Mingus Slope Loop Hike

On Saturday 22 January 2011 fourteen Skyliners hiked the Mingus Slope Loop. This is an eight and six-tenths mile hike and can be described as follows: Park at the intersection of FR 493 and an off-road vehicle trail (I call it Oak Wash Cutoff) two and eight-tenths miles up FR 493 from the junction of Hwy 89A and Mingus Ave. Just follow Mingus and it will turn into FR 493. From the parking area, follow the off-road vehicle trail southeast across Oak Wash. Shortly after crossing Oak Wash the off-road vehicle trail ends at a road that runs from FR 493 past Ox Bow Spring to Chuckwalla Road. Turn left on this road and follow it (going east) for about two-tenths of a mile to intersect with Chuckwalla Road.

The distance from FR 493 to Chuckwalla Road is about six-tenths of a mile. Turn right on Chuckwalla Road and follow it up the mountain for one half mile to where the road passes through a gate in a wire fence and then forks. The right fork, continuing on up the mountain, is Chuckwalla.

The left fork, actually straight ahead, is old FR 355 and it ends just past the green water tank visible ahead. We made a short side trip here to follow old FR 355 past the old green water tank to where the road ends at the edge of the ridge and looked down on the housing project at the present end of Quail Springs Ranch Road. Old FR 355 at one time continued on down the hill and apparently joined Quail Springs Ranch Road. However, the part of the old road running down the hill in that direction is now so badly rutted that it is not suitable even for four-wheel drive or off-road vehicles. I have hiked it in the past and found that it ended at a gate with a sign saying “No Trespassing - Private Property.”

Returning to Chuckwalla, we continued up the mountain for another one and four-tenths miles, to the second of two sharp left turns Here one slides under a barbed wire fence on the right, ending up on a faint, largely overgrown trail. Follow this trail for approximately one mile. It mostly follows an old aboveground waterline that was used to bring water down the mountain for stock and wildlife. I call it Waterline Trail.

Waterline Trail ends at an old mining site from which a road leads rather steeply uphill for about one-half mile to connect with another old road, referred to only as “Jeep Trail” on all the maps I have found. This road runs south of and parallel to Allen Spring Road. Turn right (north) on the road and follow it for one and four-tenths miles to connect with FR 493 on top of a ridge.

Note that before you reach FR 493, there are two roads leading to the right. Don’t take either of them. The first leads down the mountain to end at a stock watering area; the second ends at an old mine. The Jeep Trail itself ends at FR 493 near Copper Chief Mine. From there follow FR 493 back down the mountain, going between Copper Chief and Iron King Mines, for three and two-tenths miles to return to the junction of FR 493 and Oak Wash Cutoff where the hike began.

We had some discussion during the hike about Oak Wash and just where (and how many times) we crossed it, so I looked it up using the National Geographic Topographic Overlay in Google Earth. As it turns out we crossed Oak Wash on the first section of the hike (Oak Wash Cutoff) and did not cross it again until we were on the Jeep Trail. The wash we crossed on Waterline Trail that I thought was Oak Wash is just a side wash draining into Oak Wash. For clarification I have sketched Oak Wash on the accompanying map in yellow where it runs through our hike path. It originates near the top of Mingus just north of the Mingus Recreation Area.

I took a photograph of the sign at the old green water tank, which discloses the tank’s origin. The sign indicates that it was installed by “Quail Unlimited” and the Prescott National Forest.

The sign says: BLACK HILLS WATER SYSTEM. This water distribution system is

a cooperative project for the benefit of wildlife and livestock by the Quail 

Unlimited, Verde Valley Chapter, Laurel Leaf Branch, and the Prescott

National Forest. This is the only reliable source in the area.

At one point, as it makes its way up the mountain, Chuckwalla Road passes very close to the rim above the private housing development at Quail Spring. When we reached that point, we followed a social trail made by the residents from the road over to the rim for another view of the houses and building sites below. Finally, about one and nine-tenths miles from where we first entered Chuckwalla Road we came to the start of Waterline Trail and stopped for a snack and a short rest before beginning the next, the most arduous, section of the hike.

Waterline Trail at first follows a fairly open path along the old waterline, then leaves it at the bottom of a small wash only to reconnect with it again after leaving the wash. The trail then follows the pipeline up the ridge through some pretty nasty stands of Catclaw before leaving it to drop rather steeply down into another, larger, wash. I had always mistakenly thought this to be Oak Wash and so told the other hikers; however, I have since discovered that it is only a side wash that drains into Oak Wash below. Oak Wash itself runs on up the mountain roughly parallel and just to the north of our path along Waterline Trail.

On reaching the old mine site at the end of Waterline Trail, we stopped for lunch, a well-deserved rest and, for me, a short nap. We then continued on our way following the old road that led up the mountain from the mine, climbing about 400 feet in half a mile.

On reaching the Jeep Trail at the end of the old mine road we turned right, northeast at first then generally north, and followed it until it ended at FR 493 near Copper Chief Mine. The Jeep Trail runs parallel to and just down the slope from Allen Spring Road (FR 413). Along the way we passed a road that runs back down the mountain and ends at a stock watering area near Oak Wash. We paused at the fork for a group photograph.

Left to right (standing): Gordon Bice, Bill Woolard, Connie Woolard, Linda 

Tovar, Debbie Dobson, John MacInerney, Lila Wright, Miriam Sterling, 

Name Withheld, Colleen Maktenieks; Kneeling: Donna Goodman, 

Daisy Williams, Jan PreFontaine – Photograph by the author

Continuing along the Jeep Trail we passed Grand Island Mine. This is where the second road leads off from the Jeep Trail; it runs into this mining area described as “A former underground Cu-Au mine on 14 claims.”¹ Just about two tenths of a mile beyond this mine, the jeep Trail ended at FR 493. At this point, Copper Chief Mine was to our right and Iron King was visible straight ahead on the next slope. Our trail down the mountain on FR 493 would lead us down the gulch between these two mines.

When we arrived back at the starting point for our hike, my GPS disclosed that we had hiked nine and two-tenths miles and that the elevation gain had been almost 1800 feet. We had actually climbed 2030 feet counting miscellaneous ascents and descents along the way. My total recorded hiking distance was nine and two-tenths miles because of several side trips, which I snipped from the hike path shown in the accompanying map (below) so as to obtain a more accurate measurement for the trail. Old FR 355 still shows clearly.

The individual sections of this hike are displayed as follows:

1. Oak Wash Cutoff – Green
2. Chuckwalla Road – Blue
3. Waterline Trail – Dark Green
4. Old Mine Road – Dark Cyan
5. Jeep Trail – Red
6. FR 493 – Dark Blue

The Yellow track is Oak Wash and the short Black section is Old FR 355.

1 From: http://www.mindat.org/loc-48598.html

Hike to Conger and Monarch Mines

We hiked to Conger and Monarch Mines on January 15, 2011. There were seventeen of us and we traveled in five vehicles. Going toward Camp Verde on Hwy 260, we turned right onto FR 361 directly across Hwy 260 from the Thousand Trails Road exit. We followed FR 361 for 4.3 miles (GPS mileage) before parking where FR 361 turns to follow along the foothills of the Black Hills and connects eventually with Cherry Road to the south.

At this point, the right fork of the road leads up the mountain to Conger Mine. Still another road, now blocked off by the Forest Service, once led northwest from here toward Monarch Mine. Donning our packs we continued straight ahead following the road that leads southwest to Conger Mine. (NOTE: On various maps, I have found all of these roads to be marked as FR 361. However, the most logical assumption is that the road running south, presently marked with a sign to identify it as such, is the real FR 361). About 0.2 miles from where we parked, another old mining road forks off to the northwest. This road after about 0.2 miles connects with the road to Monarch Mine beyond the closed off section, thus providing access to the mine.

Having decided to visit Conger first, we continued straight ahead and passed another fork in the road about 0.6 miles from where we parked. This road leads northeast from the Conger Mine Road, but then turns around the shoulder of the mountain and leads southwest to Etta Mine, which we visited in March of last year. Again we continued straight ahead on the road to Conger.

The first sign of the mine to come into view as one approaches, is a metal scaffolding of some sort, barely visible on the right opposite the hikers shown in the road ahead (photograph below). It appears to have been some sort of observation tower; however all the planking has long since been removed leaving only a bare steel skeleton. Other photographs, some taken during a January 6, 2011 visit are shown following.

First view of Conger Mine

General view of Conger Mine

Old ore hopper

Another view of  ore hopper

After everyone had thoroughly inspected the sight to make sure the miners had left no gold behind, we continued on up the old mine road for a short distance and then turned left on another road that follows the wash up a canyon. This branch road (shown below) leads up the canyon for something over a hundred yards to the mouth of a tunnel that contains a spring.

Side road leading up a canyon to a tunnel containing a spring

The tunnel runs about thirty feet straight into the mountainside.

Mine tunnel with spring inside at Conger Mine

Near the mouth of the tunnel when we visited on January 6^th, we found ice stalagmites formed by water dipping from the roof. Rather than being sharp on top they had grown with rounded heads, almost in the shape of incandescent light bulbs.

Ice stalagmites

Ice stalagmites

A spring located at the rear end of the tunnel provides water that was probably used in the gold mining process. This assumption is supported by a graded flat area several yards downhill from the tunnel where some pieces of an old installed piping system can still be seen along with scraps of other miscellaneous pieces of equipment (parts of old heaters, etc) that must have been used in the process.

Now, however, the water is captured within the old tunnel and carried by a plastic pipe down the canyon for use by cattle being grazed in the area.

To the right of the tunnel mouth and about forty yards further up the canyon, is located another spring, again we thought previously used for processing but now supplying water that is piped downhill for grazing cattle.

The following information about Conger Mine is from mindat.org - the mineral and locality database:¹

The site showed “A surface and underground Cu-Au occurrence” with “Mineralization (in) a vein deposit with ore in lenses and pods” and the “Ore concentration was oxidation at near surface.” The minerals listed by the source quoted are “Gold” and “Pyrite.”

After exploring the tunnel and the up canyon spring we returned to the main Conger Mine Road and proceeded on up the mountain until it ended at an excellent viewpoint. We paused here for lunch and a group photograph (below).

Left to right: Daisy Williams (sitting), Miriam Sterling, the author, Gordon 

Bice, Donna Goodman, Anita Jackson, Dolly Yapp (crouching), Name 

Withheld (blurry blue spot), Lila Wright (hand extending over the 

San Francisco Peaks), Marvin Alt, Connie Woolard (kneeling), Bill Woolard 

(only his nose is visible at Connie’s left shoulder), Linda Tovar, John 

McInerney, Colleen Maktenieks, George Everman (squatting), Jim Manning

George had us carefully grouped in the above photograph to show the San Francisco Peaks, visible under Lila’s outstretched arm. Despite George’s best efforts Bill Woolard, managed to hide in the shade with only the very tip of his nose showing.

Below is a zoom shot of the peaks taken from the same spot during the January 6^th scouting hike.

The San Francisco Peaks - photograph taken 6 January 2011

We had climbed about a thousand feet to reach the end of the road above Conger Mine. This distance, of course, included the short hike to the mine tunnel and the spring on up canyon from there.

Following lunch we hiked back the way we had come past Conger mine to the road, located just 0.2 miles above our parking area, which leads to Monarch Mine. This short road runs along the face of the mountain for just 0.2 miles before connecting with the road blocked off at the parking area. At the point where the roads run together a tank has been dug into the old roadbed to prevent vehicular traffic on the closed off section leading back to the parking area. Additionally, a wire gate with no easy way to open it provided, is strung across the road.

From here we headed on up the old road to Monarch Mine, which lies about 0.4 miles ahead. Along the way we investigated mining claim stakes that seem to indicate that the claim is divided into Monarch Mine 1 and Monarch Mine 2. Specifically we found a location that was marked as being the northeast corner of Monarch Mine 1 and the southeast corner of Monarch Mine 2.

The boundary line between Monarch Mine #1 and Monarch Mine #2 

is just to the right of this sign

Mining activity seems to have been spread out over a fairly extensive area and we found no remaining signs of any tunnels or shafts. However, as indicated later in this report, the mindat.org site identifies Monarch as an “underground” mine. Any shafts or tunnels must have been filled in. Below are a few miscellaneous photographs taken at Monarch.

Gordon checking survey markers 

Monarch Mine #1 - Gordon, Jim, Anita

And just in case the survey markers do not adequately identify the mine, someone had helpfully posted a Monarch Mine sign at the dividing line between the two mines.

The following information about Monarch Mine can be found at mindat.org - the mineral and locality database:²

The minedat.org site says that Monarch was an underground mine and that mineralization consisted “of coarsely crystalline, white quartz in lenses several feet in maximum width and carrying bright yellow gold in wholly irregular pockets and small shoots” and that “The mine was developed to 200 feet.” The minerals listed by minedat.org are “Chalcopyrite, Epidote, Galena, Gold, Hematite, Limonite, Quartz (var: Milky Quartz).” After rambling around the site for a while and not finding anything else of significance we headed back down the road to our vehicles.

On arriving at the place where the tank had been dug into the road to prevent vehicular traffic, we doffed our packs, slithered under the wire and proceeded along the old closed off section of road to return to our cars.

The entire hike was about 4.3 miles long and the elevation gain was a little over a thousand feet. The route we took is shown on the included map (below). The green track shows the path to Conger Mine from the parking lot, the blue track shows the short cut we took to intersect with the road to Monarch Mine, and the red track shows the way directly from the parking area to Monarch Mine. The dark gray track shows the route to Etta Mine, not visited during this hike.

1 http://www.mindat.org/loc-31142.html

2 http://www.mindat.org/loc-31142.html

Hike to Verde Combination Shaft Mine

This report describes a January 8, 2011 hike by the Skyliners up Mescal Gulch from Yavapai College to Verde Combination Copper Company’s Verde Combination Shaft Mine.

We parked just off Black Hills Drive at the eastern entrance to the Yavapai College campus. We then hiked east on W Black Hills Drive until the road makes a sharp turn to the left and becomes Haskell Springs Road. We continued on Haskell Springs Road, going first south and then north for about one half (¹/₂) mile before turning right onto Abbey Road S. After jogging right for a few yards, Abbey Road S leads generally northeast, first with a paved road and then becoming a privately maintained gravel road for about one half (¹/₂) mile to an Architect’s office. (NOTE: The structure housing the Architect’s office also appears to house a massage business and to be utilized as a private dwelling). Going on past the Architect’s office for a few yards one comes to a driveway leading off to the left and providing access to utilities (water tank, scrap storage, etc). The driveway ends just short of a fence with a ladder stile¹ installed for pedestrian use.

Just as one approaches the Architect’s office, there is a small wire gate in the fence to allow pedestrian access and we took this route on our way in. That turned out to be a mistake, because we crossed a corner of private property and then had to cross another fence to get back to public property.

About seventy yards straight ahead from the stile lies a well-trodden cow path that leads to the northeast, straight up Mescal Gulch. The photograph here (right) shows hikers crossing the stile on our way back. The end of the driveway into the utility/scrap area is shown just ahead of the hiker in front; a bit of the water tank is visible in the left edge of the photograph.

By the time we had all navigated the two fence crossings that we did on the way in, some hikers needed a potty break and headed off in differing directions looking for suitable spots. After that it proved difficult to get our sixteen hikers all sorted out and make sure they all headed in the same direction. Lila was bringing up the rear and we were trying to make sure that we knew how many hikers were ahead and that no one had headed up the wrong gulch. Finally, Jim went back as far as the fence to make sure no one was left along the way and Lila and I spaced ourselves out, keeping in sight to make sure we had accounted for everyone. We have found that the trick is not to try and keep everyone together, but to just know where they are at any one time. This time, that effort was proving to be quite difficult.

