Sycamore to Log Corral... almost.

**Elvota** · 03-06-2008, 09:48 PM

After hours on Google Earth plotting possible routes, I was convinced I had finally found the way. Unfortunately, I was denied about 1.5 miles from the end. Still had a good day. Did a 60 mile uninterrupted dirt route. Intermixed old forgotten roads and creek beds.

Warning: Lot's of GREEN plant and FLOWER footage. Us AZ desert dwellers get excited about that sort of stuff.

Once the dog and I found our way in from Hwy 87 and Shea... we came across a windmill that was actually pumping when the wind blew. Most of the time, those things are all shot up and stuck. Was kinda cool to see one operational:

First GREEN pic:

Then it was on to try and find our way across Lower Sycamore. It was mostly dry, but very wide and hard to navigate:

Thought I found the trail, but was wrong. Came across an interesting ruin of an adobe wall though. Completely random. No evidence of a foundation, roof or other walls. Very curious:

Mousse enjoying the water:

We hiked around a bit with GPS in hand to try and find my Google Earth route. Came across this little guy in the process (no idea what kind though):

Finally found the road. This gate is key... for anyone else looking for this route in the future (very doubtful I know

)

Now we were off. Sycamore navigated and crossed, route found. Just had to get through all this GREEN stuff:

TomCat · 03-06-2008, 09:59 PM

Cool shots! This is a great time of the year. All the green and flowers starting to pop up, but still nice and cool outside.

**Elvota** · 03-06-2008, 10:00 PM

The next section of trail looked like it hadn't been visited for years. Still, was easy to navigate. Lot's of steep ups and downs:

Came across these two at one of the creek crossings. Far to remote to have been planted. Just luck that both had grown so close and at such a similar pace:

Climbing now, you could look back and see the Fountain Hills namesake shooting into the sky. Can you make it out?

How about now?

After driving for some time, I got to a section that I had done before. Was rewarding to know I wasn't too lost. GREEN doubletrack:

Superdeep FLOWERS and GREEN plus dog plus 4Runner. Perhaps the greatest photo I have ever taken

:

Justinvd · 03-06-2008, 10:05 PM

Those are some nice pictures, i wish i had some desert to explore around here

SOAZtim · 03-06-2008, 10:08 PM

nice! Its Ireland. The 4runner looks at home. right on.

**Elvota** · 03-06-2008, 10:09 PM

This section was really sweet. All the trees bent over at just the right height:

Trail started to get a bit more technical from there. Up a wash with some interesting side walls:

What was left of a tree. Looked like it was just stuck in the sand.

Erosion had gotten the better part of this section. If it doesn't fit... well, you can always make it fit.

:

Section after. Was really starting to hope this route was going to go through. I was way back there by now:

Came across a gila monster around the next bend. he was a stubborn SOB. Hissed and puffed up when I got close for his pic, and wouldn't move for nothing. Even hissed at the 4Runner when I fired it back up. He finally moved away so I could continue:

Trail was rapidly reducing is use and width by this point. Was hopeful I'd be able to keep going. Did make it to Cottonwood Tank though. Very exciting

:

After that, the trail went total singletrack. I made an effort, but ultimately dealt the final blow. End of the line... dog didn't seem to care though:

We hiked a ways further, but it just kept getting skinnier. So close, so close... but had to turn back.

**Elvota** · 03-06-2008, 10:14 PM

Here come the FLOWER pics... brace yourselves...

You can see the trail off in the background in the next one. Very happy with how that one turned out.

And my final "artsy" shot:

Almost forgot... one big, brave rabbit just hanging out:

I have exhausted every possible route I can see from Sycamore to Log Corral and just can't make it work.

Oh well, still a good day and have found a ton of singletrack that looks epic. Maybe I'll have to get a motorbike to solve the rest of this puzzle.

**Elvota** · 03-06-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomCat

Cool shots! This is a great time of the year. All the green and flowers starting to pop up, but still nice and cool outside.

Thanks. The desert is just so amazing right now with all the rain we have had. Crazy how lush things are. It was a great day for both weather and scenery.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justinvd

Those are some nice pictures, i wish i had some desert to explore around here

Being from BC, at least you have plenty of GREEN all year round... except when it's covered in white of course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOAZtim

nice! Its Ireland. The 4runner looks at home. right on.

My bet is if I had asked YT to guess the location, AZ desert would have been last picked... that's for sure.

4mydogs · 03-07-2008, 06:20 AM

Awesome post and pics. This is one of my favorite things about YotaTech: posts of folks doing stuff with/in their Toyotas that I would like to do.

Bravo!

SOAZtim · 03-07-2008, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvota

Here come the FLOWER pics... brace yourselves...

.

Okay, thats pretty cool. Don't tell anyone I looked at pictures of flowers....

Brenjen · 03-07-2008, 07:01 AM

Artys-Fartsy?

Nah, not really. Take it from a guy who despises artsy; those are just examples of good photography at work. My wife is a camera wielder, I bought her a nice Nikon D50 a couple years ago & a macro lens. I'm hoping to take her out there to the South West (AZ. in particular) in a year or two if gas doesn't go up to $6 a gallon before that so she can see it in person.

Thanks for the pics, I enjoyed them.

westy44runner · 03-07-2008, 10:03 AM

Wow...great report! Thanks for checking it out too....I have been wondering about that area for years now and you finally made it there. It looks like it would make for a cool place to camp and hang out for a weekend.

Looks like you should have brought that fishing pole you found at Log Corral!

**Elvota** · 03-07-2008, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westy44runner

I have been wondering about that area for years now and you finally made it there. It looks like it would make for a cool place to camp and hang out for a weekend.

I figured since you were the one that showed me the location of the tank, you'd interested to see what it actually looks like.

I forgot to post, but there is a corral out there as well:

Quote:

Originally Posted by westy44runner

Looks like you should have brought that fishing pole you found at Log Corral!

Might not have been a bad idea. Although after the tenacity of that Gila monster... I am not sure I'd want to know what could have been pulled out of that pond.

BLKNBLU · 03-08-2008, 07:54 AM

A little OT but it IS amazing what a little moisture does to the desert isn't it? Here is one of my fave "that's Arizona?" pics from a few years ago.

***Corey*** · 03-08-2008, 08:19 AM

Very nice pictures!
Makes me want to get out and do some wheeling.

How big is the gila monster?
Those are cool looking.

**Elvota** · 03-08-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLKNBLU

A little OT but it IS amazing what a little moisture does to the desert isn't it? Here is one of my fave "that's Arizona?" pics from a few years ago.

Always good to see snow on the 4Peaks. Was that taken just past Cottonwood Wash by any chance? I was just out on that road a few months back.

What do you think... taken from about the same place?

**Elvota** · 03-08-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corey

Very nice pictures!
Makes me want to get out and do some wheeling.

How big is the gila monster?
Those are cool looking.

Thanks. I think the Gila was around 14" or so long from nose to tail. I have only seen a few, but this one was of good size. They usually just scurry off, but this one stood his ground and got even bigger.

BLKNBLU · 03-08-2008, 08:33 AM

Wow. That's a hoot! IIRC it was between 4Peaks Road and Cottonwood. Good chance it was past the wash though as my pic is 5 yr old so the memory

03-06-2008, 09:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Elvota Super Moderator Staff Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Phx, AZ Posts: 3,458	Sycamore to Log Corral... almost. After hours on Google Earth plotting possible routes, I was convinced I had finally found the way. Unfortunately, I was denied about 1.5 miles from the end. Still had a good day. Did a 60 mile uninterrupted dirt route. Intermixed old forgotten roads and creek beds. Warning: Lot's of GREEN plant and FLOWER footage. Us AZ desert dwellers get excited about that sort of stuff. Once the dog and I found our way in from Hwy 87 and Shea... we came across a windmill that was actually pumping when the wind blew. Most of the time, those things are all shot up and stuck. Was kinda cool to see one operational: First GREEN pic: Then it was on to try and find our way across Lower Sycamore. It was mostly dry, but very wide and hard to navigate: Thought I found the trail, but was wrong. Came across an interesting ruin of an adobe wall though. Completely random. No evidence of a foundation, roof or other walls. Very curious: Mousse enjoying the water: We hiked around a bit with GPS in hand to try and find my Google Earth route. Came across this little guy in the process (no idea what kind though): Finally found the road. This gate is key... for anyone else looking for this route in the future (very doubtful I know ) Now we were off. Sycamore navigated and crossed, route found. Just had to get through all this GREEN stuff: __________________ ================ 1990 4Runner \| V6 3.4 \| 5spd \| 240 someoddthousand miles \| SR5 \| SAS \| RLS \| 35's \| ARB \| TJM \| 217 to 1 \| W8000 - four wheels \| three sticks \| two hands \| one trail - RIGITY DIGITY

03-06-2008, 09:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
TomCat Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chandler, Arizona Posts: 54	Cool shots! This is a great time of the year. All the green and flowers starting to pop up, but still nice and cool outside. __________________ 1985 4Runner <--- click for profile 3" suspension lift, 2" bodylift, high steer, rear locker, & 33x12.50 MT's.

03-06-2008, 10:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Elvota Super Moderator Staff Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Phx, AZ Posts: 3,458	The next section of trail looked like it hadn't been visited for years. Still, was easy to navigate. Lot's of steep ups and downs: Came across these two at one of the creek crossings. Far to remote to have been planted. Just luck that both had grown so close and at such a similar pace: Climbing now, you could look back and see the Fountain Hills namesake shooting into the sky. Can you make it out? How about now? After driving for some time, I got to a section that I had done before. Was rewarding to know I wasn't too lost. GREEN doubletrack: Superdeep FLOWERS and GREEN plus dog plus 4Runner. Perhaps the greatest photo I have ever taken : __________________ ================ 1990 4Runner \| V6 3.4 \| 5spd \| 240 someoddthousand miles \| SR5 \| SAS \| RLS \| 35's \| ARB \| TJM \| 217 to 1 \| W8000 - four wheels \| three sticks \| two hands \| one trail - RIGITY DIGITY

03-06-2008, 10:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
Justinvd Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: B.C Posts: 635	Those are some nice pictures, i wish i had some desert to explore around here __________________ 1988 4runner- 22R-E - Crazy Gear Parted with the "Slush Box" If You Cant Feed IT - Dont Breed IT T urning O ver after Y ears O f T rail A buse

03-06-2008, 10:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
SOAZtim Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Snobsdale, SOuthern AriZona. Posts: 742	nice! Its Ireland. The 4runner looks at home. right on. __________________ Yotatech.com Oval Stickers FOR SALE HERE 2001 4runner. 255/85/16 Cooper ST's, DR coilovers, PP rear spring wit billies, 4.88's with Special magic front and rear. www.soaztim.com

03-06-2008, 10:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
Elvota Super Moderator Staff Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Phx, AZ Posts: 3,458	This section was really sweet. All the trees bent over at just the right height: Trail started to get a bit more technical from there. Up a wash with some interesting side walls: What was left of a tree. Looked like it was just stuck in the sand. Erosion had gotten the better part of this section. If it doesn't fit... well, you can always make it fit. : Section after. Was really starting to hope this route was going to go through. I was way back there by now: Came across a gila monster around the next bend. he was a stubborn SOB. Hissed and puffed up when I got close for his pic, and wouldn't move for nothing. Even hissed at the 4Runner when I fired it back up. He finally moved away so I could continue: Trail was rapidly reducing is use and width by this point. Was hopeful I'd be able to keep going. Did make it to Cottonwood Tank though. Very exciting : After that, the trail went total singletrack. I made an effort, but ultimately dealt the final blow. End of the line... dog didn't seem to care though: We hiked a ways further, but it just kept getting skinnier. So close, so close... but had to turn back. __________________ ================ 1990 4Runner \| V6 3.4 \| 5spd \| 240 someoddthousand miles \| SR5 \| SAS \| RLS \| 35's \| ARB \| TJM \| 217 to 1 \| W8000 - four wheels \| three sticks \| two hands \| one trail - RIGITY DIGITY Last edited by Elvota : 03-08-2008 at 10:10 PM.

03-06-2008, 10:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
Elvota Super Moderator Staff Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Phx, AZ Posts: 3,458	Here come the FLOWER pics... brace yourselves... You can see the trail off in the background in the next one. Very happy with how that one turned out. And my final "artsy" shot: Almost forgot... one big, brave rabbit just hanging out: I have exhausted every possible route I can see from Sycamore to Log Corral and just can't make it work. Oh well, still a good day and have found a ton of singletrack that looks epic. Maybe I'll have to get a motorbike to solve the rest of this puzzle. __________________ ================ 1990 4Runner \| V6 3.4 \| 5spd \| 240 someoddthousand miles \| SR5 \| SAS \| RLS \| 35's \| ARB \| TJM \| 217 to 1 \| W8000 - four wheels \| three sticks \| two hands \| one trail - RIGITY DIGITY

03-07-2008, 06:20 AM	#9 (permalink)
4mydogs Contributing Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Galt's Gulch, SC Posts: 1,325	Awesome post and pics. This is one of my favorite things about YotaTech: posts of folks doing stuff with/in their Toyotas that I would like to do. Bravo! __________________ 1995 SR5 V-6 4WD Limited, 171k miles, 31X10.5 BFG All Terrain T/A KOs, Downey 1.5HD rear coils, 9" Doetsch MV-12s, Hella 1000 fog lights, Alpine XM/CD head unit, and rear window dog drool.

03-07-2008, 07:01 AM	#11 (permalink)
Brenjen Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Searcy, Arkansas Posts: 1,191	Artys-Fartsy? Nah, not really. Take it from a guy who despises artsy; those are just examples of good photography at work. My wife is a camera wielder, I bought her a nice Nikon D50 a couple years ago & a macro lens. I'm hoping to take her out there to the South West (AZ. in particular) in a year or two if gas doesn't go up to $6 a gallon before that so she can see it in person. Thanks for the pics, I enjoyed them. __________________ '95 4Runner 3.0 Automatic bone stock; it's becoming a project slowly but surely, one part at a time "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!”

03-07-2008, 10:03 AM	#12 (permalink)
westy44runner Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 886	Wow...great report! Thanks for checking it out too....I have been wondering about that area for years now and you finally made it there. It looks like it would make for a cool place to camp and hang out for a weekend. Looks like you should have brought that fishing pole you found at Log Corral! __________________ '86 Toy Flatbed with a few modifications

03-08-2008, 07:54 AM	#14 (permalink)
BLKNBLU Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Gilbert, Arizona Posts: 1,230	A little OT but it IS amazing what a little moisture does to the desert isn't it? Here is one of my fave "that's Arizona?" pics from a few years ago. __________________ 86 Runner, BFG 31's, custom Sonoran Steel rear bumper, 4Crawler 1" body lift, rock sliders from Richard Stubbs, Downey 3" lift rear leaf springs, SDORI ball joint spacers, rear Lockright

03-08-2008, 08:19 AM	#15 (permalink)
*Corey* Co-Founder/Administrator Staff Join Date: May 2002 Location: Auburn, Washington Posts: 23,819	Very nice pictures! Makes me want to get out and do some wheeling. How big is the gila monster? Those are cool looking. __________________ Corey 2007 FJ Cruiser ARB bumper, Warn XD9000, OME lift, roof top tent, so much more, see my website & buildup thread PNW FJ Cruisers ☺ Detailing 101 ☺ Join Topsites ☺ Muffler Comparisons ☺ Maggiolinas In The Wild FJ Cruiser Buildup ☺ New Roof Top Tent ☺ Video Of My Penthouse ☺ Rehinge Your ARB/Engel Fridge

03-08-2008, 08:33 AM	#18 (permalink)
BLKNBLU Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Gilbert, Arizona Posts: 1,230	Wow. That's a hoot! IIRC it was between 4Peaks Road and Cottonwood. Good chance it was past the wash though as my pic is 5 yr old so the memory