4x4 trip to Tip Top (lots of pics)

[C-grunt]

Last weekend a few friends and I took a 4x4 trip to Tip Top, which is an old silver mine and small town from the late 1800s.

http://azoffroad.net/tip-top-mine/4550650591

Unfortunately, my wife wasn't able to come with her good camera so the pictures are not great quality. Also I took most of the pictures on the way back so some of the pictures show the vehicles going to wrong way than the cronological order of the posting.

The group. The first 4Runner is stock except for better tires, the second 4Runner is lifted 3 inches with bigger tires, the Tundra (mine) is stock, and the new F150 is stock. This is at the local staging area and we were airing down the tires.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_100004_zpscd1x1vk4.jpg

The first part of the trail is fairly easy. At one point you have to cross the Agua Fria river. Its fairly low at this point and is ow in general right now.

Picture from the other side.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_145345_zpswktsuhdm.jpg

Video of 4Runner crossing.

https://youtu.be/jOY7aRdmdTY

On the way to the mine you pass an old native fort of some sort built on the side of a cliff. I havent been able to find much information on it but it's really cool.

Trail to the fort.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_103121_zpsxdte2bfi.jpg

The fort

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_103539_zpsejzjanby.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_103618_zpshtczsgnl.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_103750_zpsrqy4cnet.jpg

View of the Agua Fria from the top

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_104231_zpsjc3chrvy.jpg


Past the fort you start driving down ravines and washes towards the mesa that you have to climb as the mine is along a stream on the back side. Here having a large truck can start to become a hinderance. I dug some nice divots with my front tow hooks and my trailer hitch.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/3389_zpsvsuhqha6.jpeg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/3392_zpstmixx2wy.jpeg

The climb up the mesa is several miles and at parts gets fairly steep.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_113113_zpseakzhvwd.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_113427_zpsedlzl632.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_122347_zpseefpiszn.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_131408_zpsxo5my6i1.jpg

At the top of the mesa the views are gorgeous. Its a good place to take a lunch break or even camp. Its also a good turn around spot as the back side of the mountain and the creek to the mine is much rougher than the drve up to here.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_113800_zpszodpcfnu.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_134814_zps5crnxhcg.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_134957_zps1sgu2vbv.jpg

Panoramic video of the view

https://youtu.be/Q3giRXhcXhw

[C-grunt]

The back side.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_1146080_zpsxfhvhbwi.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_133302_zpsg55i8jjc.jpg

Along the stream at the bottom

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_132909_zpsrx4nraiq.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_131752_zpsyntukq99.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_131317_zpsjskna7mo.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_121326_zpstzvxw49d.jpg


Arrival at the mine.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_124605_zpstmfmrj6z.jpg

Whats left of the general store, brewery, and post office.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_124535_zpshm2osvz7.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_124559_zpszpfrq4uw.jpg


View from on parts of the mine.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/20151121_125724_zpsbxpythik.jpg

[Airhasz]

That looks fun, I wish it was near my location as I'd love to run my 4WD out there. You need a 6"lift and some 35's to stop kissing the gravel.:)Thanks for posting the pics, I enjoyed them!

[Firefly]

That looks like a smashing good time!

[Nightstalker865]

Looks like a fun trip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OH58D]

C-Grunt, I've made that same trip myself, except on horseback. Beautiful, but rugged country. FYI, if you like old west history, and anything to do with Wyatt Earp, back in 1880, just after his divorce from his wife and between law jobs, John Harris Behan, tended bar in Tip Top for a while. He appears in the 1880 census there. If you know his history, he was the man who was Earp's nemesis in Tombstone a year and a half later and lost his girlfriend to Earp.

I am versed in the history of that area because my great grandfather and his brother bought stolen Mexican cattle from time to time from the Cow-boy element that ran in Southeast Arizona Territory. Some of that stolen cattle was sold to the Army and to ranchers in New Mexico.

[Honu]

very cool

[Iraqgunz]

C-Grunt,

You know that I hate you right? Damn it man.

[Wake27]

That's pretty awesome. I'm jealous, I'd love to be able to explore in my Jeep like that.

[cinco]

Thanks for sharing. God, I miss the desert and all the exploration options. The desert areas of the SW are some of the most beautiful landscape in the world IMHO.

[cbx]

Way cool. Thanks for sharing.

[brickboy240]

Very cool!

You need a lift and some 35's on that Tundra and you will get by fine.

My old 06 Tundra had a 3" lift and 33's and I made it through many ugly places...surprised me.

Usually for messier places...I opt for taking the Honda Foreman ATV and leaving the expensive pickup at the trail head! LOL