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| Hiking | 3.50 Miles |
1,043 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.50 Miles | 4 Hrs 12 Mns | | 1.22 mph |
| 1,043 ft AEG | 1 Hour 20 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | The main goal of my hike was to find the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey benchmark called, GRAN Triangulation Benchmark. It is located atop, what is known locally as, Little Granite Mountain.
The surveyors installed ("monumented" - is the word they use) the benchmark, way back in 1946. The surveyors also installed Reference Benchmarks #1 and #2. Those disks have arrows on them, pointing in the direction of the actual GRAN Triangulation Benchmark, which has a triangle on it. The triangulation disk, with the triangle on it, is the only disk (of the 3) used for surveying.
Why install reference disks with arrows on them, you may ask?
Well, these older benchmarks were "monumented" long before we all had GPS technology. The idea was, any future surveyors wanting to use GRAN for surveying, would read the GRAN Datasheet, produced by the original surveyors, and follow their directions on how to locate the survey benchmark. If they got in the area, & located one of the reference marks first, they would travel in the direction of the arrow on the reference mark, to find the actual survey benchmark. There's more to it than that, but you get the idea.
Little Granite Mountain is located in Scottsdale, north of Rio Verde Drive, and west of 136th St. There's no true trailhead, so I parked near 136th & Powerline Rd.
I hiked to this benchmark using the last portion of the "To Reach" info on the original surveyors' datasheet, from 1946. Back in 1946, the surveyors drove their truck from Brown's Ranch to the western base of the mountain, and that's where I started up the mountain. I used a more direct route back to my parked car.
The hike has beautiful and unique views in all directions, & alot of cholla along the way.
Enjoy the views & don't bring any cholla needles home with you. |
| _____________________
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN |
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