Camping in the Wasatch Mountains

[pops91710]

We just got back from out annual Utah campout. This year we tried a different approach. Instead of going to the Dixie National Forest, we decided to head north all the way to Salt Lake City, then head into the canyons there for camping.

We went to a campground called The Spruces, which is in Big Cottonwood Canyon. We found the ascent was a steep and winding road for our rig. I thought it was because I have a V10 instead of a mighty diesel, but I saw they all slowed to 20 mph in most spots.

At 11.5 miles from the canyon's mouth and at about 7500 feet elevation is the campground, which is on the edge of the river. Another 6 miles farther up at 8,700 feet is a beautiful fishing spot called Silver Lake.

Entering the campground is very deceiving. It is huge! The entry is so big and well paved, but that soon changes as you make your way thru the various loops which have somewhat narrow roads. Now, to be truthful, the narrowness of the roads in some spots wasn't as daunting as the overgrowth of trees and bushes. While the soft bushes don't generally inflict damage, the trees branches and limbs certainly do.

Those of us with high top fivers are going to be un-nerved as you scrape by the dry dead branches and large boughs arching over the roadway. At one point I lost concentration, and got too close to a large pine right at the roadway's edge with short dent stubs sticking out. Result: tears in the rubber roof on the edge where it rolls over the side.

I don't tell you this to discourage you from going there. I just think you need to be aware that the one loop I was on was that way.

Finally I made it to my site (#24) which is a back-in site (I prefer back-in's to pull-thru's). Both sites 24 and 25 are deep enough for my 30 WB. 25 is better by far, but the spur was cut the opposite way and I would have had to enter the loop the opposite way. At the time, someone had parked their truck in the road so I had to go the regular way and took the easy way out and parked in #24. Next time I will not do that again and take #25 and go against the traffic. Heck, I helped someone do that just a few days later!!

For a view of the campsites click here:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/560044934rfyBMG

Camping fee is 16 per nite (very reasonable) or 8 dollars if you have a GA passport, which we do.

[Rob & Cathy]

Thanks Mike for the report and pictures. I actually went directly to your pictures before reading your message and my first thought was how tight your spot was. It sounds like you had quite the adventure with the narrow roads and high elevation.

Rob

[pops91710]

Hi, Rob

I have been higher and maybe even steeper, but the rig was packed to the gills (something i can't seem to get the wife to understand) with fresh meat, food, bottled water and canned goods. way too much clothes, and iron griddles and skillets, and of course, the three-burner outdoor camp stove. and a weber gas bbq grill! On top of that we packed the grand kids, (3 each), their bikes, camp chairs, and their favorite snacks and clothes.

Unlike most mountain grades you get a little break here and there where the road will level out in places and allow some speed to build up. Not so on this outing. It was up hill all the way and no level spots or drops whatsoever! This made using first gear a necessity. In some places I couldn't even use 1st gear over-driven, a first since I installed the 4.30 axles!

I'm sure the 3 valve V10's would do better and of course the diesels will laugh at it. However, I did see a 6.0 PS creeping along at about 15 mph with a trailer full of lumber planks.

It has always been our custom to buy our groceries after we arrive at the campgrounds since we generally camp with 25 miles of a town. This time we were only 11 miles. Don't know what the wife was thinking. She said it saved her money bringing the food. I told her it cost us more in fuel to haul it than it was worth.

I think I am right about that. 700 miles one way is a bit of a haul. From Chino CA to Las Vegas NV I got 8.3 mpg. From Las Vegas to Cedar City Utah I got 7.5 From Cedar City to Provo, UT I got 8.4. It was about 54 miles from Provo to SLC. I generally kept the speeds around 65 or 70. It didn't seem to make a whole lot of difference what speeds I ran at according to my fuel monitor.

Mama says buy a diesel, I say give me the 44 g's Only 5 g's will supercharge it.

[Rob & Cathy]

Whoa, truck and trailer loaded to the gills and 3 grand kids with high elevation and steep twisting roads, that's some extreme RVing there Mike.

Cathy's the same way when it comes to packing the trailer. I swear that I have more clothes in the trailer than I do in the house. Gotta love 'em.

You're right, Ford made some big chances to the V10 in 2005. It now has 3 valves per cylinder, more horse power and torque, and new exhaust system among other things.

Your mileage sounds about right. I get 8.0 - 8.5 and it doesn't seem to matter whether I'm going down the highway or over the mountain passes.

Rob