Exploring Arizona's Abandoned Highway 60 and the Claypool Tunnel
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 เม.ย. 2023
- Today, US Route 60 in Arizona links the town of Superior and Globe but up until the 1920s, a road between the two towns, separated by only 23 miles, didn't exist. That was until the building of the Superior-Miami Highway in 1922.
The road covered 21 miles through the mountains and was known as the Arizona Highway Department's most ambitious project of its time. Building the highway cost about $1,000,000 and the road became known as the Million Dollar Highway.
In 1926 in an effort to straighten the road some, the Claypool Tunnel was blasted into the mountains. Eventually the road would become part go Highway 60 as the it expanded into Arizona.
The road was known for being steep, narrow, and curvy and by the late 1940s work had begun a new alignment. With the completion of the Queen Creek Bridge in 1949 and the Queen Creek Tunnel in 1952, this section of the highway was bypassed.
Luckily, the old highway remains. In this video we head down the abandoned section of the road as we travel through the Claypool Tunnel, visit both the old and new Queen Creek Bridges, find relics from the roads construction and Superior's mining days.
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I want to tell you. The only thing better than this video is the audio. TH-camrs take note of the perfect sound level. Music not too loud. Clear concise narration and zero wind noise. Thank you.
Totally agree!
Yes. My thoughts also
In 1938, my grandparents and their 4 kids traveled this old road. They were moving from San Saba County, Texas to Arizona for my grandfather, Marvin Leroy Smelser's health. My Grandma Vera [Cooper] Smelser was scared to death of heights and drop-offs and worried so about the falling rocks. As they gradually got out of the mountains, Grandma wanted to go back to Texas, but after Granddad reminded her they would have to travel that scary and crooked road again, she relented. They arrived in Gilbert on July 10, 1938 and slept in a tent on the banks of the canal, wetting blankets in the canal water and spreading them over the tent to stay cool. They lived in Gilbert for 3-4 years and in 1942 bought land in Chandler Heights where they remained the rest of their lives (1998).
You did a wonderful job narrating your venture. Thank you for the history lesson.
Sometimes TH-cam recommends the most random videos that turn out to be really awesome. This is one of those videos! Thank you for sharing this fascinating journey and showing us the everything as you educated us about the history. I'm absolutely delighted to have come across such an awesome history lesson that will never be taught in schools. Excellent camera work too! 🙂🙂🙂
+1
@@unokarpa4405 Yeah, it also popped up as a random video for me and it looked interesting so I watched and enjoyed it.
I used to watch videos like this years ago but now I mainly watch tech and science videos, so this was a nice change and brought back old memories.
I passed over this road, from Phoenix to Globe, in about 1952, before the new tunnel was opened. The road out of Superior was scary at the time due to the narrow pavement and sharp dropoffs.
I was about 11 or 12 years old at that time and had just moved to Phoenix from Minnesota in 1950, so this was quite a change for me. There were no freeways or even major roads to the East from Phoenix in the early 1950s, so this was the way.
My dad is your age and came to Phoenix from Ontario in 56'. He hated it at first because of the heat and lack of greenery but ended up spending his life there.
Do you wish you'd bought a lot more land in The Valley back then?! 😅
Those “carabiners” were not from people climbing, when that tunnel was in service they used those to hang wire rope woven nets to catch any rock that may fall from the roof of the tunnel.
Interesting info note. Thanks
Frank Lentz
Great call!
Wow Frank thanks for ur knowledge. I love smart people❤
Very interesting journey
This was awesome. I love old roads.
The year was 1929, and my Grandpa was 19 years old. He was born and raised in Seattle WA. His older sister was married and living in Globe. Grandpa decided to go visit her for a few months. He hitchhiked and hopped trains to southern Calif, then headed east to Phx, then Globe. He would have been on this old road in 1929. He had some good stories of his trip, like the fact that cowboys and Indians both, would ride into Globe on horseback, because not everyone had cars then.
There is a chance he took a train instead.
@@cactusjackNV There was never train service between Superior and Miami, he would have had to travel from Phoenix to Benson then Benson to Globe. There was train service since 1909 between Miami and Globe, but it was to service the mines more than for passenger service since Globe and Miami weren't that far apart. I know there was limited passenger service when Miami was being developed, but it was mainly to bring businessmen to Miami in hopes they would start up a business in Miami. I was born in Miami in 1949, dad took the old highway from Miami to Superior before the roads disintegrated, it was scary as heck in dad's 1949 Chevy pickup.
Cool history and story of your grandpa 👍👍👍
@@cactusjackNV "He hitchhiked and hopped trains to southern Calif" ...
@@AZHITW "He hitchhiked and hopped trains to southern Calif, then headed east to Phx,". His train travels were in Southern Cali.
