a new record

[BillyBob58]

From those pics and others, it seems the Mogollon Rim country looks a lot like the Ochoco Mountains and other eastside ponderosa pine forests in central & eastern Oregon. 7000+ feet about= 4000 feet in central Oregon (?).

That's probably about right elevation wise for similar geography, though probably significantly wetter in Oregon ( no doubt). I have so many grand ( almost mystical)memories of the Mogollon Rim. Didn't Zane Grey write novels based on this area? We may make a trip there this fall to hunt quail in the Sonoran desert in Tonto Basin/Pumpkin Center at the foot of the Moggolon Rim for a couple of days, then drive up to the top, up a couple of thousand feet to the Ponderosa pines, Aspen and Spruce forests for a little cool weather hammock hanging.

The "Rim" is a cliff that runs for a few hundred miles, from central AZ into NM, and separating the lower elevation deserts from the high elevation forests, with a rise of from a few hundred to several thousand feet. It was like a magical mystery tour to camp right on the edge of a huge cliff in the dense forest, gazing down on the desert. It would be something else in a hammock.

I have heard of some massive forest fires since I lived there 25 years ago, I just need to find out where these burn areas are and avoid them.

[te-wa]

That's probably about right elevation wise for similar geography, though probably significantly wetter in Oregon ( no doubt). I have so many grand ( almost mystical)memories of the Mogollon Rim. Didn't Zane Grey write novels based on this area? We may make a trip there this fall to hunt quail in the Sonoran desert in Tonto Basin/Pumpkin Center

if youre going to be in that area near Roosevelt lake, go on up the 188 and visit a little used mountain range (and wilderness(es)) in the Sierra Ancha. You'll leave Tonto Basin in the upper sonoran desert and quickly pass thru the Transition Zone into the forests of Gamble Oak, Arizona Walnut, Alligator Juniper, Ponderosa pine and at the highest points some Aspen (in pockets). The Sierra Ancha and neighboring Salome wilderness are some prime examples of diversity. Cover a lot of ground in a 45min. drive.

I have heard of some massive forest fires since I lived there 25 years ago, I just need to find out where these burn areas are and avoid them.

there were some large ones, primarily the Dude Fire of 1990? that scorched much of the area below the Rim, starting at Dude Creek and going east about 30,000 acres and killed a few firefighters. Grey's cabin was lost just after it was bought by the uncle of a high-school friend, the Goettls.
Then, AZ's largest ever wildfire, the Rodeo-Chediski (human caused) fire wiped out 470,000 acres in '02. Nothing on top of the Rim was touched, except a few places. Fortunatley, that is...

yes you can hang within feet of a 700' drop as ponderosas grow right on the edge of the Rim for most of its 205 mile distance.

[BillyBob58]

if youre going to be in that area near Roosevelt lake, go on up the 188 and visit a little used mountain range (and wilderness(es)) in the Sierra Ancha. You'll leave Tonto Basin in the upper sonoran desert and quickly pass thru the Transition Zone into the forests of Gamble Oak, Arizona Walnut, Alligator Juniper, Ponderosa pine and at the highest points some Aspen (in pockets). The Sierra Ancha and neighboring Salome wilderness are some prime examples of diversity. Cover a lot of ground in a 45min. drive.

Thanks for the tip. I wonder how the quail hunting would be in that area? Sounds like we could hang there without having to go on top of the rim. Is that highway 188? Or a FS road?

there were some large ones, primarily the Dude Fire of 1990? that scorched much of the area below the Rim, starting at Dude Creek and going east about 30,000 acres and killed a few firefighters. Grey's cabin was lost just after it was bought by the uncle of a high-school friend, the Goettls.
Then, AZ's largest ever wildfire, the Rodeo-Chediski (human caused) fire wiped out 470,000 acres in '02. Nothing on top of the Rim was touched, except a few places. Fortunatley, that is...

So there were no significant burns on top of the Rim? That is wonderful news, I got the impression from the news that the large burn you mention ( or another one of that size) was in the White Mountains on top of the Rim. Started by a part time fire fighter ( Apache indian?) who wanted more work. But if the details are wrong, I am happy to hear it.

yes you can hang within feet of a 700' drop as ponderosas grow right on the edge of the Rim for most of its 205 mile distance.

I have ground dwelled just that way, but I have never hammocked there. I look forward to it. My 2 years in Flagstaff in the mid 80s ( and 4 in Phoenix in the early 70s) were some of my happiest out door times.

[te-wa]

no there was significant burn caused by that fire especially below the eastern rim mostly on Apache forest (and reservation), but not in any area of the rim it seems you plan to visit. that's 100 miles east at least. and by "a few places" i mean given the immense size of the fire, about 30% was burned north of the escarpment and mostly held south of the 260 highway.
To get to the Rim from Tonto Valley area, you'd have to drive the entire length of the az188 or go west until you hit the az87 and north past Strawberry. You wouldnt encounter much of the Dude fire unless you hiked a large chunk of the Highline Trail or were at small spots on the rim, east of Geronimo camp and such. There's still an enormous area of land that is pristine, hasnt seen logging for decades, or fires. Bark beetles, that's another story (a sad one)

[travlinman]

Great Trip, thanks for posting photos

TM