Rogers Trough/FS 172A

[CatValet]

Has anyone been up to Rogers Trough TH recently???

The last time I was there, about two years ago, there was a 2WD sedan at the parking lot. A couple years before that, you needed 4WD in low range....I understand that the USFS has an agreement with the County (Gila?) on shared road maintenance, and the last time the County graded it, they did "too good of a job".

FS people have implied that strategic witholding of maintenance can be used as an access control technique, although I've never seen a formal policy stating such in writing. Slightly improved access to Rogers, Tortilla and a few other spots could spread the impact of visitation, but perhaps they like concentrating it in places like First Water and Peralta that they can patrol and manage.

If the proposed President's Day weekend hike discussed here occurs, I'd like to determine if my 2WD Nissan truck can make it. Thanks for any feedback. -Randy

[evenstar]

Randy, I was up there twice last year; once in Fritzski's Jeep and once in mine. I think if your truck has fairly high clearance it'd make it. Can't think of any sections where you would have to have 4X drive.
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John Richardson and Richie Rich, El Perro de Playero
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When the Man waked up he said, "What is Wild Dog doing here?" And the Woman said, "His name is not Wild Dog anymore, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always. Take him with you when you go hunting."
--Rudyard Kipling, from Just So Stories, 1902

[Shawn]

I was up there before the holidays, don't quite remember the date, but I had the trip posted on the "other" site. The road condition is much improved over a few years ago. I had no problems getting in and out with my 2WD Explorer.

Do you really think they would intentionally funnel visitors to the "pay" sites???
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

[CatValet]

Wow, A revenue based policy decision? How could they?

I certainly would not be surprised to see a public agency trying to maximize its revenue streams. (Been there, done that, got the T-shirt...) In this case I think it's more about ability to manage and control. The closer trailheads are easier for them to manage with the limited resources they have. If Rogers Trough had a third of the visitor load that Peralta has, the road would be ripped to shreds, there would be litter all the way to Angel Basin and with the lack of porta-potties, you'd have to watch where you walked...There might even be a bumper sticker on the lintel of the cliff dwelling that says : "Eat at Teva Joe's"

I've complained to the Forest Service in the past about the need to make some modest fixes to several access roads, including that one 50 foot section of the Tortilla Trailhead road that could be fixed in a day with three guys with a jackhammer and a few bags of sackcrete.

The issue seems to be: "do you spread the negative impacts of visitation out over the entire wilderness area so everyplace is slightly impacted; or force the vast majority of it-by limiting easy access- to the entry points that are easiest from which to manage enforcement?"

There is, unfortunately, no "Correct" answer to that question. Since the trend was already that the majority of trips originated at the two trailheads nearest the urbanized area, it was probably easiest to go with the flow.

This leaves the more remote, difficult access points to those (like Hoolie) wealthy enough to afford a 4x4, and or those (like Hoolie) who are old enough that they are retired and have the discretionary time available for the inherent delays in such access.

(Welcome back Hoolie, no one's picked on you since you returned....you didn't think it would last didja? Aw shucks, we missed ya!) -Randy

[evenstar]

[Nighthiker]

The road to Rogers Trough is located in Pinal County. Regarding Tortilla Trailhead access road. I can get to the Trailhead with my jeeps, but on the way out I have been blocked in by vehicles parking along the access road at the parking lot just off of the Apache Trail.

[CatValet]

Gee, it's been so dry, I hope you didn't set them on fire....Removing the valve stems and rotor should be enough