RE: [Az-Geocaching] Photograph Arizona virtual cache

Bob,

That is actually the route I was refering to... except it would be possible
to hook up with those roads off of I-40. But you are correct, that road off
of Hwy 89A above the switchbacks does hook up with the roads I am refering
to. Your directions are indeed the 'back way' that I was initially refering
to. However, I think after you get past Secret Cabin.... that road becomes a
trail. Whether that is just a 2 track trail or a hiking trail... I dont
know. Mapsource just shows it as a trail. Sometimes trail on there are
actually 2 track jeep trails and such. At any rate... that is a LONG ways
around. I have been back in on that forest route off of 89A before for
another cache. Harding Point.... GC7F1E. For a forest route... it is very
rough! Definetly would prefer my truck with IFS suspension over the 4x4
truck I am driving now if I were to drive back there again. I drove past
that entrance today, as I was returning from Flagstaff to Sedona... and
there is a sign at the entrance to that forest route saying 'road damage due
to flooding... rough'.. or something like that. Anyways, you have to hook up
with several different roads as you work your way back to the Harding point
cache. Even this cache is so far back in that since I visited it in May of
2004... only two cachers have found it since... on in Sept 2004 and one just
a few days ago. To think of driving many more miles back into the forest
from there.... is not something I am likely to do soon! :) I am curious to
know how far back to that location you could actually drive. I think that
road ends and it becomes a hike from there. From where the road ends and the
trail begins.. according to the Mapsource software (if that is indeed a
trail after the road ends and not actually the continuation of the road)..
it is still a 5 mile hike. Might as well do it from the trailhead down on
Boynton Pass Rd near Sedona (From the bottom). I will say that it would be
some great exploration back up in there by driving around. An opportunity to
see the start of the canyon that West Fork Oak Creek runs thru. Harding
Point was a beautiful viewpoint to look out over that canyon. Would be fun
to drive around back there more. But to do that... I would want to take some
camping gear and a tent and such and spend a weekend back there. I rarely
get a day off of 'work' up here in Sedona to be able to take a weekend for a
camping trip. Anyone else up for the challenge? :)

I'll keep a watch on this cache though.... you never know!

Scott
Team Ropingthewind


>From: Bob Renner <renner001@yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
>To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
>Subject: RE: [Az-Geocaching] Photograph Arizona virtual cache
>Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 13:29:32 -0700 (PDT)
>
>Looking at Topo! it looks like there is a way in from
>89A just north of the switchbacks at the top of Oak
>Creek Canyon. This is just south of Fry Canyon.
>
>The route goes past the following features on the
>topo:
>Fry Park
>Fry Lake
>Near Casner Tank
>Flag Tank
>West of Turkey Butte and the lookout tower
>Power Tank
>Turkey Tank
>Joe Tank
>Hidden Tank
>Enters Yavapai County
>Masonry Tank
>Concrete Tank
>Secret Cabin
>And then curves around to Secret Mountain.
>
>The total distance from 89A is 25 miles with 20.5 in
>Coconino county and 4.5 in Yavapai county.
>
>I'm not sure where the Wilderness boundary is and you
>have to start hiking.
>
>I was in some of this area years ago and I remember
>that the forest service roads were very rough in
>spots. It might be a fun mountain bike adventure,
>with an overnight campout at Secret Mountain.
>
>There is a lookout tower in there that has to have
>access, and there is a power line that also requires
>occasional access.
>
>If you note, there are several tanks you pass enroute.
> If you carried a water purifier/filter, you could cut
>down on the water you needed to carry.
>
>However, I do agree with Trisha.
>If you go BE PREPARED.
>
>Bob Renner