Moss Wash June 6th

[Number 7]

We had the opportunity to run some trails with the Walapai Wheelers over the weekend. What a great group of people with some very impressive areas in which to wheel! Saturday we ran Moss Wash with Marty, Eric & Ron. Here are some of the pictures I took.

After a quick drive up Walapai Mountain Road we aired down in the cool pines at Walapai Mountain Park:

http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/4533/2869539080100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2869539080100085335ZZHYQc)

We took the Walapai Mountain Road to the Fire Evacuation Road that goes down the back side of the mountain.

http://inlinethumb35.webshots.com/41506/2924757880100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2924757880100085335uLjnQH)

It’s a wide and nicely graded road, but you still need to pay strict attention as there are sharp turns and it’s a long ways down! Here’s a picture of Ron’s ‘45 approaching a switchback:

http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/20966/2427909960100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2427909960100085335bCcsja)

Soon we came to Blake Ranch Road and took it only a few more miles to the trail head. Moss Wash Trail was adopted by the Walapai Wheelers and they do a good job of keeping everything clean:

http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/41030/2289913200100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2289913200100085335OLSwXH)

http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/42936/2539883130100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2539883130100085335oKtpLS)

There’s a little rock garden along the way:

http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/41767/2347765010100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2347765010100085335SJJDsL)

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/20103/2687575650100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2687575650100085335MahGqJ)

This is an unusual sight while out in the middle of nowhere!

http://inlinethumb42.webshots.com/39209/2184510270100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2184510270100085335clOveY)

We stopped for lunch at the Gold King Mansion. It’s still in remarkably good condition. It was built of concrete so it stays nice and cool inside. The W4W keep it clean as part of the Moss Wash Trail.

http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/42734/2632078160100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2632078160100085335qVNZAR)

http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/27093/2788780630100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2788780630100085335jQQiui)

Continued
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[Number 7]

After leaving the Mansion you stay down in Moss Wash for quite a ways.

http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/41499/2908652280100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2908652280100085335Pifcgt)

http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/10289/2954367490100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2954367490100085335sKTfrd)

We came to a herd of cattle that thought they should try to stay ahead of us & slowed us down for a while until Marty found an opportunity to head them off at the pass.

http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/1152/2093545820100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2093545820100085335ISVsDQ)

Mid-Afternoon stop in the shade.

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/14635/2184776700100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2184776700100085335Ffaoon)

Soon after our stop in the shade we came to the place to climb out of the wash on another shelfy road, although this one was quite a bit more narrow than the Fire Evacuation Route we were on in the morning. Thank goodness Marty was leading, I’m not too sure we would have ever found the place to get on the road!

http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/41350/2096318220100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2096318220100085335aJnypf)

http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/43548/2852394240100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2852394240100085335xffkoB)

When we got back too the Walapai Mountain Park there were Elk there, just hanging out in the area! Apparently they feed them as a tourist attraction. I had never been so close to Elk before (well, except for that one time, but I didn't get a good look at that one)! ;-)!

http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/35295/2279520510100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2279520510100085335krbSae)

http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/40586/2675287150100085335S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2675287150100085335ByghvD)

We had a wonderful time doing the Moss Wash Trail with the W4W. We’ve wanted to do this trail since we 1st started Jeeping, and now we’re glad we waited and went with a group who knew the trail. It’s not a difficult trail per se, but it seems like finding all the turns and staying on the right track might be confusing if you’ve never been there before. Thanks to the W4W and special thanks to Marty for leading!

GnD

[AZG23]

Looks like a great time...and great place to check out..

[grateful]

Looks like a fun trail! How long did it take to run?
smiles, karen

[Number 7]

Looks like a fun trail! How long did it take to run?
smiles, karen

We met in Kingman at 9, got to the trail head at about 10, and got back to Walapai Park at about 4. We went a longer way than is described in the Wells Book, but I guess you could count on about 5 to 6 hours to run it with average breaks.

d

[grateful]

thanks! Looks like a great trail with lots of great variety!

[Jdemonto@Airpark Jeep Sales]

Cool pics george, Looks like a good run!

Jason