Another Water Crossing!?!

Day 1 – Another Water Crossing!?!

With an opportunity to take one final, albeit short, trip in 2019 I was quick to pack the truck and quick to plan the route. The journey would be played out right in my own backyard, with the meeting point just 88 miles south of my house. Two days of adventure were planned, and excitement was brimming.

I would be traveling solo in my 2016 Tacoma TRDOR, but I would be joined by my great friend Billy (and his dog Sas) in his 2011 FJ Cruiser.

The trip would consist of meeting near Bumble Bee, AZ which is located just west of the I-17 freeway. We would then tackle Castle Creek Road (with info provided from Alltrails.com), which would lead us from Bumble Bee to Cleator, AZ. We would then continue along Crown King Road into Crown King, and then take the high elevation South Senator Highway all the way to Prescott.

The rig has received some updates since the Utah trip, so I’ll break them down:

- Rekgen mud flaps to replace the factory units that I kept ripping off (especially passenger front)

- ADD Honeybadger front winch bumper

The FJ is completely stock.

We plan on meeting off of the I-17 at 1 pm on Friday. The day before the trip is scheduled to start, I get word that my bumper has been delivered to a buddy’s place in between where I live and where we are meeting. A quick discussion and I leave 2 hours earlier on Friday morning to swing by my buddies’ shop and install the bumper.

I had the front end prepped for the install, though the manufacturers instructions were not 100% accurate, so the bumper was fitted, but it was not fitted perfectly. I’ll be taking care of this in the near future with additional trimming of plastic components. If the bumper looks off in the photos, that is why.

Apart from the slight misfit, the install goes off quicker than expected and I head off to our meeting point, a Pilot gas station, for a quick fuel up.

Billy and I meet in the parking lot at 12:15, exchange hellos, double check CB comms, fuel up, and then head down the I-17 another 9 miles to the start of the trail.

The Castle Creek Road trail is a 10.8-mile excursion through mountains and valleys just west of the I-17. I have driven past these mountains too many times to count as I travel between Flagstaff and Phoenix, and I am very excited to finally be exploring them.

We quickly reach Crown King Road and take our turn off for the trail. This trail will take us to Cleator, AZ. We both air down and set out, with the Tacoma in the lead for a brief moment.

Day 1 - AWC - 1 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The clouds are hanging low in the sky, covering the tops of the mountains. I busily snap photos of the trucks, while Billy snaps photos of the scene around us.

Day 1 - AWC - 2 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Cows! (I always enjoy seeing cows while out exploring)

Day 1 - AWC - 3 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Before long (only a few thousand feet) the road begins increasing in difficulty. A Range Rover with two younger kids in it pulled onto the trail behind us and they were excited to follow us on an adventure, though their tailing didn’t last for more than a quarter mile before an obstacle too difficult came into view.

Billy follows me down the first rocky drop towards the river below.

Day 1 - AWC - 4 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We team up to navigate the first obstacle, a washed-out portion of dirt that lets me know that a Tacoma with a stock front end would not have been able to traverse the wash (at least without stacking rocks). You can see it in the lower left portion of the following picture. My approach angle with the aftermarket bumper is just enough to make it up and over without touching. The stock FJ, on the other hand, gets up and over the hump without any issue, a testament to the more utilitarian nature of the iconic FJ.

Day 1 - AWC - 5 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The occupants of the Range Rover watch as we cross the wash, and decide to explore the river on foot, reversing their SUV back up the bumpy road.

Just a few hundred feet from the wash comes the first of many (26 in total) water crossings. We hop out of our trucks to determine the depth of flowing water, nervous and excited at the same time. A steep climb is directly opposite the river, adding to the imagined difficulty.

After 10-15 minutes of discussion, chatting about turning back and finding another road, quick overview of vehicle recovery points, and water depth, Billy decides to take the plunge and head in first.

Day 1 - AWC - 6 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

With trepidation he enters, ready to engage reverse and back out if needed.

