World Wide Expedition Day- The Trip Reports
- Thread starter photoman
- Start date
KSJeep
Explorer
Ok, I'll be first to post. It was just short trip into the mountains, but at least we got out.
Posted in the Completed Adventures section.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46775
Posted in the Completed Adventures section.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46775
photoman
Explorer
16 hours of fun
Members: safado, articulate, and photoman
non-members: 1
Destination: Devils Chasm in the Sierra Ancha Wilderness in Eastern AZ
The alarm went off at 4am and I had the Jeep packed and ready to roll just before 5am. I went a few blocks over to pickup my friend Chris who would be joining safado, articulate, and myself on this trip. Chris has a FSJ but is not currently up to par for anything other than local runs. Chris and I headed East from Maricopa through Casa Grande and Coolidge over to Florence while articulate and safado were heading from Chandler and Mesa respectively.
We all meet shortly after 6am and exchanged hellos and introductions. This was my first time meeting articulate and Chris's first time meeting either of the guys. We left Florence and headed South to the Florence Kelvin Hwy and then headed East towards Kearny. The sky was severely lacking clouds this morning so my plans to shoot around the boulders area was shot. We continued on and made another brief stop at the overlook of the Ray Mine.
Having some COM issues at this point we decided that we would consolidate vehicles in Superior. We settled on two vehicles with a driver and navigator in each and then high tailed it to Globe and out to Hwy 288 before turning onto Cherry Creek Rd/ NF203. After about 20 miles we reached the trail head to Devils Chasm.
Having done some brief research on the trail it was unclear how difficult this hike was going to be. Between the route finding, elevation change of 1000 ft, distance of 2.5 miles each way, and the heat it- was not the easiest hike I have ever done.
A small waterfall about 0.5 miles into the hike
Almost to the destination we reach the first large waterfall.
The large rock in the center of the picture is over 20 ft tall and the only way to get above it to crawl through a small opening to the right of the falls. There is a rope to help climb up to the hole, however with a large camera backpack and a tripod the climb and hole are a bit of a pain and slow going.
From the top of the hole
Articulate, while standing on top of falls, gets a shot of the narrow canyon we had just ascended.
After the first waterfall there is a second waterfall to ascend.
safado making his way up the second waterfall.
Members: safado, articulate, and photoman
non-members: 1
Destination: Devils Chasm in the Sierra Ancha Wilderness in Eastern AZ
The alarm went off at 4am and I had the Jeep packed and ready to roll just before 5am. I went a few blocks over to pickup my friend Chris who would be joining safado, articulate, and myself on this trip. Chris has a FSJ but is not currently up to par for anything other than local runs. Chris and I headed East from Maricopa through Casa Grande and Coolidge over to Florence while articulate and safado were heading from Chandler and Mesa respectively.
We all meet shortly after 6am and exchanged hellos and introductions. This was my first time meeting articulate and Chris's first time meeting either of the guys. We left Florence and headed South to the Florence Kelvin Hwy and then headed East towards Kearny. The sky was severely lacking clouds this morning so my plans to shoot around the boulders area was shot. We continued on and made another brief stop at the overlook of the Ray Mine.
Having some COM issues at this point we decided that we would consolidate vehicles in Superior. We settled on two vehicles with a driver and navigator in each and then high tailed it to Globe and out to Hwy 288 before turning onto Cherry Creek Rd/ NF203. After about 20 miles we reached the trail head to Devils Chasm.
Having done some brief research on the trail it was unclear how difficult this hike was going to be. Between the route finding, elevation change of 1000 ft, distance of 2.5 miles each way, and the heat it- was not the easiest hike I have ever done.
A small waterfall about 0.5 miles into the hike
Almost to the destination we reach the first large waterfall.
The large rock in the center of the picture is over 20 ft tall and the only way to get above it to crawl through a small opening to the right of the falls. There is a rope to help climb up to the hole, however with a large camera backpack and a tripod the climb and hole are a bit of a pain and slow going.
From the top of the hole
Articulate, while standing on top of falls, gets a shot of the narrow canyon we had just ascended.
After the first waterfall there is a second waterfall to ascend.
safado making his way up the second waterfall.
photoman
Explorer
Devils Chasm Cont
While articulate and safado ventured on to look for a hidden Indian Ruin I stayed behind with Chris who was really feeling the effects of the heat and the hike.
After thirty minutes of hanging out and seeing the clouds start to build a loud thunder clap brought immediate concern. We were in a slot canyon of sorts and any decent amount of rain would make the slick rock very difficult to navigate as well as being right in the path of a flash flood :Wow1: . Chris and I immediately began looking for a safe place to wait out the storm in case safado and articulate were not able to get back before the storm opened up. Luckily safado and articulate immediately turned around and high tailed it back down the canyon after hearing the same thunder. Just as they descended the second waterfall the storm opened up and began to rain.
We trudged, slipped, and slided our way 2.5 miles back to the trucks in record time being pummeled by rain the entire way. Of course as soon as we reached the vehicles the rain stopped. It was now 3:00pm and as we snacked on food, re-hydrated ourselves and discussed what was next for the day. We decided we would make our way back out to Hwy 288 and make a decision at that point- after all we still had more than a dozen washes to cross including three very large crossings which two had already had water in them. As we headed back down NF203 we were hit with a few storms but still made time to stop for a few pictures.
One of two snakes we stopped for
The storm that we left behind.
These guys had passed us and then caught back up to us. They were looking to visit the same area we had just left. I told them to look behind them towards the storm in the area and informed them they would be very stupid to continue on.
