Are Only Quads Driving Carpet Hill east of Mammoth?

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T

Toysx2

10 Year 15 Year
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HI all!

It has probably been 15 years since I last drove the Table Mountain Mine Road in the Copper Creek Area east of Mammoth. In those days Carpet HIll was interesting but not particularly challenging that I recall. For a few years now we have been hearing that conditions on the road had changed dramatically. Yesterday, my brother in law, and I took his newly acquired Samurai out for a test ride to see what the road was now like. Simply said, it has changed!

As for the Samurai, for being stock with street tires, the vehicle did pretty well, but couldn't make it up a rocky ledge about a 1/3 to 1/2 way up the south side of the hill. We ended up walking to the top and down the north side, the "carpet" side. We could see evidence of quad traffic, but no signs that anything larger was traveling the hill. We were just curious if any well-set up 4x4's were negotiating the trail. It looks like the current condition is pretty extreme to me--my brother in law thought that it was certainly do-able! What says the group?

We had heard rumors that quad drivers had found a way to bypass the hill and it looks like there has been traffic in the wash on the north side.

Thanks!
 
Been about 5 years for me, the hill wasn't bad but further back in the road was pretty washed out in places. So much so, that since I was solo, and had no cell phone service, I turned around and came back out.
 
I went out that way a couple years ago! My 40 as well as 2 other 40's and a BJ went through mammoth and down the hill and camped and came back out the next morning! Although we made it I have to say I was a little nervous! I will say that I have limited driving experience and this was the first significat trail I took in my 40 but it was fun and certainly do-able!!

I wouldn't mind going again.......If I could only find the time to wheel!
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
Where is this place?? More details please
Click to expand...

About 10 miles east of Mammoth Arizona is the old mining camp of Copper Creek. Back in the 1970's(?), a road was constructed from the Copper Creek Road cross country to another old mine called the Table Mountain Mine. From that mine, you could continue northward to the Aravaipa Canyon and eastward to Klondyke. Driving those roads was pretty neat! The scenery was spectacular as you climbed to the skyline between the two Table Mountains from Copper Creek and then once you topped out the the view was equally impressive out across the Aravaipa Canyon.

My understanding is that washouts aside, the main Aravaipa road is blocked by a rancher whose private property straddles the road. An old jeep road that used to connect the area from the Four Mile Canyon area has been blocked by the Game and Fish, so no thru trips are currently possible.

Carpet hill was a particularly steep section of the Table Mountain Mine Road(now called Rug Road, I believe). Carpet Strips were put down by the rancher Salazar who lived in the Aravaipa and used the road to commute to his job at the mines in San Manuel.

Here are a few photos of the carpet hill area from a few days ago.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn1.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn3.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn2.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn4.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn5.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn6.jpg

HTH

If any of you plan a trip into the area, I would sure like to see you negotioate that hill. I think that it's out of my league!! Of course, on the other hand, I wouldn't be such a good hiker if I were a better driver!!!
 
Last edited:
Toysx2 said:
About 10 miles east of Mammoth Arizona is the old mining camp of Copper Creek. Back in the 1970's(?), a road was constructed from the Copper Creek Road cross country to another old mine called the Table Mountain Mine. From that mine, you could continue northward to the Aravaipa Canyon and eastward to Klondyke. Driving those roads was pretty neat! The scenery was spectacular as you climbed to the skyline between the two Table Mountains from Copper Creek and then once you topped out the the view was equally impressive out across the Aravaipa Canyon.

My understanding is that washouts aside, the main Aravaipa road is blocked by a rancher whose private property straddles the road. An old jeep road that used to connect the area from the Four Mile Canyon area has been blocked by the Game and Fish, so no thru trips are currently possible.

Carpet hill was a particularly steep section of the Table Mountain Mine Road(now called Rug Road, I believe). Carpet Strips were put down by the rancher Salazar who lived in the Aravaipa and used the road to commute to his job at the mines in San Manuel.

Here are a few photos of the carpet hill area from a few days ago.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn1.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn3.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn2.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn4.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn5.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/Toysx2/tbmtn6.jpg

HTH

If any of you plan a trip into the area, I would sure like to see you negotioate that hill. I think that it's out of my league!! Of course, on the other hand, I wouldn't be such a good hiker if I were a better driver!!!
Click to expand...

