Holidays Wheelin?

[Tools R Us]

Yes there will be holiday wheelin, this thread will include wheelin trips that will happen over the next week or so. I need to be VERY clear, so one member isn't

These runs will probably start on Saturday morning and end with the Gap in Tucson on New Years Eve. Other than the Gap, they will not be planned, stay in line, organized "club runs". More like short notice, we are going to meet and get off the highway at an exit and try this trail, if it doesn't workout we will try the next one type thing. They will include radio calls like; "What about that trail back there?", "Do we need to turn around" and the ever famous "Are we lost,,,, again?"

At this point trail selection is open, so if you want to go put your $.02 in and post what days.

Some of the trails that are on the table are; Trail 160 out of Sycamore towards the river, Hackberry Creek area, Bull Dog area, Log Corral and/or power line to Bartlett, Coke Ovens, mine touring in the Globe/Superior area and open to other suggestions.

Hint for Spike, keep an eye on this thread if you would like to go holiday wheelin! ;p

 

[ChaseTruck]

And for those members worried about being the ugliest rig on the trail: don't despair, you're in the clear, since I'm going to bring the K5.... maybe I'll even put the '40 bezel on for the Holidays...

 

[Blues Dawg]

Well, I'm working a loose schedule, so can be flexy. L8r in the week I can bring our token Wrangler owner - Crash Pilot wants to make the Gap run.

 

[-Spike-]

I'm open this Sunday...

-Spike

 

[Relix]

Sunday Sunday Sunday....

 

[GeoRoss]

I would be interested in mine exploration this Sunday or Saturday.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Here goes, in no particular order:

I'd like to go on the part of FR160 that I haven't seen, and that's the piece from the intersection with 1855 (or so, at the big Ocotillo) behind Herder Mountain to the intersection with FR1196. So we could go in the same way as last time (Sugarloaf/Sycamore, Superhighway), ride 160 west to 1196, and 1196 would bring us out in front of Lone Mountain and come down Ironwood Wash to end up in Lower Sycamore, back to Beeline thru the road for the gravel ops on the rez. No idea on difficulty, but the bikers we met on 160 on T-day didn't mention anything.

Beeline to Bartlett. Either via FR393 from further north, or via FR98 (or so; is this Log Corral?). Haven't been on either one, but I think we were once at the start of FR98 but had to turn back due to too much water in Sycamore. I don't know whether one can cross the river downstream from Bartlett lake.

I haven't been to Hackberry Creek or Coke Ovens, and I haven't got a Bulldog Canyon permit anymore, so we would need to go pick one up. Also, something might have gotten derailed re the State Land Permits we applied for at Thanksgiving, so that might preclude a Coke Ovens trip until later in the week so the permit issue can be resolved.

As for time: our own family holiday obligations are a few hours on the phone, so Claudia and myself are game starting Saturday. One limitation is that I don't know for sure whether I'll get my truck out of storage on Friday, but the '40 ought to be good to go.

 

[Tools R Us]

On my Tonto map Log Corral is FR3456, I have also seen it referred to as FR98, must have been changed? FR393 I have seen referred to as Power Line trail intersects with Log Corral close to the lake, if we cant cross the river, we could make it a loop coming out at Sunflower.

The river is running 2.32' today at the gauge close to the dam. Where we cross down stream at Riverside camp ground, the river is wider and shallower, still iffy.

IIRC Log Corral starts in Sycamore Creek, trees and rocky, climbs in a small canyon to the Corral on the ridge, then descends to the lake in a big sand wash, rated 3.5?

Power Line is a decomposed granite type road with washouts, cross axle stuff like FR42, rated at 3.0?

Someone who has been there in the last decade would probably be a better source of info?

 

[Tools R Us]

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv/?site_no=09510000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

 

[Tools R Us]

The Lone Mountain also looks good. My map lists it as FR1096 off of FR160, to FR1852? Ether or both are good in my book, lots of nice unspoiled desert in that area.

 

[Sean K.]

On my Tonto map Log Corral is FR3456, I have also seen it referred to as FR98, must have been changed? FR393 I have seen referred to as Power Line trail intersects with Log Corral close to the lake, if we cant cross the river, we could make it a loop coming out at Sunflower.

The river is running 2.32' today at the gauge close to the dam. Where we cross down stream at Riverside camp ground, the river is wider and shallower, still iffy.

IIRC Log Corral starts in Sycamore Creek, trees and rocky, climbs in a small canyon to the Corral on the ridge, then descends to the lake in a big sand wash, rated 3.5?

Power Line is a decomposed granite type road with washouts, cross axle stuff like FR42, rated at 3.0?

Someone who has been there in the last decade would probably be a better source of info?

Powerline? Same thing as Hackberry? If so, it's not difficult and the hardest part can be bypassed. It's a fairly boring road with some decent grades and slightly bigger than soft ball sized rocks except for the one section near the Powerlines. That section has a decent ledge, an optional v notch and some basketball and larger sized rocks. I haven't been in probably 5 years now, so take it for what it's worth.

