Copper Creek to Turkey Creek run

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

splitshot

splitshot

Head cook, Bottle washer, and Peace keeper.
10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Nov 17, 2006
Threads
550
Messages
7,973
Location
Rodent Central, Az
I've been wanting to make this run for several years. Thinking about May 3rd and 4th. Departure Mammoth, destination east end of Aravaipa canyon. Looking at 6 to 7 hours of hard wheeling one way so, planning on an overnighter. Anyone interested?
Maybe burn some steaks toss a few cold ones, eat breakfast the next morning and go back out the way we came in. There is a mine and some old buildings about the halfway point to check out and some great spots to camp in Turkey Creek (even some cliff dwellings).
 
And double check that the gate is open on the Aravaipa side. My Rover buddies just went a couploe of months and they made special arrangements in order to get the gate open. It was a pain! The Rug Road is LONG and it'll be a LONG way back if that gate on PP is locked. They start in Turkey Creek and take two days and usually camp in Parson's Grove. Last time there were washouts so large they have to build roads in order to get through.
 
ShottsUZJ100 said:
And double check that the gate is open on the Aravaipa side. My Rover buddies just went a couploe of months and they made special arrangements in order to get the gate open. It was a pain! The Rug Road is LONG and it'll be a LONG way back if that gate on PP is locked. They start in Turkey Creek and take two days and usually camp in Parson's Grove. Last time there were washouts so large they have to build roads in order to get through.
Click to expand...

I believe that the gate was court-ordered open. A group from Desert Explorers in California went through over the Christmas Holidays. They did have problems!! Below is a link to their write-up:

New Page 1

HTH
Ernie
 
Toysx2 said:
I believe that the gate was court-ordered open. A group from Desert Explorers in California went through over the Christmas Holidays. They did have problems!! Below is a link to their write-up:

New Page 1

HTH
Ernie
Click to expand...

A friend of mine from Oracle made the run two weekends ago in his Bronco and said it was nothing near as dificult as these guys write. He compared the rough spots close to the Catalina side of Charleau Gap.
 
Yeah but you're talking about Rover drivers. If you spill your latte while spreading Grey Poupon on your prime rib it's a rough trail. ;)
 
Toysx2 said:
I believe that the gate was court-ordered open. A group from Desert Explorers in California went through over the Christmas Holidays. They did have problems!! Below is a link to their write-up:

New Page 1

HTH
Ernie
Click to expand...



THAT'S IT!!

I'm not wheeling with all you old fawkers anymore.
 
msahr said:
Yeah but you're talking about Rover drivers. If you spill your latte while spreading Grey Poupon on your prime rib it's a rough trail. ;)
Click to expand...

:lol:

BMAN said:
THAT'S IT!!

I'm not wheeling with all you old fawkers anymore.
Click to expand...

:lol::lol::lol:

Wait.....who's he calling OLD?


What say you CSC, not even some maybe's?
 
I'm a deffinate Maybe... but that's it for now. I'm trying to get the back yard going again and most likely will be sweating my ass off there instead of on a trail somewhere.
 
Due to the heat coming on and lack of interest, this run has morphed into a Black River fishing trip. On the San Carlos side. May 3rd through the 6th. If anyone is interested, shoot me a pm.
 
I went up there about two months ago and we stopped about where you turned around. I just wanted to know if you got past the spot were I stopped. There is a "waterfall" that you have to get around hugging the right side of a 5-6ft drop and the trail seemed only 6ft wide or wide enough to get a Jeep or Samurai through. I didn't want to take the Cruiser through that. We parked it and hiked around a bend about 1000 yards before you get to a gate. No vehicles can get past the gate but you can walk around it. The gate is right at the spot where there is an old mining engine bolted to a slab. We hiked the remaining mile to the mansion. It was a very beautifull time of year with lots of water running through the creek and green everywhere. It is crazy to think I drove a samurai all the way up the creek 10 years ago to the mansion. Now everything is so overgrown and washed out. It is evident that vehicles haven't been through there in a while. The gate from the Bluebell Mine road side was also locked. We hiked out the way we came in. We also saw about 35-40 Coatimundi!
 
ecameron87 said:
I went up there about two months ago and we stopped about where you turned around. I just wanted to know if you got past the spot were I stopped. There is a "waterfall" that you have to get around hugging the right side of a 5-6ft drop and the trail seemed only 6ft wide or wide enough to get a Jeep or Samurai through. I didn't want to take the Cruiser through that. We parked it and hiked around a bend about 1000 yards before you get to a gate. No vehicles can get past the gate but you can walk around it. The gate is right at the spot where there is an old mining engine bolted to a slab. We hiked the remaining mile to the mansion. It was a very beautifull time of year with lots of water running through the creek and green everywhere. It is crazy to think I drove a samurai all the way up the creek 10 years ago to the mansion. Now everything is so overgrown and washed out. It is evident that vehicles haven't been through there in a while. The gate from the Bluebell Mine road side was also locked. We hiked out the way we came in. We also saw about 35-40 Coatimundi!
Click to expand...

We stopped right before that narrow section because we were alone. Is that it below? Good to know there's a gate. I wonder how close we can get from the other side to the Mansion. We'll head there next. Thaks for the info. My pics are up now.

28009673_hEG7z-L.jpg
 
Yep, thats the spot only it seemed there were less rocks piled up. I parked it right below that area. I didn't want to pass it with only one vehicle around either. The gate is not much further around the bend. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
 
ecameron87 said:
Yep, thats the spot only it seemed there were less rocks piled up. I parked it right below that area. I didn't want to pass it with only one vehicle around either. The gate is not much further around the bend. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Click to expand...

SMART! And thanks for the gate information in the creek. Next time out we'll head over the mountain and down the road to check for a gate. I hope the gate is near the bottom by the Mansion. Otherwise it's a horrible walk out due to steepneed of that backroad.
 
ShottsUZJ100 said:
SMART! And thanks for the gate information in the creek. Next time out we'll head over the mountain and down the road to check for a gate. I hope the gate is near the bottom by the Mansion. Otherwise it's a horrible walk out due to steepneed of that backroad.
Click to expand...

If I remember right the gate is right next to the mansion just as the road drops down the hill. I didn't take much notice of it though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom