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The USFS has a road grader and front end loader reworking FS road 172 and 172A. The road grader started from the beginning of 172 at Hewitt Station road and had made it approximately four miles when we passed by him on Tuesday afternoon. The front end loader had been filling in crosswise channels made by running water from the beginning of 172 to almost the top of 172A. When we passed him they were reworking the ruts just below the extremely sharp curve just before 172A tops out before the turn to Rogers Trough Trailhead. My experience with rework on this road is that they will be up there all week. Queen Creek is not flowing and relative easy to cross at this time. Someone traveling this road after this post please give us an update on the grading project and how far they have reworked the road.

General rules for driving this road is as follows. High clearence with rear wheel drive is recommended for 172. High clearence with four wheel drive is recommended for 172A. Front wheel drive vehicles can drive this road but it is not recommended that they tackle the steeper portions of either road as it is very easy to tear up the front tires on the embedded rocks. Vehicles without high clearence should drive only as far as the embedded rocks are low enough in reference to the road surface to allow safe travel. My experience when the road has been recently reworked is that drivers have a tendency to drive to fast and have accidents. There are numerous sharp curves and high spots where you cannot see oncoming traffic. This includes cars, trucks, ATV's and motorcycles. Head on crashes are a real threat under these conditions. Please drive at a safe speed and also be aware of cattle that may be on the road and unwilling to get out of your way.

CannondaleKid wrote: I have numerous scars to prove it!

When I read that line, I assumed that you meant "numerous cars to prove it"

CannondaleKid wrote:Many of my best experiences came about as a result of wrong turns or bad information

See my signature...

Any post-storm reports on this road are appreciated, I need to get up there this week.

@Sredfield How early in the week? I may be hiking out that way Monday or Tuesday.

Probably Thursday.

The Queen Creek gage is back to about zero, so probably all is fine. I'll be pulling a small trailer so want to be careful.

@Sredfield I only drove FR172 as far was the turn to Woodbury TH but the road that far was in good condition. Sure there are some rocky spots but they are always there. As far as erosion, almost nothing, in fact it appeared it hadn't rained much or hard... only a few puddles on the road.

I had planned on driving up to Rogers Trough after the hike to Hackberry Butte but with the huge amount of Jeep & ATV traffic on the FR172 I just headed straight back on FR172.

However, asking a few ATV'ers coming down from Rogers about the road they said it wasn't much different than the part I had driven.

Thanks!

A donor to ATA is funding a toilet at Rogers Trough because the bushes are getting gross!

It's just a trial thing, will leave it there for maybe a month if it doesn't get filled up before then. I am going to haul it up on a trailer Thursday. Good to know about the road.

Sredfield wrote:A donor to ATA is funding a toilet at Rogers Trough because the bushes are getting gross!

Definitely a worthy cause!

Ok, the porta-potty was dropped off at Rogers Trough TH 3 weeks ago, can anyone confirm that it's still up there?

But how are going to transport that port-a-potty back down the hill without spilling the beans?

I've given that some thought, and was planning to fill the void with something--newspapers, sawdust, whatever. I'll check with the rental place before I do, they probably have encountered the problem before.

They will have what is called a "plug" that fits into and under the hole or at least they should have them. If all else fails duct tape across the hole once or twice. And I am speaking from experience unfortunately, as I supported large groups with port-a-potties one summer in Wyoming. That part of the volunteer work my wife left for me to do! Can't understand why...

@Sredfield
Or just dump it over a bridge on a 100 tourist sight seeing in Chicago...it worked for Dave Mathews ;)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-05031 ... 9199.story

@friendofThundergod
Lets hope his "Community Service" was servicing port-a-potties!

Drove to Rogers today road was in its normal shape.

Sredfield wrote:Ok, the porta-potty was dropped off at Rogers Trough TH 3 weeks ago, can anyone confirm that it's still up there?

Still there at 4/5 --> http://hikearizona.com/photo=407723

Thanks! There is a work event near there May 3, so I'll retrieve it then, and save a trip up and down that road.

Sredfield wrote: the porta-potty was dropped off at Rogers Trough TH 3 weeks ago

I was mighty tempted to tip it over last weekend.

I thought about checking it out but it smelled full with out opening the door