Investigating Comb Ridge

The first morning on Butler Wash the temperatures were down in the 20’s as a result of the storm followed by the cold front.  Here my Tacoma windshield is all iced over.

Here is my camper with Comb Ridge in the background.  Butler Wash is in between my camper and Comb Ridge.  Here the Butler Wash is well carved into the stone.

We (Joanne, Susan and I) headed out in Joanne’s Jeep to check out the road. I also need to include Cafe, Joanne’s service dog that goes where we all go.  It was in very rough condition.  Dried in the foreground and very muddy and slippery in the wet areas.  In a number of these wet spots it was difficulties pass even in 4x4 low, but Joanne did it.  We stuck to the lower Butler Wash to check out the area.  We have been here before but only focused on the “low hanging fruit” (easy to access hikes). 

The road conditions are the worse we have seen in the past few years.

Above is Comb Ridge (white Rock) with crosses lines that gives theclook of a Comb. On the right side where there are pin drops is Butler Wash.  

On the left side is Comb Wash.  Comb Wash is larger and flows more water than Butler Wash.  On Comb Wash Road you have to cross Comb Wash and if the road is not groomed well there is no driving it until it has been.  As for Butler Wash Road it does not cross Butler Wash so the road is generally more accessible, if not muddy.  It usually dries on the lower wash (near US163) area before the upper wash (near UT95)

Driving north on Butler Wash on the left are the colorful Sandstone.

On the left side is the Butler Wash and Comb Ridge in the lighter sandstone.

Every hike into the comb to see ruins and petroglyphs requires crossing Butler Wash.  In many places it is very slippery mud.  All three of us fell at one point by loosing our footing in the slippery mud.

Nature’s markings are fun to see in the riverbed. A hiking stick turns into a necessity crossing washes. 

Hikes take you to the Comb through washes, or up and down into washes.  Some dry to start that turn wet.  There is no one hiking condition this time of year.

In Butler Wash there are a number of large trees that benefit from the wet conditions in the wash.

Even this hike to the west looking back to Comb Ridge is a great hike for views.

My AllTrails App for Butler Wash shows at least 10 hikes to view ruins, petroglyphs, caves, and vistas.  

As mentioned before that after you see all these,  exploring can uncover many more excellent things to see.  If you finish Butler wash then you may be ready for Comb Wash, if the road is ready.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com