JEEPERS CREEPERS OUTING DEC. 08, 2011

 

 Jo and I led this Jeepers Creepers trip through high desert on the Bloody Basin road from I 17 southeast to the Camp Creek road and south to Seven Springs and Carefree/Cave Creek. We originally planned to take the “Back Way to Mt. Lemmon” on the Oracle Control Road, but winter storms just before the outing caused the Forest Service to close that road.

There were 4 Jeeps carrying 11 members and guests on this trip. We assembled at the Superstition Springs Dillards store, as usual, and our first comfort stop was the Chevron station on Anthem Way.

Our coffee stop was at the Sunset Point rest stop. The cold travelers, left to right, are Steve and Linda Robertson, Jo Strong,  Marv Jeck, Edna Julien, Marsha Jeck, Mike and Barb Williams, and Tom and Elsie Holz.

 

The Bloody Basin road is well-graded in the northern part through the Agua Fria National Monument. There were remnants of snow in the sheltered areas as we wound down to the dry crossing of the Agua Fria River.

 

We had a fire at the lunch stop for cooking the tube steaks.

With our efficient crew, it takes little time to set up the serving tables and chairs for our lunch. The food was great!

 

We took the 3.5 mile side trip to the top of Humboldt Mtn, el. 5000, to the FAA control facility at its top.

FAA dome and warning sign at the very top of Humboldt Mtn.

 

 

We are looking down at what would be Horseshoe Lake on the Verde River if there was water behind the dam. Yes, that is snow on the peaks on the skyline.

The blue in the bottom of the canyon is the Verde River, with Four Peaks at the far right top

 

More rugged country lies southeast of the facility. Four Peaks is far left and Weavers Needle in the Superstitions is skylined at the far right.

 

The trail leaders – yes, I still have the facial hair begun in July on the Colorado River!

 

Our last stop was the Sears-Kay Hohokam ruins near Carefree. The hilltop village was inhabited from 1200 to 1350 and the rock walls have been restacked. This was a one room structure. Only Jo and I did the 1 mile round trip hike to see the ruins.

 

This is the remains of another one room structure adjacent to the one shown above.,

This was a central courtyard serving two rooms.

Although were  no really challenging  4 wheel drive roads on this trip, we all enjoyed the scenery on a clear winter day in Arizona. Most of us had not previously visited either of our stops.

We concluded the day with a glass of wine at the Williams home.