@Whiffer Couple of years ago on the Highline, had a couple of "mountain bikers" headed my way blasting music turned up to 11 *and* with gasoline engines strapped to their bikes. They spooked a bear as they approached, and it crossed the trail between us -- about fifty feet from me and fif...

Have a Klymit packraft. 0/10 cannot recommend. Leaked air right out of the box, handles like a drunk rubber ducky, and they lied about the weight rating. (Rated to 350 pounds, me and my gear were 260, and I had water pouring over the top where my weight put folds in the packraft, when fully inflated...

Long shot, but has anyone been into Telephone Ridge on Chevelon this year? Wondering about current road conditions, especially with all the wind we've been having and the fires up there last year. Planning to disappear into the upper end of Chevelon for a week, starting next Saturday, and leave civi...

Should be fine. There's also usually a small amount of water in Fir Creek where the Highline crosses it -- that's the local name of the drainage to the east of La Cienaga. (Not sure if it's an official name.) No guarantees. If you're coming from the east and running short on water, just after you c...

@AZClaimjumper I usually have a waist pack on (carried in front, for quick access to snacks and gadgets), and my Garmin Inreach lives in a little dry bag in the waist pack. I don't like to keep it in my backpack because sometimes I drop the backpack and wander off to go explore away from the trail....

@nonot Thanks. I usually just carry iodine on long trips, with a little cheap filter as an emergency backup, so I'll plan on no water then. Or cache something, depending on how hot it's looking. Hiking along the backside of Woods Canyon and then cutting down to the General Crook on logging roads is...

Hi guys. I live off the Control Road in Payson, and have backpacked around the area quite a bit, but need some guidance on parts of this route. I'm toying with a week(ish) long solo trip starting next Saturday with an itinerary that goes approximately: -- Rimtop Trailhead to Willow Springs Canyon. I...

TNF removed fire restrictions yesterday.

@RowdyandMe Actually, the reason I want a two way communicator is in case I do get hurt. I have a solid respect for S&R and while I hope I never need their services I would like to be able to yell for help if I get hurt and can't limp myself to safety. My question was specifically about the GPS...

Related, has anyone had any experience with the delorme/garmin explorer? Two way communicator + GPS onboard map. I've never owned a GPS. I'm old school and have gotten along just fine with either a paper topo map or compass, or the method of, "Aaaaaand I think it's probably thaaataway ..."...

Even if you call the relevant agencies you're likely to get conflicting or confusing information. About three weeks ago I spent two days on the phone trying to find if Sycamore Creek east of Clarkdale was open. I knew it wasn't in a fire closure area but I was concerned about the fire in that area. ...

I'm looking at doing a quick overnight into Willow Springs canyon to do some photography early on Sunday morning. Am I okay/legal to park overnight at the boat ramp parking lot? I called the forest service and got conflicting information, which seems par for the course lately. As a side note, I'm do...

I have no idea what the circumstances were for their rescue, however ... if I was on the wrong side of a creek but was otherwise safe, I think I'd personally prefer to wait for the water to go down versus being airlifted out. It's expensive (even if I don't pay, somebody's going to, likely taxpayers...

I've seen them twice in AZ -- once in Sycamore Canyon E. of Clarkdale, and once in Chevelon Canyon, at Durfee Crossing. I live in the Payson area and I've never seen a glow worm once, and I'm outside at dusk every night. I'll have to keep my eyes open. Didn't know such a thing existed. Can I ask wha...

I've heard people suggest a tornado siren type warning system for the Water Wheel area, because it gets so much traffic from people not familiar with the usual hazards. This is the worst tragedy anyone can remember in the area, but not the only one, and just last year there was a very near miss that...

Listening to the police scanner for the area -- some absolute moron is flying a drone over the fire right now.

You've GOT to be kidding me. They've got air support grounded.

http://http://www.broadcastify.com/list ... /15199/web

I have a bad feeling on this fire. Bad terrain and bad weather to be fighting a big one.

For anyone interested in the Highline Trail, it appears it was impacted from somewhere a bit west of Bonita Creek to the west side of Myrtle Point. Myrtle Trail was burnt -- they initially tried to use Myrtle Trail as a firebreak, it jumped it, so they stopped it on that long ridge that takes off fr...

Re: hiking through heavy brush -- aside from the pants Joe Bartel mentioned, I also take a pair of leather gloves. I hate using my bare hands to move catclaw out of the way, so it helps maintain that all-important good attitude ... LOL.

Watch out for snakes and javelina in that thick stuff.

I haven't heard of any problems at those trailheads. It's possible for something to happen, but not likely. The whole area is fairly low crime. There are some issues (generally related to drugs and/or poverty) but it is nothing like the big city. Your bike is probably safer parked at the trailhead t...