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| | Eagle Eye Arch & Peak, AZ | | | |
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Eagle Eye Arch & Peak, AZ
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| Hiking | 2.85 Miles |
811 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.85 Miles | 3 Hrs 27 Mns | | 1.25 mph |
| 811 ft AEG | 1 Hour 10 Mns Break | 12 LBS Pack | | |
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[ show ]
| partners | | So, I knew I had to return to this area to bag the actual Peak. Preston and I had done the Arch a few weeks before, and I had found a possible way up to the Peak without having to go down and around, but it was sketchy. I knew Preston wouldn't be comfortable attempting it with his knees, so Joe became the natural choice.  He's on the way out, and it's a short, sweet Hike. I knew he would find a Route if that one didn't work and it would be recorded on GPS. And he did...  Besides that, I know I've been frustrating him lately ](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall") and that he wanted to kick my  so I figured I would give him the chance... 
I played Tour Guide when we got there, showing him the Cemetery and the local Aguila dumping ground and then we head up to the Arch, finding the Trail easily. (Someone actually made an arrow with rocks, pointing to the Campground.) There was a breeze down in the Valley that continued to increase in intensity as we gained elevation. We got up in good time and the wind is now a 40+ MPH gale, threatening to blow us right through the Arch.  I showed Joe the little chute to get up and around the end of the Arch, but having been up there before, I knew it was a borderline climb for me to get up on top. With the wind, there was no way I was going to attempt that one today.  Joe "cowboyed up" and made it almost to the top, but decided that that horse was just going to be too wild of a ride today. 
Then the fun really began. Finding a Route up to the Peak without having to sacrifice the elevation we had already gained. It was only another 40 feet or so, up to the Peak, but we were faced with some pretty vertical smooth rock all along the base of the ridge. I showed him my option, but it still didn't look that great. Joe traversed further south to try to find an alternate, while I attempted it. Got to one position with about 7 feet left to go and just could not get past it...  So I climbed back down and went to find Joe who was having his own unsuccessful adventure. We traversed further south and I attempted another spot and Joe went around to another. Within a minute or too, Joe appears above me, smiles, and disappears again. Once again, I ended up having to downclimb and then went around to find Joe's route. I can hear him and he's found a way all the way up and is now about 30 feet above me.  He guided me through the Route. The only disadvantage I found was that Joe has me in height and reach, so I found it to be a tad tougher than he did. I had to really stretch for those optimum handholds... We make the top thinking that it's the Peak, but realize we've actually passed the "true" Peak and so we backtracked down into a saddle and back up.
Found a can in a can that may have been the original Peak Log, but if that was originally paper in there, it was already back to nature. There was also a baby food jar with a small notebook that had maybe a dozen names in it, with the most recent from 2010. Joe continued to traverse the Ridgeline to the north and made it out to the top of the Arch. He found some kind of symbolic shrine out there that was interesting. The wind was strong, but not quite as bad as it had been down at the Arch. He returned to the Peak and then the aerial show began.  A pilot decided to buzz the Valley floor below us in his private plane and exit through the pass at the north end. He was only about 100 feet off the ground. Pretty cool. Then Nature decided to show us her aerodynamic wonders. The Cliff Swallows (fighter jets in disguise) decided to start dive bombing us. No way of getting a picture, those guys can maneuver on a dime. And then came the pair of Red Tailed Hawks. I think they're nesting in the area as Preston and I saw a pair when we were here the first time. We watched them ride the wind currents and I think Joe was even impressed. He may not be a "bird" guy, but he actually ended up snapping a few pics, so my attempt to "convert" him to the "wild side" was working.... 
We finished traversing the Ridgeline to the south and headed down. We passed the "cave" that I had wanted to check out, but it turned out to just be a huge alcove that went in about 10 feet. I showed him the Crested Saguaro and we followed a pretty nice little Trail through the desert that intersected back up with the road.
We stopped in Wickenburg for a good lunch at El Ranchero and then headed back into town. It was a thoroughly enjoyable Hike with good company. Regained my confidence on some of my scrambling/climbing skills, which was sorely needed. Thanks for joining me Joe! It was a good day!
P.S. The JBM and PBM were non-existent today as long as we talked about the Hike and nothing else. Otherwise they were pegging out on other topics...  I think we called it a "draw"....    Either that, or he's a really good loser...  |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
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