HTH,
Sean

 

[Sean K.]

Here goes, in no particular order:

Also, something might have gotten derailed re the State Land Permits we applied for at Thanksgiving, so that might preclude a Coke Ovens trip until later in the week so the permit issue can be resolved.

Are the Coke Ovens on STL? I thought they were on BLM. If they are on BLM you don't technically need the STL permit unless you are going to stop on STL. You can pass through STL w/o the permit as long as you do not stop.

JFYI,
Sean

 

[Sean K.]

Friends of mine are going to either Table Mesa or Mammoth. I'm still in shakedown mode and don't wanna go that far from home. Anyone interested in say Lower Woodpecker, Upper Ajax or similar in FJ this weekend?

Sean

 

[ChaseTruck]

1096 is probably the correct number, my maps are in FH; we drove it but this was before I acquired the GPS. IIRC we saw a marker for 1852 at a fence with a closed gate, but we had nothing on our maps.

IIRC Log Corral starts in Sycamore Creek, trees and rocky, climbs in a small canyon to the Corral on the ridge, then descends to the lake in a big sand wash, rated 3.5?

X-mas 2 years ago we drove a piece of Sycamore to the crossing, where the trail would lead out of the valley up to a ridge. Water was too fast and too deep, and with trees growing branches across the creek, there wasn't much room for error, so we decided not to try it. I walked the other side for 1/4 mile, don't recall anything but a good-running wash.

Spike, didn't you run this with your Nissan group? Or was that 393? I seem to remember a trip report that including an overnight stuck somewhere in there?

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

The best parts of the Hackberry/Powerline area most do not know how to access or that they're even there.

We almost always avoid Hackberry Creek. Extreme brush and little challenge.

The top three not-to-miss areas are:

1. The extreme north canyon exit (running S to N is harder)(or you can bypass this and exit via Mini Lion's Back)
2. The extreme hill climb and decent (running S to N is harder)
3. The south trail entry that climbs Apache Leap (not to be attempted if wet)

For the ultimate challenge and scenery you run the trail from AZ177 south of Superior and exit at Oak Flat via the extreme hill. If the areas had recent rains or snows don't go....you'll be winching in deep mud all day long.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Friends of mine are going to either Table Mesa or Mammoth. I'm still in shakedown mode and don't wanna go that far from home. Anyone interested in say Lower Woodpecker, Upper Ajax or similar in FJ this weekend?

Sean

I was under the impression that FJ is State Land, i.e. permit required?

My buddies from the K5 side are going on Martinez on Saturday, the fact that my permit didn't arrive here (and the little thing about maybe not getting my K5 out of the storage place in time ) made me decide against going.

 

[Tools R Us]

Powerline? Same thing as Hackberry? If so, it's not difficult and the hardest part can be bypassed. It's a fairly boring road with some decent grades and slightly bigger than soft ball sized rocks except for the one section near the Powerlines. That section has a decent ledge, an optional v notch and some basketball and larger sized rocks. I haven't been in probably 5 years now, so take it for what it's worth.

HTH,
Sean

This power line road runs from Beeline HWY at Sunflower to Bartlett, the same exit as Sunflower Mine trail. Very similar wheelin and terrain to FR42.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Powerline? Same thing as Hackberry? ...

I think Kevin referred to the route from Beeline to Bartlett Lake that in the DeLorme map is labeled FR393.

Hackberry was another option altogether. I'm hoping there'll be multiple days of wheeling next week...

For the FR98/Log Corral trail: I never saw an FR marker up the wash, just a sign that the route was adopted by a 4WD club out of Mesa.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

I think Kevin referred to the route from Beeline to Bartlett Lake that in the DeLorme map is labeled FR393.

Hackberry was another option altogether.

Me dumb ass. Yes, they were speaking of FR393. I seen Powerline and Hackberry together and the light went on. :whoops:

The Superior trip is an absolute extreme favorite....though most miss the good stuff because they're not familiar with the area. Or, they follow the book which misses all the good stuff.

 

[Sean K.]

I was under the impression that FJ is State Land, i.e. permit required?

My buddies from the K5 side are going on Martinez on Saturday, the fact that my permit didn't arrive here (and the little thing about maybe not getting my K5 out of the storage place in time ) made me decide against going.

No, Martinez is BLM land.....if you've never done it, DEFINITELY make the trip. It's one of my favorites in terms of scenery. The only part that is STL is the area from Cottonwood Canyon Road at the hwy 79 intersection to the first cattle guard......(assuming you're not coming in off of Mineral Mountain Rd. and the US 60....if you're coming in that way, I'm not sure where STL stops, but my guess would be at the gate, right before you go from flat desert to rolling hills and a few miles north of the intersection of Mineral Mtn. Rd. and Cottonwood Canyon Rd.)

HTH,
Sean