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| partners | | My middle Granddaughter from TX, now a Sophomore at The University of Arkansas (a Razorback  ) and hopefully to soon be accepted in their highly accredited School of Nursing, has been interested for a few years in visiting her Grandpa in AZ for a planned summer week "Camp Grasshopper" Camping/Hiking Trip to our Mogollon Rim. This would be her very first ever- remote, primitive, multi-night tent camping trip in the woods at 7435ft elevation 
We began planning this trip over nine months ago which gave me plenty of time to deal with all the necessary planning, logistics, and gathering for her of all the necessary duplication of additional vehicle camping and hiking gear to hopefully assure a safe, fun, rewarding, and successful week trip to my Arizona high country most favorite place to camp and hike this time of year.
Airplane tickets to AZ were confirmed about 5 weeks prior-to our planned Mogollon Rim exit early morning on Wed-6/16 and we had numerous text and phone conversations to further confirm other necessary details. My biggest concern for a successful trip was whether or not the Coconino NF might close the forest due to extreme fire danger. As the weeks passed prior-to my Granddaughter's arrival on Mon-6/14, I watched the forest fire restrictions go from Stage 1, then to Stage 2 
Also, we would need two vehicles for this trip- my older Toyota 4Runner fully loaded with all my normal camping/hiking stuff + I needed to coordinate borrowing my old, highly modified '92YJ Jeep Wrangler (the original "Grasshopper") that I had gifted to some local good friends of mine back in YR2016. The plan was that I would drive my old, open "Grasshopper" (without a spare tire and with the 4 tires on the ground being at least 15+ years old) and my Granddaughter would drive my 4Runner behind me for the trip up and back. For a first time, she would also be driving 16 miles of off-pavement, narrow with blind turns Rim Road (FR300)  .
Our departure date for the Mogollon Rim on 6/16am arrived with the Coconino NF still at Stage 2, but this very same afternoon, after our safe late morning arrival at Camp Grasshopper #3, the lighting ignited Backbone Wild Fire with high winds erupted this same day 12 miles West of Strawberry, AZ (at the [ Ikes Backbone ] area).
We had an awesome, outstanding 4nts/5days camping, R&R, good food, and valuable time together sharing wonderful memories (new and old) which included 2.5 days of hiking.. three different on trail and off trail hike areas that I was looking forward to introducing to my Granddaughter. I am so very impressed with her much appreciated help around the campsite (setup/teardown/pack up) and her natural hiking ability on and off trail with a great sense of humor when things did not go as planned. For a first time extended stay, primitive camping/hiking trip, Granddaughter--> 
On our exit day, Sun-6/20, all our preferred exit routes back home (Hwy 87 and Hwy 260) were closed due to the still raging Backbone Wild Fire. We exited the Rim on the only route available which was to continue an additional 32 miles South and East on the Rim Road to Woods Canyon Lake at Hwy 260 then West to Payson to Hwy 87 South.. We stopped in Payson for Mexican Food and Ice Tea before I had to endure 116F driving the open Grasshopper Jeep back to South Scottsdale. I was pretty much wasted upon home arrival with two loaded vehicles in our outside furnace that needed unloading.. without even me asking for help, my Granddaughter proceeded to unload both  thank you!
This trip was meant to be and timing was everything. As it turned-out, our planned trip return was on 6/20 and on 6/23 the Coconino National Forest went to a Stage 3 status which closed the entire NF. |
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Hopefully we will come up with a better solution next June'24.
.. this would be a big problem for my planned eight day stay!
), it was a wonderful first night of R & R 
) and hopefully to soon be accepted in their highly accredited School of Nursing, has been interested for a few years in visiting her Grandpa in AZ for a planned summer week "Camp Grasshopper" Camping/Hiking Trip to our Mogollon Rim. This would be her very first ever- remote, primitive, multi-night tent camping trip in the woods at 7435ft elevation 
