Bull Creek

This was supposed to be an overnight trip during which I’d planned on hiking the South Summit Ridge to Kimble and Turner Peak in the Henry Mountains the next day, but car troubles caused me to head home early. I started out by driving up the Sawmill Basin Road from Hanksville toward the Henrys. I’d driven this road to Bull Creek Pass before when I hiked the North Summit Ridge to Mount Ellen Peak, but this time I had coordinates to some points of interest that a friend had sent to me, and I spent the evening visiting them. I had practially no information about these points of interest–just some coordinates and a short name–and my first stop was at “Eagle Rock.” I didn’t know what to expect there, but after a short walk from the road things weren’t looking promising. Then I rounded a small hill and saw some cliffs that had potential for writings. It was over 90 degrees outside and after even this short walk the dogs were desperately looking for some shade. I got to the cliffs, Torrey and Boulder found a spot to lie down in the shade, and I found several inscriptions and some unusual carvings.

Torrey and Boulder lying in the shade
Torrey and Boulder lying in the shade


Approaching Eagle Rock
Approaching Eagle Rock


The Henry Mountains
The Henry Mountains


The cows really like to shit near this boulder
The cows really like to shit near this boulder


Horace, unreadable last name and year
Horace, unreadable last name and year


Rockin’ H
Rockin' H


Rear view of a dog
Rear view of a dog


Dove?
Dove?


D.L.T., Nov. 14, 1909
D.L.T., Nov. 14, 1909


C.R. (Clarance Ray) Bacon, Feb. 25, 1907
C.R. (Clarance Ray) Bacon, Feb. 25, 1907


J.E. (James Earl) Bacon, Feb. 25, 1907
J.E. (James Earl) Bacon, Feb. 25, 1907


Wha…?!
Wha...?!


Next I visited “Pictograph Rock.” I had assumed this was the Hollow Boulder Panel that Randy has visited before, and I was sorely disappointed. There were a couple of pictographs on a large boulder, but none of them were as old or as well-executed as the Hollow Boulder Panel.

Cairn near Fairview Ranch
Cairn near Fairview Ranch


Void in a huge boulder
Void in a huge boulder


Colt Self
Colt Self


Pictograph panel on an overhanging boulder
Pictograph panel on an overhanging boulder


Right side of the pictograph panel
Right side of the pictograph panel


Left side of the pictograph panel
Left side of the pictograph panel


Next up was the “Dade Tomlinson Monument.” I arrived there to find the remains of the original Fairview Ranch. Besides some plaques placed by descendants of Tomlinson’s wife, Lida Ellen, all that remained were a pile of rocks that were probably once part of a cabin foundation, and an old canal running from Bull Creek to the former ranch site.

Rock pile at the original Fairview Ranch
Rock pile at the original Fairview Ranch


Dade Tomlinson 1887
Dade Tomlinson 1887


510 descendants of Lida Ellen Buckendorf Tomlinson Cottrell Pressett
510 descendants of Lida Ellen Buckendorf Tomlinson Cottrell Pressett


Jeep and Bull Mountain
Jeep and Bull Mountain


It was late enough in the evening to start looking for a place to camp. My plan was to drive toward Bull Creek Pass and find a camp spot with cell service along the way and, failing that, continue on toward Nasty Flat. It’s a long, steep climb up to Bull Creek Pass, and I stopped at Wickiup Pass to let the dogs run around and stretch their legs for a moment. As I continued toward Bull Creek Pass I heard a noise and felt vibration coming from the Jeep. It got worse as I continued to climb up the road, and I pulled over at the last switchback before Bull Creek Pass. It also seemed that when I got into the throttle there was some hesitation before the Jeep would move. I barely had any cell signal there, but I was able to get a text out to Traci letting her know I was having car problems. I drove the rest of the way to the pass and parked, hoping that letting the Jeep cool off would help things. There were a lot of deer grazing nearby just before sunset, so I walked the road and took some photos of them. After being stopped for an hour or so, I decided to drive home that evening instead of camping and hiking the next day–I was certain that I wouldn’t sleep well with the uncertaintly that the Jeep might not make it home the next day. I sent another text to Traci telling her of my plans, then started the descent back toward Hanksville. I took it easy and drove slowly, although the sound and vibration seemed to be gone. I ended up making it home without any more problems.

The dogs stretching their legs at Wickiup Pass
The dogs stretching their legs at Wickiup Pass


Cool sign at Wickiup Pass
Cool sign at Wickiup Pass


South Summit Ridge
South Summit Ridge


Grazing deer near Bull Creek Pass
Grazing deer near Bull Creek Pass


Grazing deer near Bull Creek Pass
Grazing deer near Bull Creek Pass


Mount Ellen’s North Summit Ridge
Mount Ellen's North Summit Ridge


Bull Mountain and Wickiup Ridge
Bull Mountain and Wickiup Ridge


Sunset from Bull Creek Pass
Sunset from Bull Creek Pass


I drove the Jeep around town for several more weeks after this trip and never had any issues, so I eventually felt that it might be safe to go on another trip near Green River. I drove about 85 miles to Gray Canyon with no trouble, then camped and hiked the next day. On the way home, the noise and vibration started up again. After agonizing about what to do for nearly two hours, I decided to just drive it home and hope nothing went horribly wrong. The Jeep made noise the entire drive home but I made it without anything blowing up. During that drive home I went through all the possibilities of what could be wrong and came to the conclusion that the torque converter was going out, especially since the noise and vibration occurred even when the vehicle was in park or neutral. I took it to a transmission shop as soon as they opened after Labor Day. Luckily they went through their own troubleshooting methods and didn’t immediately begin to tear it down to the torque converter. The mechanic found that two large rocks had become wedged between the transfer case, transmission, and the skid plate/transmission crossmember. That was causing all the vibration that would normally be absorbed by the transmission mounts to be transmitted to the vehicle. I happily paid the shop for an hour of labor and haven’t had any problems since. My fingers are crossed that the issue is solved!


Photo Gallery: Bull Creek

2 thoughts on “Bull Creek

  1. I can’t help but think the DLT inscription belonged to the Tomlinson group. Obviously very prominent presence in that area. Any other hints to possibly indicate that is the case?

    1. A friend of mine, who’s very familiar with all the old-timers in the Green River and Hanksville areas, thinks it’s likely Dafton “Daff” Thompson. But it’s also entirely possible that it’s a Tomlinson or Tidwell.

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