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Tamo O'Shanter

Original Post
Pat Mac · · Bishop, CA · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 158

Video from this area great rock. Not the best access. Enjoy guys.

vimeo.com/36306790

ErikF · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 71

Pat,
Fantastic. Thanks.
It's a great untapped area. And "Thanks" to John Sherman and company for putting up a ton of great climbs at all grades. I can't climb a thing on Red Wall but my mouth waters checking it out.
Now all we need is money to build the road!
Erik

Red · · Tacoma, Toyota · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 1,625
ErikF wrote: Now all we need is money to build the road! Erik
No, there's a road already. You know that. We just need guaranteed access to the road and not the underlying threat that the mine that owns the first road can close access at any time.
That's my understanding of it anyways.
I guess more people could enjoy the place if there were a 2WD road. It's nice to have such a kick ass crag with nobody at it though.
ErikF · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 71

Hi Lucas,

This set of posts is about Patrick's neat video so I don't want to get too far afield but you brought up some important topics. You bettcha' I'm familiar with the "road" issues. When John Sherman was hired by a company to try to find a replacement for the climbing at Queen Creek that will be lost if the Resolution Copper mine expands to develop that huge ore body, he found Tam O'Shanter Peak and the related climbing. Working with that company and Resolution Copper he and others developed a ton of climbs there (hundreds) with great fixed gear, as well as lots of trad lines. The State legislature even passed a bill making it a State climbing park if certain things happened.

There were two huge elements that would need to be solved if Tamo were to become part of the equation for replacing the climbing to be lost at Queen Creek. Both remain. There is no permanent access to Tamo. The existing road, which is only passable by pretty short wheel base, high clearance four wheel drive vehicles, crosses through several private land parcels starting at the highway. The climbing itself has two large inset parcels of private land that total about 160 acres. In both cases the owners of those portions of the existing road and land parcels have requested that all climbers respect the private property rights, heed no trespassing signs, and stay out of areas with locked gates. If climbers are good citizens and stewards of the land, the current conditions can continue for now.

It is also important not to develop new routes on the private inset parcels, e.g., the huge walls to the southeast of Red Wall (i.e., climber's left of the approach gully) are off limits for now. All climbers approaching any of the climbs are crossing private parcels even when arriving under Tam O'Shanter Peak.

With money, both sets of issues can be solved, even if it's only to secure and improve the existing road to some set of road standards that would make reasonable passage for most four wheel drive vehicles.

Again, neat video, Patrick.

Erik

Red · · Tacoma, Toyota · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 1,625
David Sahalie wrote:If Tamo is a half-assed exchange for blasting the hell out of Queen creek, then the least they can do is buy the easements to provide access.
Don't stop there. They should do the same for every climbing area with "access concerns/issues" within a 60 mile radius of Queen Creek/Oak Flat. The amount of climbing they will take from climbers is unprecedented.

Sorry to have helped in hijacking your thread Pat, I never can watch your videos. Vimeo is the only video source that does not play on my cpu or my phone. SUX
Mark Mueller · · Surprise, AZ · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 185

Cool video, love vimeo, they're HD is so much better than youtube. Would like to check out Tamo sometime this spring, would an Isuzu Trooper make the road?

ErikF · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 71

The road is very easy for an ATV but that is about how wide the track is. The rancher parks down on the main dirt road near the turn off and unloads his ATV. Otherwise it depends on the rig and driver aggressiveness. John Sherman drove me in with his Jeep Wrangler no problem in 20 minutes. The short wheel base, power, and high clearance is a good model. I have made it in with John Farrell and his Tacoma pickup (I think it was). State Parks staff have made it in with their pick-ups. I have failed to get in all the way with a buddy and his Isuzu, which may only have been 4 cylinders. I cannot make it in my full size pick-up (Chevy Silverado 4x4 crew cab) due to high-pointing and turn radius. Some folks with Toyota and Nissan mid-size four wheel drive rigs have complained. It depends a lot on your motivation I guess.

erik hamilton · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 635

Hijack. I like that red funny. well i have been up there a few time in the last two months 6 i think thanks to RJ. I get up there in a 86 toyota 4x4. only had to use 4x4 once and that was the first time. the last two times i was up there ,there where not one but two full size trucks a tundra and a big ass dodge 4 door long bed even. i asked, dame must have been fun getting that up here? "not so bad, just good off roading skills i guss".it is narrow in spots but its really not that bad in my opinion. supper cool crag.had lots of fun there.thanks again for showing me the spot RJ.

JD Kendall · · Winslow, AZ · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 365

I have made the drive out there quite a few times... in my Dodge Durango (2003)... as long as you don't mind the pinstriping and you have the huevos to get a running start on a couple of the hills it isn't too bad...LOL

Seriously though I just took a 2011 Dodge Durango rental out there with AWD and it did pretty fn good... 1st time I have driven the AWD model and I was impressed... the traction control is pretty fn cool.