I guess this is one way to have tires for every terrain
After reaching Hwy 288 we headed North a little ways to Parker Canyon and couldn't help buy get a few shots of the trucks.
After the posing session we headed back to Globe and stopped in Miami for some Mexican food. After a good meal we dropped articulate at his truck in Superior and all went our separate ways. It was 9pm before I rolled into my neighborhood exhausted, muddy, but happy to have had a great day with some great guys.
While articulate and safado ventured on to look for a hidden Indian Ruin I stayed behind with Chris who was really feeling the effects of the heat and the hike.
After thirty minutes of hanging out and seeing the clouds start to build a loud thunder clap brought immediate concern. We were in a slot canyon of sorts and any decent amount of rain would make the slick rock very difficult to navigate as well as being right in the path of a flash flood :Wow1: . Chris and I immediately began looking for a safe place to wait out the storm in case safado and articulate were not able to get back before the storm opened up. Luckily safado and articulate immediately turned around and high tailed it back down the canyon after hearing the same thunder. Just as they descended the second waterfall the storm opened up and began to rain.
We trudged, slipped, and slided our way 2.5 miles back to the trucks in record time being pummeled by rain the entire way. Of course as soon as we reached the vehicles the rain stopped. It was now 3:00pm and as we snacked on food, re-hydrated ourselves and discussed what was next for the day. We decided we would make our way back out to Hwy 288 and make a decision at that point- after all we still had more than a dozen washes to cross including three very large crossings which two had already had water in them. As we headed back down NF203 we were hit with a few storms but still made time to stop for a few pictures.
One of two snakes we stopped for
The storm that we left behind.
These guys had passed us and then caught back up to us. They were looking to visit the same area we had just left. I told them to look behind them towards the storm in the area and informed them they would be very stupid to continue on.
I guess this is one way to have tires for every terrain
After reaching Hwy 288 we headed North a little ways to Parker Canyon and couldn't help buy get a few shots of the trucks.
After the posing session we headed back to Globe and stopped in Miami for some Mexican food. After a good meal we dropped articulate at his truck in Superior and all went our separate ways. It was 9pm before I rolled into my neighborhood exhausted, muddy, but happy to have had a great day with some great guys.
kai38
Explorer
We made it to the mountains and had rain for most of the day which made the day better,
more pictures here http://www.pbase.com/kai38/cloudcroft_07242010
more pictures here http://www.pbase.com/kai38/cloudcroft_07242010
photoman
Explorer
Great trip and some very cool shots. Love the mud shot at the end. :victory:
photoman
Explorer
That's a tough hike, I was just up there on July 12 at the start of our vacation. Did the guys ever make it up to the ruin? I had the same issue with an approaching storm and decided to ditch after topping the waterfall. Wish I would have had a rope, a hiking companion, and a decent photographer like you guys did.
view from the top of the waterfall
The trail north of the ruins trail head was in horrible condition with several washouts as the road crosses the small canyons at the edge of the wilderness boundary. We ran into a forest service road crew after passing thru the worst of it. They had a dozer and were heading to Devil's Chasm and points south to fix things. The operator told me they do maint. on that track once every 3 years or so...I found it interesting that they were doing the work just days before the first major storm of the season hit. The operator laughed and acknowledged that thier efforts would probably be washed away by the end of the Monsoon. A great area to check out! Thanks for the report. I'll have to finish mine up sometime.
Jeff-
The rope was already there but it could be replaced with a better one. The top rope is just a nylon one so it won't last very long. Mark and Spencer did not find the ruin. They think they went right past it.
There was already signs stated the road was damaged from weather and the creek crossing from the trail head to continue North was pretty rough. Would have required winching if we crossed and then had to come back.
We will go back once it cools down and find the ruin. You are more than welcome to join us on the return trip.
articulate
Expedition Leader
Aaron, I loved the whole communal aspect to the World Wide Expedition Day. Thanks for letting me come along, too. Ripping good Mexican food at the close of the whole shenanigan, and a mighty tasty prickly pear fruit, too.
Elevation up there is about 6,000 feet, Nathan.
52 photos are up at my website. (87 are on "the cutting room floor")
Elevation up there is about 6,000 feet, Nathan.
52 photos are up at my website. (87 are on "the cutting room floor")
photoman
Explorer
I have never sweated so much in my life! It was probably only 100 degrees but extremely humid due to the creek and the dense vegetation. We were all soaked through in less than a half mile.
Elevation from the top waterfall was 4200ft according to Chris's GPS and the ruin is suppose to be around 700ft above that. Elevation wasn't the issue it was just a difficult up and down hike, over and under trees, through wild raspberries (nasty leg scrapes), some route finding, and some precarious ledges.
I feel pretty lame compared to you guys....I took my mountain bike through Golden Gate park and checked the San Francisco marathon this morning....then drank some beers at the Stern Grove Festival...not really worth a picture...but the bands were awesome!
photoman
Explorer
articulate
Expedition Leader
I don't know. That's worth a picture in my mind....then drank some beers at the Stern Grove Festival...not really worth a picture...but the bands were awesome!
I should have...the Stern Grove Festival is a really fun summer activity in SF, mostly known with the locals...
http://sterngrove.org/
Free concerts and you can bring your own food/alcohol/wine/etc. No security, really casual, not many of these type of event left in this world.
The first band was from Columbia. Really good.
And the second band from Italy:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZY3bm93Wk4"]YouTube- L'ombelico del mondo - Jovanotti[/ame]
oh, and I drove the Overland JK Jeep through the fog to go over there. Perhaps that helps to make it an expedition...
Last edited: