Need a 2-3 day backpacking trip that is monsoon-friendly

[discobob]

I was planning on taking my small boy scout troop of three 14-to-15-year-olds to West Clear Creek for a 3-day backpacking trip next week, but it's looking like the weather's not going to cooperate. I know, shocker. I wanted to do this in June but it just wasn't in the cards, schedule-wise.

The dates for the trip are firm, though, again due to scheduling conflicts in August and school starting. This is going to be the one and only time we can do this backpacking trip, so I need to have a plan B in the likely event that the weather doesn't clear up enough for West Clear Creek to NOT be a death trap.

It looks like pretty much all of AZ is going to get dumped on next weekend, so does anyone have any recommendations for a good, adventurous, scenic 3-day backpacking trip within 4-5 hours drive of Tucson that is relatively safe in the event of a monsoon? That likely means no slot canyons or recently burned areas or areas with lots of exposure. Am I out of luck here?

[RowdyandMe]

There all friendly if you don't mind the monsoon

[discobob]

@Widowmaker

True. I'd rather not get drowned in flash flood or struck by lightning, though. More importantly, I'd rather none of my boys does so.

[chumley]

Well, there's absolutely nowhere that's safe outdoors during a thunderstorm. So that limits you a lot.

Normally I would suggest the Cabin Loop, but there may still be closures in effect from the low-intensity fire they had up there earlier this year, and the Mogollon Rim is usually a pretty active spot when it comes to rain and lightning during the monsoon.

The Huachucas are a great place to string together a couple of nights. Hamburg, Pat Scott, some Crest Trail over to Bathtub Spring with a side trip to Miller and Carr Peaks. But again, if you've got storms, being up in a sky island isn't ideal.

You might want to check out the Hualapai Mountains. It might be a bit far to drive from Tucson, but being farther out west might limit the storms. I think the full loop is only about 15 miles, so spreading it over three 5 mile days doesn't fill too much time. But it's nice up there and the views from the various peaks are pretty good.

[desertdryad]

It's more of a drive than I think you'd prefer, but I was thinking, "Blue Range". Lanphier Trail is nice, and not slot canyon narrow, yet offers cooling waters in the creek. And not that arduous of an area to backpack, though it's likely to be hot if it doesn't rain!