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EDIT 9-13-10: After hiking Kachina Trail with Jake yesterday, we determined the original planned photographing spot isn't very good in the evening... Nearby ridges block the best of the evening light. So, the new, tentative plan is Hart Prairie Saturday evening. After shooting through sunset there, we'll hop on fr522 off Snowbowl road and find a place to car camp near Freidlen Prairie. Sunday morning we'll wake up bright and early (more like dark and early) and hike no more than 2 miles on the Kachina Trail to find some aspens and meadows. Plans still subject to change, of course, as we do more scouting.

Hey HAZ photographers!

Jake (hippiepunkpirate), Jon (jonnybackpack) and I are putting together an autumn photography workshop/group hike/camping trip at the Peaks, October 9th and 10th.

The plan, as of now, is to meet up late morning on Saturday, October 9th, and drive to the Freidlein Prairie trailhead. Hike the lower portion of the Kachina Trail and photograph the beautiful Kachina meadows in the evening. Car-camp somewhere nearby Saturday night, wake up pre-sunrise Sunday morning and head to Lockett Meadow. Photograph the Lockett Meadow area for sunrise, then head into the Inner Basin to capture the rest of the morning light.

Although this is obviously organized like a normal group hike, the focus will be on photography. Bring a camera and tripod! We'll be visiting prime locations during the best light, so there should be plenty of opportunity for some awesome photos... Not to mention the sharing of knowledge from fellow photographers ;)

I hope some of you are interested!

chumley wrote:Not to throw a wrench into the revised plan, but car camping along Freidlein Prairie requires you to be in one of 14 specifically numbered spots. They are first come/first served and not all are sedan-friendly. (The best ones are not). And they are most definitely not the kind of place to expect 5+ vehicles to find room to park.

See the FS page about the unique camping requirements along FR522.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recrea ... camp.shtml

Depending on the final number of people and the vehicle arrangements it may make more sense to car camp in/near Hart Prairie. Depending on where you want to go, a quick hike up "Polar Aspen Alley" gets you to the Kachina TH. But that's at least an extra mile of hiking before even getting onto Kachina.

Just an FYI: Freidlein Prairie Rd isn't too car friendly either ( for driving to the lower Kachina) . There is good camping west of 180, out by Wing Mt.

Have you thought about grabbing up a couple campsites next to each other on FR522 on Friday night--pitching a couple tents, putting out a couple chairs? Another idea is the large, level campsite(s) up the road to Bismark Lake off Hart Prairie Rd. That one is car friendly and big enough for a large group and not crowded with campers. Above Bismark Lake, the trail goes up to the wilderness boundary and some beautiful aspen groves. There is usually deer and elk in the area that time of year, too. Just a suggestion.

I like the idea of camping somewhere in Hart Prairie...although Bismark Lake is kind of a ways up the road. Somewhere further south on Hart Prairie Rd. might be better.

Lockett Meadow and Inner Basin continue to be closed until Dec. 31, 2010.

alexandy wrote:Lockett Meadow and Inner Basin continue to be closed until Dec. 31, 2010

Not sure if that is a question or statement as it lacks punctuation, but yes Lockett Meadow Rd and the Inner Basin within the Schultz Fire Closure Area and will be closed for public access until 12/31.

Just joined the forums for this event . . . looking forward to it. Oh, and "HI" to everyone!

I'm down to camp wherever... At this point I'm just looking forward to something to get my mind off work and stress.

Hey azsol! I'm looking forward to meeting you and everyone else who's coming!

Have we ever had a photo trip where SOMETHING didn't go wrong? Be it a closure, snow, rain, hunger, or men jumping in the frame in thier underwear (true story)....this trip just seems to go along with "true" photography issues.

At least me and Joel scouted the Kachina meadows for sunset and found out about the light not working right at that time of day....finding that out during the workshop, that could've been the REAL disaster!

