The Skull Crusher trail is off of the Hell's Gate Jeep trail.....probably one of the toughest trails in the nation. Too bad I didn't know you were gonna be up there.
Hope you had fun.
I didn't know how much time I'd have to work and how much time there would be left for play. I didn't get a hold of anyone because I didn't want to look like a flake if I had to cancel. Essentially I was pushed out by the weather that was still deteriorating when I left Young and Payson.
I don't know if Skull Crusher if FJC compatible. Does it come up from Soldier Camp Mountain or from the Ponderosa area? There is nothing like that on the eastern side that I found. Most of the trails in the area I explored before the snow hit wouldn't be challenging for your buggy because it wasn't challenging (without snow) for the FJ. What it lacked in challenge, it made up for in beauty and interest. I have permission to cross private land and have the gate combinations for that area I mentioned in this post. I plan to come back this summer (or before) and backpack into Hell's Gate itself for a week or so. My buddy who retired in that area used to work for the federal govt. in Virginia and relocated when he left govt. service. I am told of a retired naval officer who owns a ranch up in that area as well on Haigler Creek. I wrangle an intro to him next time I go up there. There is very little patent land in that region.
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Location: Parker County, TX and Santa Fe County, NM
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Re: How LUCKY can one guy be?
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uphill previously said:
Arizona is one of my favorite places to take the FJ because there are so many difficult-to-get-to places.
Thanks for the write-up and pictures; wheeling with some destination is my favorite kind.
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uphill previously said:
A Javalina wanders by in the morning.
BTW don't ever bother trying to clean one of those, they have skin like boiled leather that will dull your knife plus they have some nasty musk glands almost on their spine near the anus. The meat is dark, tough and very greasy but edible if you smoke it real slow.
__________________ All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible - T. E. Lawrence
I didn't know how much time I'd have to work and how much time there would be left for play. I didn't get a hold of anyone because I didn't want to look like a flake if I had to cancel. Essentially I was pushed out by the weather that was still deteriorating when I left Young and Payson.
I don't know if Skull Crusher if FJC compatible. Does it come up from Soldier Camp Mountain or from the Ponderosa area? There is nothing like that on the eastern side that I found. Most of the trails in the area I explored before the snow hit wouldn't be challenging for your buggy because it wasn't challenging (without snow) for the FJ. What it lacked in challenge, it made up for in beauty and interest. I have permission to cross private land and have the gate combinations for that area I mentioned in this post. I plan to come back this summer (or before) and backpack into Hell's Gate itself for a week or so. My buddy who retired in that area used to work for the federal govt. in Virginia and relocated when he left govt. service. I am told of a retired naval officer who owns a ranch up in that area as well on Haigler Creek. I wrangle an intro to him next time I go up there. There is very little patent land in that region.
I can see Lower Skull Crusher being FJC compatible....for the highly modified.
Upper is just stupid. I won't take my buggy in there just b/c of one obstacle that forces the top of your cage into an undercut and has bent many cages in almost a full foot.
I spent 5 days back in around 2000 helping open the trail....took 3 built to the hilt Jeeps that long to complete it. It's not uncommon for this 1.5 or so mile trail to take 2 days to run.
Skull Crusher is about 10 miles out of Payson on the south side of 260 off the Hell's Gate Jeep trail.
There are several good trails in that area.....Preacher Canyon would be great for an FJ and one we opened back in 98 called "Bumper Banger" would be challenging as well. Then there's always Payette Draw which some of the AZFJC guys have already run the lower portion.
March to May are usually good times to head up there while it's still cool.
Sean
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I can see Lower Skull Crusher being FJC compatible....for the highly modified.
March to May are usually good times to head up there while it's still cool.
Ok, SEAN, maybe... Let's see how the schedules work. I like that area and will return anyway - LOWER Skull Crusher -- but I will pass on Upper Skull Crusher.
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There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unaltered, to find the ways that you have changed.
Ya, I don't blame you on upper....I won't even go in there.
As for the trails in the area....Preacher Canyon is probably easiest, followed by Lower Payette, then Upper Payette, then Bumper Banger, then....quite a bit more difficult is Lower Skull Crusher, then Upper Skull Crusher.
Sean
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"Awww....c'mon now dawg. You know I was just ****in' with ya. You know I give ya the mad, phat, super-fly, stupid, dope, dumbass, retarded, bomb **** props."
Looks like it was a great trip Larry, to bad the weather ran you out of there. One of these days I want to hit the trails in AZ.. You guys have all the fun....
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MORE MODS TO COME IN THE FUTURE RIGHT NOW TOO BUSY SAILING THE SEVEN SEAS WITH THE NAVY!!!!!!!
Does it come up from Soldier Camp Mountain or from the Ponderosa area? There is nothing like that on the eastern side that I found. Most of the trails in the area I explored before the snow hit wouldn't be challenging for your buggy because it wasn't challenging (without snow) for the FJ. What it lacked in challenge, it made up for in beauty and interest. I have permission to cross private land and have the gate combinations for that area I mentioned in this post. I plan to come back this summer (or before) and backpack into Hell's Gate itself for a week or so. My buddy who retired in that area used to work for the federal govt. in Virginia and relocated when he left govt. service. I am told of a retired naval officer who owns a ranch up in that area as well on Haigler Creek. I wrangle an intro to him next time I go up there. There is very little patent land in that region.
great pics and writeup. AZ is an amazing place.
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