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| Hiking | 5.54 Miles |
2,659 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.54 Miles | 4 Hrs 50 Mns | | 1.80 mph |
| 2,659 ft AEG | 1 Hour 45 Mns Break | 20 LBS Pack | | |
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| partners | | This hike needs to be visited by the artist formerly known as rlrjamy. Holy cairn overload. Near the top of the hike, the trail peters out into a boulder-hopping scramble and some of the cairns are mildly helpful, but you're climbing an exposed ridgeline toward a visible peak. It's not like getting lost is an option. All of the cairns at the bottom are pointless piles of rock in the desert. ](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
So, I really enjoyed the drive in. The 35mph limit along a straight paved road in Rainbow Valley is a joke. You can see the horizon. The dirt road (Riggs) is barrels of fun. Sandy bottomed speed. Fishtails and donuts. Rainbow Rancho ruins and bobcats. And lots of tires. Everywhere. Weird.
The hike eases you in for .35mi of flat desert walking (follow the cairns because the old road you are walking on can't be seen from space)  before beginning the relentless 2500-ft ascent up the various ridgelines to the peak. From .8 to 1.0mi you encounter a bunch of steep, rocky, loose-scree switchbacks before topping out on another ridge with a more moderate grade. After the 2.5mi mark for the last .25mi to the peak, the trail disappears and you just boulder hop along the rocky ridgeline. The peak itself requires a short scramble where you use your hands. The white quartz and shiny mica that covers and surrounds the peak is a real contrast from the normally drab desert.
It was surprisingly warm for January 21st (~80) and I even managed a minor redneck sunburn by the end of the day. Despite our late start (11:30) there was nobody else out there on this Monday, despite it being a holiday. We took a short break about 3/4 of the way up, actually seeking out a shaded spot to escape the heat of the sun and have a snack. There is almost zero shade anywhere on this hike. I would not want to do it even in spring, nevermind summer!
We spent about 90 minutes on the peak just enjoying the views and identifying distant landmarks. Another hiker arrived shortly before we headed down. As HAZ disciples, we recruited her as a newborn kokopelli! 
I was glad to make this a destination, and would definitely like to do it again. It's a serious workout (especially in warmer weather) but the views are stunning. I'd like to see it after a cool winter storm that leaves the sky crystal clear. Even with some winter haze, today we could see about 100 miles, from Mt. Lemmon to the Bradshaws, Mt. Ord to the Kofas. |
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| I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