Day 1 - AWC - 7 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Without much fanfare, he is across, our deliberation not entirely warranted as the crossing was easier than anticipated.

Day 1 - AWC - 8 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

With his truck out of the way, Billy jumps out to catch a few photos of my crossing.

Despite just witnessing a successful crossing, I was nervous about this first-ever plunge with the truck. I mean, the truck was only ~35,000 dollars!

The line across was direct, with just a few larger rocks to navigate carefully over.

Day 1 - AWC - 9 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

In we go!

Day 1 - AWC - 10 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

A bit of glugging from the exhaust as I creep up the bank on to the other side, unscathed.

Day 1 - AWC - 11 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Thankful for the diff breather mod now! (though not entirely sure of its efficacy)

We continue on, following NF 684 on my truck’s navigation for guidance.

Day 1 - AWC - 12 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

An area that I have seen so many times, somehow different from the vantage point of a dirt trail relative to the freeway.

Day 1 - AWC - 13 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Before long we come across another water crossing, though this one is much tamer and shallower. Still, for the second of the journey we exited the trucks to check water level and cross-ability. Without much thought Billy enters in.

Day 1 - AWC - 14 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

And I quickly follow suit.

Day 1 - AWC - 15 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

This is the wettest I have ever seen AZ, and it is showing everywhere we go. When a large mud puddle presents itself along the trail Billy keys into the CB for an action shot.

I am happy to oblige, though we will take pictures from a closer vantage point next trip.

Day 1 - AWC - 16 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The road is constantly muddy, but the deep water crossings all but remove any trace of flung mud from the trucks. This is a benefit we would not get to experience the following, much dirtier, day. But I am getting ahead of myself.

As we follow the line on the GPS we come to our third water crossing of the trip. This one is more interesting, as Billy keys into the CB that he thinks we are on the wrong portion of the trail, as no road is visible on the other side of the river.

Day 1 - AWC - 17 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Knowing that we were following the map to a T, my brain shouted, ‘You have to drive in the river a ways!’. Unsure of where that came from, I nevertheless hopped across stones to look down the river. And what do you know. Several hundred feet down the river is the embankment back onto the trail.

You can just see it in the following picture.

With Billy still in the lead he cautiously drives on. The sides of this crossing were too covered in foliage to walk and explore, so with the confidence of two crossings behind him, he slowly drives along towards the other side.

Day 1 - AWC - 18 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

At one point the drivers’ side of the trail dips down ~2 or so feet for roughly the length of the FJ. This causes an involuntary use of the skinny pedal in a brief moment of panic. Thankfully no ill is caused by the dip, and I note that away for my crossing.

A deep pool lays between the river road and the dirt on the other side. The FJ traverses it with relative ease.

Day 1 - AWC - 19 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Before I know it, it is my turn.

Day 1 - AWC - 20 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Just before the dip.

Day 1 - AWC - 21 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Tacoma is Japanese for ‘Good Swimmer’ *

Day 1 - AWC - 22 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We discover more and more water crossings as we travel, to the point where Billy keys in over the CB “Another Water Crossing!?!”, their challenge dissipating with every crossing.

While many of the sections of this trail are technical and slow to travel, many sections are even more tedious. We discover one of them as we make our way through very overgrown trail, branches dragging down the sides and roofs of our trucks with increasing frequency.

Still a fan of my stock tires and suspension, I begin to ponder the added benefits of 33’s and a moderate lift on trips like this.

Day 1 - AWC - 23 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Nearing the end of the road, we come across a bit of a pain in the butt. A washed-out portion of road next to a rock wall.

Day 1 - AWC - 24 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Not content with rolling our trucks into the creek below, we try to figure out a way around the obstacle, to no avail. It is simply too precarious for us, so we begin the arduous process of slowly backing up along the very tight and overgrown trail to a spot where we can turn around.

With daylight coming to an end and no way of making it back to the start of the trail, we opt to camp right off of the trail at the exit of the river road we crossed earlier. The sound of the flowing water would prove to be very therapeutic as we slept, though the thought of starting the next day with an immediate plunge back into the water was interesting, to say the least.

