3 days camping & 4wheeling Sedona, AZ

[PHXPHOTOG]

Needed to get out of the city so I did what I like to do. Threw a sleeping bag and some gear in the TB and headed out for three days of solo camping and 4wheeling. The city of Sedona is an over crowded, heavy traffic, tourist trap so I try to avoid it. But the surrounding area is spectacular and made it what it is. I am pretty familiar with that area of AZ and know how to find good trails and camp away from the throngs of sightseers. I spent Wednesday/Friday camped on the Western edge of the Mogollon Rim. There are only 5 campsites on a little known trail and they are about a 1/4 mile apart. You are on the edge of a cliff with all of the red rock country below you. It is an awe inspiring experience.

I like to sleep on the ground under the stars. This time it was a little windy so I slept in the bed of the truck with my head on the tailgate so I could see the stars. It was quite comfortable. When I go alone it is cool how minimalistic you can be. No big meals to cook and other things I do when camping with friends and family. Peaceful solitude doing what I love to do, camp and push my Trail Boss to its limits.

The 4WD trails vary in difficulty and most are perfect for a trail Boss. Mine is slightly modified and I go where the jeep guys go. My truck is part of my lifestyle. It allows me to enjoy life doing the things I like most.

Enjoying a steak and some whiskey in front of the campfire watching the sunset.

My entire dinner and steak sandwiches for next day lunch.

View from campsite

Some red rock crawling

 

[mrcolieman]

Needed to get out of the city so I did what I like to do. Threw a sleeping bag and some gear in the TB and headed out for three days of solo camping and 4wheeling. The city of Sedona is an over crowded, heavy traffic, tourist trap so I try to avoid it. But the surrounding area is spectacular and made it what it is. I am pretty familiar with that area of AZ and know how to find good trails and camp away from the throngs of sightseers. I spent Wednesday/Friday camped on the Western edge of the Mogollon Rim. There are only 5 campsites on a little known trail and they are about a 1/4 mile apart. You are on the edge of a cliff with all of the red rock country below you. It is an awe inspiring experience.

I like to sleep on the ground under the stars. This time it was a little windy so I slept in the bed of the truck with my head on the tailgate so I could see the stars. It was quite comfortable. When I go alone it is cool how minimalistic you can be. No big meals to cook and other things I do when camping with friends and family. Peaceful solitude doing what I love to do, camp and push my Trail Boss to its limits.

The 4WD trails vary in difficulty and most are perfect for a trail Boss. Mine is slightly modified and I go where the jeep guys go. My truck is part of my lifestyle. It allows me to enjoy life doing the things I like most.

View attachment 8858View attachment 8859
Enjoying a steak and some whiskey in front of the campfire watching the sunset.
View attachment 8860My entire dinner and steak sandwiches for next day lunch.
View attachment 8861
View from campsite

View attachment 8864
View attachment 8865
Some red rock crawling
View attachment 8866
View attachment 8867

Awesome...

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

More wheeling

Thats what a lot of the trail is.

Putting the new BFG KM3 to work, 34s

Love this truck. I have owned 3 Jeep vehicles and other 4WDrives. The TB is limited off road only by it's size. These photos are from a trail rated moderate. I do not hesitate to do many of the difficult trails.
Steve

 

[PistolsFiring]

Looks like a great time. Always look forward to your adventure diaries.

 

[Jmzvet]

What wildlife do you encounter out there?

 

[JWright82]

I love seeing your boss in action, but man the landscape pics are amazing!

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

What wildlife do you encounter out there?

Lots of it. Sedona is high desert at 4,350 feet. Just North of Sedona is Flagstaff at around 7,000 feet. Phoenix is pure desert at 1,086 feet. So what that means is high desert has a mix of almost everything from the low desert to our higher elevations of Northern AZ. Arizona terrain and wildlife is much more diverse than people often expect.

