Sundad AZ.
Well took the first off road trip of the year yesterday, a trip to Sundad Arizona. Sundad, while you can find it by googling Sundad Arizona, isn't a town, and don't believe it was ever an official town. It was designed as a T.B. Sanatorium in the 20s is the best info that can be found.
There are basically two ways to go which you can make a loop out of. If you make a loop out of the two trails the total off pavement distance would only be about 30 miles or so. Round trip from Tonapah would be about 90 miles.
Most people would just take the eastern most route, Aqua Caliente rd, which is a very well maintained road. The other route , well that one was created by one of the other jeep drivers on the trip. There are many roads that lead out to, and some thru, the desert. The route was created by using google maps, zooming in to the closest settings and looking for tracks where someone had gone, and marking the gps numbers and transferring those numbers to create a route. It took some time to create the route, and we really had no idea if those roads, or paths, were still there to follow so we had many many gps marks to keep up on track.
Turns out the trails were still there, and really not hard to follow. The Gps setting were very much needed though as you do encounter some other roads which intersect the route and it would be easy to take the wrong one, or miss a turn, which would not be good.
While we did not know just how the created route would be it turned out to be fairly easy. I would call it a moderate trail, or on a scale of One to Ten maybe a 4 to 5, depending on the weather. One jeep, I believe it was either a 05 or 07, four door, sits stock, made it with little issues, My 95 YJ made it, 31inch tires with only a 3 inch lift, and no issues at all. As you Travel through many, many washes this part of our route is very weather dependent. NO matter the set up it would not be advisable to travel when wet, flash flooding would be a real threat in the area.
We had a great time, well worth the time it took to mark out the route.
Total drive time from Tonapah was about 8 hours. This trip would not be advisable for anyone traveling alone. Lots of loose sand so getting buried in the sand would not take much
If you google Sundad Arizona and zoom in on the map you can get an idea of the area
if you would like I will see if the person still has all the GPS settings for the route that was created. Let me know
Hopefully in 2 weeks we will be going again on what looks like a very simple ride, another way to get to Crown King, another back way.
Easier then the other back trail into Crown King, and much shorter, but should be scenic, and wife approved..:) we will find out. The Route starts in Black Canyon City on the 17 north. The route we will be taking is Called Maggie Mine road, or what is left of Maggie mine road. Two reasons for going really, in Black Canyon city there is a place called Rock Springs Cafe that has some of the best pies this side of the Mississippi. The other reason is just to get out with the jeep and see some scenery.
First need to get a flat fixed. It appears just before getting home from the last trip I sprung a major leak a front tire. As fast as the leak is it had to be close to home, we will find out.
Anyway, let me know if you think you can use the GPS settings or if you want to make your own trail.
if you would like I will see if the person still has all the GPS settings for the route that was created. Let me know
Hopefully in 2 weeks we will be going again on what looks like a very simple ride, another way to get to Crown King, another back way.
Easier then the other back trail into Crown King, and much shorter, but should be scenic, and wife approved..:) we will find out. The Route starts in Black Canyon City on the 17 north. The route we will be taking is Called Maggie Mine road, or what is left of Maggie mine road. Two reasons for going really, in Black Canyon city there is a place called Rock Springs Cafe that has some of the best pies this side of the Mississippi. The other reason is just to get out with the jeep and see some scenery.
First need to get a flat fixed. It appears just before getting home from the last trip I sprung a major leak a front tire. As fast as the leak is it had to be close to home, we will find out.
Anyway, let me know if you think you can use the GPS settings or if you want to make your own trail.
if you would like I will see if the person still hasall the GPS settings for the route that was created. Let meknowHopefully in 2 weeks we will be going again on what lookslike a very simple ride, another way to get to Crown King,another back way. Easier then the other back trail into Crown King, and muchshorter, but should be scenic, and wifeapproved..:) we will find out. TheRoute starts in Black Canyon City on the 17 north. Theroute we will be taking is Called Maggie Mine road, or what is leftof Maggie mine road. Two reasons for going really, inBlack Canyon city there is a place called Rock Springs Cafe thathas some of the best pies this side of the Mississippi.The other reason is just to get out with the jeep and see somescenery. First need to get a flat fixed. Itappears just before getting home from the last trip I sprung amajor leak a front tire. As fast as the leak is it had to beclose to home, we will find out. Anyway, let me know if you think you can use the GPSsettings or if you want to make your own trail.
Not sure what I'd do with the GPS settings just yet. I don't own a
GPS yet. I usually follow my close friend that coordinates all
these off road trips and he's got the GPS. hahahahaBut I'd like to buy one.
Do you have a recommendation for a beginner?
If so, ... send me those settings and I'll keep them for the off
road trip we'll take when we're out that way in March/April.
Thanks, A
No recommendations for a gps. The gentleman who plotted the course got the coordinates off of the computer using google maps, you can also use google earth I believe, and put those coordinates in his GPS he uses for his motor home and jeep. It's a Garmin but not sure what model, although it is a older one.
The only gps's I have are also car models, very old ones at that, and both Garmin. The oldest one, probably 8 years or so, is what I use in the YJ.
Here is a tip for Garmin GPS car models, when you bring up the map you will see a little car, or truck, that shows where you are on the map, if you touch the car, or truck, it will give you the gps coordinates of where you are. Also, many times on trails, the trail shows up on the map as well if it was a road at any time, but don't count on that.
