. I worked in the Radium King mines as a teenager (mid 70's). Used to take this route to work every week. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for the comment. Part 3 of my Fry Canyon postings will be about 3 mines we found in the area, including Daneros.
DeleteI'll definitely look forward to seeing that. I worked in the Radium King West Channel circa 1973 and the Yankee Girl circa 1977, and some contract clean-up and prospecting work at the Radium King on a few occasions around that same time. Not sure which mine Dineros is, but there we quite a few out there.
ReplyDeleteMy grandma used to try to get me to figure out a way to get that arch rock moved to her rock garden in Blanding, LOL.
That little arch is a surprise when you drive around one curve; and I'll fight your grandma for it. LOL.
DeleteAs soon as I write up part 3, you'll get the link.
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ReplyDelete