View Full Version : Back way to Tip Top Mine... Exploration Run...
Billy 4 hp
04-09-2007, 11:26 AM
A couple of weekends ago I made the haul to Tip Top Mine via Table Mesa in search of a interesting not well used trail I last ran about 12 years ago.
Lucky for me I found the entrance and ran just the beginning of the trail to make sure everything was as I remembered it...
Anyways 12 years ago it was passable but required 32 inch plus tires and one locker. It is nothing like the normally used trail to Tip Top so don't think it's a snoozer run, just a different way of getting to Tip Top mine if we make it there at all... :D
I am hoping to meet anyone you wishes to join me at the Table Mesa airdown spot @ 7:30am Sunday April 15th as this is quite a long day on the trail to complete the whole thing. I'll rate this trail at a 3.0. I will most likely have my 4 year old son with me so this would be a more family kind of a run...
Pack a lunch, plenty of water and spare parts. This is a fairly remote area and any breakdowns need to be addressed on the trail as it would be next to impossible to get a tow rig and trailer back in there.
Most of the trail is old washed out mining roads with a few boulders here and there. It is possible that we may come to a portion of the trail that is completely washed out and would either require some trail repair or turn around and go out the way we came in. I am telling you this up front so there is not big dissappointments...
Lemme know what you think...
SavageSun4x4
04-09-2007, 01:14 PM
X2
Great run, but a long one. Leave with a FULL Tank of gas, plenty of water and enough chow to stay the night if you have too.
The group I went with ended up staying the night as they could not cross the river to get back home and it was getting dark.
joedokes28
04-09-2007, 02:11 PM
I'm curious about the route you speak of as I only know two different ways to get there from TM and both can easily be made by a stock jeep. The main road into tip top as you know, has been graded about a mile past the mine.
SavageSun4x4
04-09-2007, 03:30 PM
I'm curious about the route you speak of as I only know two different ways to get there from TM and both can easily be made by a stock jeep. The main road into tip top as you know, has been graded about a mile past the mine.
When we did it, we did not meet/leave out of TM. We drove out hwy 174 a good ways and went in from there...
Billy 4 hp
04-09-2007, 04:14 PM
I'm curious about the route you speak of as I only know two different ways to get there from TM and both can easily be made by a stock jeep. The main road into tip top as you know, has been graded about a mile past the mine.
Well I don't want to give the route out yet as it has been at least 12 years since I ran it last and like I said before it is RARELY used (searching for the start of the trail took some mind numbing search of the memory banks, but I did finally find it after two hours of bouncing down the "TM road to Tip Top"), but you do start and end on the normal west side of TM... In fact, if you decide to go with us you'd swear I was just going the normal boring old way to Tip Top via TM...
I have also gone the way Savage Sun describes and the way I'm wanting to go is much more of a challenge 4 wheelin wise (I about smoked the clutch out of my 66 Bronco that had LSD front and rear and was on good ole' 12-15 Tru Tracs) if memory serves and a bit shorter... I guess we could call it the high ridge run to Tip Top Mine...
There are so many old mining roads in the Bradshaws that criss cross each other you could really spend months just figuring them all out. I just don't want to hit up the same old Lower Terminator, Predator etc every time I run out to TM as it is so close to my house and I figure this would be a good time to do some exploring with a few other vehicles before it get's too hot and I have to switch to night runs or early morning stuff...
I have been exploring TM since I was a young lad of 10 years old or so on dirt bikes, heck I even was on a run from Table Mesa to Crown King in a new 1974 CJ5 to give you and idea how long I have been going out there... I am really not looking for a large group to run with, just a vehicle or two with a locker just incase of a mechanical problem or flop...
X2
Great run, but a long one. Leave with a FULL Tank of gas, plenty of water and enough chow to stay the night if you have too.
The group I went with ended up staying the night as they could not cross the river to get back home and it was getting dark.
You talkin about me, Don? :)
Hey, I got a Toy FJ60 - now I can go even more places :D
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Billy 4 HP - I have .tpo (National Geo Topo) files saved for all those routes we took, I can email them to you if you want
Billy 4 hp
04-09-2007, 06:08 PM
You talkin about me, Don? :)
Hey, I got a Toy FJ60 - now I can go even more places :D
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Billy 4 HP - I have .tpo (National Geo Topo) files saved for all those routes we took, I can email them to you if you want
Kiwi,
PM me (I couldn't PM you :( for some reason), I could always use more .tpo info...
SavageSun4x4
04-09-2007, 07:42 PM
You talkin about me, Don? :)
Hey, I got a Toy FJ60 - now I can go even more places :D
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Karl, was wondering about you the other day, glad you are still around.
FJ60, WOW. Get some pics up those are nice rigs...:D
not meaning to thread jack - this is a pic of the 'beast' still need to build some trail armor and put the winch on
We'll have to go out again sometime, Don!
http://www.homesnapz.com/offroad/DSC0032.jpg
You still planning on going Sunday? I might be interested.
joedokes28
04-11-2007, 03:33 PM
When we did it, we did not meet/leave out of TM. We drove out hwy 174 a good ways and went in from there...
