Crown King and BCT Bikepack coming up!

So I've been bikepacking several times, and this will be Marcus's first. This will double my longest (my previous long was 75ish miles up in the Cabin Loop area on the rim).

What better way to really get a feel for the challenges of the AZTR300 than to do this. I'm not sure if anyone has done it before, but here is an overview.

From my house near 51st ave and Happy Valley, head north through open desert and bypass the loop 303 and then CF Hwy in order to intersect with the Maricopa Trail.

Head west and use the MT to gain access to the newish trail system at Lake Pleasant where we will top off on fluids and then begin the dirt road grind around to the Crown King trail. This isn't a MTB trail, it's more of a 4x4/OHV trail that takes some beautiful country all the way up to Crown King.

I've done it in a vehicle, never on a bike. Strava research shows that people (much stronger than me) have ridden up there. So it's possible. Just gonna be tough with bikepacking gear. But that's exactly the point.

Once we acquire CK, we will refuel at the Saloon and general store. Then bomb down the dirt road all the way to basically I-17 where we will intersect with the BCT and head north to basically its Northern terminus at Mayer (yeah I know it goes beyond that, but we aren't going to do that). The plan is to get anything else necessary in Mayer and then start the trek South on BCT until we feel like we have had enough. Set up camp and crash out.

Next day get up and continue the southbound route and go into BCC/Rock Springs for any supplies/lunch and then continue BCT all the way south until we run into the Maricopa Trail again at which point we follow it back to my place.

A giant lollipop of goodness. At least in theory.

Here is what the route looks like: 154 miles and about 14k elevation...