Memorial Day Weekend Exploration

[accasbel]

Date: Sunday, May 29
Time: 8 AM
Place: Chevron, Chandler Blvd & 202
Destination: Salt River Canyon Wilderness Area/Cherry Creek

Anyone ready for a little exploration? Yes, I know it's Memorial Day. Yes, I know the Indy 500 will be on. But I'm Jones'n for a road trip and that's a day I can spend on the trail and still have time (Monday) to clean up if need be. I need at least one, if not two like hearted souls to keep me from going out alone.

It's liable to be a long day, but shouldn't be too strenuous for either you or the truck. Bring a snack lunch, cool beverage, and an exploratory eye as we take a look-see at one Arizona's beautiful areas.

Please PM or email me if you will be going.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

Ill be back in town with the girlfriend for sat and sun but i wont have my cruiser so it looks like om out.

 

[desertdude]

I am in Cali - I have tripped around that area- should be a fun day! Sorry to miss it...

 

[rdhargro]

will my f350 do well on the trail as I have moth balled the cruiser for the summer

 

[accasbel]

don't know, never been there - that's the kinda thing i wanna go see.

 

[RHINO]

so how'd it go??

 

[accasbel]

It was hot, but not quite as hot as it could have been.

The road (203?) was closed were it crosses the creek out of Devil's Chasm. Earlier in the day we ran into the AzLCA that had just driven through that area - they went through the road closed signs. Since there were green trucks with Federal initialks, we decided not to pass and turned back. But it was a great shady spot to have a refreshing beverage and lunch before we left.

On the return we ran a few side roads.
203A - Side road up to a Sierra Anchas Bull Canyon trailhead. That road was easy, but it had a 1/2 mile shelf road segment that had one of my passengers very uncomfortable... Took us up to over 5,000 feet, cool, breezy, and pretty.

Unmarked trail 1/4 mile west of Coon Creek - First two miles were narrow, pinstriping galore. Ran parallel to Coon Creek towards a nice rocky gorge crved through a hill. At the end, were we turned around, wqas probably the only wheel'n part of the day. Water had torn up a stretch pretty well, there were rocks, boulders, off-camber, and the kind of thing we normally drool over. However, it was 4 PM, my passengers were not trail-ready, and we were low on water, so we walked, looked, and headed home.

Unmarked trail 3/4 mile west of Coon Creek (Dry Creek??) - This went back towards Cougar Canyon. Easy drive, but it looked to have kept going, and going, and going to 288.

Other that the washed the section, there were no challenges. Both unmarked roads look to offer excellent exploration opportunities. It was still too warm & dry for comfortable summer play. Need to return after summer rains with campgear and food/water for a weekend exploration.