For example Sedona has in it's general area:
Bears, I saw one further east on the rim
Deer, see them everywhere
Elk, I see a lot of them on the Mogollon Rim and Flagstaff areas
Javelina, lots of them from high desert to low desert
Mountain Lions, I have not seen one in AZ but lots of them are here. They are mostly nocturnal and avoid people
Then there is the usual assortment of small game.

I get asked a lot about rattle snakes. Yes I have seen a lot of them. Mostly on springtime evenings in the lower desert. They will come out and be right on the dirt roads to warm up. You have to be careful hiking. They don't bother me, all they realy want is to get away from you. You practicaly have to step on one to get bit. It does happen but dogs are the more common victim.

Maybe I am lucky but I have never had a problem sleeping on the ground with anything but bugs. For protection I am armed and have bear spray. But really the best thing to do is keep a clean camp. Probably my best protection is I sleep with my key fob. Setting off that alarm is going to scare off anything big that might bother me. I have been an outdoors guy all my life. I feel safer and more at home in the wilderness than in big city's.

Wow, I went on a rant again. I am sure that's more than you asked.

Steve

 

[mksz51]

Thanks for sharing - you live the life many of us only dream about.

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

Thanks for the props guys. Two weeks from now the TB will do its other job as my tow vehicle getting my travel trailer out to a local lake. A weekend fishing trip with my wife and friends. My wife doesn't do all of the things I do when off road. With her I know I am having fun when she is hanging on over there going "Oh S**t, Oh S**t, Oh S**t!"'

 

[2KWIK2C]

I wish in WI we had the mountains like you do . We have high hills I play on but not the stuff you do! VERY ENVIOUS!

 

[JD319]

how do you buff out the all the desert pin striping?

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

Arizona, Utah, and Colorado are my favorite sates. I lived at 7,000 feet in the Rockies for 15 years. I go to Moab for an overlanding trip the last 3 years in a row. I am also abel to be in 4wd 30 minutes from my house in Phoenix. That is how I get in so many miles off road. I am very lucky to be able to do all of this.

Pinstriping. My truck pays a heavy price for all I do with it. It will never win a best of show prize. The desert is brutal, every branch you rub has thorns. After 3 years of abuse, a month ago a friend helped me with a full paint correction. It was a huge improvement but it did not all come out ok. There is a lot of permanent scratches all over it. After all that work fixing it I started the process all over again on this trip. I don't like it but it is part of the price I pay for doing what I do.

Some of that is superficial and washed off. Some is real scratches that did not. I can't buff it all the time so I live with most of it.

Steve

 

[mlakey130]

I print pictures for a living and you have great landscape pics (with TB in them as well) which I enjoy seeing. I don't get to get into the mountains here in East TN enough, but enjoy your adventures. I ride motorcycles on tracks and believe in using a vehicle (be it a truck or motorcycle) for intended purposes... Kudos for using the TB as it is intended. Pic is how I use my motorcycle...

 

[PHXPHOTOG]

I print pictures for a living and you have great landscape pics (with TB in them as well) which I enjoy seeing. I don't get to get into the mountains here in East TN enough, but enjoy your adventures. I ride motorcycles on tracks and believe in using a vehicle (be it a truck or motorcycle) for intended purposes... Kudos for using the TB as it is intended. Pic is how I use my motorcycle...View attachment 8895

Great shot! All the pictures I post on this site are from my phone because I go out to drive it and have fun, not work. Professional photography and video is my work.
You super bike guys are scary. I saw one of you catch on fire refuling in the pits. Both bike and rider on fire. The rider held his hands up, they blasted him with a dry chem extinguisher and he was gone like a rocket. All that probably cost him 5 seconds. That was a long time ago.
I spent 7 years working for NASCAR as the official track photographer for Phoenix International Raceway. One of my favorite places to be was in the flag stand for the race start. It is a big rush when 42 cars with 1000HP all hit the gas at the same time 15 feet below your feet. I loved it!
Steve
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