The Crux Move In Utah’s San Rafael Swell

I’d been expecting to be scared at some point during our family’s spring trek to Utah’s San Rafael Swell. But I’d thought the fear would bubble up while I was rappelling into thin air over rock walls. Or, even more likely, while watching four-year-old Talon take his own turn defying gravity.

But it turns out that our crux move arrived before we even got out the climbing gear.

“We’re never gonna make it,” Rob said for the third time in as many minutes. I gripped the handle above my door as we jounced through a creek bottom.

We were driving over snowy mud. Sliding over it, more accurately. The road into the San Rafael Swell, a national recreation area managed by BLM, was slick as shit.

“Let’s turn around now,” I urged. “We still have enough daylight to find a different campsite.”

I was worried that even if we magically made the remaining 20 miles of this windy 30-mile road, the spot we planned to camp for a week would also be covered in snow.

We’d chosen the remote campsite by looking at Google Earth, since neither of us had ever visited the Swell. It looked perfect from satellite images: the public land at the end of the road abutted Muddy Creek Wilderness Area and several mountain biking and hiking trails.

The plan was to set up our nifty canvas wall tent, complete with its miniature wood-fired stove, settle in and explore different canyons each day. Talon and I had been practicing climbing and rappelling at home by using a series of bolts Rob had drilled into the ceiling (a fun winter activity when it was too cold to go outside). I was eager to use our skills on real rock—but not at the price of totaling our truck en route.

We fishtailed again, swerving toward the edge.

The baby cried louder, voicing her displeasure at being restrained in a car seat for two days straight. I tried offering her a pacifier. She threw it at me.

“Mom, can I please get out? It’s boring back here!” Talon whined.

We pulled over at the next crossroads, ready to turn back. My sister and her boyfriend pulled up behind us, still in good spirits (maybe because they didn’t have crying kids in tow?).

“We should keep going! I bet that was the worst of it,” she reasoned, pointing at the map.

With her encouragement and the kids happier after the pit stop, we decided to continue on. Thank goodness we did: it was smooth sailing after we descended from the high-desert plateau.

We let Talon and Lyra sit up front with us for the last few miles. They put their heads out my window, giggling at the breeze on their face.

The road ended at Muddy Creek, framed by soaring canyon walls painted in rainbows of red. We all smiled in glee as we took in the 360-degree view of wilderness, which we had all to ourselves.

“We get to stay here for six whole nights!” Talon said, jumping in excitement. “Dad, can you get my bike off first?”

He pedaled circles around us as we started setting up the wall tent. I cracked a beer, lifting my face to the spring sun as I saluted Rob.

“Cheers to persevering.”

Why We Love Camping With A Wall Tent

Two years ago, we bought a 10×14′ canvas wall tent from Big Sky Canvas, a local manufacturer in Montana.  We usually use it for camping in the spring and fall.

In the summer, we set it up in our backyard, where the wall tent serves as a guest abode for visitors, a handy kids’ fort, and a lovely little yoga studio. Here’s why it’s a great family adventure tool:

• More space! You can walk around, cook, and get dressed without hunching over. It’s easy to hang up coats and other gear, and to keep the kids’ toys and clothes organized and out of the way.

• Comfy beds! We bought two collapsible cots from Cabela’s that make excellent couches, too. With a sleeping pad on top, I sleep better than on my bed at home. The kids sleep on the ground on thick foam pads, snug as bugs in their sleeping bags.

• Warm and cozy! The tiny, portable wood stove (we bought this Camp Chef at Cabela’s for $250) is SO awesome in the morning when it’s chilly, heating the tent up fast while we sip coffee. And evenings are extra cozy, as we read and play cards by the light of the lanterns.

• Safe from the elements! It’s a luxury to chill in the shady tent after a long day in the sun, lounging in camp chairs to read or snack. Or to escape a rainstorm in comfort. The canvas withstands wind, rain, and snow much better than small nylon tents. The screens on the doors and windows keep out any bugs and most of the dust, too.

Best Times To Use One

• During the spring, fall or winter: camping can be chilly during these shoulder seasons, when weather may be inclement and the nights are longer.

• On camping trips where you plan to stay in one place for more than 3 nights: this makes it worth the added set-up and take-down time.

• With a baby or toddler: the big tent provides a safe “play pen” to contain little tots, as well as a much more convenient place to change diapers and put them down for naps.

• If any team members have an injury or disability: it’s easier to enter and exit the big door on the wall tent rather than crawling through a small flap, and the sleeping cots are easier to get off and on, too, compared to sleeping on the ground.

Tips & Advice

• The more hands, the better. With just Rob and me, it takes about 90 minutes to fully set up our tent (including all the the interior “decor”, like kitchen, beds, tables, and wood stove. But it goes twice as fast if you have more people on hand! Kids can help by holding the frame in place, fitting poles together to build the sides and rafters, or simply sorting different-sized poles into piles.

• Bring hooks, shelves, and organizing options. Even a few extra crates or boxes help keep the clutter to a minimum while living in a tiny house. Hooks are awesome for keeping hats, sunglasses, and jackets off the floor (and out of the dirt!).

• Make a floor. Bring a big tarp or two, as well as any spare mats or a cheap rug to cover the dirt and gravel. We bought an 8×10-foot outdoor carpet at Lowe’s for $20 that works well.

• Pack extra tables. We have a card table, a roll-up river table, and a lightweight folding camping table—and we always wish we had a couple more elevated spaces to store all the knick-knacks that accumulate during our camping trips.

• Stock lots of metal stakes. We’ve been caught in big winds (especially in the Utah desert) several times, and it’s important to have plenty of stakes to tie down the wall tent’s sides. If it’s windy while you’re putting up and taking down the tent, consider staking two corners temporarily as you drape it over the poles, so the big canvas doesn’t sail away!