Beta on AZT trip passages #33 to #20

[Hayduke]

I live up near Flagstaff and I'm planning a bikepacking trip down to Tempe to visit my son.

I've LW backpacked all over the state (GC, Ceder Mesa etc) and I ride my oldish hard-tail at least 50 miles a week for most of the year on the rural dirt roads and trails around our homestead, but the two have never met haha 

I'm looking for any first hand information to round out the guidebook info, particularly on daily mileage and reroutes, I'm planning on doing the trip mid Octoberish.

Thanks,     

[AZTtripper]

The high line section below the rim is going to be the worst thing about this section. You can easily head south on good road to Payson. Milage is going to be up to you and how much you stick with the official trails. Anderson Mesa above Lake Marry is no picnic either. Other than that most of the trail from Morman Lake to the rim is bony but OK when dry, beware of death mud if it rains.

Tim

[Hayduke]

Thanks 

[schillingsworth]

Hayduke,
Have you done this ride yet?

If not, a few things to consider. As Tim mentioned, there are sections of death mud south of Flagstaff if wet. When dry you'd have no problem getting to the Mogollon Rim. From there I'd decide what am I really looking to do, get from point A to point B or ride more and enjoy the route? If it's A-B, then drop straight down off the rim to the Highline trail, it's not too bad from Washington Park over to Geronimo TH, you could easily peel off the AZT there down to the well maintained dirt Control rd & connect to Houston Mesa Rd into Payson. I'd recommend skipping the Pine to Payson section as that's a brute and probably not worth the effort.

If you want more trail and don't care about extra mileage, loop through the Cabin Loop system before reaching the Mogollon Rim, take FR300 east towards Woods Canyon Lake, cut through the Carr Lake trails via General Crook trail. Then drop down Military Sinkhole and ride the really fun section of Highline from the Two Sixty TH out to the Fish Hatchery, you can then drop down to Roberts Mesa rd & over to the Control rd. from there.

Passages 23, 24, 25 are all Wilderness, so no bikes. 1/2 of 22 is in the 'W' as well. Passage 21 is fully open to bikes, but it too may not be worth the effort especially in that direction. I'd probably just stick with the AZTR750 route from Payson to the Roosevelt Dam which is the junction of passages 19/20. The lower 1/2 of 20 is open to bikes and is pretty cool to ride. Some HAB, but the views are stoopid good. Take FR429 up off AZ188 to Mills Ridge TH, then ride the AZT down to the dam. Apache Trail into the Valley....

[Hayduke]

Thanks for the detailed reply freeskier, I really appreciate it.

I havn't done the trip yet. I remodel flip houses for a real estate investment group and the scope of work on the current house keeps expanding. Normally a good thing for me, but messing with my trip sched.

I'm pretty much planning on the 'Andrea' route, except I'm not going though Flag. I'm packed and don't live far from Flag so as soon as I get finished up I'm going to bolt, probably another week. I'm a builder which makes me a compulsive weather watcher haha

Edited to add:
I'm definetly going to do the FR429 detour, I'm pretty sure I saw the pics of your trip :- )