We quickly set up camp, get a fire going, and get some food prepped. Not as extravagant of a meal as when Tony preps and cooks it, but delicious, nonetheless.

Day 1 - AWC - 25 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Billy and I spend the evening catching up on life since he moved away from Flagstaff, among other things. We continue to pile wood I brought from home onto the fire, keeping the chill at bay. At this elevation the temperature isn’t too extreme, though I am itching to test out my recent Christmas present inside my tent.

A Mr. Heater for the 1 lb propane cylinders warms my tent as we chat. I don’t mind the cold too much, but I dislike getting into my sleeping bag when everything in the tent is cold to the touch. I set up the heater thinking it will help to simply take the chill out of the air, not thinking it could do much more than that.

I am happy to report that I was wrong. Way wrong. That little thing warmed the tent incredibly well, with everything in it being nice and cozy. Fantastic!

Sleep is easy to find due to the mental strain associated with continuous trail driving mated with the sound of the creek slowly flowing nearby. Before long I am comfortably in dream land, ready to tackle the travels of the following day, though I had a much more picturesque and tranquil idea of the following days travels than reality would have me experience.

*It most certainly is not.

 

Day 2 – Another Water Crossing!?!

While sleeping peacefully in my RTT, a sleeping bag and two down comforters keeping the cold at bay (though I am really starting to lean towards the Exped RTT air mattress, as there is lots of condensation on the underside of the mattress, and my back is always the coldest part of my body while sleeping), a nice brief rain storm doused camp with some additional precipitation. It wasn’t rough, but it was enough to stir me from slumber once or twice.

Still, having slept well I awoke around 7 am as the suns initial rays began to shine over camp. I was deliberating the use of the Mr. Heater inside the tent and decided to experiment. Glad I did. In as little as three minutes the chill in the air outside of the sleeping bag was gone. I could more comfortably get out of the bag and dressed. Awesome!

As I was climbing down the ladder Billy awoke at the same time.

We had an easy breakfast, the sun rose around 8:30, we chatted, threw sticks for his dog Sas, and cleaned up camp, not in any sort of rush, the view and this place on Earth a great place to spend some time.

Day 2 - AWC - 28 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 29 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We were going to take Castle Creek Road back to Crown King Road and then travel to the South Senator Highway.

Now, the couple of reviews/descriptions of Senator Highway were not alarming in any sense, the road seemingly an easy thing to travel between Crown King and Prescott. The mileage wasn’t terrible (38 miles). So, we weren’t in much of a rush.

Day 2 - AWC - 26 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 27 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

By 10 the tent was stowed, and the trucks were packed. The trucks only had to drive ~25 feet before plunging into the cold flowing water. 3 additional water crossings occurred within 1/4 mile from camp.

I was in the lead this time, so I snapped some action shots of Billy making his way across the water.

Day 2 - AWC - 30 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The rocky embankments on either side of the water added a bit of difficulty, as we couldn’t just gas it across the water. Careful tire placement kept any skid bashing from occurring.

Coming across the water puddle from yesterday, Billy got to make a splash.

Day 2 - AWC - 31 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The trucks were still fairly clean, and the constant water exposure kept them that way.

On our leisurely drive we stopped a few times to look at the scenery around us. Nothing spectacular, relative to other trips I have taken, but visually appealing nonetheless.

Day 2 - AWC - 32 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The same technical sections appeared again, this time navigated in the opposite direction.

Day 2 - AWC - 33 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

As we came around the top of the final mountain before dropping down to cross the final water crossing, we noticed some custom buggies tearing up a ravine across the way.

Day 2 - AWC - 34 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Definitely not a road there. Blah. They paid us little attention as they went about their business of attempting to create new trails with their machines.

The final crossing (for this portion of the trip) was completed with ease, the water level having dropped ever so slightly during the night.

Before long we were back on Crown King Road (a dirt road) on our way to Cleator, the very small place the Castle Creek Road trail was supposed to dump us into.

Day 2 - AWC - 35 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Travel is easy-going, though some portions of this road are incredibly slippery and muddy. The trucks are beginning to pick up mud, and there are no crossings to wash them off with!

As we drive along, we round a bend and spot the snow topped mountains of our next destination, Crown King.

Day 2 - AWC - 36 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 37 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 38 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 39 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We drive through Cleator, which is a small assembly of small houses, broken down cars, and yard trash, along with one ‘James P. Cleator General Store’ without stopping, as the vibe there felt rather unwelcoming as we drove our rigs through.

After Cleator we begin to climb from ~3000 ft elevation up and up and up. Water runoff has the road very wet, though not incredibly muddy. Travel is still easy, even in 2wd.

As we climb, brief glimpses from our high vantage point let us take in some delicious views of Arizona.

Day 2 - AWC - 40 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 41 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Small one-lane bridges, and narrow one-lane roads between rock faces pepper the travel, and we pass a few rigs (one 3rd gen with aftermarket F/R bumpers) as we travel. The temp slowly drops ~20 or so degrees, making the excursions outside of the trucks less and less frequent.

It was interesting. We travel along wet dirt roads, and then the moment we pass into Crown King, the roads are snow covered and running water is virtually nonexistent. It’s as if the town starts right on the edge of where the snow likes to hang out.

Travel begins to get more difficult, and 4Hi is engaged. I still run stock tires, and Billy has stock tires on his FJ, though they appear to be ever so slightly more aggressive than mine.

Day 2 - AWC - 42 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Thankfully this part of the road is well traveled. Most of the rest of South Senator Highway was traveled before us, so we do not have to plow through fresh snow as we travel towards Prescott.

GPS tells me that South Senator Highway is the next right, so we stop for a brief moment to take in the location and the snow. It is roughly noon at this point, and the temps are in the low 20’s.

Day 2 - AWC - 43 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The trucks are definitely dirty now, with much more dirt to come in the next 38 miles.

Invigorated by the cold and the prospect of snow driving along such a road for such a distance, we get back in the trucks and set out. We pass a giant rock on the side of the road that has ‘Senator HWY -->’ spray painted on it. A definite boast of confidence that we were on the right track.

The driving becomes very tense now. The road is frequently next to drop offs, and the packed snow is slippery around almost every corner. The Tacoma’s traction and vehicle stability controls are working full time today. They probably worked more in this single drive than they have since it rolled out of the factory. At one point Billy even slides into a small ditch, though he is able to get out on his own with little fanfare.

Day 2 - AWC - 44 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Despite the incredibly difficult driving, the scenery is majestic, and the day is a wonderful one.

Day 2 - AWC - 45 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We continue on, our stops becoming very infrequent, as we push onwards towards the end of this road.

Day 2 - AWC - 46 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 47 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

At some points the sun shines more directly on the path ahead, drying it out.

Day 2 - AWC - 48 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We begin to think that we have lost enough elevation that the snow-covered roads would be a thing of the past and the driving would be easier, but we quickly start to climb once again after we clear the side of a mountain.

I let Billy take the lead, as I have been leading all day, but that doesn’t last for long as he prefers to trail behind me in this particular situation.

Day 2 - AWC - 49 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 50 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Day 2 - AWC - 51 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

We pass another 3rd gen going in the opposite direction and he and I chat for a few minutes about our rigs and the travel thus far.

It’s at this point, as we climb back up and into tightly covered trails that travel gets to be very, very difficult. The snow is less packed down due to fewer travelers, and it is deeper.

Traction control and VSC are clicking away like mad as I drive along. Billy and I work to stay close, but momentum is crucial, so the distance between us shrinks and grows as we travel along.

While difficult, the Tacoma could keep moving. That changed as I crossed a small stream (forgot to mention the plethora of water crossing we were accomplishing up here. None were deep or challenging, but they did exist, time and time again) and made a sharp right turn.

A mega hill stood before me. I kept all my momentum, working to tackle this hill. Even with all the tech in the truck, it was a no-go. I came to a stop and spun uselessly roughly halfway up the monster hill.

