Goldfield Mountains Hikes not found

[mr_squishy]

I'm perusing Ted Tenny's Goldfield Mountain Hikes and I'm not finding very many of them by name on Hikearizona.com - for example, several routes that begin at the Willow Springs TH such as Disaster Canyon and Disaster Ridge do not come up on searches. I've looked at the Goldfield Mountains map with hike descriptions on this site, but there seems to be little connection to Tenny's guidebook. I'm just curious why his hike names do not seem to be used on this forum. Was there some great Bartel/Tenny Schism in the past? Are we boycotting Tenny for unforgiveable sins against hiking?

[DixieFlyer]

@Mr_Squishy
With all due respect to Ted Tenny, does the fact that he wrote a book about hiking in the Goldfields make him the "Godfather of the Goldfields"? I would disagree that there aren't many of Tenny's hikes described on HAZ: examples of HAZ hikes that correspond to Tenny's book include the Peak 3004 Loop Hike., the Peak 3108 Ridgeline Hike, Dome Mountain, Panorama Peak, Gateway Canyon, Rhyodacite Canyon, Black Glass Canyon, Mask Arches, Keyhole Arch -- I could go on and on.

Part of the problem is that in the Goldfields there are no "official" trails (other than maybe at Pass Mountain) and on USGS topographic maps the only named peak is Dome Mountain. Just because Tenny assigns a name to something, does that make it "official". For example, the high point on the Peak 3108 Ridgeline is 3,195', and Tenny refers to it as Temptation Peak. I don't think that this site refers to it as anything. On USGS maps the northern-most point on the Peak 3108 Ridgeline is not marked; HAZ refers to it as Peak 3125 and Tenny refers to it as Peak 3113. Which one is correct? Beats me. If you continue north from the Peak 3108 Ridgeline to Bulldog Ridge you'l come to a peak that is 3,163'. Tenny calls it Peak 3163 and HAZ calls it Hippy Hill. I am sure that there are other differences, but for the most part Tenny and HAZ use the same terminology.

Anyway, if you search the triplogs I think that you can find hike descriptions and GPS tracks for most any hike in the Goldfields that you want to do.

[CannondaleKid]

Are we boycotting Tenny...?

Huh? Seriously?

Up front, I've owned Tenny's book for many years and continue to look through it from time to time.
However, reading about a hike in his book, noting each of its individual segments then flipping to the back of the book to see what it looks like on the map... what am I doing, putting together a jig-saw puzzle or a hike?

Another thing that was off-putting for me, when comparing to other resources (Forest Service, HAZ, other books, other maps) I found very little correlation in the names of various segments, arches, peaks and such. I'm sure part of that comes from many of the lifetime-local folks who have their own descriptive names for the features, which can lead to confusion.

Now I suppose someone could take it upon themselves to hike every one of Tenny's 'hikes', gather the GPS tracks and then what?
* Create Guides to correspond to each hike in Ted's book?
* Seven hikes made up of 33 individual segments, each segment ranging in length from .2 to a few miles?
* Or 33 individual 'hike' segments which could be linked in thousands of different ways?

FYI, HAZ already has two dozen 'official' hike routes and another five dozen 'alternate' routes in the Goldfields.
If anyone wants to create an official HAZ set of "Tenny's Seven" hikes, I say go for it!

[CannondaleKid]

Part of the problem is that in the Goldfields there are no "official" trails... and on USGS topographic maps the only named peak is Dome Mountain.

Also... CalTopo, FS and a number of other maps label TWO Dome Mountains, 3381 in the Stewart Dam Quadrangle and 3269 in the Apache Junction Quadrangle.

And of course, here on HAZ we have our own names for others as well... like Hippy Hill 3163.

[chumley]

I'm just curious why his hike names do not seem to be used

Simple question with a simple answer. HAZ is a user generated website. Unless Tenny himself entered the hikes here, they would be named whatever the HAZ author wanted to name them.

If Tenney's book was universally accepted by all hikers in the Goldfields, I'd expect some of the names would overlap.

[mr_squishy]

If Tenney's book was universally accepted by all hikers in the Goldfields, I'd expect some of the names would overlap.

Makes sense - I do find it interesting that when I examine the tracks on the Goldfield Mountains map, I don't see many of his hikes with either his hike name or a different name. His guidebook appears to be out of print and is being sold on Amazon for ridiculous prices. I found two copies online at the original list price - $16.95, I think.
I was kind of hoping for some raging hiker controversy, just for entertainment value.
Thanks for the reply.
ms

[chumley]

hoping for some raging hiker controversy, just for entertainment value

that's over in the comments on big groups hiking the superstition ridgeline

[big_load]

Mining activity has ticked up in recent years. Has that affected Goldfields hiking at all? The main reason I haven't done much there is that there are too many more interesting things nearby. That could change if I lived close enough to overdo those other options, but for now I'm content to leave the Goldfields to others.

[te_wa]

I've heard about the confusion written in Tenny's book. I have a loaner sitting on my counter. have yet to open it. Sunday I did Black Glass via the road walk from the 88, and found it to be decent enough. Alex, there are IMO a few good gems located in the Goldfields. I've only done what.. three hikes there? they were scenic. i'll likely find more to explore out that way. I feel the Supes are simply overrun with people. areas I used to travel are now full of hikers. the 'Fields seem desolate by comparison, which is welcoming. plenty of off trail routes out that way.

[big_load]

OK, I'll keep that in mind.

[hikeaz]

I have been going out there about 2 days a week for a few weeks... Each coupla days exploring a different quadrant.
T.T.'s book, to me seems a bit obtuse and his 'off-trail' routes often take a less-than-logical route. I have just been notating on a map as I cover an area. There are some obscure finds out there, a lot of old 'cowboy trash' and such - today a sardine? can from Portugal.
Wandering out there without the benefit? of trails is much more interesting than plodding along the Dutchman or the like. Making up loop hikes without trails is a lot of fun and a dearth of 'tracks' keeps out the hoards from up north. You can get 'bewildered' for a bit out there, but never really 'lost' - hell... you are never more than a good 90 minutes from a paved road no matter where you hike.

[mr_squishy]

@hikeaz et al,
I agree that his book is difficult to decipher at times and needlessly filled with various ratings that seem unnecessary and confusing. I'm hiking out there for the same reason - avoid the crowds in the Supes. Hiking is "in" and all the cool people are doing it so they can post on Instagram.