May ROTM Hassayampa River (1 Viewer)

[Chrismanjs]

The May ROTM will be at Hassayampa River outside of Wickenburg.

This can easily be done as a day trip or an overnight trip. I will be camping Saturday night next to the river. @Dimples @Abigail @Cruddz @LongDuck and I pre-ran the trail today (4/15) and there was lots of water! This will be stock friendly run with options for other trails not so stock friendly. I foresee setting up camp around lunch in a shady dispersed camping spot. We saw multiple spots along the river that would be suitable for camping and with water flowing it opens up the options for camping. Then sitting in the river, driving up and down the river or going on side trails.

ROTM Date: May 20-21

Meeting option 1: 7:30 am in Wickenburg at horseshoe cafe for breakfast (amazing food).

Meeting option 2: 8:30 am at Shell gas station with an 8:45 departure
530 E Wickenburg Way, Wickenburg, AZ 85390

Meeting option 3: Come find us along the Hassayampa river. Start coordinates are
34.028890, -112.743150 Then head north and follow the river. (Make sure to air down at these coordinates)

Potluck Saturday night Theme BBQ post up what you want to contribute.
Attendees
1. @Chrismanjs and Alyssa (Potluck contribution BBQ Chicken)
2. @Hank Tank (Maybe)
3. @Otter (Maybe)
4. @rctoyota
5. @Dimples (hamburgers)
6. @ftbshop
7. @1Louder (Maybe)
8. @Abigail
9. @KUpchu9702

 

[Chrismanjs]

Here are some pictures from the pre run. I have a couple videos also I'll try and post.

 

[Chrismanjs]

@LongDuck



@Abigail

 

[Hank Tank]

Sounds fantastic! I'd be interested in a early Saturday departure. For those of us without gps, where do we pick up this trail to the meeting spot?

 

[Chrismanjs]

Sounds fantastic! I'd be interested in a early Saturday departure. For those of us without gps, where do we pick up this trail to the meeting spot?

If you put the gps coordinates into google maps you will see the start point of the trail. Follow this link to instructions on how to get to trail head. Box Canyon at Hassayampa River | AZoffroading.com

It will be decided Saturday where we set up camp depending on what spots are available. Meeting for breakfast or at shell will be best for anyone who is not comfortable with using a GPS.

 

[Chrismanjs]

Sounds fantastic! I'd be interested in a early Saturday departure. For those of us without gps, where do we pick up this trail to the meeting spot?

Hope you can make it out! I think your kids would love playing in the water!

 

[Hank Tank]

Thanks @Chrismanjs . That's very helpful.

 

[brices123]

So wish we could make this, it is an area I have always wanted to explore. BUT @aztlctina and I will be in Los Angeles attending the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl. Had I known about this ROTM a coup,e of months ago, I would not have scheduled the U2 concert weekend.

Have a great time.

 

[Chrismanjs]

So wish we could make this, it is an area I have always wanted to explore. BUT @aztlctina and I will be in Los Angeles attending the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl. Had I known about this ROTM a coup,e of months ago, I would not have scheduled the U2 concert weekend.

Have a great time.

Hope you have a great time at the concert! It is a fun place to explore! I will definitely be going back to this location!

 

[LongDuck]

Here are some more pictures from my perspective. I think we all earned our "Water Crossing Merit Badges" this day. As @Cruddz pointed out; if not for water depth - definitely for total distance!

One of the first vehicles we cross paths with - empty, with a tow strap pre-attached to the front hook, and nobody around;

Some high adventure looking for a cell signal to make a call;

More water flowing than I've seen apart from flash flooding which makes the whole Hassayampa un-navigable;

'The Narrows' - the 150yd section where water DOES flow pretty much year-round;

 

[LongDuck]

Discovery of a 'Bat Cave' (horizontal mine) complete with flying bats to dodge - and I hope Alvis posts the picture of the bats he was brave enough to take! Incidentally, the road up and down to this mine was well-concealed and a bit treacherous in places; and to think of all the years I've driven right past it;

And finally, the 'tailgunner' position watching these guys hoon-it-up a bit on the way out. I think confidence was built with running through shallow water enough that nobody was concerned on the ride out;

If the ROTM for this run is anything like the Pre-Run, it should be a good time. Just watch for rains up north, and hope the snowmelt continues to drive flow through summer,

 

[LX Avalanche]

I go up there and play pretty often. It was flowing really good this winter. I hadn't seen the water like that since probably 2010. You couldn't even drive up it like you normally can. You just had to cross at all the crossings and I drove up and around Box Canyon and came down upstream of the canyon.

 

[LX Avalanche]

This is just upstream of Box Canyon aka 'The Narrows'

 

[murf]

Discovery of a 'Bat Cave' (horizontal mine) complete with flying bats to dodge - and I hope Alvis posts the picture of the bats he was brave enough to take! Incidentally, the road up and down to this mine was well-concealed and a bit treacherous in places; and to think of all the years I've driven right past it;

And finally, the 'tailgunner' position watching these guys hoon-it-up a bit on the way out. I think confidence was built with running through shallow water enough that nobody was concerned on the ride out;

If the ROTM for this run is anything like the Pre-Run, it should be a good time. Just watch for rains up north, and hope the snowmelt continues to drive flow through summer,

One of my technicians, Jared, mentioned he ran across you all out there (in his 4Runner) and chatted for a while. He was wondering if you made it to the bat cave or not....

 

[Otter]

Put me down for tentative on this run. Sounds like this will be another good "First Run with the kiddo" attempt. We can pull the rip cord if things get hairy

 

[Chrismanjs]

Great report from the prerun @LongDuck and thanks for taking pictures unlike me

One of my technicians, Jared, mentioned he ran across you all out there (in his 4Runner) and chatted for a while. He was wondering if you made it to the bat cave or not....

Yes we met him and learned about his 4Runner! He has a great truck! You need to pull him out on some club runs! As Thomas posted we made it to the cave! And that will be one of the side trails we will do

 

[LongDuck]

Be very careful on that 'bat cave' trail, as it's all tight shelf road combined with a sharp incline going up which makes for a very slippery ramp going down. I spent literally 5+ minutes sliding down that 15ft section one inch at a time with the brakes groaning alternating to rubber grinding. VERY high pucker factor, as there is no runoff room with a tight right turn at the bottom, and a 20ft drop staring you in the face. This side run is NOT for the faint of heart.

Luckily there's a (also rough) alternate route, but rockier and safer due to better traction. I realized this after I was already committed...

 

[Dimples]

Great report from the prerun @LongDuck and thanks for taking pictures unlike my


Yes we met him and learned about his 4Runner! He has a great truck! You need to pull him out on some club runs! As Thomas posted we made it to the cave! And that will be one of the side trails we will do

Although I don't know that is was the cave he meant. He said stop at the waterfall. I think the first side trail @Chrismanjs took was the bat cave Jared was talking about.

 

[Chrismanjs]

Although I don't know that is was the cave he meant. He said stop at the waterfall. I think the first side trail @Chrismanjs took was the bat cave Jared was talking about.

So there are two bat caves! I guess you could be correct @Dimples more exploring is needed at the ROTM!

 

[rctoyota]

Me and Cleo should be able to make the run. We will know more as the weeks go on.