BIG LONG CHALLENGING 4x4 Run Presidents Day Feb 13th - 16th 2009 - ALL CLUBS WELCOME
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: That little town south of Grand Canyon, Arizona
BIG LONG CHALLENGING 4x4 Run Presidents Day Feb 13th - 16th 2009 - ALL CLUBS WELCOME
Got one big HUGE 3 day run in the planning stages. The back road (old stage coach road) to Verde Hot Springs! This one entails:
a) Overnight camping. Trailers wont make it, so it's sleeping bags on the ground, a good fire, and burgers/hot dogs.
b) Hot bath every night in thermal baths.
c) Boulder navigation, Sliding down a shale road and Fording the Verde River, muddy ruts. Winches will be used. Water is usually 2-3 feet at the time. I have seen it at 18 inches. I can monitor the cfm well before we go
d) Must bring lots of water, as you wont find a Circle K anywhere. Take extra gas in your Jerry Cans. One tank may NOT be enough. I suggest an extra 5 gallons at least.
e) Food, dry ice, ice, beer & liquor if thats your thing, and TOILET PAPER. There usually isn't any in the bathroom at the Verde Hot Springs Campground.
f) And lastly, and very important, TRASH BAGS. We will pack out what we brought, and probably a good bit of other peoples thoughtless trash.
g) We might want to have someone come in the 2 wheel drive way as a support vehicle on Saturday Morning with food, BBQ, trash bags, and the like. Maybe someones wife or friend. It's a real easy trip the main road.
Highlights include:
Out first night stopover is a warm spring, about 98 degrees at Sheep's Crossing on the Verde River. Good place to clean up. The silt hot mud packs take years off your face, and feel like a million dollar spa. Caution for children, you might run into casual nudity at the springs.
It's been a tradition for years and years.
Our Second night will be at Verde Hot Springs, the site of the old hotel that burned in 1963. The outdoor pool is 99 degrees, the inside tub is 104 degrees. Perfect place to soak after a long drive. Caution again, this place is customarily "clothing optional". That means it's YOUR option. Many women wear bottoms, some dont. Use your discretion. You will NOT see sexual acts, and the campground itself remains for clothes at 'all times'. (At the campground's discretion)
THE ROAD:
Drive North up Scottsdale Road. We'll meet at some cafe in Cave Creek for an early breakfast.
Then out Seven Springs Road past Bartlett Lake road. Thats the last pavement you are gonna see for 90 miles. Stop under the trees at Seven Springs for a break.
North further up Forest Highway 24 to FH 269. Make a right, go east out Forest Highway 269 to Sheep's Crossing Bridge. This is right on the Verde River, and has a warm spring. There are LOTS of boulders in this area, but manageable, maybe a 3.5
Up the next monring and back out Forest Highway 269 till Forest Highway 16, also known as the APS Powerline Road. It's not well maintained. Lord only knows what it will look like in February. Could be muddy.
Forest Highway splits, we want the eastern one, FH 16b
We pass the ghost town of Lancaster, nothing more than foundations.
From there we slide down a shale hill to the Verde River Valley, coming out just east of Verde Hot Springs. Here we will have to cross the Verde River. Depending on rain etc, it might get high, but usually February it's quite easy. April is a different story.
Cross the river, head over to Verde Hot Springs for Saturday Night. Guaranteed there will be a few partiers there already.
Sunday or Monday get up, eat Aspirin, crash camp, and head north to the General Crook Trail. Here you can either go left and hit Interstate 17 at Camp Verde, or Right and hit HWY 87 in Strawberry.
If you go out by Strawberry, you get to see the restored Fossil Canyon and Fossil Creek. The environmentalists have done an outstanding job restoring this canyon to it's original beauty. Trout & catfish fishing is excellent.
This is a real fun wilderness run. Will take planning. Let me know if you are up for a 3 day adventure up one of Arizona's original stage coach roads.
Since this is a 3 day weekend, we can move the dates from leaving Friday to leaving Saturday.
And now the best part!!! Your wife wont be able to spend money at all those Presidents Day Sales because she's with you making sure your eyes dont strain with the 'clothing optional' coeds!
Let me know
Pictures of the Verde River and the outside pool and bathhouse.
edit: grammar, clarity
a) Overnight camping. Trailers wont make it, so it's sleeping bags on the ground, a good fire, and burgers/hot dogs.
b) Hot bath every night in thermal baths.
c) Boulder navigation, Sliding down a shale road and Fording the Verde River, muddy ruts. Winches will be used. Water is usually 2-3 feet at the time. I have seen it at 18 inches. I can monitor the cfm well before we go
d) Must bring lots of water, as you wont find a Circle K anywhere. Take extra gas in your Jerry Cans. One tank may NOT be enough. I suggest an extra 5 gallons at least.
e) Food, dry ice, ice, beer & liquor if thats your thing, and TOILET PAPER. There usually isn't any in the bathroom at the Verde Hot Springs Campground.
f) And lastly, and very important, TRASH BAGS. We will pack out what we brought, and probably a good bit of other peoples thoughtless trash.
g) We might want to have someone come in the 2 wheel drive way as a support vehicle on Saturday Morning with food, BBQ, trash bags, and the like. Maybe someones wife or friend. It's a real easy trip the main road.
Highlights include:
Out first night stopover is a warm spring, about 98 degrees at Sheep's Crossing on the Verde River. Good place to clean up. The silt hot mud packs take years off your face, and feel like a million dollar spa. Caution for children, you might run into casual nudity at the springs.