You mean 74 / carefree highway? Where's 174?
joedokes28
04-11-2007, 03:40 PM
Well I don't want to give the route out yet as it has been at least 12 years since I ran it last and like I said before it is RARELY used (searching for the start of the trail took some mind numbing search of the memory banks, but I did finally find it after two hours of bouncing down the "TM road to Tip Top"), but you do start and end on the normal west side of TM... In fact, if you decide to go with us you'd swear I was just going the normal boring old way to Tip Top via TM...
I have also gone the way Savage Sun describes and the way I'm wanting to go is much more of a challenge 4 wheelin wise (I about smoked the clutch out of my 66 Bronco that had LSD front and rear and was on good ole' 12-15 Tru Tracs) if memory serves and a bit shorter... I guess we could call it the high ridge run to Tip Top Mine...
There are so many old mining roads in the Bradshaws that criss cross each other you could really spend months just figuring them all out. I just don't want to hit up the same old Lower Terminator, Predator etc every time I run out to TM as it is so close to my house and I figure this would be a good time to do some exploring with a few other vehicles before it get's too hot and I have to switch to night runs or early morning stuff...
I have been exploring TM since I was a young lad of 10 years old or so on dirt bikes, heck I even was on a run from Table Mesa to Crown King in a new 1974 CJ5 to give you and idea how long I have been going out there... I am really not looking for a large group to run with, just a vehicle or two with a locker just incase of a mechanical problem or flop...
I really curious as I've ridden a quad to Tip Top at least 10 times and explored several roads in the area. I love the area and have been 8 miles or so past TT where the newer mine is with all the equipment. I really wish I could on Sun, but I got friends in from out of town and they wanna GOLF...wtf!!!
joedokes28
04-11-2007, 03:44 PM
Instead of turning left at the corral to go to predator, annihilator, and then tip top, if you go straight, you pass an AZCO mica mine. I rode this way for 6 miles or so and gave up because it go too rough. Any one know what road I'm talking about and where it goes? The raptor hates big rocks.
SavageSun4x4
04-11-2007, 05:02 PM
You mean 74 / carefree highway? Where's 174?
Yes, 74, my mistake...
Karl, knows the route.
Billy 4 hp
04-11-2007, 08:02 PM
Instead of turning left at the corral to go to predator, annihilator, and then tip top, if you go straight, you pass an AZCO mica mine. I rode this way for 6 miles or so and gave up because it go too rough. Any one know what road I'm talking about and where it goes? The raptor hates big rocks.
That would be the "Black Canyon Trail" (Or at least there are signs that say Black Canyon Trail when there are not all shot to heck) and you end up in Black Canyon City if you follow it all the way through... Actually you end up almost is some guys backyard as you enter the main dirt drag in BCC...
Billy 4 hp
04-11-2007, 08:04 PM
You still planning on going Sunday? I might be interested.
Sunday will be the day for me, I got some pretty good info on the trail where it goes and such... It would be a challenge for an open diff vehicle and just a nice ride if you have a decent LS or locker...
People still go golfing ??? :eek: I thought it was outlawed....
Billy 4 hp
04-13-2007, 08:14 PM
We're still planning on running Sunday morning if anyone else cares to come along.... It oughta be a really nice day...
SavageSun4x4
04-14-2007, 11:22 AM
You still planning on going Sunday? I might be interested.
Show them the way Karl...I have been down for nearly 6 weeks now...tore my achillies tendon and had to have a bone spur removed. Just now back to walking and starting to drive again:(
I don't know which way he's going. If he's coming in from the north, I know Vern did that once and said the road was really bad.
Billy, sorry, I chickening out. I don't think the LC would have too much probs even with the open diffs, but I'm trying to take it somewhat easy till I get some sliders on it. Sure would be interested to know which route and direction you are talking about. I've been out there enough times I can't picture any other routes other than what I've done, or the one I know about and havn't done.
Was wondering how this trip went and if you have any further info on the trail, dificulty, etc....
Billy 4 hp
04-16-2007, 04:06 PM
Trip went awesome, what a view from the high ridges, a bit windy but very nice. Route takes you past Packer and a few cattle tanks which are full of h2o, it brings out out past Tip Top and you then back track to T T Mine and come out the way you came in...
It would be a challenge for an open / open vehicle, doable but a challenge none the less.... I ran it with 33x12.50x15 ProComp MT's aired down to 12 psi, front sway bar still connected, and I did chicken out and lock both front hubs (my version of a selectable locker is by only locking one hub :) )...
Sorry I didn't get any pics... :(
OK, I know the route you took now. Don, myself, and Vern were up that way. Went up to the Milk Ranch. We went up the way you came down. Didn't run the leg you went up, as Vern said it was pretty rough. Some nice views from up there. In fact, my old KIA threw the harmonic balancer up at Willow Spring, a little north
vBulletin® v3.7.0, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.