Trail Rating: Based on 5 points 3.0+
Location: South of Prescott

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Trip Leader: Mark Longfield
Trip Date: August 15, 2004
Starting Time: Sunday, August 15th @ 10:00 AM
Meeting Point: Wal-Mart Super Center parking lot-1801 East Hwy 69
Est. Length: 5 hours minimum
CB Channel: 4

Directions:
Turn north off Hyw 69 and Prescott Lakes Parkway. I'll be parked near the new In and Out Burger- 1987 Khaki/O.D. Exo'd Toy w/ a flatbed on 35" MT/R's

There are a couple of options on the route. We can take the full loop out Senator Hwy to Palace Station, south to Pole Camp Canyon, (pretty warm this time of year, but very scenic) or a shorter loop via Ponderosa Park off White Spar Rd. (south Hwy 89). In either case, the trail goes thru tight sections of brush- serious AZ pinstriping is gonna happen. 32" tires and a rear locker are required at a minimum. There is a section of the trail that is off camber. The final hill climb is steep and covered w/ loose rock and has a ledge at the top. The views from the top of the ridge are awesome!

Come on up for some slightly cooler wheeling!

trail pic's courtesy of BajaTaco:
http://www.bajataco.com/maverick_mtn/index.htm

 

I know you said the minimum requirements but do you think a 03 stock Tacoma equipped with the TRD package would make it?

 

hmmmmmmmmmmm

There are three challenging sections on the short loop. The longer loop has several options that can be fun too-

If you make it past Riggle's Hill (the spot in Baja's pic where the guy slid into the ditch) you still have a good up hill rocky section with steps 18 to 20" high. This section used to smack the crap outta my bumper on an open diff'd 1970 GMC shortbed w/ 2" lift and 32" M/T's if I wasn't carefull.

The big hill (Halford Hill) is loose and requires a lot of tire spin if you don't have lower gearing or larger tires. I get a little spin even w/ 109:1 crawler gears and 12.5 x 35's. You do have the option of turning around at the base of the long hill shown in Baja's pic's. I used to drive up to the base of the hill pretty easily in the ol' GMC truck w/ no problems, but I by-passed Riggles hill- no way to get up it with out a locker.

BUT-

While this is not even considered a hard core rock crawlin' trail, it does have the opportunity for some pretty good damage if your not equiped properly.

Personally, I would not want to AZ pin-stripe a newer rig, nor risk the probable damage to the rocker panels w/ no lift or sliders.

 

Not sure if I can make this one. (not sure I want to either! ) I got more serious pinstripe on this trail than all of the other trails I have done combined... LOL! We are talking almost to bare metal! LOL!! (Just kidding about the bare metal part - clear coat is toast though). I would make sliders a requirement for rigs with less than 35" tires or that have a real long wheelbase. You need a lot of break over angle and traction to climb over this ledge or you have to go to the right. And if you go around it to the right, it is so loose you risk sliding into the rock with the side of your truck. Luckily I have sliders that stick out past the rocker a bit, and I used the slider to pivot around the rock while I clawed for traction, (this is aired down with a rear locker and good tires). Granted, my truck is a heavy pig though :pig: I don't mean to scare anyone off, if you like a good challenge and have a truck that you don't mind putting to good use, it is an experience you won't soon forget! I think my favorite part of the whole trip was the prelude to the actual trail where you go through the Hassayampa river valley - it's beautiful! I definitely would not take a stock TRD Tacoma up maverick ridge without knowing full well that it will get dented and scratched up, and you might even require a tug in two spots because of the stock tires.

 

I may be able to make this trip. If I do, I will have you sign a IOU, I can call out at anytime, and you would have to make the trip down here for the trail of my choosing

Although, I still owe you for the death defying tug up the hill of muck and mire from our Desoto trip

K-ton

 

Hey Chris!

Yes, the brush is tight- but it's a BUNCH better than the first time I ran this back in the late 80's. Back then, the brush met in the middle of my hood!!!

My longer route essentially starts on the Senator Hwy and turns off at Palace Station and heads south on Bodie Mine road. It is a mellow putt putt across Johnson Flat and intersects into Pole Camp Canyon. From there it follows the route you took. There are two routes out of Pole Camp Canyon- you guys took the easy one! The shorter route starts near Ponderosa Park-

OK- I owe K-Ton a trail run some time between Oct and March

 

I might do this - because I would love to check out the Johnson flat section.

I was looking at the map... and I was wondering if you have been down Pole Camp canyon into Milk creek area around Battleship butte? That looks like it might be a neat area. Maybe instead I should ask... are there any trails in the Bradshaws that you haven't been on??

Hey K-ton!! Good to see you around d00d!

 

Johnson Flat is an interesting area- way out in the middle of nuthin. The south facing slopes have been hammered by the drought- the small patches of Pines have been pretty much wiped out......

I can still get lost in my own back yard Litterally- there are still hundreds of miles of stuff I've not been on....

I wish you could have seen all the stuff thats been closed because the trails "didn't go anywhere"

I've always turned into Pole Camp Canyon/Milk Creek above the ranch buildings in lower Milk Creek or come in via the steep hill by the ranch from Wagoner Rd (the Other back way to Crown King ). There is a signed FS road I turn off of that should exit out near Battleship Butte. Don't have my FS map wid me, but topzone shows it:

http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=12&n=3...99997666&datum

If you don't want to go over the top, you can exit out via FS-94C and come out at the Hassayampa between Groom Creek and Ponderosa Park.

 

Hey Chris,
I have gone on vacation a couple times this summer, 3 weeks, Went to NH with 5 yr old son, had a blast, pictures not up yet.
I have been interviewing for a new job,(10 years at current) Got hired for an exciting new adventure in cooking
I am Chef of a Honeywell trining facility in town
Bene's included, no nights no weekends,,,,
Gave notice yesterday.
First day new job, Monday. Officially on the clock tomorrow.
Quality of life just went up a couple clicks

Maybe see you on the Mav run, If I make it,,,and you make it.

K-ton

 

Karlton, that is GREAT news!!

Hey man, glad to hear things are looking up and you got to do some vacation time! I was worried about you... So I assume this means you are keeping the truck. Sure sounds like it.

Mark, thanks for the info! If you ever want to get out to some of those roads you haven't done yet, lemme know. I have also been wanting to explore over in the Santa Marias some more too. I have been over there a few times, and there is some really nice granite over there. Beautiful boulders like the dells.

 

Spider Ranch Road to Camp Wood Rd at the Yolo Ranch- via Smith Mesa-good stuff!

 

Updated weather forecast for Sun, Aug 15:

Scattered T-Storms 79°/56° 40 % Precipitation

If the weather moves in, we might skip the upper portion of the trail- just have to wait and see what the conditions are like. Not sure I want to be on top of a 7800' knife edge ridge in the lighting

 

any firm "see ya there" commitments?

trying to get an idea on #'s.........FYI- I'm not online after 4:30 PM tomorrow.