Cannonville Benchmark

After successfully recovering Stump, Tropic and Cottam benchmarks the previous day, it was time to try an add Cannonville benchmark to our list before heading home later in the day.  The big question we would face on this hike was, "Could we find a route up through the cliffs that led to the top of the mesa?"  Google Earth showed a few promising routes and we knew the surveyors had found a way, since the benchmark was placed by them after they reached it by foot.  We felt fairly confident we could find a crack, somewhere, that would gain us access to the top of the mesa.  Time to go see!

Once we were through the gate, we followed a jeep trail along Wildcat Wash

Cannonville Benchmark, our destination, is on the mesa that is visible in the center 

When the road ended we had to cross several deep washes . . .
We used them to walk to the base of the mesa before finding a way to climb out!

These were some interesting rocks . . . they looked like cheese wheels . . .
The picture doesn't do justice, but they were actually fairly large . . . slightly larger than a basketball 

The sun is rising directly over where we believe the benchmark is located . . .
We're hoping this ridge takes us to the cliff base and a way up!

We found a game trail to follow in this section . . . can you find Kent?
(Click on the picture to enlarge it)

Fossilized clam shells! 
What a neat find . . . there were "tons" of them on this section of the ridge

We often see orange Lichen (Caloplaca trachyphylla) growing on sandstone,
it always grows in the shape of a rosette

We have reached the cliff base of the mesa
This is the route we hope will get us up through a weakness in the walls

It was easy to navigate between the rocks . . . but fairly steep

Up on top!  Hey, it worked!
(We didn't get a good picture going up through the crack, but there are some later from when we came down)

Rain was not in the forecast, but the clouds were building
(Thankfully, it held off until we were driving home)

We could see remnants of an old bentonite clay mine as we looked over the southern edge . . . 
Apparently, they mined the clay, near the top, and sent it down to trucks using this wooden slide . . . 
It's hasn't been used for years, it was abandoned when the surveyors placed the benchmark in 1959

 The cliff edge was eroding away, so we kept our distance

Cannonville Benchmark should be located here, according to our GPS coordinates, but where? 

Not wanting to give up, Kent put on gloves and got down on his knees . . .
 After fifteen minutes without success, he was done looking . . .
As Toms says, "They don't pay us to do this!"
 We're betting someone in Cannonville has this medallion in their home!  

Looking south towards the western part of Henrieville
The mesa, in the center of the picture, is known locally as Sand Bench . . .
It has an American Flag on top of it . . . not quite sure how they got it up there!

Powell Point looms in the distance as we work our way back across the mesa
We were surprised to find so many deer tracks on top . . . there certainly is more than one way up!

Kent stands on the rocky outcrop where we will begin our descent

This was the only visible way up and down the mesa
But, we're sure there are others, if you took the time to search the northeast side 

Heading back down . . . this was the area where we found all the clam shells

Looking north towards the upper ends of Wildcat Wash and Powell Point, in the distance

One last look at Cannonville Benchmark
(The bentonite mine is on the right side of the mesa, but not visible from this angle)

It's the first day of Fall with a few wildflowers still in bloom

Back to where we began at MP 29 . . . Sand Bench is directly in front of us . . .
We were parked at an information sign, just outside Henrieville, along Scenic Byway 12 . . .
This highway spans 124 miles between Hwy 89 and SR 24 . . . 
It's provides a "journey through time" and it's well worth the trip!

Well, all our recoveries can't be successful!  But, man, oh man, this was a good hike with some outstanding scenery and views!  This hike was about 4.5 miles in length and a little over 1300 ft of elevation gain.  The first mile and a half is just walking the jeep trail before the strenuous hike up to the mesa rim.  Don't let the lack of a benchmark discourage you . . . this hike is worth the effort!  Time to head home and plan our next adventure!

 

Tropic & Cottam Benchmarks

After completing the Stump Benchmark hike, we decided to head back to Tropic and meet up with our friend Bart.  Bart is a "local" who grew up in Henrieville and attended school in Tropic.  To say that Bart doesn't somehow know most everyone in the Tropic Valley would be an understatement!  Why do we bring all this up, you may ask?  Well, Tropic Benchmark is on private property and we figured if there was anyone who could help us get permission to access the small hill Tropic Benchmark sits on it would be Bart.  We weren't disappointed and several minutes after meeting Bart, at the Hwy 12 Grill, where he was finishing up a delicious cheeseburger, we were headed up the hill.