Those large holes in the tunnel walls weren’t for blasting purposes. My Dad was a driller for Boyles Bros drilling and he drilled those in the ‘70’s for a company to perform tests on. Thought you might want to know. You did a great job explaining the history, thank you.
Thanks for letting me know. Makes sense.
70s, not 70's. Seventies, not seventie's. 😊
@@Locutus Booooo! not Boo
@@tiernet Ok! Or is that okay? Or OK?
@@Locutus at the risk of being pedantic, isn't it : " '70s " ?
and as long as we're asking ...
who left the plane doors open for the wind to come sweeping through ? B-)
I grew up in Globe on Highway 60 and can't begin to tell you how many times I rode through this tunnel with my Dad driving and when I became old enough to drive I did. The entire Highway 60 stretch between Superior & Globe/Miami is not only an engineering marvel with the cuts, grading, elevations and bridges but makes for a view packed exhilarating drive.
KTD.....lol,Miami,AZ. Seems odd they just recycle names of towns across our huge Nation. Tee
yeah...exhilarating to have giant trucks tailgating you at 80 mph because they want to hit the mountain curves at 90 mph
History like this and general travel around Arizona makes this state great. Side note-as many great food destinations there are mostly in the cities I found small towns like Prescott, Bisbee and the like have the pizza…yup, I said it. Is it because the towns use well water instead of CAP water for the bread? I don’t know but the dough for pizza and breads are always superior
people don't understand why I drive out there so often. I live in Phoenix. I drive out to globe just to see these beautiful mountains
KTD
And if you need to pee, just hang it over the ledge. Butt, don't think you can ride that little stream like white water rafting. More like yella.
I'm too old to walk these kind of trails now. I feel like I'm right beside you enjoying every nook and cranny of adventure that you see. Thank you so much Steve! Stay healthy, and keep me in my youth.
Hi Stephen, if you take the hiking route from Superior, it’s not a bad walk up to the tunnel. It’s pretty flat with a pretty east incline. We took strollers and my daughter in her wheelchair. Toy pretty much just follow the old Highway up.
@@irisamanda3922 This is good information. Thank you.
Steph to Steve.
@Stephen Davis What a beautiful comment Stephen👍🏜️ We will all be there some day, so nice to be able to enjoy outdoors from some good folk on TH-cam 😊
I know you have had a lot of thumbs up and comments on your comment here. I am right there with you. He really does amazing work and I too feel like I am right there going along with them on their treks. I am also too old and couldn't do any of it but I love how we are taken along for the amazing hikes, roads and history.
When you look at old roads like these in general & think back to the cars from the 40's & 50's that traveled them, they weren't what you would consider compacts! No power steering, brakes, & even non synchronized stick shift transmissions, our grandparents & parents really must've had quite some adventures traveling back in the day!
I love the history you provide with your hikes. Raised in Florence, I have traveled US60 100's of times and I love how you explore AZ with historical additions.
In 1974 when I was a teenager, my parents and I were driving back from Show Low AZ and when we got to the Queen Creek tunnel, my mom told my dad 'to take us down the old road through the old tunnel.' It was an open, still mostly paved road back then. We traveled down and through the tunnel at a max speed of about 22 mph and my mom was on the edge of her seat!!! My dad's F150 barely fit through the tunnel. It was great fun!!! Thanks so much for taking me back along that road!!!
That's really cool. I wonder when they stopped letting people through.
Susan..I also was born and raised in Florence and Coolidge... My Father, Jack Sturgeon drove cattle trucks for Frank Lynch in Coolidge and I remember driving that old road just once when I was a kid because of a rockfall. Later in life I was able to walk that tunnel with my wife and kids, what memories it brought back! Thanks Pop. 🥰
Hi Susan, thanks for sharing! I imagine that would have been an amazing experience to drive through. I'm only 20, but I love seeing old construction from times past and hearing stories like yours about it.
My grandfather died in a copper mine accident in 1924 . My 101 year aunt says that it occurred near the towns of Globe and Miami. I’d like to research that particular mine accident .
Show Low is such a nice town
I park down at the other end, walk in (~20 minutes) over the old bridge and then just under and past the new bridge. This point (at 8.51 of the video) provides the perfect spot to turn around and photograph the Milky Way (around 10pm to midnight) over the new bridge and the creek. Also, the lights from the cars and trucks passing along the bridge, provides some really nice light trails, with the small light dome from the town behind the mountain. Excellent video - I have always wondered what the road was like further in.
As an Arizona native, I've always wanted to know the history and SEE this section of abandoned highway. Every time I've driven up to Globe I have had this strong urge to stop and try to explore this!
Because of this video I now want to do this and will next weekend before it gets too much hotter 😄
So many cool places in the Queen Valley, Superior, Globe area
Yes I’ve wanted to go check that out too. Looks like a good hike!
