N Halfmoon Creek Road Condition

[atalarico]

Hey all,

Just curious if anyone has been up Halfmoon Creek road past the 110.J junction in the past week or so. There's a condition report from a couple weeks ago, but wondering if anyone else has been and can provide any more recent beta.

I'm hoping to drive up there tomorrow for a three-day weekend of dispersed camping and climbing just past the actual trailhead. I have no idea if there are any actual sites around there, I'm just basing it off of the flatter-ish spot on the topo around the 11,400ft line, so input welcome! Also, the reason I'm trying to push it that far is to get away from the crowds a bit, but let me know if it's just a junkshow all the way up to the mine anyway and I'll probably go elsewhere.

Qualifiers: I have a 3" lifted and locked '97 4Runner, and a hi-lift to use a come-along if needed. No second vehicle though to winch me out, and no snorkel, so I don't want to push it too hard per se. I have about 6 years of off-road experience here, but part of that is knowing before you go, hence the beta request.

Cheers!

PS My backup plan if it sounds like it's going to be a zoo (past the normal zoo area of the road fork) is to go to the West Winfield TH area. Good backup plan or expect the same?

PPS Don't get me started about why we're not leaving after work (read: girlfriend issues).

[straight_up]

I was up there on Thursday. I parked my 4-wheel drive vehicle at the 110.J junction and hiked the extra 1 mile to the 4wd TH. There are numerous dispersed campsites (notably within 1 mile of the junction) as well as spots 1+ mile past the 4wd TH. It was very crowded around the campgrounds, but not so much past the Mt. Massive parking area. I did not see anyone along the 110.J road to Iron Mike Mine.

[atalarico]

I was up there on Thursday. I parked my 4-wheel drive vehicle at the 110.J junction and hiked the extra 1 mile to the 4wd TH. There are numerous dispersed campsites (notably within 1 mile of the junction) as well as spots 1+ mile past the 4wd TH. It was very crowded around the campgrounds, but not so much past the Mt. Massive parking area. I did not see anyone along the 110.J road to Iron Mike Mine.

Cool, thanks for the info! I'm thinking the sites past the 4wd TH will be less popular, but hard to tell until I get there. I know that the road to Iron Mike Mine is probably not going to have many dispersed campers, but I read the road itself is significantly more challenging than the one that goes up to the Massive 4wd TH. Thoughts?

[gspup]

I was up there on Thursday. I parked my 4-wheel drive vehicle at the 110.J junction and hiked the extra 1 mile to the 4wd TH. There are numerous dispersed campsites (notably within 1 mile of the junction) as well as spots 1+ mile past the 4wd TH. It was very crowded around the campgrounds, but not so much past the Mt. Massive parking area. I did not see anyone along the 110.J road to Iron Mike Mine.

Cool, thanks for the info! I'm thinking the sites past the 4wd TH will be less popular, but hard to tell until I get there. I know that the road to Iron Mike Mine is probably not going to have many dispersed campers, but I read the road itself is significantly more challenging than the one that goes up to the Massive 4wd TH. Thoughts?

I have a lifted jeep and never even thought of engaging the locker anywhere on that road. You should be fine. I was up there last year for reference.

[JQDivide]

I drove part of the road last fall and hiked most of it.

Near 10,800 it crosses a creek, about 1 mile up the road. (room for one tent here). This is where I parked, but should have drive on.
Cross the creek and go immediately to your right to skip the worst part of the road. Go around the tree and up.
After this there are a few boulders in the road for the next 100 yards or so, but nothing to worry if you have experience. After that the road smooths out.

With your vehicle you shouldn't have any issues with this road.

I only noticed a few camping spots between the creek and the upper basin, but it shouldn't be crowded.



Here are some photos of right after the creek...
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/threport.php?recnum=4519

JQ

[atalarico]

Wait, are we all talking about the road that goes up to the Massive TH or the branch 110.j that goes to Iron Mike Mine? Sounds like either way will be fine and I should be able to find an open and quiet dispersed camping site? Setback from the road in a stand of trees is always ideal since I don't like feeling like a museum display for people going by.

[JQDivide]

I'm talking the branch up toward Iron Mike Mine for French Peak.
If you're talking the Massive TH, you'll be really fine. Some of the dirt around that culvert has washed away, but still passable.

[atalarico]

Well, sweet! That's great info regardless, and I know what the backup plan is now if we can't find a decent site past the Massive TH!