AF River Crossing & Dodging Raindrops

[AZBillyBoy 2]

I arrived at the AF River crossing on the Bloody Basin Road before daylight this morning (08/31) and was greeted by the sight of an angry river rolling by. Two quads loaded with hunters were debating about crossing.

 

As light broke, two people approached from the other side of the crossing. They had gone in Friday before the flow started (in a Volvo station wagon) and were trying to get back home. One of them walked across the river and it measured up to his knees which would have been about 20-24" (he was a lot taller than me).

 

The current did not appear to be too swift. Just ugly brown water. Pictures show the river as I found it in the morning and upon return in mid afternoon. There's a Gatorade bottle in the afternoon photo (#03) showing the high point of the river overnight.

 

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One of the hunters told me that last Sunday someone in a Tacoma tried to cross when the river was running at almost shoulder depth. needless to say he didn't make it and the vehicle died in mid crossing.

 

As we debated crossing the river a convoy of vehicles showed up and were the first to go through.

 

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After everyone left I took a drink of courage and went across. It was actually easy but I haven't done that since the Agua Fria/Gillete days when my truck started to float sideways (different truck than my Tacoma!). The biggest mistake everyone makes (including me) is going too fast. On my return trip I went very slowly and it was much easier.

 

Crossing the AF Monument was like a non stop skid through mud. That ugly brown clay that is harder than concrete when it's dry had turned to goo.

 

I got out to FR 44 and was checking on my work there. As the afternoon wore on I noticed some white cloud tops

popping over a ridge where i was working. I went up to see what was going on and WOW another big storm North of my location. I didn't want to get stuck so I FLEW (for me anyways) back across the AF Monument and got back down to the river. It had receded a lot and this crossing was much easier (Photo 03).

 

I got to sit at the river (on the safe side!) and watch as a massive monsoon passed overhead. More bark than bite but it sure got dark and quite cool. The river didn't change at all.

 

I have located a "high water mark" ( it's actually a seam in the pavement) so from now on when the river is up I know the limit of the water height that I will cross. There was considerable evidence of much higher water flowing through overnight. I would guess the river might have been 10' deep (or more) at that location.

 

Pictures of the storm

 

 

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[matt@expaz 2]

That must of been a big storm up there. The water looks deep and muddy, glad you were able to make it across! And it think it was smart racing back home, I wouldn't have wanted to spend the night in my truck, or worse, have it die half way through the crossing! Great pictures!

[AZBillyBoy 2]

IT looked worse than it was. Coupled with the fact that I am a COWARD when it comes to water snow or ice. Funny thing is later after the first group, a second trio of all black Jeeps came through.

 

Two were stock and one was lifted. I talked to them and told them what I had seen so far. The first guy went through and water was flying everywhere. He almost fell off the edge of the concrete pad (the pavement) that crosses the river.

 

The second Jeep was driven by a girl. I asked her if she had it in 4x and she asked "What's that?" LOL After showing her what that lever is for, she shifted and drove through no problem.

 

The last Jeep was the lifted one and he got out in the middle and stalled. Engine racing but going nowhere. At least the engine didn't die because I shudder at the thought of water entering through the tail pipe. He got it going again and went on across.

 

Muddy water always scares me. You don't know what's underneath you. At least there's pavement here.

 

At the AF crossing near Gilette it was really sandy and soft and the water would get quite deep. That's where I started turning side ways (floating!) back in the 80's. There is (was?) an easier place to cross just down stream and after that, it was the preferred route!

 

The weather has fooled me many times out there. Like you I did not want to sleep in my truck - gives me a pretzel feeling because it's the older Tacoma and quite ** cozy ** in the cab. And losing it in the middle of the River is not even thinkable. That would have left taking the LONG way back around to Cave Creek - assuming there was no other wash out or other obstacle. As it turned out the Saturday storm was all bark and no bite but made nice pictures! But the one Friday night and the one from last Sunday must have been really huge!

[Guardrail 1]

Those were some great photos, especially the ones of the storms. I'm assuming that's where Bloody Basin Rd. crosses the Agua Fria.(?) I know FR 44's not too far from there and it is a long way around through to Cave Creek Rd., but at least there is that option. I think, though that you made a wise choice in waiting for some other idiot to try it. Crossing deep water can cause more problems than it's worth, ranging all the way from simple things like water mixing with the oil in your axles and drying the grease in your wheel bearings to death from a stupid move like Mr. Tacoma made. Very few people realize the dangers of getting in over your head so to speak until it's too late. Good call!

