Overland Expo West camping and get-togethers

Since we're getting close, lets talk about who is planning to attend the event, when, where people are camping offsite and on, events to attend etc.

Obviously there is the KC hi-lites pre-party on Thursday the 16th. Anyone going to that and camping that night? Anyone driving up from Phoenix on Thursday? Id be down for a caravan. Im most likely going to camp Thursday and Friday if anyone wants to join or invite more peeps to their already planned situation. I would also like to hit some trails if anyone is down to wheel. I shook down the new parts on my truck and Im ready for more!

 

I live a whopping 8 miles from Fort Tuthill, so I am down to do some camping with fellow TW folks.

I will not be attending the KC pre-party. I have no plans for camping anywhere and am open to suggestions.

 

Just tell me where to be, and a keg will follow.

 

Where should we go? Ive never camped up there. I imagine things will probably be busy everywhere. Maybe something slightly farther outside of town or down a 4wd trail?

 

Town will be berzerk for sure. I would recommend we plan to leave town a ways.

@snowsk8air2 will probably have a great spot. I'll review some maps and see what I can find.

 

Anything off lake Mary, Schnebly hill, or woody mountain will likely be crazy busy. Honestly I feel like the cinders won’t be too busy, plus it’s so big you can spread out. That or get north of the peaks up 180 some. It’ll be a bit of a drive back to the expo, but it’ll be quieter. Depends what you want

 

Agreed. Those places even get busy during regular 3-day weekends.

Cinders may work well, especially since it is possible to grab some elevation relative to nearby grade. It's a cool-ish place as well, plus it doesn't have the potential bottleneck portion of the 180 as you get close to town.

 

Im cool with being farther away and having less people. Or camping in different places each night. Im not afraid of a late night here and there.

 

Haven’t been up that ways at all but would the area around the Lava Tubes be any good? Seems like there’s a lot of small forest roads out that way and looks pretty decent on google maps/earth. I’m pretty sure you can take the forest road all the way back down to the I40 frontage road if the 180 is backed up.

 

Yep that probably wouldn’t be a bad spot to camp. And I know there is a way to get to I40 from there, I just personally haven’t done it.

 

I soooooo wanted to go but unfortunately cannot. Maybe next year they will do it there or move it to Utah or Colorado......

Can't wait til they let us know when and where it will be. Ill be one of the first in line for Experience tix!

 

It’ll be in flagstaff again. I don’t see them having a reason to change it.

 

Then I will be there!

 

I’m gonna try to leave on Thursday as well and I’m in the west valley. Still waiting to see if I can get it off work. I’m down to camp wherever, but away from the riff raff sounds pretty good to me. Not too familiar with the area though.

 

I have the Lava Tubes spot pulled up on my 32" monitor right now. Looks like there are nearly endless dirt roads in that area. Im down for just adventuring and parking in a tree covered area to start drinking whiskey whenever we get tired of driving. Ill keep looking around and maybe map some things out and post them up here.

 

Sounds good to me. I’ll hop on google earth when I get home and see if I have any luck. As you’ve said, there looks like a lot of potential out that way.

 

Looks like we can pretty much be on dirt the entire way from KC Hi Lites to the Lava Cave and its 35-40 miles depending on the route. There are dirt roads all over the place.

 

Local Flagstaffer here, I'll be out at the KC meetup, then see y'all at the expo!

 

Messing around on Gaia this afternoon as well. Created a route that goes south under Sitgreaves Mountain.

https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary...5-9e9c-55a09c0009b0/?layer=GaiaTopoRasterFeet

 

I haven’t explored these areas much? Can anyone speak for the fire road conditions in that area? Most videos on YouTube show them as flat dirt roads.