Looking less and less likely I can attend due to prep for an upcoming long trip to Az strip area. But, who knows, if I can get everything taken care of ahead of time I would enjoy meeting some folks and picking Joels' brain ---not literally

Letty- It would be awesome if you could make it out

Less than two weeks! Anyone care to hit "commit"? ;)

The exact plans for Sunday morning are still up in the air... Kachina Meadows are still ideal for sunrise, but we'd have to pack into a couple of vehicles that would make it to the Freidlein Prairie trailhead. It's hard to gauge the likelihood of that until we know who's coming. I can fit one other in my truck... Two if we care to be close friends. Jon can fit a few. Anyone else with medium-high clearance who's definitely coming along?

So I'm sure this is a minor point, but wherever the camping happens, I'll have my chainsaw with me, so there will be no shortage of firewood to keep the heater on high.

I also have a 4-door tacoma, so 5 can fit inside, and at least 4 in the back.

So I need not be concerned with making it out there to provide some oak wood for the fire?

I really really want to come on this trip, and as of now, i'm still planning on it. I'll know for sure by next week though. It sucks being poor! The one question I have is about the sleeping situation. I know you guys are still trying to figure it out, but if you're talking about bringing people up with you and then car camping, how will that work? Or are we gonna stay at a campground (I don't own a tent anymore)? I have a 7 seat suv, so if I do go I could bring people. Come to think of it....I honestly don't think I can fit laying in my car.

Jim_H wrote:So I need not be concerned with making it out there to provide some oak wood for the fire?

Definitely not. Aspen burns hot and fast, and there's plenty of dead Aspen around Hart Prairie. Ponderosa does quite nicely too!

I sense we have differing opinions on campfires. Me, I prefer a slow even fire with a nice high BTU output which is good for cooking over. That is, unless I'm having a bonfire, in which case I look for pine hearts, aka lighter wood, to burn. Last time I had a fire (that I can remember) for entertainment purposes it was on Mt Taylor, NM in 2008. I had a great one with quite a bit of hot, flashy pine. Not the bare wood, mind you, but the resin soaked heart wood that burns like gasoline. That stuff is awesome. Back in Florida, and New Jersey when I would bring some up north, I had many an impressive bonfire of that stuff. Good times, good times...

Either way, I have some oak, its split and cured and I figure I'll use it somewhere. No big deal. If you guys are "out there" on some long rough road, I might just pass. My car has seen enough rough action this summer.

@Jim_H For what it's worth, I prefer dry hard wood for burning - if it's available. Hard woods also don't kick up as much ash or sparks. And, I hope that we won't be too far out on a rough road - my Jetta didn't take very kindly to the roads I took it on this past weekend for camping. It showed me the check engine light - I think just to remind me that it wasn't a 4x4 - until I left the Elden trailhead and was on my way out of Flagstaff.

@cindyl - the check engine light indicates an emissions problem. In fact, its rarely anything that needs attention until you go in for your inspection.

I was thinking it would be a chilly night with 15 people around the fire. When there's more than 6 people, warmth doesn't really happen without big fire (Captain Morgan-style). I think the kind of fire to have has to be based on how many people are there and if its actually being used to keep people warm. Big fires are definitely not for hot coals and cooking.

And there's no question that hard wood doesn't spark as much. Aspen can pop out embers like the 4th of July. Keeps you on your toes around the fire though! I don't do fires with much smoke though. One of the benefits of a chainsaw while car camping is the ability to harvest DRY wood.

My Coconino firewood permit does not ever allow for cutting OAK though. Not even if its dead and down!

They're pretty protective over their oak. I got it from the Boot legger CG in Oak Creek Canyon back in June. They had thinned some of the oaks around the CG and piled it up to burn. If they're going to burn it in piles, I can take it and burn it at a campsite, that how I see it. The workers who have been living there made a good effort to burn that wood in their campfires. It's really good stuff, gambel and AZ white oak.

The couple spots I have in mine are along Hart Prairie Road in the aspens but not too far from the highway, but I imagine they might be pretty popular that weekend. The road isn't very rough to access them, my Saturn handles it fine.