But it is definitely a long road in... my passenger wasn't too happy...LOL... she said she felt like she had just been through a blender.

RyanJames · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 505

It definitely feels like you've "been through a blender" when you go down that road, especially if you have a stiff suspension.

Definitely a cool crag. Erik, that was such a fun day of climbing! Let's go out sometime soon.

Curt Shannon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 5

Tamo is a nice enough crag, particularly if you're taken up there in a helicopter--it's the only way to fly... In no way, however, is it worth trading away Oak Flat for.

Curt

David Stephens · · Superior AZ/Spokane WA · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 987

Curt, Your one of very few people to get a Chopper ride in I would bet! They could pave the road to every crag in AZ and it never be worth the price of Oak Flats.

John Farrell · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 85

Guess I am the only one that thinks the road isn't too bad. You only need 4x4 for a very short section, right at the start, then you're in 2x4. Any stock SUV will be fine, in fact, I am willing to bet a Subaru Outback can make it. The short section of the road into The Homestead was worse than the last time I went up to Tamo.

Other than that, it's a good road. There was one turn where I had to back up, and re-align to get around. At that time I was in a Tacoma, and was specifically told wouldn't make it due to a long wheel base. So I don't see the need of a short wheel base.

Unfortunately, the road is long, so walking in like I see people doing at The Homestead, probably wouldn't be a good option, more like a backpacking trip.

It really boils down to the comfort level of the driver... 4x4ing is another one of my activities, and if you don't come out of a run needing an alignment, more Arizona pin striping, and have body damage, then it wasn't a good run.

Ben Beard · · Superior, AZ · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 215
John Farrell wrote:Guess I am the only one that thinks the road isn't too bad. You only need 4x4 for a very short section, right at the start, then you're in 2x4. Any stock SUV will be fine, in fact, I am willing to bet a Subaru Outback can make it. The short section of the road into The Homestead was worse than the last time I went up to Tamo. Other than that, it's a good road. There was one turn where I had to back up, and re-align to get around. At that time I was in a Tacoma, and was specifically told wouldn't make it due to a long wheel base. So I don't see the need of a short wheel base. Unfortunately, the road is long, so walking in like I see people doing at The Homestead, probably wouldn't be a good option, more like a backpacking trip. It really boils down to the comfort level of the driver... 4x4ing is another one of my activities, and if you don't come out of a run needing an alignment, more Arizona pin striping, and have body damage, then it wasn't a good run.
HAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHHAHA, I may note, no damage to the superu
Joe Auer · · Utah · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 375
Curt Shannon wrote:Tamo is a nice enough crag, particularly if you're taken up there in a helicopter--it's the only way to fly... In no way, however, is it worth trading away Oak Flat for. Curt
flies into tamo in heli, doesn't climb anything

cool story, bro. now tell us all how the crybaby boulder got its name.
Red · · Tacoma, Toyota · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 1,625

Impressive Ben. I saw a CRV at the Homestead two weeks ago. still shocked.

Brigette Beasley · · Monroe, WA · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 275
Red wrote:Impressive Ben. I saw a CRV at the Homestead two weeks ago. still shocked.
Someone mentioned a friend with a souped-up CRV that hauled ass up the Homestead road like it was nothing...
David Stephens · · Superior AZ/Spokane WA · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 987
Joe A wrote: flies into tamo in heli, doesn't climb anything cool story, bro. now tell us all how the crybaby boulder got its name.
Haters got a hate, I would guess.
Linda White · · maricopa, AZ · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 100
ErikF wrote:The road is very easy for an ATV but that is about how wide the track is. The rancher parks down on the main dirt road near the turn off and unloads his ATV. Otherwise it depends on the rig and driver aggressiveness. John Sherman drove me in with his Jeep Wrangler no problem in 20 minutes. The short wheel base, power, and high clearance is a good model. I have made it in with John Farrell and his Tacoma pickup (I think it was). State Parks staff have made it in with their pick-ups. I have failed to get in all the way with a buddy and his Isuzu, which may only have been 4 cylinders. I cannot make it in my full size pick-up (Chevy Silverado 4x4 crew cab) due to high-pointing and turn radius. Some folks with Toyota and Nissan mid-size four wheel drive rigs have complained. It depends a lot on your motivation I guess.
Erik,
I'm curious, is this a project the qcc.corp was working with RCM on recently? I know there was a lot of money your group was trying to get in trade of the land swap. Was that money considered for a road out to Tamo?

Just wondering, I haven't seen anything mentioned of Tamo in the meeting notes that have been posted.

Are all negotiations in the past now?

Pat~
Cool video, thank you.

Red~
Good points.

David~
Hey there, are you out here right now?

Linda
Linda White · · maricopa, AZ · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 100

The silence is very loud!!!!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Arizona & New Mexico
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