@@redenergizedbu11 gonna be a lot hotter than the summer u fear if u ain't living right...
@Nicholas TV Restoring antique cars at the moment in muscle shoals Alabama. How about yourself?
Your video of Arizona’s Million Dollar Highway brought back quite a few memories. My family moved to Superior between my third and fourth grade years and we lived there until right after I finished eighth grade. By the time we moved to Superior the “old” road was already the old road and my father, who was the driver training teacher at Superior High School used the abandoned road as his classroom. His students were adept at negotiating the narrow twisties and drop-offs by the time they finished his class! I wasn’t old enough to ever drive on the old road but can remember exploring the tunnels and other mining remains accessible from the road. I’m pretty sure my parents were unaware of my familiarity with the stretch of Queen Creek along the old road.
хорошая история! )
I sure wish we had driving instructors like him now! It seems too many people on the roads these days never really learned how to DRIVE, they barely know how to operate their vehicles.
I remember as a young boy, my dad drove us down to the old road and through the old tunnel in the early 60's when you could still drive through it.
Great memories.
Thanks for the upload.
My aunt said that they had to back up this road with their Model T because first gear going forward wasn’t low enough to get up the hill. They also filled the radiator at the bottom and the top of the hill.
it was also because of how steep the road was, gas was gravity fed to the engine. Going forward at that grade fuel couldn't get the engine.
From the drone video, I would say it is a natural hole. When you look at the sides, and how they are aligned, it appears something just slipped out and left the cavern.
I have always wondered about that old cave/mine?
It's artificial. The sloped pile of dirt in it is from back-filling or dynamiting the entrance to keep people out. That's a common way to close old tunnels. Someone even more curious and adventuresome than the folks writing here apparently dug through the debris dirt.
Not only are your adventures really cool, you pack them full of great & interesting information which makes your videos fun to watch every time. I came to Arizona 23 years ago from Oregon, raising my kids here, just started getting out as my youngest is now 12 and I can tell you, I really need to get out more☺️ Thanks so much Steve for your awesome channel🤙🌵
Oh wow, I moved here from Oregon 27 years ago and love Arizona, hate phoenix though lol, too many damn people. But yeah there's alot of cool places, no pun intended, that are fun to go see
@@williamsherman1089 Hi William, yeah born and raised in the Medford area of Jackson County, Or. I took a trip to see a friend in Texas and traveled thru Arizona via the I-40 stopping in Kingman, Belmont and Flagstaff. I fell in love with Arizona and moved here in 2000. I've been back to Oregon to visit family and also go to Brookings to play at the coast with my kids, fun memories but nothing like Arizona🌵 Thanks William for sharing❣️ Cool stuff. I'm in the Prescott area, I definitely would not enjoy the Phoenix area☺️
Thank you, I really appreciate that. There is so much fun stuff to see in Arizona. I highly recommend checking out the Cactus Atlas channel too if you haven't seen it, as they visit a lot of great places in the area.
Yes, he really does
Lisa my kids are grown and I don't get out more either! 🤣
Thanks for another great look into Arizona history. My maternal great grandparents, both born in 1900 would drive this highway on the way to Miami from Florence back in the '30s. They would go dancing in Globe from time to time. One time my great grandmother wanted to drive up to Globe to go dancing and for whatever reason my great grandfather didn't go with her so she drove herself but got in an accident. It was a stressful experience for her but luckily she was not injured. However, she was very scared & from that time forward for the rest of their lives my great grandmother never drove a vehicle ever again and my great grandfather drove her where they went until he was in his 80s & too old to drive. Me & my family lived in Show Low in the 70s where my dad was a surveyor for ADOT. We would occasionally drive down to Florence to visit my great grandparents and also other relatives including my paternal grandmother. On our trips back up to Show Low my dad would take US-60 through Globe & through the Queen Creek tunnel. From the eastbound lanes I remember seeing portions of the old Highway & often wondered where that road went. Now I know! Thanks. I really enjoy your videos.
I went to Globe High in the 1980s, and once while on a trip to PHX, my buddy and I hiked down to the old tunnel. The "legend" of Apache Leap is true, although the number killed can vary from 15 to 300 depending on who's doing the telling. A type of black obsidion found at the base of the cliffs is called Apache Tears, and can be bought at rock shops in Globe-Miami.
Thanks for the memories! Subscribed.
Thank you, I appreciate it.
воину нет никакого смысла кончать жизнь самоубийством.
воин погибнет в бою и заберёт с собой столько врагов сколько сможет.
апачи - воины.
When I translate this from russian to english:
It makes no sense for a warrior to commit suicide. the warrior will die in battle and take with him as many enemies as he can. Apaches are warriors.
I was born and raised in Miami, Arizona and am a 5th generation Arizonan. I used to get so many good stories about the old highway and tunnel from my grandparents. Love this!
When I was a kid , I found an old well away from the house about a mile. I was a 13 old looking for lost gold treasure. I got down past where the sun was able to light up that part of the well . I took a few more steps down the side ladder in the well and heard some friendly rattles that were happy to say hello to me. Told my dad and he covered it up with roof corrugated aluminum sheets . Then police came over and they had some workers place a cement slab over it. Of course I kept my mouth shut while getting pats on the back on what a good boy I was. I never told them , I actually tried to go down the well. Sure glad I did not fall and hurt those snakes. My dad wacked me pretty hard in front of workers and now I know it was sarcasm , when he said I did good in telling him. The Sonoran desert beautiful place to play in as a kid. yellow scorpions got me few times. Chased down few cintopies. And got bit tons of times by fat meaty red ants. .We had Kerosene lamps back then. Had to move beds away from walls at night so nothing crawled on you. Peed out front door at night , no way walking to odd house. 8 people to one bed when thunderstorms felt like they were next to you. girls facing top of bed and boys at their feet. Remember stepping on embers left in a pan to heat room in winter at night. So funny to hear older people curse in dark. Which squinkle is laughing?? Me being youngest boy would get lumped in with younger sisters. Between giggles... I am not laughing. lol. Rough times but never seemed like it because we had each other. Sappy but true. Thanks for memories. We had nothing on 4th world countries. and now i can say. I loved it. Thanks mom dad for making us go to school. RIP. Sorry so long winded . Will erase soon. Long journey. now living in paid for home in La Jolla CA. Thank you lord for keeping us alive. Especially little sister.
@@trevormiles5852 Please dont erase your comment ...... it's important people read what the past was really like
@@meichong8278 Thanks Mei, will keep it up for awhile. So many good people helped us along the way. Nobody does it on their own. People still live like this mei. Not just in reservations but outside of rural cities. Not many but some.
@@trevormiles5852 sounds like some amazing memories
@@judistocker1811 Let me be charitable to myself and say... I am glad they are in the rear view mirror. Would not change them for anything though🤩. (have no idea what the stars in eyes means lol, just like the look hahaha)
I just love your laid back and manner of fact style that you employ in your videos. I t is annoying to listen to creators that try to make the vid all about themselves and push the subject of their vids to secondary status. I have lived in the Phoenix area since 1947( I’m 76), so all of your videos are quite interesting to me. Az. ,SoCal, and the general southwestern area of the U S are awesome to me. Thanks Steve from an old guy who has been to many of your video sights, but still learns about new things that I was clueless about!
My grandfather Sam Herron was a miner in superior and did the blasting for the old tunnel. My mom used to talk about my granma driving her big Mercury down that canyon. It was one lane road in many places with turnouts. And yes my mom Ruby said it was really scary. Nice video. Thanks
My Grandmother was born and raised in Superior. She moved away to the Rio Grande Valley when she married my grandfather in 1941. Most of her family stayed in the Superior area and I got to meet them in 1992. One of her cousins would exercise by walking all the way to the tunnel. For two weeks we got to walk the old road every day. This refreshes those memories.
Great video Steve. As a young girl living in Phoenix in the 1930s my mother traveled this road on the way to Globe. I have an old Post Card photo of the tunnel showing a hand painted sign on the rocks, “Dont Stop Inside”. This video and the old Highway 80 near El Cajon are my favorites. Thank you for the enjoyment.
DW, what you must have seen of the Southwest in the 30's!
My family moved from the East coast to Tucson a half century ago in time for me to start high school & my next older sibling to start college there. I cannot count the number of times I’ve traveled the “new” 60 between Superior & Globe without knowing of the old alignment, tunnel, & bridge. Steve, thanks for the inspiration to break out my hiking boots & make like you!
My best friend moved from Chicago to Tucson in the 80s and worked at Pima CC until 7-8 years ago when she moved to USVI. Hell, even my Mom lived in Tucson for a brief bit in the late 50s and worked at UoA before moving back to NYS where she still lives. And I cannot tell you how many of my AF friends worked at D-M at some point in their career. Now, if I can only get my butt down there to visit, it would be even better :)
Nice video!
My grandpa drove that road for many years making delivers to the miners out at Globe. When i spotted this road the first time I drove out that way, I was deeply impressed by what he had to go through to get from point A to point B. Early roads were little more than glorified wagon roads but they were an immense improvement over the unpaved horse and buggy trails that came before them. Back then, we didn't really know how to build roads for cars and early cars were smaller affairs than the ones that came in the 1930s and 1940s. So the roads that got built just followed the terrain for the most part because that's what was the easiest, fastest way to build a road. The road that he's on is important because before, to get to Globe from Phoenix, you had to go to Florence and it would take most of a day to do (coaches traveled at 8-12 miles/hour on average). Typically, though, travel was scarce enough that you didn't often encounter a car coming the other direction. I mean, not like every two minutes. What the high way departments of that time often did was to create pullouts every so often so that one car could pull aside while the other one passed. Road markings were also basically non-existent and the rules of the road still in development. Mostly, it was just courtesy that determined what was done. Any cave over in that area is probably a mine entrance. That's why Superior is there, after all.
(Also, Queen Creek is spring fed so in some parts there is water pretty much year round but not enough to make a torrent. When it rains heavy is when it really runs, on its way down to join the Gila river as it heads on down to Yuma.)
Lastly, obvious tip: Start at the bottom first. Walking downhill to get back to your car is a lot easier! 😁
That was a fun tour. I love seeing the old maps and pictures you show us. Makes the historical context come alive. Lots of folks came and went. We are here now carrying on, and will at some point hand it all off to those who come next. It is all very grand and beautiful. Thanks! 🙂
Yes, Rand McNally fan here.....
On the way to Show Low is salt river canyon and they have the old bridge still standing right next to the new one . The road was originally one lane with turnouts so you could get passed on coming traffic . My friends father would go to the canyon when he was younger and people would pay him to drive their cars to the other side because the road was so sketchy !
Ricardo G.
I have many old photos of Salt River Cyn (hwy 60) 1959 and the Cafe / gas station? in the canyon. My first trip west @ age 16 with my parents. I drove our 59 Ford Galaxy the entire trip / with a leaners permit.?? Brave parents.??
Gave me a traveling bug that I still have @ 80yrs.. Love these videos as I never tire of viewing our great country!!
Keep-um rolling.
* get past
That canyon and all the hairpin turns with straights just about the length of the short chute between turns 3 and 4 at Indianapolis, is some of the most fun driving in the USA. The massive descent and ascent, losing and gaining thousands of feet of elevation, combined with endless curves, means that you'll smell burning brakes if someone tries going fast through it. And many people do exactly that.
I couldn't believe the shape of the road that the car's GPS showed coming up ahead.
Another great video. I too am fascinated by old roadways and railroads. Thanks!
I, too, love seeing old and abandoned and/or forgotten roads. This video was a treat.
I've only been to Queen Creek once, many years ago for a camping even, so I didn't know much about it. Those old roads are always so intriguing, and you make it easy for us to satisfy our curiosity. The old road with the hairpin turns was the death of a few people I imagine. I gasped when I saw how narrow the old tunnel is...even now that we have small cars again. It would never have worked in the 1970s. Love the old bridge, but even the "new" bridge has 'Art Deco' type lines. I laughed when you said, "But I've got a drone!" Thanks for this one, and braving the long, steep walk back. :)
I wonder how many cars scraped their sides on that tunnel over the years.
I moved to globe in1949 and when my family wanted to go to Phoenix we went through that old tunnel many times WE went to the grand opening of the "new" tunnel in 1952 big picnic bands and politicians. there used to be drill steel hanging out of the walls of the old tunnel that you had to wait for trucks to go by as they had to swerve to miss them. So thanks for your excellent insight and happy memories. j
I had friends in Globe and he took us ridin' dirt bikes all up and around this area and much more in 1972. Great memories I have while watchin' this.
Thank you for this. I drive this route daily over the past 12 years or so. I've walked the trail from Superior to the old tunnel before, but not beyond it. It is beautiful scenery.
As a resident in East County (San Diego), I love your videos about the region where we live. I have traveled all through Southern California and Arizona because of my job. Your videos are a real treat to watch. I find myself eagerly awaiting each installment. Thank you, Steve, for the great production quality, the choices of destinations, and the hard work (including the uphill hiking) to bring the content to us. Much appreciated.
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Your job doing what, may I ask?
Ha- fantastic! Are you in Santee? I lived there for a short time in the early 90s
From what I can tell, this stretch of highway was also part of the route of the Bankhead Highway through Arizona. I live in a town on the Bankhead through West Central Texas. The Bankhead was established in the early 1920's and ran from Washington DC to San Diego.
I lived in Georgia in the 80's and there was (or is) part of the Bankhead Highway there!
@@pxn748
Cool!
This is so cool! I love seeing these historic places. Your video made me feel like I was there. Thanks for sharing!
I love old abandoned roads , railroad tracks etc.!! Thanks.
Awesome video! I'm a San Diego Native who recently moved to Phoenix, so it's nice to see you out here.
Go back to California and bring your politics with you 😂😂
Jk
I’m with you, Steve, I love old roads! As long as you’re able, I welcome more of your exploration of them. As a sidenote, as you were walking down the old road, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the sky. I love the clouds of Arizona! They are probably the most interesting and beautiful formations.
There were a few dark clouds and it would go back and forth from warm and sunny to light rain then back again.
While I love the Southwest Clouds, S.E. Florida's Clouds can not be topped!
I've got that same old post card from the 40's of the old tunnel. You sure bring back the fondest of memories. Thank you❤ I'm so sentimental, this made me cry. But thank you again... even for my tears❤
First off, thank you for the cool video and showing the historical aspect to everyone. I never knew they used prison labor for that road! I grew up there and my family settled into the Pinto Valley area in 1880, and my brothers and dad were miners until the mines closed down. As a kid, I used to explore quite a bit and where that ore chute is, there used to be railroad tracks there running alongside Queen Creek. Dont know if they are still there. Also, that hole you explored with the drone is man made, looks like it has been filled in because it used to go deep down. I was a little apprehensive to explore most of those mine shafts but probably a good thing they closed them off. My dad and uncle used to tell me about how dangerous it was to drive that road back in the 50's and 60's, especially when it rained and snowed. If you have any questions, let me know.
👍
I grew up in Superior, moving to Prescott in 1966. Yes, Apache Leap is real and appropriately named. I remember my dad telling me stories about the new highway and tunnel. We'd always beg dad to honk the horn inside the tunnel every time we went through. I seem to recall a couple of "gashes" in the mountain side, one in particular seemed quite large to my 8 year old mind; these were easily viewed while driving on a short stretch of the highway.
I travel this each week and ALWAYS honk my horn. It's funny because many times when I start, others do as well. Keep honking my friends.
You must have surely known the Haro family in particular "Bobo" from Superior. They had a house on Palo Verde, and another one on Western. One of Bobo's son's confirmed to me, as well that Apache Leap was real. He worked in the mines, and welded the pig iron for the bus scene in the 1977 movie 'The Gauntlet". The scene where Clint Eastwood's character "Ben Shockley" commodores' a passenger bus to take his prisoner to Phoenix. That part was all filmed in Superior, along with the 1999 movie "U Turns".
I too remember honking the horn going thru the new tunnel, in fact driving to Clifton from Phoenix in 2 weeks and will definitely honk going thru the tunnel. 😂
Guys, thanks for the trip down memory lane. The only family I remember was our nextdoor neighbors and they moved away after the mines shut down. We used to live on Gibbs Street and there was a lumber company at one end of the street I think.
My family is the duartes . Anita Duarte
Love exploring with you.
When I watch these videos i realize just how vast this country is. Thanks
Good job on the video...That was an exploratory man made Drift....I could watch your drone footage all day.......Thanks again...........JB.
Very cool ! I live in Western Colorado. I’ve been up there a few times in my life. Last time was 2018 in a semi truck, pulling a dry van. Sign says 13’6 & semi trailers are 13’ plus tall 😮
My friend who passed away in 2017, moved to Globe with her family in 1948. From Texas, her husband was just out of the navy WW2. He went to work at the copper mines. Her husband died of a heart attack driving up the street, to the house in 1970. They later relocated to the city. Glendale, then Peoria.
She used to tell us stories of the days in Globe, & friends she still had there. She probably traveled thru that tunnel many times before the realignment of the road. Would be interesting what she could have told me about it.
In 1987, I attended UTI diesel tech school. Used to go visit her grandson in Miami on weekends. We would go cat fishing on the Salt River by Rosevelt dam.
Great video !!
Great job Steve
Keep those old roads coming.
Bringing back the life of an old road, from thoes who did and remember and that makes it have worth...
My kids want to walk this road every time we drive through there. I'm glad to see it's possible!
Great video. I love seeing the old alignments and some of the history behind the area. As a surveyor for a DOT for over 30 years, I've done many projects that straightened out roadways and always love to see how the old alignment is re-used or slowly erodes.
Did you work there in 1980?
@@tommorgan1291 Started in 1991. Many of my mentors started in the 60's.
Thank you for sharing. I, too, am a fan of old roads. I really enjoy the locations you present and the information about them that you include. Great videos.
Glad you like them!
I climbed the rock formation east side of the Queen Creek Bridge and South of 60 about 35 years ago. Two experienced rock climbers that I worked with invited me, a beginner. It was a blast! I think it was about 140 feet, if I recall correctly.
Thanks for posting this. It brought back a great memory.
I have a sister in law living in Superior, and during our visit in February we drove to Globe. I enjoyed your video and the history of the area it reveals.
Steve, I love old roads as well! You have great videos here! I have been at both ends of US 60 both past and present. In Los Angeles, California; Near Quartzite, AZ; Norfolk, VA and Virgina Beach, VA. I have traveled it from Phoenix west to LA; even before some stretched of I-10 were not in place and from Virgina Beach to Cairo, IL. In between I have traveled sections in southwest Missouri, northeast Oklahoma and Amarillo, TX. Even though I lived in Prescott, AZ for four years, I never traveled the section east out of Phoenix. Thank you for this video!
Great drone shots and your narrating is amazing!
Thanks Steve for taking me along. I enjoy most of your videos. 😊
Thanks TH-cam for the random recommendation. I love history. It’s so fascinating and fun to learn about things like this!
Another great video trip! I first visited Arizona via Route 66 early, but subsequent vacations there likely took US 60. But I do remember wrecked vehicles in canyons near Jerome, AZ and down in Taxco, Mexico.
I've seen a couple off Route 66 near Oatman. I wasn't expecting the one in this video. I tried to zoom in with my phone afterwards but couldn't tell what it was.
Yes, the back road from Prescott to Jerome was wild.. no guardrails and least 5 1940's vehicles on the rocks ... Haven't been there since the early 2000's. Beautiful area.
I really enjoy your video's Steve. You not only take us to see interesting places but also do your research to tell their stories. I hope you get to expand past just the southwest.
Thanks! I'll be in the Pacific Northwest for sure this summer, hopefully the Midwest too.
I lived in Globe in the middle 1960's and we took the "new road" to a medical specialist in Phoenix severals years. I was always inrerested in the road's history. THANKS for making this video!!
So many memories from doing this drive to visit my grandparents…
Steve, I live you videos! I notice you spend time in Arizona. I live in Yuma. The Sonoran desert is covered with history, even going back to the 1540’s. More history than a person can soak up. I’d be please to introduce you to the last of the old west if you come to Yuma. If interested, let me know.
Happen to be a Tow truck driver in that area. I drive that road almost weekly. There’s beautiful cliff faces as well with man made caves. Beautiful site to behold
I am most definitely impressed by our, Producers/Host. You not only do combo wonderful, travel logs. You do a great voice over. This is one hell of a script you wrote.. You write. You produce. You are no fake! You are a Real Producer. You're not fooling anybody here Mr.! And We Appreciate It!
It's not only a good, written sounding script. That is also expertly produced. Your sound is superb. You know what to do with, sound. What's the matter with you son? It's not all crappy sounding. And your music track is very nice. What nice selections you choose. I am Thoroughly Impressed.
And to tell you I never worked for a Major Television Network. For a couple of decades. And largely, in charge of Sound. As one of their Top Engineers. Would be a lie. Because I did. And nothing much impresses me. This was impressive. You are impressive. This is, impressive. And I am impressed. Not much impresses me. You do. You actually know what you are doing. What the hell is wrong with you son? Where is that good old American Incompetence? Where is that TH-cam Amateurism? No? Not your cup of tea? Mine either.
Son you are a breath of fresh air. I would like to get out to that fresh air where you are breathing, also. Don't breathe it all up. Leave some for us. As I shall arrive one day.. On that you can, Depends. If you have no Poise. Your advanced age. I'm only 68. And I know how to make compromises, in the desert. I have no problems eating, rattlesnake meat. As long as it is properly cooked. It taste like chicken.. Slightly sweeter for being such a, poisonous animal. Not something you can get very often. But something that can get you off, often. So I guess I'll stop wearing flip-flops?
Either way. You do Superb Productions. 100% All Pro, All The Way. I am duly, impressed. Nice to meet you.
RemyRAD
If i could go back in time i would without hesitation. I travel the modern roads for work and have no desire for today's hustle & bustle. Thanks for documenting and sharing with such high quality.
Adding my vote to all of the folks who appreciate that you have done your Homewok and have salted your commentary with background information and citations. That alone puts you waaay ahead of the typical "snoopers" who also have a presence on YT but leave their viewers with little more than pictures. Thanks again and keep up the great work!!
Yes to what you said Bruce. It really brought back memories for me.
You do a great job Steve of keeping the stories interesting and moving along. Congrats
Being from from Florida I really enjoy seeing hills and mountains and so enjoyed your video of old Highway 60 where people had to conquer elevation in getting from one place to another in what look like a harsh but beautiful landscape. Thank you!
Beautiful area!
I drove a passenger home from the hospital on 95th Ave and Thomas Rd to Globe one night. luckily I had a Garmin that would allow me to see the curves in the road ahead...there were no street lights to help. I've driven back there a few times in Claypool, Globe, and Miami. The man-made hill of silver mine slag reminds me of the Meadowlands in Jersey. It's ironic that there's a Kearny back there as well.
It's beautiful back there, but the forest fire kept me it the West Valley for safety concerns.
Dude, thank you for the time you put into this video! To give viewers something wholesome and educational speaks volumes of your character! 👍
I always enjoy your videos! So well done, thank you.
Thanks for this man. I grew up in the area in the 70s and 80s. But having been back that way in a long time. Now I'm homesick
Never seen or heard of this, but family and I have always had a tradition of honking when going through the newer tunnel.
Awesome video, glad to see you stuck it out to the end, most don"t. Always been a goal of mine as I'm about 20 minutes away, hope to replicate your hike.
Nice job. Next time you are in the area, look across Queen Creek as you drive east of the tunnel. You will see the remnants of the old stage coach trail used to travel between Miami and Superior...just across the road from the waterfall would be one of the better views of it.
Excellent video mate. It seems like you and I have the same interest in old roads. I am also very interested in old railroads. In short, I love everything old, except myself. 😄
Greetings from Norway.
What a great video and adventure. Nice drone work!
Love your videos. I live here in AZ and would love to explore so many places in the state but no takers to go. When you do your videos, it really feels like the viewer is hiking with you. Thanks so much for taking me along👍
Let's go together!!
I really enjoy your videos. I am from Oklahoma and I like Rt66 stuff, so you fit right in with the "old road" interests. Keep it coming, Steve!
We've been through that tunnel all my life and hiked the LOST trail and old tunnel below. Very enjoyable.
thank you for taking us along 🙏🏼 i love these old roads and all that goes with them 👍🏼
One of my neighbors often talks about traveling on old Hwy 60 with her parents when she was a little girl. This gives me a better perspective of her memories. Thanks. I've seen pieces of what you've shown in passing during my own travels on new Hwy 60 but haven't taken the time. Next time I travel to Phoenix I'll try to arrange more time to see it first hand. Thanks again.
Was up there just last week (from Mesa). Saw 6 rattle snakes. Be careful.
For whatever reason, its been a few years since I've come across any snakes. Of course, by saying this I'll probably run into a bunch now.
You jinked yourself
Just stumbled on this video. Awesome job. So cool to hear the history of stuff like this.
Very nice work. Thanks for your effort in doing this. Love it!
As an Arizona native, I'm extremely happy the algorith recommended this video to me. I didn't know this place existed! Given I'm on the southern side of the state, it'd be a day trip & I'd have to bike ride to enjoy the stretch in one day, but it's definitely on my list now. Thank you!
Thanks!
You rock!
Thank you so much. We really appreciate it.
Wow it's so overgrown that you can hardly tell it was ever a road. That's really amazing.
Very cool. Thanks so much for making this and sharing with us.
That was so COOL! So that town of Superior is now a GHOST TOWN?
No Superior is not a ghost town. I was just checking it out on Wikipedia
No, not a ghost town. Superior has about 4,000 residents, and more people will be moving there. It is very quaint there. Movies have been filmed there. The 1977 Clint Eastwood movie, "The Gauntlet" was filmed there, in particular when Clint commodores' the passenger bus, and the 1999 movie "U Turns", starring Sean Penn and Jennifer Lopez was pretty much entirely filmed there, or very near there.
You did it again, Steve. This video peaked my interest and remembrances of family history just as you did in your video, "The Ruins of Fort Craig and the Forgotten Battle of Valverde Ford" (see comments section). My father was born in Superior, the tenth of ten kids. My grandmother had just registered to vote in August 1920 right after the 19th amendment was ratified (we have her voter registration paperwork). Her first opportunity to cast a ballot was in November of that year. My dad was born on Inauguration Day (March 4, 1921, back then). Can you guess what my father's name was?? 😀
Warren.
@@zLigHt44 not just Warren, but Warren Harding.
Great video. Thanks for taking us along.
Nice job Steve - a lot of beauty.
I'm 99.9% sure that tunnel is man-made. The floor is too smooth, and it looks like it was blasted in. My guess is it predates the highway by decades. Someone started in, took samples, and realized it was a dry hole... Or they ran out of money to pursue it further. (Not to mention the access would have been miserable.)
That was my thinking too once I was able to get a look inside.
If you would have moved in further towards that small opening, you would have seen that it is a mine and does go down quite far. I went in about 20 feet, before there is another opening and drop off inside 👍
@@thisguy7406 finally someone saw the small adit in the right bottom corner...you knew
If you're talking about the "cave" then I'd agree it's artificial. FYI, that smooth dirt wasn't floor. Go back to 9:56 for a view showing it's a steep slope of dirt. I think it's the dirt from back-filling or dynamiting the entrance to keep people out. That's a common way to close old tunnels. Someone even more curious and adventuresome than the folks writing here apparently dug through the debris dirt, thus the adit mentioned-which really is not an adit because it's not related to the mining.
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing this history with us!
Enjoyable history of the roadway that I have passed through many times. Thanks for the tour & history of not only the roadway but also the area.
Wow, this is such an interesting video. Thank you for making & posting it.
Beautiful scenery! Thanks fot showing us around!