Some Stuff

I'm still following the race and at 6pm David Goggins was in second place 20 miles behind. Now six hours later he's in second place and has closed the gap to 12 miles with 60 miles to go. They've been running for 41 hours. 

Some really good guests the last month or so. One guest pulled out, then pulled back in five minutes later to say she left a coffee cup in her room and forgot to wash it so she'll do that now. A few years ago I had one drive away, come back and say she forgot to put the toaster settings back like they were and promptly do that and then depart again.

“Amazing spot more far out than you anticipate and thus more special. One of the most beautiful places I have been; it is a bit of roughing it but given where you are it’s like being in a dream.”

“Oh gosh... where do I even start? Tom’s place is incredible. Since a lot of folks mention the drive in, it’s worth noting: if you’ve ever done off-roading before, you’ll have no problem with Hurrah Pass. I found it fun! For reference, I have a 2012 RAV4 with a little 2” lift. It took us about an hour and a half from Moab. I personally would plan to drive in during the daylight hours. We did the half day kayak trip and Linda graciously took us to the drop-off point. Rookie mistake, I forgot to bring extra layers and she LITERALLY gave me the long sleeve shirt off her back. Tom and Linda, whether they know it or not, are in the business of making magic moments. They may appear to be in the business of renting rooms, but that’s just their side gig. It’s what makes this place so over-the-top wonderful. Tom is ALWAYS available for your questions (everyone has a walkie-talkie) and is willing to get up at o-dark-thirty to get you off on your adventures for the day. His humor is second to none (so long as you speak desert-dry wit), his stories will have you wide-eyed and laughing, and the nightly animal feeding is NOT to be missed. “Going above and beyond” is what the English language has to offer for this situation, but somehow it doesn’t seem to cover the magnitude. The property itself is just amazing. From the pristine Milky Way to the sandbars on the Colorado within wading distance to the epic sunsets to the side-by-side trails to the views from our private patio, Tom’s place is utter perfection. Go.”

“This place was a breathtaking, once in a lifetime experience! The road in was a bit challenging for us flat-landers (Minnesotans), but so so so worth it!! We had so much fun exploring the land on the side by side, we saw wild life, kayaked, and played disc golf. We were lucky to see big horned sheep, deer, and lots of small critters. I will suggest this place to everybody I know. Our stay was too short, could’ve spent several more days. And Tom was a great host! He really knows his stuff.”

The math is crazy. Despite 77 cancellations in March, April, and May and who knows how many non bookings there were a result of the craziness, sometime, probably Tuesday the lodge will pass the total revenue for all of last year with 2.5 months to go.

“If you're looking to get away from people and enjoy the beautiful outdoors this is an awesome option. By the way, after leaving Tom’s our first park was Arches, which we were denied entry due to too many people, so we traveled on to Canyonlands. There we had to wait in line to get a picture at the grand mesa arch. I told my husband I wanted to go back to Tom’s. I enjoyed Tom’s place more than the local national parks. There were no crowds, no beaten paths or people climbing on monuments to get a good picture. Please keep in mind this is an “off grid” get away. There are no power lines or cell phone towers. Tom creates all the electricity with solar power and backup generators. There are no service stations, grocery stores or gas stations once you leave Moab proper, so make a plan and bring everything you need. You can travel to and from town daily but it seems like a lot of time in the car vs enjoying your stay. The Road “Hurrah Pass” First let me start by saying we are a 50ish year old couple from southern Louisiana and not used to mountainous areas and I don’t consider us big risk takers. We flew into Grand Junction, CO and drove to Tom’s place. (You should make sure the car rental insurance has coverage for off-road driving. Most only cover for paved roads. Avis in town did have coverge, but Avis at the airport did not.) We learned enough from reviews and Tom’s info that we wanted a Jeep and we would get everything we needed in town and allow more than enough time to travel the Pass during daylight hours. Once we got there we did not plan to leave until we checked out. We had enough food for 3 days and full tank of gas. It took us well over an hour to drive the 17 miles from Moab proper to Tom’s. Guests do not make it – meaning they give up and turn around – some arrived in tears. Tom has to fetch, lead and/or drive guests in/out regularly. For us it was a scary road, one lane wide for two-way traffic with a rock wall on one side and a drop off on the other, but we expected it. We did not have to use the 4-wheel drive but were comforted that we had it. In fact, the Jeep riding became a fun part of our adventure. I did not know it in advance but this offroad stuff is a major recreational sport (and necessitiy) in Tom’s world. There are many books and maps available in town with all the off roads classified by difficulty and obstacles. By the way, Hurrah Pass is classified as easy. If you continue past Tom’s to Chicken Corners, that road is classified as moderate. We did both and considered them equal, although there is one ‘corner’ that will make you hold your breath. My suggestion to you is to gather info; get the right vehicle; plan; travel during daylight, take your time –you are on vacation, enjoy the adventure and take a deep breath, you can do it! Tom is a great host. He will do whatever he can to make your stay a pleasant one. He and Linda provided us with friendly and interesting conversation during our stay. I don’t want to leave out Jax, he’s the best hiking guide out there.”

“This is a place of pure magic”

"Tom is a legend. The land is perfect. The homes are comfortable. The adventures are plentiful. The wildlife is abundant. What else are you doing? Go here, live laugh and love you idiot. It’s a dream here."