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| Hiking | 10.50 Miles |
2,420 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.50 Miles | 6 Hrs 14 Mns | | 2.30 mph |
| 2,420 ft AEG | 1 Hour 40 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | My goal for today was to head on out to the Belmont Mountains and reach the benchmark peak in the range. I guess there were a few early warning signs that should have told me this wasn't going to happen and I would have to alter my plan along the way.
The Belmont Mountains are fairly close to the valley being the first range west of the White Tanks and pretty easy to access. But there are no trails out there which keeps people away and drives people like me closer to them. The first mishap was driving past the first turnoff from the I-10. Oh well, nothing like a few extra miles on the highway and then a good backtrack. I originally wanted to do this hike from the north, but driving on in from the south intrigued me and I diverted off road once I passed the CAP and found the place to start from, this was mishap #2. Getting everything together I noticed I forgot my sunscreen. Mishap #3. Oh well it was only going to be sunny and 92 today.  At least I had a long sleeve shirt on and could cover my neck and face with my shemagh.
I started on out just south of the range and made my way along the CAP and then into the open desert to approach my way up. With the CAP turning west not far where I was able to park meant I didn't have to worry about crossing any off limit fences and could just focus on hiking into this seldom visited area. I say seldom but that also means no matter where you go you are going to see old bullet shells and something shot up which was the case today. I made my way on over and up a few smaller hills to traverse west and get to the main drainage I thought would be best to head up. As I was coming down from this area I spotted a gila monster just chilling in the shade. She looked at me and stuck out her black tongue at me a few times and I was able to get a couple decent pictures of her as she just stayed in one place trying to figure out what I was and or doing there. I let her be on my way because I still had a long way to go.
The drainage I picked to go up was awful, it was covered with brush and spider webs almost the entire way up. I got pretty sick of being in it and looking like Indiana Jones covered in webbing that I went on over the the even more horrible loose and rocky ridge where my footing kept coming on out and I did several slides downwards a few inches. I got sick of that as well and couldn't wait to reach the main ridge line that wasn't coming quick enough. Boy this range might be the most unstable desert traverse i've done in awhile.
Finally around 10am I get to the main ridge line and I see the Belmont Benchmark in the distance and the worst thing I could have also seen. The ridge traverse gave me Estrella ridge flashbacks and she was not a gentle looking ridge at all. I looked at the gps to see how far away she was and it was reading 1.7 miles away. I could only shake my head because I knew this would not be pleasant at all. I found a spot in the shade here and made the decision to forgo getting on over to the BM because of the heat coming on in. There is always one phrase I will live by when it comes to mountains: "Getting up is optional, getting back down is mandatory"* From this spot on the ridge I was able to get a good 20 minute rest in while I made this decision, and I was also able to take in the incredible views from up here. Looking over the Belmont range was awesome as well as all the distant peaks and ranges around in the west. I looked on over to the SE ridge traverse on over to peak 2667' and knew that was a more doable traverse I could make and it would also be putting me back towards where I started with a better descent than this approach I just made up. So that is what I did instead.
This section of the Belmont ridge wasn't bad and I was able to make it to the top of peak 2667' right before 11am. I spotted what seemed to be an old survey marker just below the summit and searched for any summit log but could not find one. I enjoyed my melting gatorade on top and looked over my ridge to descend on out of here. It looked pretty good and I could see an old dirt road at the base of it leading towards the CAP I could take to save some time back on the desert floor. I readied myself for the hike out wetting and wrapping the shemagh around my head as I could feel the heat coming especially since the early breeze was dying down. I said goodbye to my summit for the day and looked back at the BM peak and could only shake my head and wish her well. (I'll be back for her)
Not far from the summit while coming down the ridge I hear a sound right at my feet, believe it or not a vulture took flight right when I steeped on the mid size boulder and if I reached out my arms I would have almost been able to touch it. She looked back at me once in the air as if to say what do you think you are doing. It actually scared the crap out of me for a second because it was a sound so close I am not used to hearing. Halfway down the ridge I spot a yellow contraption and could only ask myself what is that. As I get up to it I see it is some sort of old generator or pump of some sort. After looking at the topo it is right in the area that is listed as prospect on the map. Guess you just never know what you are going to see when you head out. I continue on and cannot wait to get off the ridge as I slipped several more times on this mountain. I never fell, but I seriously cannot remember slipping so much on a mountain before. Again she is loose everywhere.
Off the ridge and back on the desert floor. I was able to follow the old dirt track I spotted from above and then cut away from it so I could beeline it straight to where my Jeep was parked. I get to the CAP quickly and it looked so tempting to climb the fence and jump on it, but I restrained myself from doing so. I make my way through the last brushy desert floor part and hear a loud humming noise. Bees! There was a pretty good sized hive in a palo verde tree and after a few buzzed my forehead I got the heck on out of that area and spotted my Jeep. Touched her and yelled "base" as always when I return to her and I was done for the day. Without sunscreen the tops of my hands got burned. Now i'm going to have a weird looking tan line this week.  Awesome area for sure, just not the place to be in when temps warm up.
*Ed Viesturs |
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