Jan 10 white Tank Hike and AZH Anniversary Cookout details

Meet at the trailhead staging area at 7:30 with plans to be ON the trail by 8:00!

When: Jan. 10, 2004

Where: White Tank Mountain Regional Park http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/white_tank/

Close up map: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/white_tank/pdf/close_up.pdf

What: Hikes of various length and challenge available. Longest hike is out Ford Canyon Trail to junction with Willow Canyon Trail; in Willow Canyon to junction with Mesquite trail; out Mesquite Trail to junction with Goat Camp Trail (Not named after GTG!); in Goat Camp Trail to end. Shuttle needed to take hikers the 1-1/2 miles to Ramada for post hike cookout and AZH Anniversary celebration.

Directions: Those of us in the more civilized West Valley know the way. For the less fortunate and talented East Valley Folk there are two choices:
1. Take I-10 to Cotton Lane/ Loop 303. Take 303 north approx. 7 miles to Olive Ave. Left (West) on Olive Ave. about three miles to Park entrance.
2. Take Loop 101 to Bell Road. Right (west) onto Bell Road to Loop 303; Left (south) on 303 to Olive Ave. then Right (west) three miles to park entrance.
$5. per vehicle entrance fee. There is a small area just outside the park entrance where cars can be left and you can carpool into the park to save $$$’s.

Once in park, stay on White Tank Mountain Rd. to Trailhead Staging Area. Road into Trailhead Staging Area is to the right and is bracketed by two signs…”Horse Staging Area” and “Trailhead Staging Area”
If you reach the sign reading, “Waterfall Canyon Rd” you’ve gone about 100 yards too far.

There is overnight camping available in area 13 as shown on the “Close up” map. $10 per site per night, two or three tents per site. There are restrooms. I plan on taking the motorhome out Friday afternoon and can have two tents on my site as well as the motorhome.

Ramada 4-A (shown on the close up map) is reserved from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Ramada is lit, has water and electricity as well as grill. I plan on moving the motorhome to the Ramada parking lot before we hike Saturday morning.

Cookout is pot luck and this topic is ONLY for sign up by those planning on being there and listing what they plan on bringing. No wandering off topic please!

Bring your own beer, soda, whatever. NO GLASS CONTAINERS ALLOWED IN PARK!

So far we have:

Hooli and Rich grilling Tri-tip

GTG and Messami….sauted mushrooms, big batch of mashed potatoes, some kind of dessert, firewood, bowls for chili or whatever, prizes for most and free AZH stuff. An ArizonaHikers.com bumper sticker for everyone that needs one. And maybe chili. GTG says he's got $5 for anyone who can butt heads with him and still stay standin'!

Mike and Mrs. Mike…..Mrs. Mike’s green bean dish. Salsa? Mrs. Mike told Mr. Mike, "Honey, we can use the $5 and I know you got a harder head than that smelly ol' goatboy!"

Cat Valet and Valet2......

Paintninaz and Rocky the CHOCOLATE cake and eating utinsils

Trishness.......less than nuclear chili with assorted hot sauce on the side

HikerInGilbert......."Don't make me open this can of whoopass on you!" chili

sherileeaz.......side dish and some munchies

Stan and his two youngest.........green chili and some tortillas

Arizonaheat........ Beer

.....

desertgirl........ veggie tray & some cookies

JW63......... Question

cakewalk........sodas and chips

grouphiker......... Question

Hnak...........some dessert stuff. Apple pie, Cool Whip etc.

outside1.....a Midwestern family size bowl of my southwestern stew

SUN_HIKER.......HOT Salsa, chips and a dessert

azhiker96 and Deeanda........party hats, cardamon banana bread

Canyon Dweller............ Question

Sande J.....homemade tamales

dcornelius and hubby Question

...............will think of something......

Desertboots...............something...dunno what yet

ck1 and Pat.............Gumbo

Jeff12633..............delicious dried fruit platter

whereveriroam...............homemade Jambalaya

Anyone else?

grouphiker · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 44 Location: Peoria

Sorry I missed you all, my CCV hike to the Peralta trail did not end until 4:00 pm. Hope to see you on the trail soon, Darleen

azhiker96 · Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 1419

Thank you all!

Today I found proof that we know how to cook as well as hike! Trish's chili was tamed down for tenderfoots but still had an excellent flavor. Tom's nuclear chili was tasty with just the right amount of kick. (Was pepper spray your secret ingredient?) Mike's green guaco creation was excellent. Tamales, mmmmmmm. Sande's brother's tamales were excellent! I don't know who made the shredded BBQ Beef but it was terrific; sweet, tender, and smokey. Homemade Jambalaya, Gumbo, salsa, chocolate cake, chips, drinks.....mmmm. I was packed by the time the tri-tip was done. Hooli, you do know how to grill meat! The pieces I sampled (one to taste, a second to confirm the first, a third just cause it was so dang good!) were perfectly done, scorched on the outside and pink on the inside. A professional application of electoshock might have brought it back to life but you would have had to wrestle it away from me first.
Sorry I had to leave just as the campfire was getting going. I'll have to catch more fireside time on the next one. Tonight I'm still stuffed and happy. Tomorrow I'll put a dozen miles under my boots in the Supes, fueled by the food and friends from tonight. :)

desertgirl · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 3350 Location: Chandler, AZ

Sorry folks I could not make it. Sad

I got stuck on the I-10 closure for 2.5 hrs heading out that way ( That's what I gewt for not keeping up with news!)....I turned back and went home and moped! I was so looking forward to seee you all....May be Table Top Wilderness tomorrow will make me feel a bit better !
_________________
Photos: http://www.pbase.com/desertgirl/galleries
Life is but a dream ...there is no end to what you can dream!

Hikngrl · Posted: 1/11/2004, 10:12 am Post subject:

What a fun day! Found places in the White Tanks that were really fun to hike and ate like a little pigglette!!!! Thank you one and all for being who you are and making this the community it is.... Heres to many more years of hiking fun with you all!
_________________
~~~Diane~~~

I want to shine!

evenstar · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 5548 Location: SCW by way of CA

Seems I left the large BBQ tongs I used on the Tri-Tip at the cookout at the Ramada. Didn't see them the next morning. If someone picked them up during the cleanup, please let me know and I'll get them when I get back from my annual Salton Sea Soak in February.
_________________
John Richardson and Richie Rich, El Perro de Playero
http://members.tripod.com/~evenstar/index.html
http://www.arizonahikers.com
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

kurthzone · Posted: 1/20/2004, 8:11 am Post subject:

evenstar · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 5548 Location: SCW by way of CA