FlameRed

So here's my delema. We'll be spending Dec 24-Jan 2 in Prescott, AZ at my in-laws cabin. We live in NorCal so this is a 1500 mile round trip for us to drive from CA to AZ. I'd really like to drive the jeep out to AZ if I can justify that I'll get some wheeling in while I'm out there.

I'd like to hit up Sedona, Table Mesa area, and Crown King. My questions for the locals:

-are these areas open during the winter? do they get snowed in?

-Is th AZ crew pretty active during the holdays or is everyone off with family? I don't really want to tackle these trails alone.

-Is it possible to take senator hwy all the way from lake pleasent area through crown king to prescott? I think there are trails that go that way but I'm thinking they'll be snowed over.

The other half of me wants to drive our truck since it's a better road trip vehicle.

choices!!! what should I do??

backwoodjk

I would love to go wheeling right after Christmas. The back road from Lake Pleasant to Crown King, to Prescott is doable pending snow.

If you are in the area and want to do a quick trail, head out on Senator Highway and loop it back to Mt. Vernon St. This is a fun ride to take if we have snow.

eraujk

Ill be back in Co during those days, Wish i could be there!

Backroad to Crown King is easily one of my favorite trails in the area, mostly because i can wheel from phoenix all the way back to prescott. Its a long trip but always fun. Starting off Carefree hwy, you can take the backroad all the way up to Crown King and from here you get two options. You can go down the hill which will take you through Cleator to Mayor (down the road from Prescott Valley) or you can stay on Senator Highway and if i remember right it drops you off by Costco in Prescott itself.

Snow:

We did the trip last spring. It was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts at lake pleasant but by the time we gained all that altitude and hit crown king we had hit multiple feet of snow in places and about a foot of ice/rutted snow on the trail. Some on ledges that made it a fun yet scary experience.

it rained and snowed for a day and a half the other day so i know for a fact that there will be snow up there. But it should melt down a bit before you get here.

FlameRed

Last year when we were there for x-mas it was before I had a jeep and so I wasn't really looking at things from a jeep point of view. We took my father in laws Yahmaha Rhino's up seanator from prescott and there were tons of stuck trucks. We made it up to the intersection of Senator Hwy and Walker Rd near potato patch. We tried to continue up Seantor but we ran across a broken down big old toyota truck on boggers that had just wiched it'self to a tree and an completely stock ford F150 that was axle deep in snow. We figured if they couldn't make, we weren't going to.

Seems if they get a good storm that road from crown up over senator could be very difficult.

darciron

I know there are a couple runs going on around then, I'll get more info. Ryan

backwoodjk

I pulled out three different stuck 4 wheel drive trucks on Senator Highway last year. One guy in a Toyota said he was stuck for three hours. He looked freaked out and told me to turn around, then he looked again, and said, oh you have a Jeep, you might be fine.

I was fine and made it through...

joes-jk

last weekend i was hunting north of people's valley (south of prescott on the 89), we camped on wangners road. took that all the way to crown king to go to the bar. is kinda easy but its a deffernt way all together. ive only done the way up from lake pressent prior to that.

by the way went to buckey's in prescott to. wasnt impressed, that was m first time going to a casino.

come to think of it we did really do much hunting last weekend lol.