Group Off Roading, Something More Sedate But Adventerous

[Snick33]

I enjoy the talk about high powered SUV’s, with winches, tires the size of New Mexico, 16 shocks absorbers, and fire breathing V8’s. But I guess what I’m really interested in is something more sedate, but nonetheless adventurous. My Jeep Grand Cherokee is our weekend car, our weekday car, and our “Sunday go to Meeting” vehicle all in one. I’d like to utilize it’s potential for off roading, but I’m not interested in any modifications other than more aggressive tires, and maybe a HAZ sticker in the rear window. I just not into spending my life fixing what I broke the weekend before.

That being said, I’d like to loosely get a group together of folks who have the same basic interests in off roading and discovering new places that a SUV, or any vehicle with a high clearance can take them. Combine this with a love of hiking and adventure and I think we might have some fun. I’ve explored 4 Peaks from the Beeline to Roosevelt Lake, the Mazatzals including Mount Peeley and Mount Ord, and most of the Mogollon Rim from Strawberry to Woods Canyon Lake. We always combine our drives with hiking, sometimes short sometimes quite long. Our children are adults now, but we would welcome families, singles, whatever. Nothing organized any further than an idea for an outing mention on this website.

We’ve had a bunch of fun on the Forest Roads of Arizona with our factory stock Blazer and now the Jeep. We just think it might be more fun with a small group to go with

Does something like this sound interesting to anyone else?

[Snick33]

Good point Matt. I'm thinking of a Prescott trip for a initial attempt at this.
Lets start with something that is only 1 day long that includes a picnic, and a hike. How about working within those parameters for a starter. Something like GTC's outing sounds like a winner. How about August 23rd or August 30th, Does that work for most people?

[hoppy47m]

How long does it take to get from Phx to Jerome? The back way out thru Perkinsville is probably at least a 2-3 hour drive from Jerome, unless you just jam on thru.
There are two ways to exit. One will take you thru Perkinsville to Hwy 89, then south to Prescott then Hwy 69 to I-17 not a lot there really once the river area is left behind.
The other takes you up to Williams, I-40 which is paved all the way. Williams can also be accessed via the Whitehorse Lake/Sycamore Canyon road which turns off about 10 miles up the paved section, then is all dirt, probably washboard, and plenty of side roads, and will also hit I-40, one road comes out about 2 miles east of Williams, and the other road hits I-40 at Parks I believe. I don't know just how "rough" you want to get. The Whitehorse road is pretty docile. But it is also worth it to take a short hike along the rim of Sycamore canyon.
If Perkins Ranch is too crowded (limited parking) we could go on over to bear siding, which is basically 2-wheel drive but a little bumpy in places. People who want to test their rigs can always take a side road and play....there is also kind of a cool little hike there.

I don't think I can do the 30th....that's labor day weekend and a 4 day weekend for me (maybe 5 shssssssh)

[mtoomeyaz]

How long does it take to get from Phx to Jerome? The back way out thru Perkinsville is probably at least a 2-3 hour drive from Jerome, unless you just jam on thru.

My wife and some friends took this trip last w/e. We weren't able to go with GTG's group. It was a good time, but took all day. We left Phoenix (Ahwatukee) about 8am and got home about 8:30pm. And we didn't mess around much, just a short time at lunch at the river and a short, short hike. No goofing around in Jerome etc. It took about 1 1/2 hr to get to Jerome. In the future I would leave earlier and from N. Phx. We left from Ahwatukee because thats where our friends live and we were coming from Gilbert anyway. Still, expect a long day.

[hikngrl]

ok, this is totally out of character for me and I am at risk of being incredibly rude here but, I am gonna do it anyway.....

I was SO unhappy that we couldn't go on GTG's Jerome trip when he invited us so I was just wondering if any of you 4x4 owners had room for stragglers on this one.... Well, if you go on the 23rd that is.... I own a punie little car that could never do this but would love the opportunity for my husband and I to tag along if it were possible....

I apologize if this is incredibly rude but I was so bummed when I didn't get to go on the Jerome trip.....I hate having an opportunity and having to miss out cause I am not independently weathy and have to work for a living!!!!!!!

[mttgilbert]

OH SURE, just invite yourself along will ya'.

No, I'm just kidding,

If we can make it, we might have room for a couple more people, but it will depend on which jeeps we end up taking. If theres space you're welcome to ride with us. Of couse, I'm sure those with more traditional SUVs will have plenty of room also (but you'll have to take that up with them)

[hoppy47m]

Surely there will be room.....ya might luck out and get a ride with someone who has windows and airconditioning!! I get to eat dust

[Snick33]

Susan I have room in out Jeep Cherokee, it will just the two of us, no problem

[Daryl]

How about a trip that involved meeting at Crown King (take the route of your choice to get there) for lunch, and then taking the Senator hwy from crown king to prescott for dinner in prescott?
I took the Senator Hwy a couple years ago and thought it was a very nice drive. Not challenging, but nice.

[bzachar]

...How about August 23rd or August 30th, Does that work for most people?

Already have plans for the 30th, so it's the 23rd for us.
Bill

[RedRoxx44]

I am interested as long as its a "cool" destination. I'm out of town to Tennessee to visit the folks next week but then I'm around until the big southern utah trip end of sept /early oct. I can take one pasenger- however my vehicle rides like a log truck and no air (so must tolerate dust) and some good ol' rock-n-roll!!!

[GTG_AZH]

The drive from Jerome to Perkinsville can be done in less than an hour with a couple of stops. The drive from Perkinsville to the end of FR 181 is around two hours or more depending on how hard you want to pound your vehicle and how many stops along the way.

A Prescott area trip would ber nice too. I was in the area yesterday and was looking for side roads as I passed through.

GTG

[mttgilbert]

In response to Snick33's reply:

The 23rd may or may not work for me, I won't know until the 22nd. Same goes with the 30th. Either one you choose, god willing, I'll be there. Otherwise I'll just wait until the next one.

I like the idea of the prescott area, or at least within say a 1/2 hour of there. I imagine this will be an all day event, especially for those of us comming from pheonix. I would probably spend the night at the end of the trailhead or there abouts, so the length of the trip isn't really important to me.

[Nighthiker]

I am leaving on the 22nd (21st If I can get a vacation day) to go camping and will be taking my tent trailer and mtn. bike. I plan on going up on the rim, destination determined by a dart throw. I just got my wrangler back from a paint job and for the time being I am topless. Would like to wait a little bit before I get pinstrips.

[Snick33]

Regretfully, I just found out that I'm going to be tied up on a major Kohl's Department Store project. I quoted this months ago, and they waited until Friday to give me the go ahead.

I didn't mean to start something, and then drop the ball but someone else is going to have to cayy on with this outing.

[hoppy47m]

Seems like a lot of people have something going on. Maybe we should postpone this until after labor day.

[Nighthiker]

Perhaps we should wait until the gasoline supply returns to normal. Glad I drive a six cylinder and bicycle to work.

[AnthonyPowell]

Id relly like to go just tell me when. I have room for 2 or 3 If you dont have a jeep. I have a 99 stock cherokee sport that I found out is very capable.