Arizona/Utah Expedition (March 16-23)

[crozhawk]

We're starting to nail down the route through Arizona and up through Utah before heading back east through Colorado.

Roams001 will be meeting me in Las Vegas on the 16th before we embark on our expedition. The list of trails and sights to see is growing but I'll name a few before putting down the final schedule, The following post will be reserved for dates and times.

If anyone would like to join us for any or all of this trip, you are most welcome but please PM me as we will try to limit this to a handful of rigs to limit all the logistics of planning for a large group.

We will start in Vegas and travel East, things we plan to see:

Arizona Segment

Hoover Dam - short visit for some pictures
Grand Canyon Skywalk - time permitting
White Hill trail - miles 22, difficulty 3, scenic 7
Packsaddle Mountain Loop trail - miles 17, difficulty 2/4, scenic 9
Flag Mine trail - miles 34, difficulty 5, scenic 9
O'Leary Peak/ O'Leary Basin - miles 23, difficulty 2/3, scenic 10
Broken Arrow (Sedona) - miles 3, difficulty 7, scenic 9
--may spend more time in Sedona--
Mogollon Rim Road - miles 42, difficulty 1, scenic 9
Black Canyon trail - miles 17, difficulty 1, scenic 9
Chevellon Crossing Road - miles 24, difficulty 1, scenic 8
Petrified Forest Nat'l Park
Defiance Plateau Trail - miles 33, difficulty 2, scenic 7
Fluted Rock trail - miles 32, difficulty 2, scenic 9
Canyon De Chelly Trail - miles 30, difficulty 5, scenic 10
Tunitcha Mountains Trail - miles 18, difficulty 2, scenic 9
Lukachukai Mountains Trail - miles 12, difficulty 3, scenic 10
4 Corners - short "novelty" stop

Utah Segment

......more to come on our way up to Moab/Canyonlands/Arches Nat'l Park

[crozhawk]

DAY 1 (Sunday, March 16th)

We leave Las Vegas and stop for a short look at the Hoover Dam,
-continue west to see the Grand Canyon Skywalk (probably have lunch)
Then first trail is the White Hill trail (22 miles), just to get a little wheeling in on our way down to the first scenic trail.
Packsaddle Mountain Loop trail - (17 miles) beautiful scenery with numerous mines and sights, fairly easy with some challenges near the end.
After Packsaddle, we'll head south down to Flag Mine trail (34 miles), this may be one of the more difficult trails on the trip and due to higher elevations, completion of this one is not guaranteed. We will determine where we setup camp for the night based on the weather/conditions.
CAMPING

Day 2 (Monday, March 17th)

Flag Mine trail will be the first trail of the day (really looking forward to this one) before heading west toward Sedona and the Sunset Crater Nat'l monument.
We will decide whether to go to Sedona or the Crater first but will probably spend a day or 2 here.
HOTEL stay

Day 3 (Tuesday, March 18th)

This day will be primarily exploring the beautiful area surrounding Sedona. Broken Arrow and some of the other more challenging trails promise to be some of the best wheeling ANYWHERE!!
HOTEL stay

Day 4 (Wednesday, March 19th)

Continue to explore Sedona area, depart west for Mogollon Rim Trail and Black Canyon Trail (conditions permitting). If not, we will alter route (but we will try to see Petrified Forest) and determine campsite and alternate routes.
CAMPING

Day 5 (Thursday, March 20th)

Start travelling North into Utah. Trails and route is TBD. We will attempt to do the Canyon De Chelly trail, This trail requires a "ride along" native tour guide.
CAMPING

Day 6 (Friday, March 21st)

Continue travelling North toward Moab/Canyonlands/Arches. Trails and sites TBD.
Made reservations at the Greenriver Holiday Inn for 3 rooms.
HOTEL stay

Day 7 (Saturday, March 22nd)

Shafer Trail and White Rim Trail (Canyonland Nat'l Park)
CAMPING

Day 8 (Sunday, March 23rd)

Depart White Rim Trail... (Tim and Dave head East)



........all subject to change and open to suggestions!!

[crozhawk]

Atleast for now, we are limiting this to 5 vehicles max

Confirmed:
Crozhawk
Roams001
Uphill

Possible:

Tour4fun

[uphill]

I'm looking forward to joining you for the first part of the trip (through AZ and part of Utah) at least. It's one of those trips you can't miss.

[crozhawk]

uphill previously said:

I'm looking forward to joining you for the first part of the trip (through AZ and part of Utah) at least. It's one of those trips you can't miss.

Awesome!!! This is going to be an epic trip, with the most scenic routes mixed with great wheeling.

I'm swamped for the next couple days trying to get through a checkride right now, ....but I'll get the schedule up (outlook atleast) in the next day or two.

[crozhawk]

Larry, Tim was also asking about what way we should go as far as food ...potluck, freeze dried stuff, regular food, etc? I'll have an electric cooler that works pretty good and for this run I'd think we could probably do normal food items IMO. Makes no difference to me which way we go with this.

Also, I got some advice that some of the listed trails may be inaccessable. We may have to adjust fire on a couple.

I've been reading about the El Camino del Diablo Trail, ...it's 114 miles long, difficulty rating of 4 and is supposed to be beautiful. It's way south and might be a bit far and require a bit of highway time. It would take probably 2 days for this trail alone and has some areas that r pretty remote. When we put the final schedule together, this is just another option that might be available if we find out any others at higher elevations are closed.

I figure we have a full week for AZ, so it's just an option. ....thoughts?

El Camino del Diablo Trail | Arizona Off-Road Trails

[uphill]

crozhawk previously said:

Larry, Tim was also asking about what way we should go as far as food ...potluck, freeze dried stuff, regular food, etc? I'll have an electric cooler that works pretty good and for this run I'd think we could probably do normal food items IMO. Makes no difference to me which way we go with this.

We're going to be intersecting with civilization enough that regular food should work and when we're "in" civilization we can unrep and restock. And grab a meal cooked by people other than ourselves here and there.

I've been reading about the El Camino del Diablo Trail, ...it's 114 miles long, difficulty rating of 4 and is supposed to be beautiful.

There is a permitting process for El Camino del Diablo and I don't know the details.

[crazycarwes]

Too bad you weren't starting a week earlier or i'd go.

[Jim_D]

It appears that I'm going to be in Sedona from the 16th through the 21st, over my son's spring break, staying at some EXTREMELY expensive resort that my wife picked out and I'd love to tag along with somebody if they'll let me ride shotgun (since my vehicle will be back here in Dallas); or even in the backseat for that matter. If it works out that I can bum a ride for the day I'll PM whoever the designated driver is my cell # so they can get in touch with me.

Jim

[Roams001]

Maybe Allison's mom can make us all some homemade Vietnamese food when we get to Vegas. Last time I was there, she asked me if I liked crap...WTF?...ooooh crab...yes I like crab.