Peters Mesa Pack Trip After 2008 Rendezvous

[Roger]

I have been working with OK Corral in Apache Junction to pre-plan a 4-day/3-night pack trip to Peters Mesa on the Monday following the 2008 Lost Dutchman Rendezvous. I am now contacting some of the LDM Forum members to see who might be interested in going. While on Peters Mesa, one day can be used to climb to the top of Malapais Mtn. and the other full day will be used exploring Peters Mesa. Greg Davis has agreed to provide information on where to go and what to see. This should be an extremely interesting trip. This area is a key area in the LDM history, legend, and clues. Herman Petrasch, John Chuning, Tex Barkley, Walter Gassler, Crazy Jake, and many others worked this area over the past 100 years.

Currently, Cubfan and I are confirmed for the trip. Would like to get two to four more individuals to go. Need to be in good shape for this trip!

Here are the details and costs of the trip:

Peters Mesa Pack Trip
Depart: Daybreak - Monday, Oct 27, @ Tortilla Ranch Trail cutoff on Apache Trail HW88
Return: Evening – Thursday, Oct 30.

Arrangements: Staying nearly 4 days on Peters Mesa will require carrying water in with us. There would probably be water at Charlebois Spring, but it would take most of a day to hike down there and get back. This necessitates the use of packhorses as a minimum to get the water up there. In talking with Jesse Feldman at OK Corral, there are two options to consider:

Option 1: OK Corral will take two riders plus 3 maximum packhorses from Tortilla Ranch Trailhead up to Peters Mesa for a 3 night camp trip. Jesse says the brush along the trail by Tortilla Mtn is bad and he can’t take any more than 3 packhorses. Each packhorse can carry 150 lbs. This number of pack horses will allow the two riders to pack their water and camping gear in plus 4 additional individuals can make the trip by hiking in from the Tortilla Ranch Trailhead and having their gear packed in by horse due to the weight. Each of the six campers will get ½ of a packhorse load consisting of 6 gals of water weighing 50 lbs and 25 lbs of pack equipment for a total of 75 lbs. I am willing to be one of the riders out of the two and the other 4 individuals will hike in carrying only daypacks. All campers can have the option of just packing all of their gear out due to minimum water weight.

Option 2: OK Corral guide to take 3 packhorses up to Peters Mesa and 6 individuals to hike there with day packs. All campers can have the option of just packing all of their gear out due to minimum water weight.

Logistics: The campers will meet where the Tortilla Ranch Road cuts off from the Apache Trail HW88 at daybreak and all can ride the 3 miles on to the Tortilla Ranch Trailhead. A 4wheel drive vehicle is necessary for this trip so everyone can make arrangements to get into a 4X4 vehicles for the trip – I plan to rent one, but another may be needed. Once at the trailhead, the hikers can start on the trail. OK Corral will unload the 6 horses at the highway, bring them to the trailhead, meet Roger and the other rider there, pack the loads, and then head in to Peters Mesa. Everyone will meet on Peters Mesa and unload the packs at the campsite. If everyone hikes in, OK Corral would do the same steps – will have to hand off a car key to them so they can get the water/supplies out of the vehicle.

On Thursday, OK Corral will pick Roger and the other rider up on Peters Mesa and pack them out with one packhorse. The hikers have the option to just back pack out their camp gear back to Tortilla trailhead since the water will mostly be gone, or pay for one pack horse that could carry all 4 sets of their gear out. If everyone hikes in/out, then this step is not required.

Below is a summary of the trip option costs for each person with each horse costing $165.00/day including the guide horse plus a 15% guide fee on the total. I can provide a spreadsheet on the cost breakdown if someone would like it.

Option 1 Going In (Guide, 2 riders, 3 packhorses, 4 hikers)

Riders Going In (2): $316 Water plus gear
Hikers Going In (4): $127 Water plus gear

Option 1 Coming Out (Guide, 2 riders, 1 pack horse)

Riders Coming Out (2): $380 Water plus gear
Hikers Coming Out (4): $0 Carry their gear.

Option 1 Coming Out (Guide, 2 riders, 2 pack horse)

Riders Coming Out (2): $275 Water plus gear.
Hikers Coming Out (4) $79 Pack out their gear.

Option 2 Going In/Coming Out ( Guide, 3 packhorses, 6 hikers)

Hikers Going In/Out (6): $127 Water plus gear.
Hikers Walking Out (6): $0 Carry out their gear.

This pricing will vary up/down based on how many people do the trip. Variations of the options can be done also – packhorse the water only in and the hikers to take their camp gear in themselves. Would cut the number of horses down.

I would like to know if others would be interested in making this trip and what option they would be interested in using. Also, is there someone else that you would recommend for a camper mate that could go?

Please let me know ASAP if you are interested in making this trip so that the number of campers can be finalized and the costs known by the option selections. My contact information is:

Roger

[djui5]

Best of luck Roger. This is going to be a fascinating trip and I really wish I could make it.