Crap. We are only ~8 or so miles from the final 7 paved miles of the highway. Going back was not an option. This hill must be conquered.

As I attempt to graciously back down the hill Billy pulls up behind me. I tell him I couldn’t make it up.

He suggests that I let him go first to try and blaze a trail for me due to his better tires. I agree. One problem. I can’t get out of his way. The ground is too slippery, and I can’t creep off the road enough for him to get by.

Grrr. ‘I need better tires’ I say. Truck goes in drive. Foot goes on the skinny pedal, not all the way, but to the point where traction control is working furiously to try and find some grip, somewhere.

I begin moving up the hill. Alright, but I’ve been this high before, and I have less momentum.

The magical tech keeps doing its magic and I continue to climb, ever slowly increasing speed.

I pass the point in which I had stopped before. Foot is still on the gas, and traction control is still earning its keep.

The truck continues to climb and before long I have crested the monster hill and made it to the top, impressed. Better tires would have certainly eased the strain, but this goes to show how capable this machine is in the factory form.

Billy works to follow me, having even more trouble than I did, and ending up sliding into the ditch next to the road at one point. He gets out of it on his own and makes it up the hill as I did.

The remaining ~8 or so dirt miles are gripping. Travel is moderately paced, though the ground is still very slippery. This ends up exhausting us both far more than we anticipated. Sitting on our butts all day, but still wore out. Difficult off-road travel will do that to you, and it is something you should plan around and understand when embarking on these types of trips.

We come across ‘Palace Station’ on the way out and stop quickly to stretch our legs and read the welcome sign.

Day 2 - AWC - 52 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

Shortly after the station the dirt road becomes paved, and the final 7 miles into Prescott are knocked out quickly and without fanfare.

We pull in front of someone’s house to get out of our trucks, congratulate each other on completing the road intact, and to air up the tires for our respective journeys home.

Day 2 - AWC - 53 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

The trucks are dirty, with frozen water deposited on everything. I couldn’t open my passenger doors without first bashing away huge blocks of ice that had formed on my sliders from the frequent water crossings at high elevations.

But we were unscathed, despite attempting to drown and then freeze them to death, our trucks had soldiered on the entire way.

I couldn’t be happier; despite the tiredness I feel from the intense focus for that period of time. I could be talked into the trail again, though maybe this time in the summer when it is dry and warm! It offers a lot of really incredible views, and campsites, that would be amazing to explore when the temperature is right. Best of all. It is right in my backyard!

After we aired up with the badass Power Tank (still delighted with this purchase) we plug in our houses into our GPS’. We say our ‘See-ya laters’ and climb back into our trucks to head home; Billy heading south towards Phoenix (and warmth, lucky guy), with myself aimed north towards Flagstaff (and more snow, yay!)

I make the trip back without issue. Ice is caked all over the truck, weighing it down, mated with the new front bumper and bed full of camping goodies, I clock a depressing 15.7 mpg as I climbed the mountains back up to 7,000 ft.

I get home around 6 pm and head inside for a warm shower and a comfortable couch.

Day 2 - AWC - 54 by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr

(Picture from the following morning)

For a brief two-day trip right outside my house, it was a blast, and one of the best I have had. I definitely appreciate the stunning landscapes of Utah or the Grand Canyon to a higher degree, but the excitement of so many water crossings and high elevation snowy road driving was very adrenaline fulfilling.

Until next time!

 

Nice pics and write up!That trail is pretty sweet, I did it last year for the first time, snow was on the ground and there were plenty of water crossings. The saloon in Crown King is a nice place to stop and get a burger and a beer.
The stock tires on the Tacoma are poop, I didn’t trust them in snow so I got KO2s before I went. The Backroad to Crown King from Lake Pleasant is a fun one too. My sliders got some use on that trail, definitely the mod to have.

 

Looks like a epic way to end the year,

 

Thank you!

 

Looks like that was a blast! Great pictures and write up.