US60 Jones Water, Salt River Cny by Bicycle - Velo

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US60 Jones Water - Salt River Canyon s(u)

This is what Arizona roads are best at, long climbs up slanted plains. But sometimes it's difficult to find a way down the other side of the slanted plain. Not so in this case. The other side of this rim climb is a spectacular canyon, that is more pronounced than the slanted plain climb from Globe. This is a major traffic thoroughfare, and there are rumble strips. But the climbing shoulders are so wide, it is actually a pretty good ride traffic-wise too, in my opinion, after you get used to the noise. Also, traffic in my case may have been extra heavy because it was 2 days before Christmas, but at least it was cool enough.

As for the next climb to the north out of the canyon, very spectacular - But in that case it really is very difficult to impossible to find a way back down on the other side within a reasonable distance. There is no other side. But if it's a one way climb, where is the top? Due to these imponderably difficult questions, a page for that climb eludes me sofar.

1.START-END SOUTH:jct Az188 - US60. just east of Globe
2.TOP: US60 Jones Water - Globe s(u), 4980ft
3.low point between summits, immediately south of Jones Water campground turnoff
4.TOP: US60 Jones Water - Salt River Canyon s(u), 5980ft
5.START-END NORTH:bridge over Salt River Canyon on US60

Approaches

From South. US60 coming from Globe reaches an intermediate low point at the Jones Water campground, From here the wide road bends up the hills like an old tree in the breeze. At times you can make out the mountains of the Four Peaks Wilderness far to the west, and come to the conclusion that they are getting very close to eye level. A nearby microwave facility on a conical hill is a give away that the summit is near.

From North. (described downwards) Just looking at the surroundings, it is actually completely unclear if this is indeed the summit. All that is clear is that the dessert is over, and that we are surrounded by a juniper type forest, that is pretty flat, though probably on a large scale slant. The profile verifies that the next little climb on this straight road over a high plateau actually does not amount to much, and the real summit was back at the rim.

But the best part is just ahead. What is just a forested hill at the entrance to the San Carlos Apache Reservation soon becomes a spectacular descent over large radius curves that stack up on top of one another, as seen from a descending bicycle. Recipocal views of the road climbing back out of the canyon are a unique feature of this set of climbs. Cacti also make one last appearance on the northward journey, as you approach the bottom of the canyon. An old bridge over the Salt River has been renovated and re-purposed as a pedestrian bridge, right next to the new highway bridge. This makes an attractive place to stop.

cLiCk on image , arrows , or thumbnails to advance slideshow

Dayride with this point as highest summit:

COMPLETELY PAVED:

( < Az188 Apache - Globe s(u) | US60 Jones Water - Globe s(u) > )

US60 Jones Water - Salt River Canyon s(u) x2 , additional out and back: Jones Water campground <> US60 north <> US60 Jones Water - Salt River Canyon s(u) <> bridge over Salt River <> up north side of Canyon << turnaroud point at parking lot at ~4720ft: 55.1miles with ~6380ft of climbing in 5:36hrs (garmin etrex32x r4:24.12.22)