Skull cave...again I know...

[Hippy]

18 miles
If you are into long, off trail adventures and don't mind dancing with a cholla or two...let's go.
I can hike it a Sunday or a Monday, exact date is flexible if you cant do feb 9th or 10th. Who's in?

[BobP]

but my theory is from reading the accounts..a rancher rediscovered site in early 1900s right?...

True....but Apache Lake didn't exist until the late 1920's with the building of Horse Mesa Dam.

[FOTG]

@BobP
I think I already found that link from you trip-log, great pics by the way with the historical shots lined up to present positions..that was nice read as well..

also in the Jack and Elizabeth Carson eastern supes book you can put together the whole campaign starting with the couple days before Christmas..I guess the Army entered Supes around Pinto Creek area, probably climbed Pinto Divide and took Campaign Creek and eventually Pine Creek down to crossing before they made their attack on Skeleton Cave..would be cool to nerd out one day and try to retrace that route, and turn it into a little back pack..

[PLC92084]

that triplog you refer to was the shorter route from a different TH which def needs 4wd able to climb a 3 or 4 ft step.

Bob: Isn't the "step" you're referring to at the beginning of the road leading to the Cane Spring jump off or is there another way to get back there with a vehicle? When I was out that way a few years back, I elected to not to try getting over the berm because I didn't want to damage my only way home...

[CannondaleKid]

Bob: Isn't the "step" you're referring to at the beginning of the road leading to the Cane Spring jump off or is there another way to get back there with a vehicle?

I'm pretty sure that's the one... at least it was the one my Samurai broke the transfer case mount on.

I was out there to Soldier Camp TH last November with my Cherokee for my Soldier Camp/Cane Spring loop hike (http://hikearizona.com/trip=95756) and I must say the road is much worse than when I was out all the way to Cane Spring TH 6 months before, which was worse than the trip out there with Joe in the Samurai.

That said, the challenge is half the fun so I wouldn't hesitate to drive out there again... but then it helps to have a 5-1/2" lift, although I still was scraping in some spots.

[Hippy]

@BobP
I will have to look at route, but I want to make it an over-night trip, w/out night hiking...will talk to group more..but will be looking for place to camp near there or there with water...plenty of options I assume?

We found reliable water at Blue Tank just above the waterfalls both times. See GOYAAH's pics from the second trip.

No dogs, we took a super dog on the first trip, a Queensland Heeler, he was a beast, using his own teeth to pull cholla out of his legs...NO dog no matter how tall or small or super can avoid cholla on this trip. I say no poochies. And yes there's some fun scrambling and a few awesome watering holes to swim through "to get to the other side" (if you're insane) otherwise you have to climb up over and around them to reach the other side.

and that's right, NO kayaks until I'd finally gotten there on foot.
first two times I attempted to reach the cave were...interesting and definite learning opportunities, I've learned a LOT since then, amazing what a few years can do.
Third times a charm.

Widowmaker, we COULD do it as a dayhike, I just would rather have time to explore Blue Tank and its not often I get someone willing to go out here, so two days, 1 night for us, if anything changes we can hussle in and out but who knows right now, be cool for you to hike in with us!
Your car would make it to Cottonwood Camp but definitely NOT the rest of the road, you'd be best walking those hundred up n downs on the road like the rest of us suckers. It's easy going once you get your legs moving just park closer to the end of the camp.

[PLC92084]

Two days one night is cool with me! Do we have definite dates now? I saw Widowmaker made a reference to Feb 23rd in a different post... I'm good to go if so.

[Hippy]

@PLC92084 I'm good with those dates so far, waiting to hear from one more person but I think feb 22/23 would work best for me, I just switched work stuff around so I get weekends off like a normal person now.

[fan3992]

I can go on Feb. 23 /24.

[RowdyandMe]

@Hippy
So is this still going to be a one day hike?

[Hippy]

@Widowmaker Nah we wanna do it as an overnight just because there's so much to explore in HHP. We'll def make it to the "cave" mid day 1 though.

[RowdyandMe]

@Hippy
Thanks for the heads up. Have a great hike

[Hippy]

@Widowmaker too bad you can't join us, I know you really wanted to day hike it, I did too originally but that flu bug kicked my butt and I know I'd be hurting on a crazy dayhike right now.

Enjoy ridge line with RV though!!! Maybe next time.

Everyone else I sent you a PM with a question and details. Let's do this

[RowdyandMe]

Maybe next time. I really don't have any gear for overnight campimg, so I just do day hikes only even though every now and then I do hike out in the dark. With headlamps of course.

[Hippy]

@Widowmaker that's a horrible excuse!!! ;) get thee to an REI!!

[RowdyandMe]

@Hippy
Now thats funny, I leave about a block away from REI.

[Hippy]

@Widowmaker...one time my best friend and I met for an "REI date" at PV, then went out for a bite to eat and finished the "date" at the Tempe store...think i ended up buying a pair of gloves... OK, anyway, you need to go stock up on backpacking gear!

[FOTG]

OK I think I am a go...I will drive..my car is good for five. First thing first, I need to work out some bugs in GPS to get this route downloaded, I am not going out there without a route, does anyone else have a GPS? What about a topo for that area? I actually have a pretty good section of 4 Peaks on my Supes map, so that may work...

Before we go though, what is water situation? do we know we cant get water along route, and do you have some camp sites in mind? I am probably going to bug Bob later today when I get a chance for some to hash out some finer details..I am going tent with no rain-fly, does everyone else just plan to bivouac under stars, or hammocks?

Finally, I hate finding THs, do you know exactly how to get there Hippy? been up 4 peaks before but never really grasped the trail systems..

[FOTG]

wait wait wait...Joe's route says 7000 feet in AEG...that cant be true right? maybe I should change my committed back to interested ;)

[Grasshopper]

Finally, I hate finding THs, do you know exactly how to get there Hippy?

Here is your recommended Driving Route to Park/TH Start which has now been posted to the Skeleton Cave hike description -->
http://hikearizona.com/map.php?MY=6232&M=6 (HAZ Development Team can verify for accuracy, but I do believe it will be very close to actual)

[FOTG]

@Grasshopper
thanks that seems to be it..