sloanstavern
SILVER Star
Yesterday I made the trip to FR 212. I have been wanting to see it since I first read about it here.
I planned to take it from east ( off 78) to West ( Clifton). Maybe I hit it the wrong time of the year or maybe I expected too much but is was just so-so. It was hot and dry, 75-80F and all the monsoon growth was brown and dead. No wild life to note, just some really big ant hills
The up hill part of 212 was fine, just a rough FR the last 5 miles to the ranch was loose and bouncy, but managable. The ranch is very cool. and I started on the river run. Water was normal - I pre walked all the crossings and just about knee high.
The trail was fun and fine, the river beds were in good shape.... but the access and exit points of each corssing were rough. Thick deep black mud. In most cases, it was two tire ruts, 10-14" deep, then a big block of mud scraped clean by the undercarrage of the last vehicle before me. After 6-7 of these I turned back because I could just see getting burried in that soft black tar and a real nightmare.
I may try the drive from Clifton East, not sure if that is any better. Anyway if was a fun drive and it reminded me how much I like that part of the state.
I planned to take it from east ( off 78) to West ( Clifton). Maybe I hit it the wrong time of the year or maybe I expected too much but is was just so-so. It was hot and dry, 75-80F and all the monsoon growth was brown and dead. No wild life to note, just some really big ant hills
The up hill part of 212 was fine, just a rough FR the last 5 miles to the ranch was loose and bouncy, but managable. The ranch is very cool. and I started on the river run. Water was normal - I pre walked all the crossings and just about knee high.
The trail was fun and fine, the river beds were in good shape.... but the access and exit points of each corssing were rough. Thick deep black mud. In most cases, it was two tire ruts, 10-14" deep, then a big block of mud scraped clean by the undercarrage of the last vehicle before me. After 6-7 of these I turned back because I could just see getting burried in that soft black tar and a real nightmare.
I may try the drive from Clifton East, not sure if that is any better. Anyway if was a fun drive and it reminded me how much I like that part of the state.
