ATV 14

Way back in September 2006 we went on an ATV trip to Apache Maid Lookout. On the way we found Buck Mountain Lookout ? Maybe ? It was apparently closed for the season ? Who knows it had no sign. From the top of Apache Maid Mountain we could see this cool canyon. (If you click the link below it will take you to the old site and ATV adventure #37). Anyway the plan was to go to Buck Mountain Lookout and investigate a few more roads in the area. We got to Buck Mountain about 11:30AM and it was apparently already closed for lunch. No big deal, we have a lot of other places to see and then come back.

This area has a bunch of really thick forest and then open areas like it can’t decide if it is forest of high plains. The weather was great but it is getting a little on the dry side as you can see from the pictures below. Thank goodness we use helmet radios so we can keep a good distance apart and stay out of the dust.

Just out in the middle of nothing we found this building. I guess it’s an old pump house to water cattle. It’s not even shot up !

OK, I didn’t say it was in good shape, just not shot up. It must have been a premium building at one time. It had the remains of a shake roof, no cheap tin roofing here.

We are still way too early to go to Buck Mountain so we went (unprepared) to find that canyon south of Apache Maid Mountain. I wish I had researched the location but we really had no intention of having time to do the canyon. We are south of Apache Maid and looking.

We didn’t find it, but I did find a bunch of roads that crisscrossed the area that we think were near canyon. I had my GPS on and tracking. I can lay this track on Google Earth and see how close we came,,,,, for next time.

These roads are made of that kind of dirt that you just know turns to pudding if it rains. We found a few spots that sure look like they would be deep if filled with water.

I wonder if this gate is ever open ? I guess it’s to much to ask that they properly mark a sign. Maybe the Forest Service just can’t afford a piece of cardboard, a marker and a staple gun ??? Better yet, could they make a proper sign so we would all know if ever or when this is open. Even if I was hiking I wouldn’t go past a locked gate,,, or would that be OK ???

I don’t want to get into a rant but I’m sometimes not impressed with the Forest Service.

We had a nice day even with the locked gate (Grrrr…). The weather was just fine and not too hot. The forest as always was great. Also as a note: “We seen a lot of squirrels” .

I can’t wait until they start getting those afternoon showers to keep the dust down. Check out the layer of dust on the back of my ATV .

All the dust blew off on the way home. YES !