Skull Cave Trip 2.0!!

[Hippy]

Alright, I've been on this topic for ages, reading, researching, route planning, checking canoe/kayak rentals and water flow etc...
But my boyfriend and I have it planned to do it all over again this December 19th!
Last time we planned a 3 day and had to turn back after 2 because we ran out of water the next morning and hiked a few miles low on water to a nasty green bee infested puddle that we dug in to and filtered then boiled and covered the nasty taste with tang....hot, sweet, life saving tang!! :yuck:

So more water, less useless gear, brighter lights, same boots! (thank goodness for Timberlands!!), got maps and tracks (the latter were nearly useless last time, e ended up always just 200+ feet away from the tracks but it worked more or less)

So...here I am, telling you, that in less than a month we're heading out for Skull Cave Trip 2.0...words of advice? warning? tips?
Lay it out folks! We will make it this time darn it!!

oh, p.s...not bring the dog this time!!! NO DOGS!!! So much cholla even I could barely squeeze through some spots!

[BobP]

As Marlin would say ' that was kinda a difficult hike'....its been almost 2 years since Joe and I made that memorable trip. It was definitely one for the books. The cholla fields were nasty, but some of the views and scenery were otherworldly. The actual cave/alcove was nothing special without knowing the history.

Advice? warnings? tips? sounds like you learned from your last time.

The one thing we learned after our first trip was.... that we needed to start earlier than we did the first trip and cached water in a findable spot for the way out.


Good luck... and be safe.

[CannondaleKid]

Advice?
Do what Joe B and I did in September, drive a capable high-clearance 4x4 and drive all the out on FR 401A and you will cut off about 6 miles of possibly the roughest part of the hike.

But then if you are backpacking, have the time and relish the extra challenge, go for it from where FR 401A begins at Cottonwood Camp.

[PLC92084]

...drive a capable high-clearance 4x4 and drive all the out on FR 401A and you will cut off about 6 miles of possibly the roughest part of the hike.

High clearance is right!! That berm right after the creek was formidable (and how come nobody mentioned driving through a creek!?) My Geo wasn't outfitted correctly so I ended up hoofing it to the drop-off point (where Joe and Bob started out on their trip).

Too bad the timing won't work; I'd really like to do the trip...

[CannondaleKid]

I didn't mention any creek because all the washes were dry when Joe and I were out there.

BTW, if it's the berm I'm thinking of that's where a transfer case mount broke on my Samurai when Joe and I did our hike. With Joe's help and our combined ingenuity it took 45 minutes to fabricate another from a piece of wood and we were on our way.

[PLC92084]

if it's the berm I'm thinking of that's where a transfer case mount broke on my Samurai

Pretty sure that's the one... I'm impressed you made it up! :worthy:

[Hippy]

Advice?
Do what Joe B and I did in September, drive a capable high-clearance 4x4 and drive all the out on FR 401A and you will cut off about 6 miles of possibly the roughest part of the hike.

But then if you are backpacking, have the time and relish the extra challenge, go for it from where FR 401A begins at Cottonwood Camp.

My "trusty rusty deathtrap" of a passenger car is what we have to work with. We park at Cottonwood Camp and hike all the way up and out Doing 3 days this time! Whooo!

And oh my gosh, the ups and downs and in and outs holy cow! Half of me NEVER wants to go do this hike again but the other half kicked the 1st half's butt and we're devoted to this trip

CACHING WATER! Duhhh, i don't think we even considered that last time haha We had TONS at the car at cottonwood camp, and that tiny green cesspool we drank from was our savior but we really had hoped/planned on hitting the river to filter&fill.
What is this "berm" you guys are mentioning?

[PLC92084]

@HippyHaley
As I recall, after crossing through the water (the creek was flowing when I was there in April a couple years back) and making my way to the "road" the "kid" mentions, there was a steep berm (2-3 feet, I think) one had to get up (if you're hiking, it's not a problem; for a vehicle, it's pretty tough to get over...). The "road", after that point, wasn't too bad; a normal 4x4 could navigate it without trouble.

Since you're walking the whole way, you'll be adding 3-4 miles. I'd bring some water and stash it somewhere after you leave the road (so you can find it, presumably...). You're bringing a GPS with you , right? Mark the location, just to be sure.

[CannondaleKid]

As I recall, after crossing through the water (the creek was flowing when I was there in April a couple years back) and making my way to the "road" the "kid" mentions, there was a steep berm (2-3 feet, I think) one had to get up (if you're hiking, it's not a problem; for a vehicle, it's pretty tough to get over...).

With careful placement of the tires (and reasonably high-clearance) it isn't as bad as one would think. I'd been up and down it several times while doing recon leading up to my Skeleton Cave hike with Joe with no issues. Unfortunately on the drive out for the hike, the 24 year-old rubber transfer case gave out just after we passed over it.
I believe it is located here: N33 36.935 W111 26.627

The "road", after that point, wasn't too bad; a normal 4x4 could navigate it without trouble.

