Goat Mountain

[rushthezeppelin]

I'm thinking this would make an interesting trip for the near future. It seems there is a valley that leads to where sk44 started the goat mountain hike that starts at Brown's cave. The Goat mt. area seems like a really unique place to explore so I probably will want to make this at least an overnighter since this seems like it would mostly be a bushwhack across some unknown terrain. Anyone think this is feasible and also if we have people with a canoe or something then maybe we can follow sk44s way of getting to the start of the goat mountain hike.

[nonot]

Your question is to make the mountain via the west, passing by Brown's cave?

3 of us made it to the lake at the mouth of the canyon below where Brown's cave is in about 4 hours. You need a beastly 4x4 to get to the nearest trailhead and that's a 2-3 hour drive from Phoenix. You'll need a GPS to follow Cane Spring trail, go there without a GPS and you won't have a chance in hell to get to Goat Mountain in a day. From Brown's cave to where ssk4 started might take you quite awhile, there is a side canyon that shoots off of Cane Spring canyon shortly below the cave. This doesn't really go towards the mountain, so you'd have to climb over a few ridges. The ridges are quite gnarly in some spots. You are looking at a hell of a trip to do in 2 days, You may....MAY...be able to get to the base of Goat Mountain in a long day. I'd recommend you schedule 3 days for your foray.

However, if you go in from the east side, there are forest roads which will get you within 2 miles of the mountain. For a 2 day trip this would be the ticket, but it will be on the other side of the mountain from ssk.

[ssk44]

Coming from Browns Cave will involve about 5.25 miles of cross-country travel with about 1,500' of up and down climbing. I think the route is a canyon straight east from Browns Cave heading to an upper ridge, then south down towards Ash Creek, and from there east along a moderate slope following the bottom of a cliff face towards the cove that I used.

From the east I believe the jeep trail that nonot is referring to is the route to Bronco Creek. About ten years ago I tried to drive that road and was forced to turn around about three miles from Bronco Creek at Hackberry Creek, which was completely washed and destroyed with boulders everywhere. I don't know the current condition, however I would be surprised if it is any better. If you could make it to Bronco Creek you will be looking at four miles of cross-country hiking through rolling hills and numerous sand washes, then a very frustrating and difficult rounding of the southeastern horn of Goat Mountain with many cliffs and bluffs. Wow!

In my opinion, coming from Browns Cave is the only practical route. I'm not sure if the word "practical" is appropriate for describing that option. Cane Spring to Goat Mountain? Any way you shake it your looking at the backpack trip from hell! Sounds like a great adventure. I commend anyone brave enough to complete it. I look forward to reading about it and seeing the photos.


Good luck
Eric (SSK44)

[rushthezeppelin]

Hmmmm well......would certainly be nice to have somebody with a 2+ person canoe for this. I really want to be able to get a thorough exploration of the area if I can.

[nonot]

That's the road! Getting past Hackberry in a 4x4 would be challenging for sure....getting to Bronco...even better feat. Past Bronco the road actually goes another mile. Assuming you walk from Hackberry, I calculate a distance (based on the best path, which is definitely not a straight line) of:

4.2 miles of walking on old jeep trails
3.14 off trail to the peak, 70% of which is in washes
7.3 total, 2000ft AEG

The ascent up the east side of the mountain looks formidable, I factored in 0.8 miles of switchbacking for your ascent based on a feasible looking route.

However, for two days this is your only realistic chance of summiting I would think...three days and coming in from the west may be more scenic. Take lots of photos! If I had endless free weekends I would join you on this, but I think there's other trails that are going to steal my weekends away.