2013-09-07 43 -116

Location

In the desert NE of Murphy

Participants

Plans

I'm going to try to get there this afternoon, hopefully sometime between 3 and 4.

Expedition

I arrived at the turn off from the highway just a little after 4pm, to find that the dirt road heading towards the hash was marked with a 'Road Closed' sign. This was a bit over 2 miles from the actual hash. Disappointed, but undaunted, I parked my car and set off walking towards the hash. About a quarter of a mile down the road, I started to see signs of recent flooding. A bit further along, I found a spot where about 30% of the width of the road was washed out. I followed the road to a point about 500 yards from the hash, then turned and walked across the desert for the remaining difference, avoiding patches of mud which remained from the recent flood. But once I got a couple hundred feet from the road, all signs of the flood vanished. Getting to the hash from here wasn't too difficult, though I took a somewhat indirect route to avoid some rather steep slopes. Once at the hash, I took pictures, and turned around to head back to my car. As I was walking back to my car, I noticed a tractor on the road behind me, heading very slowly in my direction. It caught up to me maybe a quarter of a mile before I reached my car. The driver got out and asked if I would like a lift, which I accepted. The tractor was easier than walking, though probably only 50% faster. It was being driven by a local farmer who was attempting to re-surface the damaged road somewhat. I asked him about the flood damage, and he said that just yesterday, they'd had rain in a narrow corridor through the area which caused flash floods. The area where any rain at all fell was less than a mile wide, but had roughly followed the course of the road. He informed me that the area gets flash floods like that maybe once every 40-50 years. after about 10 minutes of riding with him, he dropped me off at my car. I thanked him for the ride, and headed home.

The road nearest the hash is closed, apparently due to recent flooding. Posting this while proceeding towards the hash on foot. -- Eldin (talk) @43.2284,-116.5501 16:36, 7 September 2013 (MDT)