Comb Ridge getaway

[Steve Scearce]

My wife and I are back from a warm and sunny weekend at Comb Ridge, Utah. We've been fans of this arching rib of sandstone since the early '90s. It's 2.5 hrs from Durango, and is our early spring destination every year. This spring, the weather didn't cooperate on the weekends we had off in March, but this past weekend was perfect: mid-70s and mostly sunny with moderate wind. We camped at the southern end of the section between Utah 163 and Utah 95, and I was able to revisit a portion of the Comb that I hadn't hiked/scrambled since 1999. Jan was able to relax and recuperate back in camp with her luxury lounge chair pointed at the Comb and a favorite book in hand.

With its regular pattern of rugged "teeth" and gaps, hiking the Comb isn't simply hiking. Forget logging the kind of daily mileage that you can do on a forest trail. There are no discernible trails on the Comb. You scan ahead, pick a route and hope it holds. Sometimes routes that appear easy from a distance are not. Sometimes the converse is true. And using a topo map doesn't alway help: a lot can happen in a 40 ft. contour interval. What is certain is that you'll be using your feet and your hands to progress.

This was our third trip in our new/used Phoenix pop-up. We're still working out the kinks, and I'm cataloging a list of summer modification projects that will make the camper more useful for our needs. One thing's for certain, we're really enjoying not sleeping in a tent on the ground!

 

[ski3pin]

Steve, looks and sounds like a great destination. We're getting out the map!

 

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

Steve, did you run across any old Indian artifacts or ruins?

 

[Steve Scearce]

Stew - the section I hiked this weekend had one small ruin up high, minimal artifacts (lithic scatter) and no petroglyphs. A little bit north there's a section of Comb Ridge with ruins in every canyon, potsherds galore, and incredible petroglyphs. A great resource is this book that includes a chapter on Comb Ridge:

http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Guide-Cedar-Mesa/dp/0874806801

It gives away secrets that took me 15 years to learn on my own. Comb Ridge is a gorgeous place that could be wrecked with overuse. Proceed with caution and be gentle on the land and the cultural resources.

Steve, did you run across any old Indian artifacts or ruins?

 

[TGK]

MY wife and I stopped by Comb Ridge in 2002 on a 2 week trip to the Southwest and took a great day hike. We moved on to Natural Bridges National Monument but would like to have spent more time there. Thanks for the link to the book. We'll have to check it out if we get back down that way. Too many places to go and see. It's a good problem to have. Keeps life interesting.

TGK

 

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

Stew - the section I hiked this weekend had one small ruin up high, minimal artifacts (lithic scatter) and no petroglyphs. A little bit north there's a section of Comb Ridge with ruins in every canyon, potsherds galore, and incredible petroglyphs. A great resource is this book that includes a chapter on Comb Ridge:

http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Guide-Cedar-Mesa/dp/0874806801

It gives away secrets that took me 15 years to learn on my own. Comb Ridge is a gorgeous place that could be wrecked with overuse. Proceed with caution and be gentle on the land and the cultural resources.


Thanks for the book info, Steve. I've been through the area quite a few times and have camped and hiked on Ceder Mesa and Natural Bridges but have not explored Comb Ridge. Maybe later this spring.

 

[generubin]

I do a trip to Comb Ridge about once a year. Comb Ridge is where all the action takes place in Ed Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang. Anyone visiting that area, I'd recommend the one day raft trip out of Bluff with Wild Rivers. It's a great trip, worth every penny!

This video takes in a view to the west from the top of Comb Ridge at about minute 2:15 :

White Rim and Comb Ridge