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It was a perfect
day for a Jeep ride and then again things can change. I
didn't have my partner with me so it was just 1 idiot and a
Jeep. It all started out fine as stories like this do. I
started off road at 650 (pink line on map below). Dennis and
I had been on it before on our first trip to the
Superstitions only we were heading in the opposite
direction. A few miles into the journey there was a small
group of cattle out for a morning stroll which I followed
quite slowly. I stopped at a dry creek bed took some
pictures and collected a couple of rocks.
Superstition
Mountains trip2 , east of Phoenix and about 12 miles south
east of Apache Junction, 11.10.07. For this trip I was going
to follow 650 then get off on 342 (green line) and take that
back to highway 60.
Trip: So here's what happened. The picture below
was about a mile into the tour on 342. The hill climb in the
distance looked a lot steeper and was a lot steeper than it
looks in the picture. I looked at it and thought... no
problem. I was right, the Jeep handled it with ease. It was
the first time I'd had it in 4W Low. The Jeep only goes like
5 mph in first gear in 4W Low but it can climb up a very
steep grade which would come in very handy along 342.
After
climbing that hill the road would get very rough at times
followed by periods of fairly nice dirt/rock road. As I
drove the problem was the rough parts got rougher and longer
while the nice parts got shorter and rougher. There were a
few places were debris had washed down the mountain side and
left a big mound of dirt and rock that sloped toward the
edge of the road that made me nervous but I forged on.
I had been on
342 for about an hour and at about the highest elevation
when I saw the big marble mine to the east and knew I wasn't
far from the 60. I had gone over too many boulders and been
bounced around enough. I was ready for the pavement. After
another mile or so the road was heading down the mountain
towards another marble mine so I knew the road I was on
would connect to the mine road which would be well taken
care of and smooth. Well from were I was to the mine road
was the roughest and steepest part of the whole trip. The
Jeep and I were being beaten senseless. When I got to
the mine road it was all I had hoped for, nice and smooth. I
thought I was home free...
I traveled on
the mine road for only a 1/2 mile or so when I saw a sign.
"Public Access Road" pointing left and a big locked gate on
the mine road. I looked at the public access road and
thought "You've got to be #!&%@ kidding me?" I wish I gotten
a picture of it but I was freaking out. It was a hill that
looked like it went straight up and was all rocks between
the size of a volley ball and a soft ball. I thought "Oh
well I'll give it a shot". I put it in 4W Low and up I went.
I don't think I even made it half way when the Jeep started
sinking into the loose rocks and spinning the tires. I
stopped and backed down the hill got out of the Jeep. The
only way out of this was back the way I came and the Jeep
would surely break going up those boulder laden hills and if
I didn't die I would be sleeping with some hunters I passed
along the way .
I had no
other choice. It was very rough going and the Jeep was
making some sounds I didn't like but it kept going.
Well, I made
it home safely and the Jeep is still in one piece. I have to
caulk this one up to a learning experience on several
different levels. If Dennis had been with me he would have
talked some sense into me and made me turn around after the
first two or three teeth rattled out.
Sorry I
didn't get many pictures but I thought I was going to die.
I think I'll go back on the mine road when it's open (on a
week day) and get some shots.
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