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| Peak 3042 - Mormon Flat Dam Quad, AZ | |
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| | Peak 3042 - Mormon Flat Dam Quad, AZ | | | |
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Peak 3042 - Mormon Flat Dam Quad, AZ
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| Hiking | 3.20 Miles |
1,139 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.20 Miles | 3 Hrs 37 Mns | | 0.93 mph |
| 1,139 ft AEG | 10 Mns Break | 20 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | Of the 19 300' prominence peaks in the Mormon Flat Dam Quadrangle I've managed to bag the 11 easiest ones, so now it's time to knock out a few of the tough ones. The four which are north of the Salt River are more remote so I plan on tackling the four south of the river first beginning with the Peak 3042. It just happens to be another peak with its elevation marked incorrectly on most maps at 3402. But no matter what the actual elevation, knowing just how rugged the terrain is, my plan was simply to scout out various routes in preparation for the actual attempt. Not trying to do it in one shot left me open to spend more time checking out alternate routes to find the best (easiest/shortest) route to the summit.
I left home a bit later than I should have, which just meant I spent more time following vehicles pulling boats out to Canyon Lake. Oh well, I wasn't in any hurry so I just enjoyed the views. Just north of Tortilla Flat I turned off onto FR1827 and began the rough drive out to the end of Mesquite 'Y' where I would start the hike. I took a quick look around to get an idea of the various possible routes then set out for a higher point for a good view over the canyon. Nice view up there but I gained information of little help due to so many outcrops blocking any view of the canyon floor. So I back-tracked in hopes of an easy descent, although I doubt easy will be a word I can use accurately anywhere out here. Less difficult is about as good as it will get.
Although I found what appeared a way to get partway down, it took a while before I could work my way to the level, having to climb back up to avoid the upper of two pour-offs. Eventually I was able to find a narrow ledge that allowed me to cross to a good place to drop down. Into a wide drainage with evidence of well-used game trails I had hopes this route would be the one.
Close, but not close enough to being THE route. From here it would be a a seemingly endless monotony of descending over/around/through a series of boulders, pour-offs and thick brush until there simply was no way to descend the last 120'. I do believe I could have made it down the next forty feet by sliding back and forth down a narrow pour-off, even if I did know what was below it (which I didn't) I knew the chance of climbing back up the pour-off was pretty close to zero.
So close, yet so far... so I climbed back up a hundred feet or so to a spot where I could sit down and have my PB&J lunch. After lunch I took a few photos, a quick video pan and set off on the slog back up. I shot video of the full climb on my GoPro but knowing it would put most people to sleep, I just posted the pan from my lunch spot.
Peak 3042 Recon video:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/fF6ZmGPT5wg
On the return leg, after returning as far as the mesa I took a different route so I could check out one other option, although by satellite view it did not give my any hope. Sure enough, it was a narrow slot with a 35-40' drop to a pool of unknown depth followed by climbing some huge boulders and then who knows what on the other side for what had to have been another 100' drop to the canyon floor.
From there I lit out for the TH, only to make a wrong turn and get side-tracked... but then if I hadn't, I wouldn't have found a couple large caves. The second was a deep overhang with a spring so it brought a welcome coolness with a breeze to provide momentary respite from the high of 105° while crossing a wide open 'bowl' not long before. From the cave it was a quick climb up to FR1827 and a short walk back to the TH.
After reaching Apache Trail I drove a half-mile farther out then turned onto the old Apache Trail and followed it to where an old bridge had washed out, what, maybe 50 or more years ago? A few photos and I headed for home... or shall I say I added the Cherokee to the long queue of vehicles for the drive back to AJ. With vehicles of all kinds heading both directions I figured this was one time where 25 mph would be the fastest I'd see for miles... and I was correct... many times it was more like 5 mph, but then what did I expect for a Sunday?
I posted 50 photos on HAZ, the full set of 75 is on my website as usual.
I didn't find a short route, so if anything I'll start from FR80 and follow the creek bed until one of the possible spots to climb up the other side. If that doesn't work, well that's ok too. |
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