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I have a crew of experienced hikers (our friends and family affectionately call us the "psycho-hikers") that are looking to do a day-long through-hike of Fossil Creek. Our plan is to get dropped off at Salmon Lake Butte on 260 East of Camp Verde, drop into the upper narrows of Sandrock Canyon, then follow the canyon down to the Irving power plant where a loving family member (namely my mother) will pick us up after a relaxing day with a book at some Mogollon Rim lookout. I understand there are road issues with the Irving site and that we may have to pack out of the canyon from the springs trail.
My question is: Has anyone experienced the upper narrows of Sandrock canyon? Are they passable without assistance? Are there likely to be pools to cross? Is there much water that far up from the springs? Will we need to get wet crossing the creek?
Generally looking for a little canyoneering beta from anyone who has been to that neck of the woods. The trip will be in early January and we will certainly take weather into utmost consideration. Thanks in advance.
-K-Zar

Years ago I hiked down to a seasonal waterfall where the unnamed canyon coming down from Salmon Lake Butte joins Sandrock Canyon. Sandrock Canyon looked pretty rough in that area, and I couldn't see the bottom of the canyon.

Thanks for responding. Yeah. It looks a little sketchy on the topos, quite labyrinthine really. I'm thinking that you followed the wash just to the East of Salmon Lake Butte. Is that correct? To my great discredit, I tend to underestimate the difficulty of hikes in and around steep canyons. I just don't want to be up a creek if get my drift.
If you have any friends that might know the area, you know where to reach me.
Thanks again-
-K-Zar

-K-Zar wrote:I'm thinking that you followed the wash just to the East of Salmon Lake Butte. Is that correct?

That's the one!

APS is deconstructing the dam and sluice along the middle Fossil Creek, and that area is definitely closed, from the first dam downstream to the power plant itself.

Tony

Even if you pack out from the power plant through the springs trail, you will still be hiking through an area that is supposed to be closed; however, most people tend not to give a s*** and do it anyway. The Springs Trail itself isn't closed, but like Tonyp said, everything downstream from the dam to the power plant is closed, including the flume road and creek itself.

Thanks Tony and Joel,
I did a little research on this to see exactly where the closure is. We are planning on coming down through the wilderness area, but now we know for sure that we will have to pack it out on the Springs trail and get picked up at that trail head- NOT get picked up at Irving. Great to know. Thanks again.
-KZR