Crazy Cook Start?

[ryandax]

Hi y'all! CDT 2013 planning is on schedule and going great. I was wondering if anyone could share their Crazy cook monument experience. I have a 2008 subaru outback and was wondering how rough the road is and if my vehicle would make it to the monument? Thanks!

[Ellie]

My ride to Crazy Cook with Sam was tough in his Scout. I believe I remember stalling once also. This was several years ago though, so maybe it has been improved? I love to go off road any chance I get, but I would not try this one in your Subaru. My information is dated though, so maybe someone from the past year will respond. Good luck and have fun!

[dirtmonger]

Sam had a doctor's appt. when I went down to Crazy Cook. He had a friend pick me up in a pick up truck at Deming and swooped me down to Crazy Cook. 9 miles southwest on Hwy 9 is when the fun began. The Toyota pick up truck handled fine and very very slow though the road is really rutted, rocky, and out there! Sam's truck busted a flat from the road 2 weeks prior to my going down there and the 2 hikers had to walk the rest of the way to Crazy Cook, some 11 miles or so. There is not many services, in fact none, and it is real easy to get lost. I feel that unless you know the area and the roads I would suggest getting a ride down to the monument from Sam. I, too, thought about having someone drop me off in my truck but once I was on the dirt road to the monument in someone else's truck who knew the area I felt extremely better. I would feel uncomfortable leaving someone to drive their way out of the isolated desert. Also, border patrol scour the area. Sam's friend knew exactly how to encounter and interact with them. He also, pointed out wells and the water caches on the way down so I didn't have to look for them.

[SunnyWalker]

So does anyone have the telephone number for Sam? Please post it here.

[dirtmonger]

Yogi's CDT handbook has it.

[SunnyWalker]

OK. Thanks. Glad I have Yogi's handbook. Maybe others don't though.

[SunnyWalker]

Ha, ha I thought at first it was Crazy Crook, a name that came from a famous Native American? Like Crazy Horse? Then I found out it was "Crazy Cook", not "Crazy Cr-ook". Still thought it was an Native American type of thingy. I read yesterday that the "Crazy Cook" as in the Southern Origin of CDT (just to be sure you know what we are talking about here) was a "crazy" cook! I mean, like a cook who cooks food! I guess the cook went bonko crazy, (thus earning the name "Crazy Cook") picked up an axe and murdered a fellow named Frank Evans. This happened on June 12, 1865. Supposedly at the site there were the CDT starts. One wonders what they were doing there . . . mending fence? Having a picnic or bar-b-que? Certainly in 1865 people were not hiking the CDT??!? "OK, Frances, lets keep our minds healthy on this hike we are setting out on . . .".