Kokopelli Trail support trip

Explorer 1

Explorer 1
August 2014 I was approached by a group of Mountain bikers about putting a small support team together for a trip following the Kokopelli Trail which runs from Fruita Colorado to Moab Utah roughly following the Colorado River.

Four other vehicles and drivers came forward from the group and firm dates and plans were made.

In September I was doing some exploring in South Western Colorado and decided to make a side trip to drive the Kokopelli alone so I would have a better idea what the group was in for. There were definite sections I wouldn't want some of the more stock vehicles covering and I was glad I drove it first. I would hate to drag a stock 4x4 SUV down the Rose Garden.

My wife decided to come along as the sole female and the bonus of her attendance was her film editing ability as a gift to the bikers. Our source of footage was one Gopro camera, a HD movie camera and then various small movies and pictures from the bikers and vehicle drivers.

She even made a trailer as a teaser for the official showing of the complete movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI3V-R7eAU0

If after viewing the teaser, you want to see the complete movie, here it is in 6 chapters. This movie was made for the bikers and therefore most of the footage is of them. This is the real thing with bumps, bruises and falls included.

Part 1: https://vimeo.com/114627484
Part 2: https://vimeo.com/114527055
Part 3: https://vimeo.com/114570762
Part 4: https://vimeo.com/114579529
Part 5: https://vimeo.com/115495581
Part 6: https://vimeo.com/115616313

The password is Kokopelli (case sensitive)

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
 

Explorer 1

Explorer 1
Maybe few pictures would also be helpful

The four bikers:

DSC02257_zpsdba28a63.jpg


View from Porcupine Rim Trail:

DSC02264_zps569c4a50.jpg



Colorado River:

IMG_20141026_144952_447_zps23a9a81e.jpg



Morning break with support team:

IMG_20141028_111008_239_zps0fd2710c.jpg



Tight squeeze:

IMG_0618_zpsf14e7558.jpg



Fun in the Rose Garden:

14Rosegardenedbengodown_zpsea6f16d8.jpg



Early on the trail next to Interstate 70:

IMG_0604_zps97f2c2e7.jpg



View back from Salt Creek overview:

IMG_0605_zps672038a9.jpg



Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
 

mmuthart

Observer
Hi Fred,

Thanks for the write-up and vids! I'll be a support vehicle on the Kokopelli this Spring. Like you, we'll be doing the whole trail from Fruita to Moab. I have yet to study maps in detail, but I'm wondering if Rose Garden Hill has an alternate route for vehicles. I'll need to decide whether to take a very capable 80 Series or a Ford Excursion with a small lift on 33" tires. Any insights would be appreciated.

Edit - in case the answer is in one of the vids...I haven't made it through them all yet, but am working on it!
 
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Explorer 1

Explorer 1
Rose Garden Challange..........

I'll save you some time looking....Part 4 at about 11:05 in the video. I sent the other vehicles around to meet us on the other side of the Rose Garden. It could be a rather brutal trail on a vehicle. My JK has a 3 1/2 inch AEV lift on 35" tires. Besides the actual Rose Garden, there are some other portions of this section of trail that would greatly challenge a full size vehicle.

I also have some footage of when I drove the Kokopelli solo a few months before. This youtube video is of the Rose Garden from a camera mounted on the drivers front fender.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibN0XMYgkpM

Thanks and let me know if I can be of any help!

Fred
Explorer 1
 

mmuthart

Observer
Okay, that settles that...I believe I'll avoid the Rose Garden no matter which vehicle I choose to take. So did the rest of the vehicles in the footage traverse the entire trail except for the Rose Garden?
 

Explorer 1

Explorer 1
Okay, that settles that...I believe I'll avoid the Rose Garden no matter which vehicle I choose to take. So did the rest of the vehicles in the footage traverse the entire trail except for the Rose Garden?

Yep, they made all sections except the Rose Garden and the small section between the "Top of the World Road" where the Kokopelli goes through the Cottonwood Canyon. This was the only section of the entire trail I needed to engage my rear lockers. The other support vehicles did the "V" following the Estrada Bluffs Rd. around. Then once they did this, they turned around and made the long loop around to meet me and the bikers at the intersection of the Fisher Valley Rd and the Cotton Canyon Rd. (By the way, there are two Cottonwood Canyons and their quite close to each other.)

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
 
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