4x4 day trip: Jan 2

I propose a new name...

"Pinstripe Alley to Hell"



What a day. Neat rough area.

Ryan

 

I agree. I'll try to post some pics with my pinstripe. My truck look very bad.

 

The beginning:

 

I kinda felt like there were people lined up on both sides of the road swingin bats at my truck half the time. Probably the worse I've been through. Your scraping was particularly epic though since you are a little wider and darker color. I knew this was a remote and rugged area and the trail certainly lived up to that and then some. What a nasty, brushy road. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

 

it was a great adventure!

 

HAHA… I did call Chris’s runs, goat trails. Always a goodtime and pretty much guaranteed to see parts of AZ that even most off-road enthusiastwould never see or know about. Lookingforward to seeing the pics.
RPS1030 - The pin striping adds character though. I’ve had good luck with the Meguiar’s products and an orbital, but gave up on it yearsago.

 

Oh, I'm not concerned, my truck may not see water until it rains again.

 

I regret not getting a shot of George or Quintin's streaked sides. Anyways, here are some pics:


Airing down and ready to go. 2013, '00, '99, and '95.5 Tacomas and a '03 Grand Cherokee. Actually Todd has an '01 Tacoma but didn't bring it.



Crossing Tonto Creek at the 76 Ranch. Special permission is needed to get into this vast section of the Sierra Anchas.



Climbing into the mountains.












Coffee Pot Cabin




Pressing on




Del Shay Cabin


Heading out

 

Is that the 76 quarter circle? Right where the Tonto and Rye Creek meet up? Land owner named Troy? If so, that's my uncle!

 

Very nice. Looks like there were a few old patches of snow. Did you guys run into anything fresh higher up?

 

That's it... I unexpectedly and briefly talked to him as we passed through his yard that morning. Of course I had made previous arrangements with them days before.

Some history of the area taken from a hiking website:

"...Del Shay Basin in the Sierra Ancha mountains. It was named for the Tonto Apache chief Del Shay, who made this basin his home. In February 1870, after many battles with the cavalry, Del Shay accepted an invitation to Fort Reno in Tonto Basin to discuss peace. While there, he was shot and killed by a soldier. (2009-06-09 anonymous states Del Shay was killed by his nephew) Del Shay's band were the last Tonto Apaches to surrender to the U.S. cavalry."

And there was this gem at the end: "At the end of the hiking trail, there is Del Shay Cabin on a little piece of private land, which is accessed by what appears to be an absolutely hideous four wheel drive road, coming down from the mountain above."

My own thoughts on the difficulty of the trail... a lot of slow-going 4-low due to the steepness and loose rocks, but only a handful of short moderate sections that need some attention. Only one part stands out in my mind due to the tippy factor. What separates this trail from any other with the same difficulty is the sheer remoteness, trail length, and overgrown brush. Especially the godforsaken brush. This "road" is quickly becoming a quad trail.

I won't ever do this trail again. It's was cool to explore it once but it's one of those "been there done that" trails, and with all the other cool ones and others I haven't done, there's no reason to go back.

 

Nothing fresh, just some patchy ice in the shade above 5500' or so. I think we topped out at slightly under 6000'.

 

It's definitely some rough area. He's told me several times that he has pulled a number of full size "off-road" trucks out of the creek, after warning them that they would get stuck. He also tells a funny joke about having one of the largest ranches in the state, if you flatten it out. He's a really awesome man.

 

AZ pinstripes on my 2013 Tacoma:

 

Great pics! It was good to explore and meet everyone! But yes probably never do that one again!

George, I feel bad about all those scratches, I used some meguiars #4 heavy cut cleaner on the fender of the wifes jeep and some of them came out...

 

Thank you! I think it's pointless to do anything about the scratches. I'm sure there will be others.