 

I recently did a run to the Sheep Bridge. I attempted to leave to the south and cross below Horseshoe. When I got there, the water was deep and fast. Another family in a stock JK Utd. Rubi was there. He was also unsure of the situation. We both went to walk the crossing. When it got to my upper thigh, I decided that was enough. It was running fast enough that if I went any deeper, there would have been a very high probability of the current sweeping me off my feet. Time to turn around. Had to head all the way back out through Cave Creek Rd. 500 yards from graded two lane and had to turn around. It's a decision I am sure of to this day was the wise one.

 

Way to go!

[AZBillyBoy 2]

Yes you are correct. It is the paved but unbridged crossing on the bloody basin road about 5 miles or so in from I-17. Of course the hunters tried to goad me into crossing but I already took my testosterone pills and didn't fall for that ruse. Plus when I got there I was running with my KCs on so it wasn't even daylight yet! One of them kept telling the water was going down because he had a marker and could see the decline. Of course he didn't share that "marker" with anyone else. LOL when I went across I painted a spot on a plant nearby as a reference, although now I have a much better one with the seam in the pavement.

 

Last year about this time I was on the same road over by the big hill that switchbacks down to 24. I climbed that hill and stopped to look back at the view. I was in my own little universe as usual and when I got out and looked back I saw this

 

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It was HUGE and worse yet it followed me all the way across the AF Monument. When I got down to the river it was rolling with water much like yesterday. It was dry when I went in earlier that day. So I thought I was going to have to go back through the microburst to take the long way around when a truck load of Natives crossed in their Dakota. I took the option to do the same and it obviously worked out okay.

 

The big thing is to keep moving but don't go too fast, like yokels used to do down at the AF Gilette crossing. They would fly into the water and drown out. THEN the water can be really bad as it seeps into everything. I used to cross there with water half way up my doors! That's what freaked me out about the lifted Jeep that stopped in the middle yesterday! At least his engine kept running so I doubt if anything bad happened. The water yesterday was to the top of my (wheels 31" tires). Ha I read in an offroad mag once that the top of the HUBS is as high as should be attempted!

 

And I know now why they call my tires "mudders." They looked like fudgesicles after crossing the AF. But the second river crossing cleaned most of that out. Then it rained like crazy on the final exit to I-17 so there was more junk all over the place. But on the freeway I lucked out and got a really good rain and so it all got washed away.

 

The Sheep Bridge? Wow I would be very leery of crossing anywhere there. Last year i went down there in July and saw where guys crossed all the time.

 

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Would YOU cross there????? Not me. No way EVER!!!!

[Guardrail 1]

 

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Would YOU cross there????? Not me. No way EVER!!!!

 

That's actually where I crossed. Piece of cake. Smooth, not too deep (maybe 20"), and not too soft. It was below horseshoe where I had the problem. Ended up crossing at the place in the photo twice that day. (4 times if you count the time I went back and forth for a video I shot.)

[AZBillyBoy 2]

Really? The water looks deep outside the area with the tan shading. And the tree branches sticking out. I assume you can go by them? But there's a sandy incline at the top of the picture. Would work if you were going from top to bottom but going the other way I could see my mudders burying me! See? **cluck cluck** I am too timid to do any real four wheeling! I am surprised I ever did all of FR 44 !!!!

 

Which makes me ask about my experience yesterday. When I got to the Agua Fria crossing, besides the high water I saw a tree had been toppled on the far side of the crossing. It was about as thick as your arm and draping over the road at about a 45 degree angle. It was situated so that you would contact it right after pulling out of the water.

 

So I have a Home Depot showroom in the back of my truck. Plenty of things to cut with. However there was no way to cut it before crossing the River. So I asked the couple of people who were also studying making the crossing and they said "You just 'power through it.'" ??? And break my KCs or dent the top of the cab or something? I love the reasoning! It was solved when the Volvo riders cut it down for us. I think they were going to try running the crossing but wisely did not.

 

LOL they had the Volvo in chains - tire chains! for their trip across the AF Monument with all the mud! Bet that went really well on the tires!

 

I saw another "power though it" maneuver on the CK Trail years ago at the infamous Oro Belle ledge. Some guy in a Dakota said that the best thing to do to get over that obstacle was to "power over it." So he charged it and ran smack into it. Cracked the valance, broke those aux lights at the bottom, and I bet probably toasted some AC lines since they're probably tucked behind that plastic front end. Didn't climb over it at all. Just created a $6000 repair bill!

[Guardrail 1]

Really? The water looks deep outside the area with the tan shading. And the tree branches sticking out. I assume you can go by them? But there's a sandy incline at the top of the picture. Would work if you were going from top to bottom but going the other way I could see my mudders burying me! See? **cluck cluck** I am too timid to do any real four wheeling! I am surprised I ever did all of FR 44 !!!!

 

Which makes me ask about my experience yesterday. When I got to the Agua Fria crossing, besides the high water I saw a tree had been toppled on the far side of the crossing. It was about as thick as your arm and draping over the road at about a 45 degree angle. It was situated so that you would contact it right after pulling out of the water.