We did, however, finally manage to assure ourselves that we were all headed up Mescal Gulch.

Hikers heading up Mescal Gulch

After following the cow path up Mescal Gulch for about one-third of a mile from the stile, we came upon what appeared to be a shrine of some sort. It is a carefully built circular edifice with stone walls about two feet high. The floor is formed of stones laid out in a circular pattern. There are two openings in the circular wall, about 70 degrees apart, with an indentation in the wall, possible meant for an Alter, between them. Trees overhang the area and a variety of objects (feathers, a plastic sphere, etc) were hanging from the branches at the time of this visit.

Shrine (?) located in Mescal Gulch about a third of a mile above the 

end of Abbey Road S

The trip up the gulch is a matter of following existing cow trails on either side of the wash and sometimes rock hopping along the bottom of the wash itself. Most of the way, at least one side of the wash will present a relatively flat area along which cows have made trails. However, such good luck often comes to an end when a sheer canyon wall ahead blocks the way. Then one descends into the wash and looks for the next open space ahead. During this hike, we often found ourselves trudging through snowdrifts still lingering in shaded areas. We made no attempt to keep the group close together, just making sure that we did not inadvertently leave anyone behind.

I was the only member of the group who had hiked this way before and my memory proved to be somewhat spotty. One place I particularly wanted to show the rest of the group was Little Ranch Spring and I never did find the exact location this time. When I came this way before, it was in the middle of a dry summer and the fresh water springing forth and cascading down the dry canyon bed for a distance was hard to miss. This time, on the other hand, just after a particularly wet month, water was flowing from numerous wet-weather sources in the canyon above Little Ranch Spring. I could only approximate the location.

To make matters even worse, I did not at first recognize the area when we arrived at the road leading to Verde Combination Shaft. However, arrive we did, and just in time for lunch. A few hardy souls traveled on up the Gulch for a short distance and admired a waterfall.

After eating, twelve of the group decided to take an old road up the south side of the Gulch to look at Verde Combination Shaft Mine.

We knew little about this site, only that it is a big, deep, dangerous hole in the ground that should have been closed long ago. I did a quick online search and discovered that, according to mindat.org, the site had “a 1,300 foot deep shaft and older shafts at the South end at 640 feet and 500 feet deep” and the minerals list included “'Chlorite Group', Muscovite (var: Sericite), Pyrite.”²

Unprotected open shaft at Verde Combination Shaft Mine in Mescal Gulch

After exploring the old mine, we gathered back where we had eaten lunch for a group photograph. The dog shown in the photograph does not mean that we are now taking dogs on hikes. This particular mutt is from Candlewood Retreat Bed and Breakfast, located across the wash behind the Architect’s office at the end of Abbey Road S. Apparently deciding that it was his duty to insure our safety, he volunteered to lead us on our hike, and would not be dissuaded. As a matter of fact he seemed to think we needed to be escorted all the way back to our cars and was cheerfully leading the way down Abbey Road S when his owners arrived to retrieve him.

Left to right - (back row): Daisy Williams, Marvin Alt, Colleen Maktenieks, 

Lila Wright, Connie Woolard, Anita Jackson, Name Withheld, Gordon Bice, 

Unable to contact, Donna Goodman, Miriam Sterling, Jim Manning; (front 

row): Dolly Yapp, Unable to contact, Jan Prefontaine. The four-legged hiker 

in front of the group was our volunteer trail guide – Photograph by the 

author

You may note on the attached map a loop in the track near the beginning/end of our hike. That is because some of us including the GPS carrier returned by a slightly different route. From the bend in Haskell Springs Road, we continued straight ahead along an old roadway and came out behind the vineyard at the college. This route is actually no longer than the way we hiked in using Black Hills Drive.

My GPS file shows that we hiked eight miles and that the elevation change was just under 1100 feet. The track is shown on the included map (below).

1 From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stile

2 From: http://www.mindat.org/loc-40917.html

Kel Fox Trail

To start the New Year off right, eight Skyliners hiked on Kel Fox trail on New Year’s Day, 2011.

I was asked to include in the hike report some information about the rancher for whom the trail was named. With a little research, I unearthed SCR1012 - 441R, Kel Fox; death resolution¹, a concurrent resolution of the Arizona Legislature:

The Honorable Kel Fox passed away on May 15, 1998, at the age of eighty-five.

Born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1912, Kel Fox moved with his family to Arizona in 1922 where his family established the Foxboro Summer Camp near Sedona. As a rancher and farmer, he served as president of both the Yavapai and Coconino Cattle Growers Associations and was active in the Arizona Cattle Growers Association and the Arizona Game Protective League. He also was active in the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and the San Francisco Press Club.

Known as a gentleman and a scholar, Kel Fox graduated cum laude from Princeton with a baccalaureate degree in history in 1935. He later attended the University of Arizona where he received a doctorate degree in agricultural sciences. During World War II, he ably served his country in the United States Coast Guard.

In 1939, Kel Fox embarked on more than fifty years of public service to the State of Arizona through his efforts as executive secretary for Governor R.T. Jones. He was subsequently elected to both the Arizona House of Representatives and the Arizona Senate, serving from 1946 to 1954. As a legislator, Kel Fox was a main force behind the construction of Interstate 17 and providing rural counties with electricity. In addition to his outstanding legislative service, Kel Fox also served the state as a member of numerous commissions and boards, including Water Quality Control, the State Board of Appeals, and Watershed Management.

Kel Fox will be sorely missed by his family, many friends and the citizens of the State of Arizona. Therefore.

Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring.

From Cottonwood, we traveled north on Hwy 89A, took Cornville Road through Cornville and, just after passing milepost eight, turned left on Beaverhead Flat Road (sometimes labeled Beaver Flats Road).

We continued on Beaverhead Flat Road about five miles before turning left to park in a paved lot just a few yards from the road. We paused here to take a group photograph before starting our hike.

Left to right: Daisy Williams, Lila Wright, Betty Wolters, Donna Goodman,
Jim Manning, Gordon Bice – the author and one other hiker are not shown

A clearly visible trail leads east from the parking area passing, several yards ahead, between two plaques, one on either side of the trail. The plaque mounted on the left side of the trail (right), describes the Chavez Trail running from Prescott to Winslow. The Sunset Crossing mentioned in the plaque was near present day Winslow. As a matter of fact, until just a couple of years ago, the overpass (west of Winslow) that carries Interstate Highway I-40 over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway had a sign that identified that spot as Sunset Crossing.

I assume this plaque, mounted on the right side of the trail (left), is intended to credit those listed thereon with providing the parking area. Information available on the website of a local inn² indicates that the section of trail starting here and following a natural gas pipeline east to the bottom of the hill where the pipeline then turns north is Beaverhead Flat Trail. However, the Verde Valley Regional Trails Plan (VVRTP)³ doesn’t show Beaverhead Flat Trail extending that far to the east.

Trail names aside, soon after passing between the two plaques we arrived at a fence fitted with a pedestrian gate. However, instead of passing through the gate we continued on by and traveled more or less parallel to the fence for about 100 yards to come out on a dirt road running parallel to Beaverhead Flat Road and the gas pipeline. (NOTE: One can access this road by vehicle just a few yards from where we turned off to park, approximately at milepost 5.2.) Counting from the parking lot, we followed this road for about three-quarters of a mile to a fork in the road. The natural gas pipeline ran along the road to our left and we went that way, continuing for another seven-tenths of a mile to the end of the road at Fuller Tank. This road is marked as FR 9500N, identified by the same local inn website quoted previously, and is so labeled on the Verde Valley Regional Tails Plan. An article in Sedona Monthly⁴, on the other hand, identifies the road as FR 9501L all the way from Beaverhead Flat Road to Fuller Tank.