As to handheld GPS I have been looking at one of the less expensive Garmin models, the etrex10, or the etrex20. I have a few mapping programs for the computer to work out a course and print out a map, also, I can take one of the lap tops with me, the map program has a gps receiver to pick up where I'm at, but that can be a hassle. Not enough room in the YJ to keep the computer hooked up and running.
I also like to have real maps of the area, not just computer maps, so I have quite a few for AZ and California. So I'm thinking that a inexpensive had held is good enough to let me know where I'm at, so with a map I can find my way .
The more expensive hand held gps's do quite a bit, tons of way points, plot the path on the computer and transfer it to the hand held. Kind of nice to have but how much are you going to use all of that? The way I look at it the way people get in trouble is they have no idea where they are or whats around them. A cheap GPS will give you your location, and a map will tell you whats around you. True the newer ones are more accurate but again, would it make a real difference if you were with in 20 yards of where you really are compared to a more expensive one that gets you with in a few feet? Not worth the money to me.
Anyway, that's my two cents on Gps.
Okay ... I get what you're talking about. My buddy, the real off
road guy, has a hand held and that's what I thought you were
referring to. We do have a Garmin for the car and motorhome. I
wasn't sure if it would work out there but I guess it would, just
like everywhere else. It's a few years old and we need to update it
so the new streets and roads are uploaded and the closed ones show
up.
I may go ahead and invest in a hand held one just to add to my 4x4
box. What do you take with you on your travels off road?
I've got, in mine ... : aplug kit, tow strap, 12 V air compressor, tools,
small jack ... anything else you'd recommend?
Did you see my comments on the garmin gps for cars? start it up, hit maps, and when it shows where you at with the little car or what ever Icon it uses, just touch the car on the screen and it will give you your coordinates.
As to what I take with me, ok, give you the short run down, Hi lift jack, lots and lots of tools, jumper cables, many different ways to start a fire, Trash bags, they have many uses, bow saw, small shovel, full size shovel, big first aid kit, coffee pot, small pan, tow straps, zip ties, bailing wire, duct tape, TP paper, that comes in handy..LOL, that is just the general stuff, I will send you some pics sometime.
Some things I would recommend that everyone take with them, no matter how short and easy the trip is expected to be.
1. Several ways to start a fire, a few cheap magnesium ones, you can find them all over the place for about 3 bucks. yes you can find more expensive ones that may work slightly better, but the cheap ones make more than enough sparks.
Toss a few bic lighters somewhere in the jeep, and some wooden matches. water proof is nice but any matches will do.
Also , google " Rothco G I milpack Fuel Gel ", very inexpensive and well worth it. It is a gel that once lit will burn clean for about 20 min. I tried to boil water with it, put about 12 oz of water in a pot and with nothing else but the jell brought it to almost boiling. small bubbles.
If you ever have to stay in one place over night due to a break down, or even most of the day, fire is the most important thing you can have, or at least one of. You can get all of the above for under 20 bucks and if you never use them they don't go bad
Bailing wire, it can be used for countless things, I used wire one time to reconnect my shifter linkage. It can be used to tie up a loose muffler, etc. ect. Home depot for under 5 bucks , that will be more then enough. you can even get a few different sizes
Duct tape, again, countless uses
A small piece of aluminum , about the thickness of a coke can. Break a hose on the trip it can save your butt. Cut the hose, insert a rolled up piece of aluminum, or even a soda can that has been cut, slip that inside the hose, put the hose together and duct tape it. That will hold for a short time. To add to that, once you have some duct tape holding that hose together, wrap some more aluminum around the break, duct tape that. It will hold hopefully to get you out of there. duct tape alone will not get it some, the water temp and steam will take the tape off rather quickly..
Cheap Plastic tarp, find one at Harbor Freight, big lots, any discount store, you should be able to find a small one for under ten bucks. Several uses, if you ever need to climb under the jeep you will be glad you have it, can also come on handy if you need to stay out over night.
Several flash lights.
All of those things take up very little room but can become some of the most useful stuff you have. It may be the boy scout in me but always remember no one ever plans on getting lost or breaking down. Letting someone know what trail your planning on taking and your expected time back is important, but even with that, if you break down or somehow get lost you will still end up spending at least one night out there.
I have a trick for you to try, and also not a bad idea to take with you. Take a cotton ball , i'm sure being married you have some type of cotton ball or cotton pad or wipe, take just a bit of Vaseline, just a touch, you can also use some lip balm if you have no Vaseline, rub the Vaseline into the cotton ball, Now, pull the cotton ball apart slightly, place that somewhere flat and place another cotton ball not too far away, light them both and see what a difference some Vaseline or lip balm will make in burn time.
well I'm sure thats more then you wanted, sorry, i do get chatty...LOL.....I will take some pics of what I take with me sometime soon. Have to clean the jeep up a bit first, it's a bit dusty and I can't take it out side to wash right now. Flat tire, and the leak is in the sidewall so the tire store is ordering me a new tire, should have it in two days. By the way, did not get the flat off roading, got it very close to home, I know that because of how fast it went flat.
Well let me know if that was useful
Yeah ... saw that comment on the GPS and it is noted! Thanks!!
As for you list .... Whoa ... what a great list and some things I never thought of. That buddy of mine has always said we'd get together and hit the hardware store and Off Road Warehouse so he could get my off road box together for me but it hasn't happened. What you'velisted has given what I need to go shopping and I appreciate it more than you realize! Thanks so much for the info.
I'll send you an email via message so you can send me the pics and we can continue our communication and friendship building there. We can share some pics of our 4x4 travels!
Thanks again .... A
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