Hassayampa River Trip

March 8th, 2003

Our leader checked with friends the night before the trip and there was no water under the bridge in Wickenburg. When we passed over the bridge on our return trip there was still no water under the bridge. However, there was plenty of water in the river north of the box canyon where we entered the river bottom. This led to a most interesting and fun trip.

This is where the fun began

Dead in the water

Help arrives

Yet another view

Now they are both buried in the muck

Almost to dry land

Isn't that the same guy we pulled out of the river?

Not enough traction with two vehicles, another job for a winch

A little bit of dry running

After lunch the plan was to go to the box canyon and then retreat a ways and exit the river bottom and take a trail to Yarnell passing the ghost town of Stanton. Because of the time lost to recovery operations the group divided after lunch. Those that entered the canyon needed yet another recovery operation. For those of us who headed for Yarnell it was relatively uneventful except for a wrong turn and a little retracing our steps to return to the correct trail. The following pictures of Stanton were from another trip but I thought they may be of some interest.

Ron finger

Walking up to view a crossing that was a little deeper

Stuck in the wet sand and mud

Another view

Recovery number one started

This was fun so there are several pictures

The first recovery attempt is about to begin

Winches are a nice accessory

If only we had thought to install that bilge pump

Here we go again

We're on the move again

Back in the water