Whatever the official road designation, it is an easy hike and can be driven in any high-clearance vehicle all the way to Fuller Tank. As a matter of fact, most descriptions of Kel Fox Trail that I have seen are based on driving to the tank to start the hike.

The presently existing Kel Fox Trail (right), as shown by the Verde Valley Regional Trails Plan runs from Fuller Tank to Arabian Road in the Village of Oak Creek. The VVRTP also shows a proposed Kel Fox loop that would cross and run parallel to and east of Hwy 179, connecting the trailhead at Fuller Tank to the trailhead at Arabian Road in the Village of Oak Creek.

Looking ahead from FR 9500N as we approached Fuller Tank, we could see outcroppings of red in a rock-capped mountain straight ahead of us. Fuller Tank is located to the left of this mountain that forms one side of the saddle that contains it.

Looking ahead from FR 9500N. Kel Fox Trail starts at Fuller Tank, located

 in a saddle to the left of the mountain shown here.

FR 9500N ends at the dike creating the tank and Kel Fox trail starts there. To access the trail from the road one has only to walk across the dike and follow the pipeline markers along the hillside toward the crest of the saddle. It is tempting to continue along the east side of the tank from the end of the road rather than crossing over, as there is a well trodden cow path there; however, as we could see while hiking up the other side of the draw, it eventually fades away and would have left us to bushwhack on up to the crest.

Before leaving the area, we paused for a short break at the tank to catch our breath, look around at our surroundings, look back at the way we had come and look ahead at where we would go. The tank was nearly dry at the time of this visit. We had expected that it would be brimming with water after the recent rains, and we could only surmise that it is no longer maintained and thus does not hold the runoff. At least it does still serve as a miniature wetland, retaining at least some moisture.

Following are a few photographs of the area and a shot of the view behind us.

Jim Manning shown on the dike at Fuller Tank. Kel Fox Trail leaves the end

of the dike beyond Jim and follows the pipeline along the slope to the right.

Looking down into Fuller Tank from the dike. At least a small wet area remains

Looking down into Fuller Tank from the dike. At least a small wet area

remains.

Looking back the way we came from the dike at Fuller Tank

Continuing on for about eight-tenths of a mile, we approached the saddle crest.

Looking out over the Village of Oak Creek to the snow-capped red 

mountains in the distance

Leaving the trail we climbed a short distance up the west flank of the saddle to find a sunny lunch spot with a good view:

Looking across Oak Creek Village to the snow-capped red rocks 

beyond. Cathedral Rock is visible in the upper left section

The Village of Oak Creek, Courthouse Butte and Snow-capped red rocks 

beyond

Kel Fox Trail is only about one and eight-tenths miles long and from where we stopped it was still a mile to the trailhead on Arabian Road in the Village of Oak Creek. However, including our hike up FR 9500N to reach the start of the trail, we had already almost two and one-half miles to reach the spot where we ate lunch, and we decided to turn around there and make an easy day of it. After all it was New Years Day and we didn’t want to start the new year by tiring ourselves out.

According to my GPS track, this hike was five and four-tenths miles round trip and the elevation change (highest to lowest) was around 635 feet.

To access the trail from the Village of Oak Creek, turn off Hwy 179 onto Rojo Road, go about two-tenths of a mile to a fork and turn left. According to the map I consulted, you will still be on Rojo Road. Continue for just over 200 yards and turn right on Arabian Road. You should find the trailhead on the left just over 100 yards ahead.

This was a 5.5 mile round trip hike. The highest elevation was 4272 feet and the total ascent was 976 feet.

On the included map (below), I have shown our hike in red and sketched in the part of Kel Fox Trial that we did not hike in green.

1 http://www.azleg.state.az.us/legtext/44leg/1r/bills/scr1012s.htm

2 http://innofsedonaconcierge.everythingsedona.com/hiking/

3 http://www.co.yavapai.az.us/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=59600

4 http://www.sedonamonthly.com/activities/hikes/kelfox.html