Rock Creek Trail-Mazatzal Backpack-Spring 2011

[PrestonSands]

What? An overnight backpacking trip on the Rock Creek Trail in the Mazatzals, on the weekend of March 26-27. Camp among the pines at Horse Camp Seep, perhaps? It's rough but beautiful country. And there are waterfalls... ;)

[PrestonSands]

Itinerary map:

Rock Creek-Maz Divide-Barnhardt

[paulhubbard]

Looks way pumpkin cool!! Wish me & Kat could join ya, but relatives' birthdays take precident...

[Tough_Boots]

Hopefully me and Stiller can catch up to everyone on Sunday! I'm looking forward to meeting some new HAZ folks!

[uphill_junkie]

I was interested in doing a backpack too, but work has come up, and I'd need to be back Sat. Now that I see some are day hiking, I am interested as well. I'm in the same area @laztazam - maybe I can hook up with you.

[Felecia]

Just read the updates - our sitter won't be here till 8 am - which puts at Barnhardt 8:45am is we haul pumpkin... Don't want to hold all of you back, will talk to Michael and see what he wants to do - in and out the same trail? maybe set up a late shuttle with someone?

[BobP]

@feelindiva
Im sending you a pm.

[mazatzal]

I was interested in doing a backpack too, but work has come up, and I'd need to be back Sat. Now that I see some are day hiking, I am interested as well. I'm in the same area @laztazam - maybe I can hook up with you.

Yes, I think Bob sent you a PM...

[kate]

Just read the updates - our sitter won't be here till 8 am - which puts at Barnhardt 8:45am is we haul pumpkin... Don't want to hold all of you back, will talk to Michael and see what he wants to do - in and out the same trail? maybe set up a late shuttle with someone?

Roger and I can hang @ Barnhardt and do a late shuttle with you guys.

[JoelHazelton]

Just read the updates - our sitter won't be here till 8 am - which puts at Barnhardt 8:45am is we haul pumpkin... Don't want to hold all of you back, will talk to Michael and see what he wants to do - in and out the same trail? maybe set up a late shuttle with someone?

Oooh... An extra hour of sleep sounds

Would you and Mike mind if I hitched a ride with you from Fountain Hills for some gas money? My truck only seats two and would be useless for a shuttle and kind of a waste to drive up...

[te_wa]

no prob Joel. I'll work for beer. PM incoming -

[The_Eagle]

I'll be joining Chris and Kyle trying to catch the Backpackers!

[Tough_Boots]

I'll be joining Chris and Kyle trying to catch the Backpackers!

[Dave1]

The weather is lookin' good! Maybe a bit windy though...

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... tType=text

[The_Eagle]

Are any of you Backpackers bringing a Walkie Talkie? If so, I'll bring one so us Sunday Day Hikers know where we are in relation to you.
If so, let me know what channel you will be monitoring. Thanks, hope to see you all sometime Sunday.

[te_wa]

2-ways sound like a good idea. ch. 15/15 was always the "cool, hip" channel to be on.

[PrestonSands]

Slight change, please note!!! The new meeting time will be 8:40 am at the Barnhardt Trailhead. Mike, Felecia, and Joel will be arriving by 9am. The rest of us can shuffle gear and bodies into the shuttle vehicles in the meantime. We'll all roll out as a group from Barnhardt when Mike, Felecia and Joel arrive, and head for Rock Creek. Finding the Rock Creek trailhead (and driving FR 442, for that matter) can be challenging, so it would be best if we all stuck together. I'm PM-ing my phone # to those on the committed list, in case any last minute things arise...

Sunday hikers: I'll turn on and dial my walkie talkie to channel 15 first thing Sunday morning.



Here are some more specific/updated directions to Rock Creek, with some help from Ken/topohiker's 5-1-2010 Rock Creek Trail triplog:

Directions to Rock Creek Trailhead: From Phoenix, take AZ Highway 87 north to Rye (10 miles south of Payson, where 87 becomes a divided highway). Turn left (west) onto the unsigned Forest Road 414 (Cypress Thicket Road) (no U-turn necessary). The turnoff from highway 87 is right across from the huge bicycle junkyard. I didn't see any signs for the turn off. FR 414 immediately turns right (north) and parallels the highway. There should be a road marker in the first mile.

FR 414 winds north, south, and then west across low ridges for maybe 3-4 miles before making a sharp turn to the right and dropping down to the floor of Rye Creek's little valley, where it meets FR 1550 at a road fork (stay left to remain on FR 414). From the road fork, FR 414 travels west for another 0.75 miles to the 1st crossing of Rye Creek (this stretch can be very muddy after a big rain). About 0.15 miles past the 1st Rye Creek crossing, and a very short distance before the 2nd crossing, FR 442 takes off to the left (south), climbing steeply at first. Ken metioned that the FR 442 turnoff is 10 feet before a metal gate on FR 414. FR 442 is not signed from what I remember.

Take FR 442 about 3.1 miles to an intersection with a faint old road on your left (this is one tenth mile past the 3rd creek crossing on FR 442). This is the new Rock Creek trailhead (coordinates are 34.12608 N, -111.43683 W). There is a parking spot here, could hold 2 vehicles. There is more (and much better) parking at the third creek crossing, where there is a nice roadside campsite (this is where we'll likely need to park).

FR 442 was in very good shape when I was on it last March, I'd say it was high clearance 2wd then. If the creek crossings are washed out on FR 442, it is possible to park at the 1st creek crossing on FR 442. This option only adds about 0.75 miles to the hiking distance.