[Vaporman]

So I've yet to hike the cabin loop yet and I'm interested in hitting it this summer, but would preferably love to do it in my gas-efficient car. Based off of the trail descriptions it's doable in a car when the road are dry, but I was wandering if anyone had an updated observation of the FRs into any of the THs? Wash boarded or rutted or just a good solid gravel road? Which would be the best TH to start from if I was coming from the PHX area? The directions to Barbarshop seem to be the easist if FR 95 & 139 are in good shape. Any road conditions would be greatly appreciated.

[Crocodile Ryan]

end of last fall fred haught was in great condition, as was barbershop, and houston bros, cant say about ubar, but all the roads have been in decent shape anytime ive been up there

there are so many roads in the area, and the trails crisscross the road about a dozen times, I wouldnt worry about bringing a car up there

[Crocodile Ryan]

BTW i would come in thru Strawberry, if you go by the lakes theres always a lot more traffic to deal with

some nice views off the rim too, where it burned a few years back

[big_load]

We parked at Pinchot cabin in late November. They were grading the Rim road on the day we came out, it was pretty good then, and really just a little washboarded before that. I had to laugh, because the ranger on traffic duty at the FR300 entrance said we probably wouldn't make it and should consider a different trip. It was the least hairy TH approach I've had in years.

[te-wa]

quickest way is fr 95
park at the bottom of the hill, you will see Pinchot cabin on your left.

[Hoffmaster]

Do you need any company? I'm interested in this trip since I have never done it either.

[Vaporman]

I wouldn't mind some company... I'm usually lazy about inviting others or just tired of trying to sale my hikes to my climbing friends, so I usually just go solo most of the time. I really haven't decided on a weekend yet. Going solo hiking all the time means I don't have to hammer out a date for myself.

Were u thinking of backpacking it? I know you tend to backpack more while I tend to just day hike most stuff...

[Hoffmaster]

I'm down for whatever. Backpack, day hike, it's all good. I'm wide open after this month.

[chumley]

You can make it in any non-snow weather condition. You can access the loop from two spots on FR300/Rim Road, so that's about as easy as it gets. 95 and 139 are also good roads and should pose no problems. Can't speak to current washboard conditions, but I'm headed up there next weekend and I'll let you know what I find.

I agree with Ryan ... if it's west of Knoll Lake, come in from the 87 side.

Oh, and I too, might be interested in joining you. Please keep me posted. Houston Bros. is one of my favorite hikes. Its especially nice at this time of year before it dries out too much.

[Vaporman]

Sweet, how does June 8th sound? I'm stuck working a halfday that Saturday, so that prevents me from doing anything big & far away that weekend. If it needs to be on a Saturday, I might be able to do May 31st but I was kinna hoping to do some diving in San Diego that weekend...

[Hoffmaster]

June 8th is great! I just added it to my calendar.

[chumley]

I can't commit yet, but I'll pencil it in and keep you posted as the date approaches.

[Vaporman]

Cool, sounds like a plan. Driving up the night before and camping near the TH I'm assuming would be best. Do u have a GPS that you can load the route data from this site onto it? I just recently picked up an inexpensive one that I haven't gotten any software for yet and I just punch in critical waypoints for my upcoming hikes. It sounds like with all the forest roads and various trails in the area, it'd be fairly easy to get off course...

[jdsteele]

Man, I just love this site!! I had never heard about this loop, and i'm always looking for nice places to camp on the rim... add one more (5 more?) to my already freaking huge wish list. So little time, so much HAZ. Sigh.

[Crocodile Ryan]

Yah its pretty easy to get off track with all the road crossings, Ive been on those trails quite a few times and still miss the trail quite a bit when crossing the road

Id upload my GPS data for the loop but it looks like something from an etch a sketch

[Grasshopper]

I'd suggest you guys consider loading "gpsjoe's" GPS Routes for these four trails. He has spent a lot of time hiking these Cabin Loop Trails and perfecting the GPS Routes that he just recently uploaded on HAZ two days ago.

[chumley]

Back to the "which do you prefer ... GPS or paper maps" thread from a week ago, I bring a printout of the map with the trail marked on it, and use my gps to keep to the trail. Pretty easy to follow. Road crossings are usually well marked and the trails are all well maintained. Not an easy area to get far off track if you've got a topo.

[Grasshopper]

Back to the "which do you prefer ... GPS or paper maps" thread from a week ago, I bring a printout of the map with the trail marked on it, and use my gps to keep to the trail. Pretty easy to follow.

I do agree, and now that gpsjoe has posted these revised four trail routes on 5/6 , I plan to plot them on paper soon and then print a copy for my upcoming Cabin Loop trip. I have never tried to download multiple trail routes in a GPS, so am not sure IF it is difficult/doable or not? Also, some sections of the Barbershop TR are tough to follow without getting off trail.

[te-wa]

keep watch for wildlife. back in june '04 on my first cabin loop I spotted and watched a Mexican Gray wolf for a few minutes. Arizonaheat has seen possibly the same wolf at Clints Well.
I did this as a day hike last summer, clocked it at 19 miles.

[chumley]

keep watch for wildlife. back in june '04 on my first cabin loop I spotted and watched a Mexican Gray wolf for a few minutes. Arizonaheat has seen possibly the same wolf at Clints Well.
I did this as a day hike last summer, clocked it at 19 miles.

Really? I'm up there quite a bit and never realized that the wolf's habitat had moved that far west. I thought they were still only in the White Mtns. Not to mention, of all wildlife, I thought they were particularly "shy" when it came to being seen by people. I'll keep an eye out for signs of them. Logic tells me that there's gotta be at least two (M+F) in the same area?