Bart, Tom and Kent work their way up to Tropic Benchmark . . . it's supposed to be located atop the pointy hill

We were greeted by tall dried grass once we reached the ridgeline

Shortly, we came upon the Reference Mark that pointed us to the Tropic Benchmark . . . 
We have seen many reference arrows, but none as delicate/detailed as this one

Following the Reference Mark directional arrow, we headed for the pointy hill

Tropic Benchmark was placed here in 1929

Heading back down (Kent, Bart & Tom) . . .
This was one of the easiest benchmarks to recover . . . It's good to know "people in high places!"

Allison had fun watching these three go over and through the fence!
Men are not flexible, especially old guys!
The amazed expression on Tom's face is priceless (click on picture to enlarge)!

After bagging Tropic Benchmark, Tom needed to head home.  After saying our "goodbyes" we caught an early lunch and discussed about taking a drive up South Hollow Road so we could try and recover Cottam Benchmark.  Bart said he'd been wanting to check that area out and volunteered to drive us, in his truck, so later in the afternoon we headed out on our third adventure for the day.

The arrow points to Cottam Benchmark . .
This was our view as we descended from our Stump Benchmark hike earlier in the day 

Cottam Benchmark was placed here in 1959 . . . it was reached by helicopter 
Thankfully, we had the coordinates for this benchmark or we would never have found it . . .
It was hidden in scrub oak!

The blaze in the tree bark near Kent's hand held Reference Mark #1

Reference Mark #1

After spending 20 minutes trying, unsuccessfully, to locate Reference Mark #2, we decided to call it a day
Time to head back down to Bart's truck 

It's beginning to look and feel like Fall

A fun river rock!

Could we end the day with a more beautiful Utah sunset?

What a fun day!  We were able to locate and recover three benchmarks . . . not too bad for a bunch of amateurs!    However, what really made it special was being able to spend time together, not only with each other, but with our good friends Tom and Bart.  Thanks guys for your friendship!

Stump Benchmark

Last year, when Kent was deer hunting, he noticed there were several interesting benchmarks that were located east of Bryce Canyon National Park.  With an offer, from our friend Bart and his brother Ben, to park our Teardrop on their Henrieville property, we decided it was time to go and locate some of these special little medallions.  So, while most people were enjoying the sights of Bryce Canyon we headed out to the less traveled areas below Powell Point (the most prominent landmark in the area), to enjoy some early Fall hikes.

Tom drove over, from Enoch, to meet us for this hike . . . 
As always, it was a special treat to spend time with our good friend! 
Thankfully, there was a nice pullout area and very little traffic on Hwy 12 where we began our hike

After a short walk along the highway, we headed north into Shingle Mill Hollow . . . 
It was shaded and a little cool, as the morning sun had yet to reach the wash  

A colorful striped river rock laying in the mud from recent monsoon moisture

Once out of the wash, we faced a formidable cliff wall that we had to find a way around

We decided the best approach was to circumnavigate the cliffs by staying close to the base . . .
Do you see Kent and Tom?

Once around the cliffs, and up on top, we came upon one of the largest juniper trees we have ever seen . . .
Tom gave it a thumbs up!

 As we continued working our way up the ridge, beautiful Powell Point came into view . . .
Being the southern most tip of the Table Cliff Plateau, it can be seen from miles around

Kent spotted this Striped Whipsnake . . . it was just over 4 feet in length!

Once we got up on top of the mesa, the views were amazing . . . 
Now it was time to walk the rim southward to Stump Benchmark

The arrow points to where the benchmark was located

Stump Benchmark was placed here in 1959 . . . it was reached by helicopter

One of the two Copper Nails and Washer Reference Marks we successfully located . . .
Tom says these aren't all that rare, but for us, we find a kind of satisfaction in finding these instead of the more common medallion reference markers

The Benchmark was five feet from the edge of the rim rock . . .
and let us tell you, it was a shear cliff on the other side!

Heading back down, we came across this interesting hoodoo . . .
In a few days we'll be celebrating our 36th Anniversary!  

On our way up, we had come across these ribbon remnants (probably from a Mylar balloon) . . .
Seeing them on the way down helped us locate the weakness in the cliff bands where we had come up    

Tom and Kent work their way down toward the wash

Back at Hwy 12, Stump Benchmark looks like it might have been doable from the west side . . . But things are not always what they seem . . .
The route we took up on the opposite side seems to have worked well for us!  

After a year of planning and dreaming of recovering Stump Benchmark it was now a reality. This five-mile r/t hike turned out to be an enjoyable trek and provided a good workout, with some route finding and magnificent views of the area. Now it was time to go find Tropic and Cottam Benchmarks and then we would attempt Cannonville Benchmark the following morning on our two-day excursion.  If you'd be interested in doing this hike, for yourself (and we would highly recommend it!), you can click here for a link to Tom's Peakbagger.com post.