Bald Mountain 7298 - Prescott NF, AZ

An off-trail hike to a beautiful 7,298’ in the Bradshaw Mountains. The views are awesome and comparable to the “big gun” peaks of the Bradshaws (i.e. Union, Davis, Spruce, and likely Tritle although I haven’t done that one yet). At just 0.99 miles ‘as-the-crow-flies’ from the summit of Spruce Mountain, Bald & Spruce would make a nice ‘bifecta.’ For an ultra day-hike kind of deal, Mt. Davis, Union, and/or Tritle can also be thrown into the mix.


For those who love to visit old mines/mining areas, the Bradshaws will not disappoint. In the immediate vicinity of Bald Mountain alone are the following [which I obtained from the Route Scout Topo]: Victor Mine, King Benjamin Mine, Mark Twain Mine, Midnite Test Mine, Monte Cristo Mine, Transcendent Mine, Arizona Victory Mine, Sheldon Mine, Pine Mtn Mine, Accidental Mine, Combination Mine, and Mudhole Mine. As is often the case, I also encountered a few areas with evidence of old mining activity that was not listed on the Route Scout topo, including one along the ridgeline-like summit of Bald Mountain.

There are numerous takeoff points for accessing Bald Mountain; the “trailhead” I selected is one of many suggestions. There are also many nearby trails and dirt roads, allowing one to easily adjust the amount of trail/road hiking vs. bushwhacking. Based on topography alone, Bald Mountain looks accessible in almost any direction; and with many mines in the area, [including the one along the ridgeline-like summit], several routes were leading up the mountain, making the bushwhacking more pleasant and faster than anticipated. However, thanks to some private properties surrounding the mountain, certain approaches may not be doable. The details of my approach can be found in my triplog; since both my ascent and descent are questionable in terms of potentially having crossed over property lines, I decided it would be best to leave those details in my triplog.

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2016-02-19 AZHiker456