| |
| Frustum #23 Moore and More, AZ | |
|
| | Frustum #23 Moore and More, AZ | | | |
|
|
Frustum #23 Moore and More, AZ
| | |
|
| Hiking | 10.17 Miles |
1,800 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.17 Miles | 6 Hrs 6 Mns | | 2.91 mph |
| 1,800 ft AEG | 2 Hrs 36 Mns Break | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | There were two items I wanted to locate. A benchmark and a boundary marker. I located those two, and then I located a second NGS benchmark. Finding the boundary marker was the most challenging.
Almost all the Maricopa-Yavapai county boundary markers have a symbol on TOPO maps, giving a fairly accurate location of each marker (frustum). Some TOPOs even give the frustum number.
Not so for the elusive Frustum #23. There’s no symbol noted on any maps that I have on hand, and HAZ’s MapDex maps do not show its location either. No boundary symbol and no number.
So I had to use other means (and a bit of logic) to find it’s approximate location. Once I determined where the frustum probably was, I had to figure out how to get there.
As most know, the Maricopa-Yavapai border travels (roughly) east-west, just north of Phoenix.
I traveled north on I-17, got off at the exit for Table Mesa Rd, went a bit further north, then proceeded east on W Moore Rd.
W Moore Rd is literally ‘in’ Moore Gulch. From Moore Gulch, I hiked FR 46 to get to the area of Maricopa-Yavapai Boundary Marker #23 and Moore Benchmark. FR 46 has a couple serious erosion areas that (my opinion) make it only ATV worthy and 4WD/high clearance vehicle worthy. It wouldn’t take much to fix the road, and I hope it’s done sometime soon.
This was my first time in this area, so I had a good time exploring.
The only activity I saw were some ATVs enjoying FR 46 and other roads. There appears to be an abundance of roads for them to explore.
All the little survey disks (4) are in great shape, as is Frustum #23. One of the benchmarks had an intact ‘Height Of Light’ that had fallen down. I adjusted one of its support wires and raised it up again. Now it looks like it probably did in 1924.
Frustum #23 is the smaller of the two sizes surveyors used back in 1924. It’s ‘solid-in-the-ground’ and it’s three brass plaques are in excellent condition.
The off trail portions of the hike were quite easy, as the landscape is mostly rolling hills, and the ‘sticky’ plants were wide spread and minimal. There’s still minor evidence of a fire that occurred in 2005, but in general the area looks very healthy.
All in all, it was a pleasant (and successful) hike, in an area that was all new to me. |
| _____________________
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