 

So I have a Home Depot showroom in the back of my truck. Plenty of things to cut with. However there was no way to cut it before crossing the River. So I asked the couple of people who were also studying making the crossing and they said "You just 'power through it.'" ??? And break my KCs or dent the top of the cab or something? I love the reasoning! It was solved when the Volvo riders cut it down for us. I think they were going to try running the crossing but wisely did not.

 

LOL they had the Volvo in chains - tire chains! for their trip across the AF Monument with all the mud! Bet that went really well on the tires!

 

I saw another "power though it" maneuver on the CK Trail years ago at the infamous Oro Belle ledge. Some guy in a Dakota said that the best thing to do to get over that obstacle was to "power over it." So he charged it and ran smack into it. Cracked the valance, broke those aux lights at the bottom, and I bet probably toasted some AC lines since they're probably tucked behind that plastic front end. Didn't climb over it at all. Just created a $6000 repair bill!

 

Yeah, I just drove around the branches. They really weren't much of an issue, even with a full size Ram. Staying on the sand bar was a little iffy, it was difficult to see from water level. It was more a matter of feeling your way across. If the truck started to lean left, steer right, etc. It really wasn't as bad as it sounds even here. And the climb out the far side was aided by the wake you push up onto the beach. I never slipped a tire.

 

Regarding the Oro Belle ledge, I went over that one in an Isuzu Trooper once. I ended up an inch or two from going off the cliff on the left:eek:, with my T-case skid plate hung up on the top of the ledge. Scariest thing I ever did in a vehicle. The guy behind me, a novice who had gone with me, saw me and had doubts about attempting it, and rightfully so. I walked back and told him "You see what I just did? Don't do that." He was in a Tacoma with the TRD Pkg. He locked his locker and, with a little guidance from yours truly, walked right over it with no issues, never even slipped a tire. In retrospect, I probably could have too, but I picked a very bad line, following the most commonly used line instead of the best one. I guess we all do bonehead things from time to time.:rolleyes:

[AZBillyBoy 2]

That Oro Belle ledge was very scary. You are so right about the possibility of falling off the edge. I always hugged the inside wall. It was particularly tough because after you crested it, there was a dip on the other side. I knew some guys from the Bronco club took an air compressor down there and hammered away on it one time to try and get rid of it. I always had issues in my Nissan going over it. Even with the super deluxe Nissan competition limited slip diff! Of course it was a 5 speed. When I got the Tacoma with the Lockrite and auto tranny I just read a book while slowly inching my way over it!!

 

I guess I will never cross at that Sheep Bridge location. It scares the ---- out of me just looking at it. There is another location downstream where a crossing can be made and I think it's a lot easier but trying to find anything there is difficult. When I was there a guy was living there with his pop-up camper. He showed me where the downstream crossing is but I know I'd never be able to find it again. The Bridge is not far from Carefree. I was surprised how far south you drop if taking the 269 (Blood Basin) road in.

 

Well I got the Tacoma all cleaned up today so I can go out tomorrow and get it dirty again. My neighbors think I am crazy when I wash it and then go out the next day! But half of them don't have cars and the other half all have $50 cars with $1000 stereos in them.

 

 

Oh yeah I forgot. I ran into the famous Yavapai County Search and Rescue one day. They were running the CK trail. It was at the ledge. After trying for about an hour to go over it, they all backed down and let me pass on by! I hope I don't need them to come looking for me!!!

[Guardrail 1]

That Oro Belle ledge was very scary. You are so right about the possibility of falling off the edge. I always hugged the inside wall. It was particularly tough because after you crested it, there was a dip on the other side.

 

That was my problem. I had gotten my front wheels up over it, then they dropped down in that dip. My t-case skid plate was high centered on the top with my front wheels in the air. I had to turn my wheels to the left to move my right front wheel forward to contact the second ledge. That's what put me to the left side, leaning to the left no less. Scary as h*ll.

 

When I got the Tacoma with the Lockrite and auto tranny I just read a book while slowly inching my way over it!!

 

That's exactly what I had my friend do with similar results.

 

I guess I will never cross at that Sheep Bridge location. It scares the ---- out of me just looking at it.

 

Here's a link to the video I made. You'll see, it's not that bad at all:

 

 

There is another location downstream where a crossing can be made and I think it's a lot easier but trying to find anything there is difficult.

 

The crossing used to be on the other side (south side) of the Sheep bridge, right against the north side of the line of rocks where the river narrows and runs into the channel heading south. I checked that area last time I was there, but the lack of tracks in and out and no sign of a "road" across made me hesitant to try there.

 

Here it is, just found it. This is Matt@exp-az...: