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Overnight on the edge of the Petrified Forest National Park

“The stars were vivid.”

Painted Desert Ranger Cabin

A few weeks ago, I was searching around looking for a place to camp in northern Arizona and ran into this website: painteddesertrangercabin.com

This cabin is a special and unique place. You will need a high clearance vehicle (4×4 recommended) to get to it. My KLR was a fun ride. Built by Ranger Ross in 2015, it is a backcountry off-the-grid cabin on the edge of the Petrified Forest National Park’s northwest side. You can book it on the website listed above or find it on Hipcamp for a couple more dollars a day.

I arrived at the Ranger Cabin at mid-day. I had plenty of time for a hike into the Petrified Forest National Park and over to the Devil’s Playground area. You walk up the wash to the west, duck under the fence that designates the National Park, and head to the northwest. There are piles of rocks and petrified wood everywhere. This one is the most accessible hike. The next time I come, I will stay for a few days and do some of the longer hikes. After booking, Ranger Ross will send you a list of destinations and descriptions.

The cabin is as bare-bones as described, but it has many amenities compared to many huts that I used. There is a pellet stove, solar electricity, a shower, heated water, a flush toilet, a small fridge (with ice cubes!). This cabin is one of those places that your experience will be directly affected by how the previous users leave it. When using the cabin, be a good human and use the resources sparingly.

 

 

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Verde Hot Springs

“A high clearance road, perfect for a loaded KLR. The trip ends at a free dispersed camping area. The hot springs are a little over a mile up river on the opposite bank.”

The springs are funky. Built-in the 1920s, the resort burned in the 1960s. If you bring some paint to leave your mark, you wouldn’t be alone. You will meet a lot of locals there.

This is a good description of the hot springs. Verde Hot Springs Guide

Ride to Verde Hot Springs

I started my ride in Camp Verde, AZ, a convenient town to get gas or supplies. From State Route 260, it was about an hour of riding to the campground on FR 708 (Fossil Creek Raod). I stopped a lot to look around, so the time is an estimate. I also ride pretty slow. Along the way, there are a few hot springs signs to help you with the turns. Right now, FR 708 from the intersection of FR 502 to the Town of Strawberry is closed due to road damage. Google Maps showed that it open. To get to Payson, you will have to retrace your route back to State Route 260.

Keep in mind, it’s a high desert and can get hot. It was 85 degrees at the end of October when I rode in. The road can be loose, rutted, and muddy. My tires are Shinko 705s and did just fine most of the time, but I can see how wet conditions might make it a challenging ride in some sections.

You will see signs telling you that you need a permit. You don’t need a permit. The permit system is for Fossil Creek Road, and you will pass the permitted parking areas. FR 502 is a bad road, so be ready for a more challenging ride from the intersection down to Childs Power Plant.

I was there on a busy Saturday, and there was no problem finding a camping spot. It was more crowded than I’d prefer so on busy days go early. If staying late, make sure you have a decent headlamp for the hike. It is rough, with no real good markings, and you should wear sturdy shoes or sandals. You will get wet crossing the river to the springs. The amount of wet varies with the season and can be cold and have high water.

 

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Ski Grizzly Couloir – 7/7/20

Ski Grizzly Couloir

Google Maps

This trip was a ski that I’d wanted to do ever since I saw it from the top of Independence Pass. My friend Brad was up for the adventure, so we headed out last week.

From Hwy 82, take Lincoln Creek Road to Grizzly Reservoir. The trailhead to Grizzly Lake is up on the left and pretty obvious. If you see a campground, you’ve gone too far. It’s a great place to camp if you are planning an early start.

Hike up to the lake, about 3.5 miles. Go left around the lake and then climb. The early season could involve a skin from much lower than the lake. Summer skiing is all boots. Bring crampons and a mountaineering axe. It is about 45 degrees, and a fall would not be good, especially if the snow is hard. Expect the snow underfoot to be variable. The couloir holds snow because of northern exposure, but the sun hits it irregularly. We found really horrible snow up high, sugar snow that I punched through to rock. Not good. Midway down, the snow was soft and smooth. It then deteriorated into suncups and the usual tough to ski snow that we find in the Colorado mountains in summer.

Brad made a video, go to Instagram, and enjoy it! He did an awesome job.

 

 

 

 

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Projects

“Project Logic”

Projects for Life

As the world shut down due to Covid-19, I took advantage of the extra time to plan for the future. Some of the most enjoyable periods of my life have been when I was working on completing some sort of plan. I’d sometimes joke that it was a useless endeavor towards an insignificant goal. The truth was, it was less about the goal and all about the process.

Once, I spent 54 straight months skiing in Colorado with a great friend. We skied snowfields of knee-deep sun cups, toiled up rocky slopes to find a small patch of September snow, and attempted to explain where we were going to bewildered lowland tourists as we strapped skis to our backs for a long hike out on Independence Pass on hot August days. Sometimes we were treated to excellent conditions and proceeded to do laps. We celebrated each day, regardless of the snow conditions, as if there were no place we’d rather be. The truth is, there wasn’t.

 

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Beartooth Basin – Opening Day 6/1/2020

A Wyoming Summer Ski Area

 

 

Beartooth Basin

Google Maps

Website

Up near the Montana Border the Basin usually opens earlier, but due to Covid restrictions this year, they made some changes and waited for June 1st. I’d wanted to ski here ever since I heard about it. I am drawn to places that are all about skiing, the simpler the better. This is pretty simple.

  • This place has free parking, a killer view, two platter lifts, a $45 day ticket, and not much else.
  • If you are uncomfortable skiing off a cornice, you are going to not have a good time. It’s an expert-only ski area.
  • Stay in Red Lodge MT for a 30 min drive up.

Beartooth Basin ViewView from the bottom