Looks very interesting, when are we going?:)
What is the altitude of the area?
 
the correct name is "rug road" for the entire trip. Carpet hill is the ruggy part.

http://www.blm.gov/az/sfo/rec/rugroad.htm

google the bike route and it has GPS coordinates.

I believe you can get through to Turkey Creek and out to Klondyke, but carpet hill is about 1/3 in to the west and can be done, the turn around and come back out faster.

The drop into Turkey Creek had at one time "steps" that were 1.5'-2' high, but the BLM ground them out 2002-2003 for fire truck access to area, killing off the fun factor of the 4 hours drive east of the hill to Arivaipa.
 
rick_d said:
the correct name is "rug road" for the entire trip. Carpet hill is the ruggy part.

http://www.blm.gov/az/sfo/rec/rugroad.htm

google the bike route and it has GPS coordinates.

I believe you can get through to Turkey Creek and out to Klondyke, but carpet hill is about 1/3 in to the west and can be done, the turn around and come back out faster.

The drop into Turkey Creek had at one time "steps" that were 1.5'-2' high, but the BLM ground them out 2002-2003 for fire truck access to area, killing off the fun factor of the 4 hours drive east of the hill to Arivaipa.
Click to expand...

You may be able to get to Turkey Creek, and then turn up the Aravaipa aways. But that's about it.........

I didn't take a photo of the sign, but just before the turn off to the Table Mountain Mine from the Copper Creek Road, there is a warning wired to a fence that the "thru" route to Klondyke no longer exists.

I was at the Aravaipa end a month ago. There is a gate at the "Salazar family" church that is very solidly cabeled(sp?) off, with a sign that says that there is to be no trespassing under any circumstances. My understanding was that in the recent past, a $20 bill would get that gate to open. There was no one around and no indication on the sign that could currently be done.

And there used to be a road exiting Turkey Creek to the east where the road from Table Mountain dropped into the Creek that led out to Four Mile Canyon. That road has been closed at the top of the bluffs by Game and Fish less than a 1/2 mile from the Creek. Boy was that was a long drive in from Four Mile to make that discovery!

HTH
 
Toysx2 said:
You may be able to get to Turkey Creek, and then turn up the Aravaipa aways. But that's about it.........

I didn't take a photo of the sign, but just before the turn off to the Table Mountain Mine from the Copper Creek Road, there is a warning wired to a fence that the "thru" route to Klondyke no longer exists.

I was at the Aravaipa end a month ago. There is a gate at the "Salazar family" church that is very solidly cabeled(sp?) off, with a sign that says that there is to be no trespassing under any circumstances. My understanding was that in the recent past, a $20 bill would get that gate to open. There was no one around and no indication on the sign that could currently be done.

And there used to be a road exiting Turkey Creek to the east where the road from Table Mountain dropped into the Creek that led out to Four Mile Canyon. That road has been closed at the top of the bluffs by Game and Fish less than a 1/2 mile from the Creek. Boy was that was a long drive in from Four Mile to make that discovery!

HTH
Click to expand...
Last I heard was Mrs. Salazar was thrown in jail and there was a rumor the BLM or Game & fish were working on getting the gate reopened.
 
Tim Hill and a couple of others did an overnighter there in cruisers the weekend of June 2. I couldn't make it that weekend. I haven't talked to him since, but he said it has gotten pretty rough over the past few years.
 
rick_d said:
spoke to mike mcdonald today- he said the flood last summer wiped out most of the fencing in and around the canyon bottom. additionally, the woman who lock the gate is in lock up herself.

should be open all through.

http://www.blm.gov/az/rec/aravaipa.htm

site shows nothing of the old closure.
Click to expand...
Is he related to Mac Mcdonald who used to run the Empire ranch?

I just heard from a friend of mine that she just got out after being in for a year.
 
I am interested in running this too! If anyone has a run planned let me know!
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
What is the elevation?
I would be up this run as long as its not in 100+ temps.
Click to expand...

If one could make it to the highest elevation that the road reaches, you would be at an elevation of about 5300'. That is in the saddle between Table Mountain and Little Table Mountain. If you were coming from the Mammoth side you would have crossed the majority of the rough stuff by that point. The elevation of the road near Copper Creek is at about 3800'. So that will be your range--with most of the road toward the lower end. HTH

More recent postings here imply that the gate on the Aravaipa side is open. Once again, when we were there in April, it was solidly locked!!
 
It's going to be hot as hell until about September. Tim Hill and I were just last week talking about a run in September. He doesn't want to do it in the heat.
 
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