HikeArizona.COM

What a way to kick off summer!
Quartz Peak trail in the Sierra Estrella Wilderness. May 17th dayhike.

I would like to do it...think that will work for me

Its more like 6 miles RT, and 3000' AEG, so 1000'/mile. You'll need a high clearance to get to the TH, but not a 4x4. I want to do this one again, but Saturdays aren't good for me. Maybe i can get a babysitter set up.

You've got enough time to arrange for it. jump in!

My daughter has a dance and music recital that day, so there's no chance. Sorry.

i went up there a month ago, i brought 14 people from my work up there because when you look down from the top you can see the school i work at, it is the one with the water tower and trees around it and blue tarps over the playground. it was intresting, i gave them a month to get ready for it and they still managed to do nothing. i hoped they would turn back but all but one made it up. it was a different experience hiking with office people that are not in any type of shape than with hikers. it ended up taking us about 10 hours, wow i know, the last time i did it it took 3.5. well it was fun though, i drank beers the whole way up well they suffered, i carried 8 total. and at the end i carryied a lady down the last 3/4 mile. now i know i can do that i guess if i every have to.

about high clearance, one of the cars we brought was a yaris with 5 people in it, it was slow but we made it.

i've done montezuma peak, which is a bit further south than quartz but you take the same 'road' to get there. I got my CRX stuck back there...luckily got out. I would highly suggest a high clearance vehicle. My friend came with me the second time in a Land Rover and the road was still a bit squirmy. I'm in for Quartz as I have not done this one yet.

Just did this hike last week and it's not your 'average' 6 mile hike. It's quite a trek since, as mentioned above, it's an elevation change of approx 3000 ft or so. But the view from the top is spectacular!! As is the bizarre sight of a quartz tipped mountain. I'm game to do it again and pretty sure I can bring along a couple more hikers. Will confirm when I talk to them.

dwnorth wrote:I'm game to do it again.

Have you gone over to Butterfly Mountain from Quartz?

I haven't. Have you? Looks doable

I haven't but I've heard people say they regret not doing it when they're right there.

If everyone's up for it we can hop over to Butterfly Mountain as well, might as well since I've never hiked in the area before.

Does anyone signed up now have a high clearance vehicle and is willing to drive?

sounds good.

rlrjamy wrote:

dwnorth wrote:I'm game to do it again.

Have you gone over to Butterfly Mountain from Quartz?

No I didn't. Wasn't aware of it. But sounds like a great idea!! The friend I hiked with that day has a high clearance vehicle. I can't speak for him but if he can make it that day I'm sure he'd be willing to give a ride to a couple of people that don't mind squeezing into the back seat of a Tundra. I'll e-mail him now with the date.

Btw, my username pic is from that day taken atop Quartz.

Don

i went over to butterfly one time i was up there, it is not bad getting over to it, there was one spot that was a little hair, but there is different ways to go over there, i just didn't pick the best because i tried to stay on the north east side as much as i could. when i got to the peaks i wasn't able to find a way to scramble to the very top and i went around the whole peak. there was some large boulders beside the peak that you can hang out on

on the way down we didn't feel like going back to the trail so we scrambled down the gully, it was loose and if you not confortable with that i would go back to the trail. not terrible though

rally_toad wrote:If everyone's up for it we can hop over to Butterfly Mountain as well, might as well since I've never hiked in the area before.

Does anyone signed up now have a high clearance vehicle and is willing to drive?

i don't think my honda or volkswagen qualify as a high ground clearance. i've already gotten my honda stuck back there trying to get to the 'trailhead'. hopefully somebody has an adequate vehicle.

How long is the 4x4 section? I mean if its only the last mile or two to the trailhead we can park when it starts to get rough and walk the road since its a pretty short hike to begin with.
This might be my last hike in the Phoenix area before August, I'm going to be working in Petrified Forest this summer, so the vast majority of my hikes this summer will be up North.

I'm probably going to be very sore from a concert the night before that.

rally_toad wrote:I'm going to be working in Petrified Forest this summer

It's sure an upgrade from Target huh?! :bigth: