Torote Loop - South, AZ

Overview
If one follows the official route, this hike will tally two peaks when linking this guide and Montezuma Peak 4354. It’s dubious Montezumas Head 2411 will ever have a published guide, so this doublet of the same summit compensates for this implausibility. Considering all the other labeled highpoints one will pass over, the track sums six peaks. The CCW loop includes: Montezumas Head 2411, Peak 2911, Peak 3092, BM 3051, Peak 2883 and MP 4354. And there are quite a few more I missed since they weren’t in the favored line of travel (a great reason to go back and explore some more). There’s a true ridgeline alternate route up there with several peaks lined up and others that could be done as side trips by faster, stronger, and younger hikers.


Hike
You'll be following roads for the first six miles, but don't fret, much of them could hardly be considered roads and the Sonoran Desert isn't too shabby through here tucked in between the the Whole Enchilada ridgeline and the Sierra Estrella. The road parallels the wilderness boundary generally bearing southeast. One will pass a road spur at 1.42 miles, which also tracks the boundary northeast onto the broad bajada benchmarked 1770. At 2.41 miles, there's a four-way junction, where one keeps going southeast. This could be an alternate start/end point for this hike. At 3.18 miles, you'll be hiking in a sandy arroyo for a quarter mile until exiting left onto an obscure road that enters the Gila River Indian Reservation and then comes and mostly goes. You'll be in open desert for a while now, generally heading east through a craggier landscape that is more interesting. You'll split the north side of the southern Estrella foothills until about 5.34 miles, where the Peak 1877 hillside is carved away near a dike and some culverts. You'll follow a much better road now, but briefly before heading left (northeast) back into open desert until reaching the base of Montezumas Head.Scramble the boulders up the steep southern aspect, passing through a bunch of really nice Bursera trees. The Head is easier climbed on its north side, which is the official route's descent track (a bit spicier ascending an east side seam with an adorable mini-Saguaro survivor, aww). No cairn or register present. One will drop off the Head and transverse a neat little bouldery valley and then start ascending towards Peaks 2911 (meh) and 3092 (very interesting lion's den heap). This part of the route is rough and tumble, indicative of the other Torote Loop ridgelines. Once going over the 3025 saddle, the route becomes more mellow, dropping into a broad hanging valley very similar to SoMo's National Trail between Hidden Valley and Buena Vista Lookout, except without all the bikers, dogwalkers, trail runners and... a trail!? For a third of a mile, you'll descend slightly, meandering within a wash, and then exit left (10-mile mark). In another half mile, there's some trash, old cans, an implanted pipe, cables, and foundations. One will begin ascending the north side of the valley until reaching BM 3051 and then descend to Peak 2883. Hopefully, you have enough in the tank for the grand finale of ascending the nearly 1600-foot extremely steep ridgeline to Montezuma Peak. If not, one could probably bail, following the valley here southwest back down to the roads. Don't be fooled by the communication tower, as that is a false summit with a bit more precarious col bouldering to reach the true peak. After enjoying the summit, one just descends the steep, standard Montezuma Peak 4354 route back to where one parked.

Synopsis
This route isn't as much of a true ridgeline hike as the other two Sierra Estrella Torote Loops, but still a rewarding and challenging trek. Perhaps the least difficult of the three because it has more sections of relatively facile terrain.

2024-02-11 pseudalpine