It's been a tradition for years and years.Our Second night will be at Verde Hot Springs, the site of the old hotel that burned in 1963. The outdoor pool is 99 degrees, the inside tub is 104 degrees. Perfect place to soak after a long drive. Caution again, this place is customarily "clothing optional". That means it's YOUR option. Many women wear bottoms, some dont. Use your discretion. You will NOT see sexual acts, and the campground itself remains for clothes at 'all times'. (At the campground's discretion)
THE ROAD:
Drive North up Scottsdale Road. We'll meet at some cafe in Cave Creek for an early breakfast.
Then out Seven Springs Road past Bartlett Lake road. Thats the last pavement you are gonna see for 90 miles. Stop under the trees at Seven Springs for a break.
North further up Forest Highway 24 to FH 269. Make a right, go east out Forest Highway 269 to Sheep's Crossing Bridge. This is right on the Verde River, and has a warm spring. There are LOTS of boulders in this area, but manageable, maybe a 3.5
Up the next monring and back out Forest Highway 269 till Forest Highway 16, also known as the APS Powerline Road. It's not well maintained. Lord only knows what it will look like in February. Could be muddy.
Forest Highway splits, we want the eastern one, FH 16b
We pass the ghost town of Lancaster, nothing more than foundations.
From there we slide down a shale hill to the Verde River Valley, coming out just east of Verde Hot Springs. Here we will have to cross the Verde River. Depending on rain etc, it might get high, but usually February it's quite easy. April is a different story.
Cross the river, head over to Verde Hot Springs for Saturday Night. Guaranteed there will be a few partiers there already.
Sunday or Monday get up, eat Aspirin, crash camp, and head north to the General Crook Trail. Here you can either go left and hit Interstate 17 at Camp Verde, or Right and hit HWY 87 in Strawberry.
If you go out by Strawberry, you get to see the restored Fossil Canyon and Fossil Creek. The environmentalists have done an outstanding job restoring this canyon to it's original beauty. Trout & catfish fishing is excellent.
This is a real fun wilderness run. Will take planning. Let me know if you are up for a 3 day adventure up one of Arizona's original stage coach roads.
Since this is a 3 day weekend, we can move the dates from leaving Friday to leaving Saturday.
And now the best part!!! Your wife wont be able to spend money at all those Presidents Day Sales because she's with you making sure your eyes dont strain with the 'clothing optional' coeds!
Let me know
Pictures of the Verde River and the outside pool and bathhouse.
edit: grammar, clarity
Last edited by RubiconRed_Flagstaff; Oct 6, 2008 at 12:36 AM. Reason: ad pictures
JK Junkie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,944
Likes: 0
From: Gilbert, AZ
Now this sunds like one of my kind of trips. Besides at last one Jerry can and a winch, what other equipment is good to have, besides the normal gear (hi lift, rescue strap, gloves, etc.). What about lift, will a 2.5" be sufficient?
It's on the calendar, so unless something else comes along that takes precident (i.e. the wife decides it's more important
) then I'm a go.
It's on the calendar, so unless something else comes along that takes precident (i.e. the wife decides it's more important
) then I'm a go.
JK Freak
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 517
Likes: 1
From: Prescott Valley, AZ.
Now this sunds like one of my kind of trips. Besides at last one Jerry can and a winch, what other equipment is good to have, besides the normal gear (hi lift, rescue strap, gloves, etc.). What about lift, will a 2.5" be sufficient?
It's on the calendar, so unless something else comes along that takes precident (i.e. the wife decides it's more important) then I'm a go.
It's on the calendar, so unless something else comes along that takes precident (i.e. the wife decides it's more important
) then I'm a go.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: That little town south of Grand Canyon, Arizona
HA HA Scouts !!!
Well one weekend years ago I was down at the Hot Springs, and as you know they are 'clothing optional'. That particular weekend the Copper State Naturists were there, about 50 or 60 people running around naked.
LO & Behold!! a Scout Group from a Mormon Church showed up to go camping. While the boys were getting an eyeful and 'demerit badges' one of the Scoutmasters drove out (3 hours round trip) to get a Sheriff. But when that guy returned he was recognized by some of the Naturists as having been there many times before. The Sheriff read this Scoutmaster the riot act for knowingly bringing boys down to a know nudist area. The Naturists were requested to wear clothes in the campground.
But what a FUNNY weekend. They ended up pulling camp at5am Sunday and leaving.
Lets keep this alive, and do it.
BTW: I am rebuilding the website verdehotsprings.org - so check with that later in the month.
Well one weekend years ago I was down at the Hot Springs, and as you know they are 'clothing optional'. That particular weekend the Copper State Naturists were there, about 50 or 60 people running around naked.
LO & Behold!! a Scout Group from a Mormon Church showed up to go camping. While the boys were getting an eyeful and 'demerit badges' one of the Scoutmasters drove out (3 hours round trip) to get a Sheriff. But when that guy returned he was recognized by some of the Naturists as having been there many times before. The Sheriff read this Scoutmaster the riot act for knowingly bringing boys down to a know nudist area. The Naturists were requested to wear clothes in the campground.
But what a FUNNY weekend. They ended up pulling camp at5am Sunday and leaving.
Lets keep this alive, and do it.
BTW: I am rebuilding the website verdehotsprings.org - so check with that later in the month.