I'm sure some areas of the road have deteriorated significantly since you were out there because there were some BAD sections, especially some rough and rocky hills we had to climb on the return trip that made for a teeth-rattling ride. Just ask Joe how many fillings the ride jarred loose... Of course part of the problem on that day was the rear locker on my Samurai was not working so we had to use the brute force take-a-run-at-it in a few rough sections instead of the safer crawling-carefully-in-1st-gear-low-range method I prefer.

Oh yeah, on the drive from Cottonwood Camp to the TH when I hiked Hell's Hip Pocket Ridge (9/20/11) I averaged 4 mph in my Samurai, and that's including a number of hundred-yard relatively smooth sections I reached 15+ mph so you know I spent a lot of time at 3-4 mph.

Still, I'd rather drive that part than hike over-hill-over-dale like Joe and Bob did earlier. Although Joe and I did not physically set foot in the cave, we were barely 100+ yards from it (albeit with a chasm between us) before we turned back, which we could never have done in the time-frame we had. (Especially after the 45-minute delay to fabricate a temporary transfer case mount out of a piece of wood)

[JoelHazelton]

words of advice? warning? tips?

Wait until spring when there's water flowing in the creeks so you don't have to pack in 3 days worth ;)

[PLC92084]

Wait until spring when there's water flowing in the creeks so you don't have to pack in 3 days worth

If you do wait, I'm planning a trip out that way mid-March or so... Will be doing Hell's Hip Pocket as well.

[Hippy]

@HippyHaley
there was a steep berm (2-3 feet, I think) one had to get up (if you're hiking, it's not a problem; for a vehicle, it's pretty tough to get over...). The "road", after that point, wasn't too bad; a normal 4x4 could navigate it without trouble.

OH okay I know exactly what you're talking about now! Yeah that would've beena doozy for my little malibu hahaha she barely made it to the parking spot on CC but I never would have even dreamed of taking her up that "berm". Love the ridiculously long hike to the "TH" though, it gave us a good "warm up"
we had no creeks or anything to cross when we went (January 2011) shoot we were lucky to find that cesspool of bee infested muck! haha i love telling that story though, it gets people on edge and they seem to respect the Wilderness more! (or me, i'm not sure!)

We will be caching water this time in the car, in one of the canyon's where I found a little "grotto" with a huge flat "sunning" boulder between a stand of mesquite and nestled into jojobas.
we do have our GPS with Joe's original tracks which we couldn't seem to keep n top of last year, always ended up too far east in most cases, keeping my map and compass handy this time to keep us on track. also marked the topo map with major "landmarks" it was so tough last time, it's gonna be cake this time!

azpride- good idea! ;) Unfortunately we have other hikes planned for spring already and we always seem to hit the Supes in the winter! brrrr! It was a good 30 degrees last time yuck! The dog slept in my sleeping bag with me! haha

PLC - let us know when you go out that way, if we do have time/trips to spare we'd gladly tag along, the Supes is our land-love! ;)

[Hippy]

Hopped over to PV REI last night, they have TONS of awesome clearance items whoooo!
Got some $60 insulated/water & windproof gloves with liner! for 1/2 off. Got me a nice green wool beanie for $5!!! and of course some new convert hiking pants and rain pants (just in case!)
now I just need to re-waterproof my old timberland boots and I think I am good to go! Rain jacket is in the mail on its way to me...now I just need to figure out what to eat!!

Any ideas?? I'm a vegetarian...

[Hippy]

Breakfast & Dinner will consist of couscous with frozen veggies in a bag, we are going stove less so the food will have to soak an hour or so before eating, should be fine.
dates & dried fruits will be snacks and i'll probably pack some trail mix and raisins etc for munchies.


We leave monday morning!!

[PLC92084]

@HippyHaley
I'll have to remember to plan my own meals if we ever go hiking... Cold rabbit food !! :yuck:

Have fun and don't freeze!!

[Hippy]

@HippyHaley
Cold rabbit food !! :yuck:

if I eat meat or dairy my face will break out and because I'm short i'll easily be mistaken for a 15 year old girl hence the rabbit food!!!
might possibly freeze!!!! bought a poly baselayer yesterday, with my hiking pants and rain pants to cover those....yeah, i might freeze, we shall see come thursday!

[Hippy]

"Gone backpacking, be back soon"

We'll be home by wednesday 9pm! whoo!

[Hippy]

well...we're home.

[PLC92084]

Welcome Back!

[Hippy]

Well Ladies and Gentlemen...here we go again!

Skull Cave 3.0 is in the works. So here's our planning thread boys.

Currently John9L, Tough Boots, GOYAAH, myself and 2 other vegan friends have more or less committed to another "Hippy Adventure"

End of Janaury 2013 (28th,29th,30th...mon/tues/wed)

We will be embarking (yet again!) on this ever so bittersweet adventure.
There should be water, well, at least I know where to look this time!! We've learned some awesome lessons about our "cold rabbit food" and lightweight gear, we're ready to try again.
At least having 4 extra people means more GPS and less chance of being destroyed by the unforgiving terrain that is The Superstion Wilderness
scratch that, we will still be destroyed, just better chance of making it out alive