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| Mud Bogging in the Winchesters, AZ | | -
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| | Mud Bogging in the Winchesters, AZ | | | |
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Mud Bogging in the Winchesters, AZ
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| no partners | | The forecast near Willcox said snow, mostly. I thought--GOOD! I drove over sat afternoon deciding to car camp and reconnoiter the western side of the Winchesters. It was cloudy and rainy and cool. The road toward Muleshoe was muddy but the base is solid. A few greasy spots. I turned off on the Warbonnet ranch road and drove toward the ranch. The map showed the road continuing past the ranch but as you drive right in the yard I wasn't interested in just showing up on the doorstep on a dreary late afternoon. I took the left fork before the ranch. I was interested in Caruther's canyon--on the map it noted in parentheses' RedRock--so I thought it would make a great entry way into the trailess Winchesters.
The ranch road was very muddy and slick. It didn't appear too soft though. I crossed Davis canyon; open and closing like 3 gates altogether. It was getting colder and raining a little more. At the top where it dropped into Caruther's I decided to park and camp, on the ridgeline so to have good views and more solid ground. I could see the ranch, and when dark, the lights of Benson in the distance. Well, I grew more nervous as it pounded rain off and on all night. At one point some ice pellets but it wasn't cold enough. I was worried about getting stuck. The canyons I saw were very pretty, and surprising in the rolling brown grass and greasewood foothills. The morning nothing could be seen as I was in a cloud. I decided to drive out while I could and save the hike for a time when I could actually see my surroundings.
It was slip and slide and 4wd. Climbing out Davis was steady on the gas as the vehicle tried to bog down a little. At one point the wheel wells and tires were packed solid with mud, I couldn't go fast enough to sling it off. On the main road kept it in the ruts. Stopped off to take some shots of the clouds rising off the snowcovered Catalinas.
Even though a long drive I have new motivation to get into the Winchesters, and hope to do so soon. |
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