Off road prospecting adventure via fatigue

It was April of 2000 and my buddy Gordy and I headed out to take the Tip Top Loop. Up 236, through Tip Top, then Packer, over Boulder Creek and onto Bird Spring. There is gold in this area and we knew it. So we decided to do some scouting. We'd already prospected around the Tip Top area many times but beyond Boulder Creek past Packer we  had a "lead" a "rumor" and we wanted to track it down. The trip went well until we left Packer and crossed Boulder Creek. Going up the other side the road gave way and my old 77 F-150 4X4 became a cliff hanger. The front drivers tire was hanging over a cliff about 200 feet up, not a straight drop but you'd be killed in a roll. Luckily there was a Cedar tree right where we perched. Pretty old and stout too. I looked at Gordy and we talked about how the hell to get out of the truck. We moved a bit and it rocked . So we planned on me coming over to his side and we both get out at once via wrist lock, it worked. Now many miles off road we had to either get the truck out or walk out. We had plenty of water and food, tent and all that good stuff. I even kept 4 spare tires in my truck bed, had an extra alternator, fuel pump, water pump, you name it. The old Ford 300I was a piece of cake with a 1 barrel carburetor and minimal parts. We had some tow chains and decided to chain the truck off to another tree and a boulder and I'd try to back the truck up. I'll spare you the details but we did our best with the chains and some rocks to prevent a roll and we got the truck back on the road, took and hour or so. At this point you've think we be smart enough to head for home, no! We kept on going and checking this and that out. It came to dark. We'd been on the road and exploring a good 14 hours, so we kicked back for a while and rested and talked. We got on the road again and made an error in judgment, went left instead of right. The road ended at a cliff and there was no way to reclimb the loose, gravel hill we just came down, even in 4X4 we spun, it was high and steep. I'm a very experienced four wheeler but this is what fatigue will do to you.

I mean here we are, two very experienced outdoorsmen, guides, survivalists and we end up making a very bad choice, it can happen to anyone. We were pushing the envelope with one truck though. We would have never taken these chances with others along who were not ready for them or people we were guiding on a tour.

The cell phones worked great over looking Black Canyon City and it was actually quite nice enjoying the night desert view. We mellowed, ate laughed and caught some Z's until the next morning. The next day we got up and tried for 2 hours to get the truck back up the hill. With just a stock 4X4 without full lockers it was not happening. But we knew where we were, had food, guns and water. So we packed up and left. I carried a duffle bag and took some rope and made it into a crude back pack. Gordy took the backpack. I had my trusty AK47 and my Colt 45 and Gordy had a Ruger mini 14 and a Ruger 22 Luger style pistol. We also had 2 Tesoro metal detectors. It took 12 hours of rugged hiking to reach Black Canyon City, not even 5 miles. Just harsh terrain. We fell a few times got our clothes torn in bushes and got a bit bloodied up, comes with the experience. About night fall we reached a guys mobile home. He was on the porch and pulled out his gun and held it barrel down as we approached. Don't blame him, the sorry lot we were. I also saw his point, its dark, two beat up bloody guys with guns, metal detectors and back packs show up on your property. He thought we were some kind of hold up men recovering loot. After we explained our situation he took us in and his family gave us water, we were down to 1/2 gallon. I called my wife and she and my then 1 year old daughter were on their way from Phoenix to get us. Our host drove us into town and dropped us off at the Food Mart, we ordered a pizza, got some water and had a meal while waiting for my wife and kid. Real nice guy and I did my best to repay him the kindness.

Two years later, and that's no joke or exaggeration some friends and I with the help of Steve from Complete Off Road and John of Hunter Off Road took some monster trucks up there to get my rig. It was a bit of a disaster in itself. My friend Daryl cracked his steering box off his '78 CJ about 10 miles in then my buddy Mac flipped his quad an dislocated his shoulder almost, and to top it off he was far behind us and his yells for help and gun shots for help went unnoticed over the exhaust of the rigs. A few other buddies along with Steve and John got in there with their fully locked Jeeps and a few others who knew Steve and John. Once there we rebuilt the carb, put on new radiator hoses, added water, made tire repairs, replaced the fuel pump and battery and rigged a gas can for a gas tank. The old Ford fired up and bellowed smoke for a few minutes but she ran. Then on the way out one of the rigs was not fully locked front and rear and could not make the hill either so he had to be towed out. That same day some good citizens who shall remain nameless placed a steel sign above the hill as a warning to others. In speaking with the Sheriff's Dept. we found out 2 dirt bikers got stuck there and could not even get their bikes out as well as a few other four wheelers. Someone even burned my spare tires as a signal for help. Everyone who got stuck there but us was rescued by helicopter and took refuge in the old Ford until the copter came. We hoofed it, it was actually just a real long hike for us.

Maybe that was our purpose in getting stuck, maybe God knew we could make it out but those that would follow would need shelter etc. and the old Ford provided it, I'd like to think so anyway

So next time you are out and loose that nugget, or dump that pan remember at least you did not leave a truck there for 2 years but you know a dumb ass who did.