All of you Arizona guys out there, I'd like to plan a trip up the back way from Lake Pleasant to Crown King.

Saturday, Nov 28th... the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

We could meet at either the gas station at Carefree Highway and I-17 (for those of you coming from the north or east)
Or at the trail head at Carefree Highway and Castle Hot Springs Road - just west of Lake Pleasant.

7:30 at the gas station - or 8:00 at the trail head.

It's a long morning run up to Crown King and we should get there by lunch time for a burger (and a beer?) in town.

Head on back down the hill the front way to I-17 and back home by 3:30 or 4:00.


The trail is normally rated at 2.5 out of 5.0. A stock FDII should have no problem. A stock FDI may have to use some of the bypass routes. Either way, any 4x4 Pat is good to go.

Hopefully we can have 4 or 5 Pats at least.


I'll start the list off

1) UA_who Nate
2) CaptainHoek - strong maybe
3) Wymtnmedic - definite, with shift change
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

I'm a strong maybe, I might visit friends in San Diego for the holiday. I will know more as the date approaches...

I added you to the list.

bump for the day.
Where are all of the Arizona people?

I will definitely be there if I can get someone to trade a shift with me.

Got ya on the list.
It's a pretty weak list so far.

No other Arizona people out here?

Crown King is a gorgeous drive!

I wish I could go with you.

I can;t even get the folks in the PA RIOTS group to talk, let alone meet.

I even invited folks to come to my place in the winter. I figured we'd see who makes it up the hill, lol.

Thanks for the bump though Dixiedawg.


For all of you AZ folks, here is some info on Crown King:
www.onazhwys.com/Crown_King.html

The saloon there serves a great hamburger too! That and an ice cold beer taste great after a few hours of trail driving. :)

If someone doesn't trade this shift with me I have a feeling I might be "sick" that day :)

Wymtn,
You are sounding a little sick. You really should get that taken care of. Maybe in about two weeks :)

Sorry, but as it turns out I WILL be in San Diego for the holiday and the weekend, but will be ready for the next run...

Sorry to hear that Captain.

Any other takers for this weekend?

If you put something together for this year I will join.

I might try that again this summer.

I wouldn't want to try it now with the chance of snow on the trail.

I drive to Snowbowl every weekend to snowboard, I have not seen any snow at that altitude.

Shall we go this April??????????????????????????????????????

April is looking like a busy month my friend.

I'd be game for going in mid May?

With all the rain they've had up there, I wonder what shape the trail is in? There has always been that one bad spot 4 miles south of town that our quads can barely handle. Going in the backway from Lynx Lake down the Senator Highway is always a nice drive. JMHO

Agreed. The north routes (by Lynx Lake or the west route by Marapai) are nice driving. Not challenging though.
The east route down through Cleator is the same - but not as pretty.

It's the south route that is the challenge. Which is why I've been wanting to try it with my Pat for awhile. Hopefully the rain hasn't done too much damage. But worst case, we just turn around and go home. :)

Agreed. The north routes (by Lynx Lake or the west route by Marapai) are nice driving. Not challenging though.
The east route down through Cleator is the same - but not as pretty.

It's the south route that is the challenge. Which is why I've been wanting to try it with my Pat for awhile. Hopefully the rain hasn't done too much damage. But worst case, we just turn around and go home. :)

You want challenge? Give this a try. The Jeep Trail is on the map but it's a killer. I have yet to make it to the top:
Table Mesa Exit I-17
Cottonwood Creek
Packer
Milk Ranch
Coal Camp Spring
Horsethief Basin
Crown King
You can even stay at Milk Ranch because nobody is ever there. Beds, but bring your own mattress.

I've never been up that way.
But the entire area there can have brutal topography (and beautiful!)

It's not as well traveled as the more popular trails but just as scenic. You may meet 2 off-roaders all day, and you sure don't have to worry about trying to pass oncoming traffic.

I am sure you have all seen this, but here is information and pictures from Expeditions West, taking a Jeep patriot to the top of Crown King in the snow (Bottom third of the page):
Jeep Patriot Review (http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/reviews/patriot/index.htm)
http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/reviews/patriot/images/Jeep_Patriot_2007-30.JPG

is a tough expedition, I don't do any activities if there are any snow...

Looks like my driveway, lmao. Although I do often cheat and put chains on all 4 wheels.

I am sure you have all seen this, but here is information and pictures from Expeditions West, taking a Jeep patriot to the top of Crown King in the snow (Bottom third of the page):
Jeep Patriot Review (http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/reviews/patriot/index.htm)
http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/reviews/patriot/images/Jeep_Patriot_2007-30.JPG


That review was one of the reasons I bought my Patriot!

That review was one of the reasons I bought my Patriot!

That review is what got me even looking at the Patriot as well, although I am still looking :zzz:

That trail has a couple of tough sections that would challenge just about any 4x4 (Wrangler Rubicon's excluded). Doing it in the snow really says something.

I still haven't taken my Patriot up it yet. Waiting for a few more from around here to get a group. It's not something I would want to do solo with a Patriot to start.

That review was one of the reasons I bought my Patriot!

Thanks for the invite, but the reason I bought my Pat was to run the beaches on South Padre Island. I'll be heading over there after Thanksgiving. I'll leave Crown King for the summer when it's 115 in the valley. It is a nice trip at 5:00 AM in July though.