Brown's Brother 7642 - Four Peaks - Peak 2 Photoset • joebartels • 2004-05-30 • HikeArizona.COM

Brown's Brother 7642 - Four Peaks - Peak 2, AZ

	2004-05-30
	12 by joebartels

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Brown's Brother 7642 - Four Peaks - Peak 2

Phoenix, AZ

Brown's Brother 7642 - Four Peaks - Peak 2

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking	5.90 Miles	2,540 AEG

Hiking	5.90 Miles	7 Hrs 10 Mns	0.82 mph
	2,540 ft AEG

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This deserves four smiles because with this hike I've finally conquered all four peaks. Just not in the same day and I'm missing a section of ridgeline between Peak 2 and the 2/3 saddle. Which means I have some fun challenges yet to conquer!

Sunday of Memorial Day weekend

Took 200 ounces of water. 100oz camelback, 32oz frozen gateraid & a 70oz Camelback Unbottle blatter piggy backed on my pack

Started rather late @ 8:50am
About five trucks at the trailhead, but nobody on the peaks the whole trip! (a group of four was approaching on the return)

For the third time in the past week or so I topped out on Brown's Peak in about 1.5 hours. Noticed the ammo sign in box was missing. Continued south and down the right/west drainage. About two thirds down you come to a brushy section. I noticed the ammo box over to the side. It looked pretty beat up. Figure somebody threw it off the side of the peak as a joke. They obviously didn't think it was litter or they would have disposed of it properly. It's still there as of this writing because I didn't think to grab it on the way back.

I started to go down through the trees because I thought it was the only way. Later realized it's easier to climb the slick rock. It's steep as hell but fun to climb. Anyhow, going down through the trees I heard something FLY fast over my head. Only to realize it was my frozen gateraid! That sucker kept going and going and going. I never found it and can't imagine it didn't split open the way it was bouncing. If anybody finds an ICE Orange (ice is the brand) quart please pack it out.

Took a fairly straight line up the ridge (actually east of the ridge the whole way) to the peak. I don't know if easy is the right word but getting to peak wasn't tough. There are some major up climbs I REALLY didn't feel comfortable with returning down. One or two spots imparticular with very faint hand holds. Upon reaching the upper section you travel quite some distance to the actual peak on sloped slick rock.

Found Pete's entry in the log book, then signed and headed back down. Noticed another route that obviously gets used on the east side. Not wanting to downclimb those steep walls I easily decided to try out this route. It panned out pretty good but was slower and very brushy in sections. I came within maybe 20 feet of the saddle and got off track as I didn't realize it was the saddle. I made it over to the ridge coming east off Brown's Peak. Didn't know that though until I plotted the GPS track at home. SO I pulled out the GPS and headed back to the that point 20 feet below the saddle. Sure enough I missed the fricken turn. I went up the twenty feet and said to myself man I just wasted an hour over twenty feet, ugh! However, I did learn more terrain so I guess it's not all a loss.

As it ended it was 97 degrees in Phoenix today and it was 77 on the four peaks. I'm pretty excited to have conquered all four peaks and look forward to tackling them all in one day! Felt even better having cranked out 3 peaks in one day with very little soreness. The key I believe is bicycling and swimming.

I downed 3 of the tiny quaker smores bars and one banana gel pack. I took 200mg chelated potassium. (only planned on 100mg but since I lost my Gateraid which is 120mg per quart) As with any big trip I took two advil to keep the eyes from going bloodshot :lol:

Figure I consumed 135 ounces of water.

The 200 ounces I carried was a record amount for myself. It was fairly heavy going up Brown's. I did an off track slanted wall for fun on the way up and nearly died. The pack was very heavy and I was in a bad position on this very slightly slanted wall. I over estimated my ability. I've done this wall before but not with that much weight. I wanted to cut or un-slip the arm straps but couldn't manuver it safely. Finally got out of the situation and was shaking pretty bad for a couple minutes after. I write this because I want people reading to understand these peaks. I was on a route I've done before and made a bad judgement with the weight. People will log trips on here stating the four peaks are "easy climbing". Which it is (as far as climbing goes) but if you're not a climber like me then be aware of the danger. :wink:

That aside I look forward to coming back. This stuff is fun to play around on. The four peaks used to seem like an impossible maze. Like the Superstitons if you get out there enough you really get to know the terrain!

Anybody looking to attempt the mother lode next week let me know, I believe I have the 4th & 7th open. Keep in mind it's probably the hardest one day hike on site here and it will be rather hot.

Fauna

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- joe

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