Surrounded by the Amasa Back, Hurrah Pass, Anticline, and Dead Horse Point and with the Colorado River running alongside you’ve discovered Let’s Play’s Base Camp. For six years I’ve driven the southwest looking for a place for Let’s Play friends to go hiking, climbing, mountain biking, dirt bike riding, ATV-ing, and jeeping. On a warm day I wanted to gain elevation or get in the river to cool off. If it was a cold day I wanted to drop into a canyon or hike in the desert. I wanted to do these things without loading up and driving somewhere. I wanted to walk out the front door and have all those options available. Real estate agent after real estate agent said there was no such place. They were wrong.

If it's shopping you want or tourist attractions is your thing, stay in town. If you want to hike some canyons, explore the desert, visit the river, or go two or four wheeling of most any sort on every type of terrain, and you’ve got a minimum of two or three days to do it in, Base Camp is where you’re supposed to be.

I’m Tom Higginson and I’ve moto'd much of the west in one sort of vehicle or the other and for the last few years have been hiking, climbing and investigating much of the landscape on the west side of Hurrah and I expect I can about get you anywhere you want to see either on your own or I'll go along with you.

This place is amazing and I hope I get a chance to share it with you.

CHARACTERS YOU MIGHT MEET:

Kobae: Security tortoise, hiker, and in his mind, excellent rock climber.

Yeti: Sheep dog, second in charge of security.

Rockie: Squirrel that hangs out with Kobae usually stealing his food.

Alvin, Simon, and Theodore: Chipmunks that frequently raid the lodge and your room for food. No picture available. Camera shy.

Bugs: Rabbit that hangs out with Kobae occasionally and shares his food.

Linny: Five year old girl and Tom's best friend who helps around the lodge and is a frequent guest.

Bill: Manager of the lodge and does it all. The best host you'll ever have. Not a bad guitar picker and an amazing cook if need be.

Tom: Nice guy that lives at the lodge and part time tortoise herder. No picture available. We didn't want to scare you.

THINGS YOU’LL HEAR OCCASIONALLY:

Gunshots? Big Horn pounding heads not far from Base Camp and echoing across the valley.

Mortar Round? Peregrine falcon diving on Canadian geese at upwards of 140 miles an hour.

Thud? The falcon geese thing has concluded.

Wall pounding? Kobae is ready to go hiking and wants out of the laundry room. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. The Pandora's Box of the tortoise world is in there.

Devil worshippers torturing women? Holy crap. I especially dislike this one. Fox in labor.

Car race? Dominant hummingbird chasing the others round and round the lodge.

Pitter patter? Chipmunks raiding the dog food bowl.

"Sorry Tom. I'll never, ever, do it again." Linny.