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| Hiking | 5.46 Miles |
2,001 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.46 Miles | 3 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.99 mph |
| 2,001 ft AEG | 45 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Four Peaks has always been such an ominous figure, standing watch from the northeast, always recognizable by the four separate peaks on the same mountain, surrounded by rugged desert. I never thought about hiking up there until I saw some logs here on HAZ. I called up the hiking buddy Corey and made it happen. We took El Oso Road which was very smooth compared to what I have heard about the shorter route. Got to the trailhead about 7:30AM. Really enjoyed the 20 degree difference between here and Phoenix. Right away saw a rattlesnake sunning itself vertically on a rock, which might have been an omen of things to come.. The first 2 miles of the hike was incredible. The gentle incline takes you through sections of ponderosa pine and then through manzanita bushes to some saddles with excellent views of Roosevelt and the Mazatzals. I kept telling Corey that I couldn't believe this was such an easy hike. Then we got to the chute and things changed.. First there was scrambling up about 100 feet of dirt and loose rocks, then another 500 feet of climbing straight up! I was actually relieved because it was easier to climb using my hands and legs rather than just using my legs. It was very rewarding to reach the summit. The views on top were awesome. You can tell you are really high up because even the Superstition Mountains seemed small from up there. I didn't see any markers or register or anything signifying the peak. We enjoyed the high point of Maricopa County for about 40 minutes and then made our way back down. Had a nice conversation about how grateful we are for the general pumpkin population. Not only are they nice to look at, but they serve a great purpose of saving your hide and having something nice to fall on when you are slipping down a 600 foot chute. This was an outstanding hike. Definitely high on the list of favorites. Will come back with more time to do all four peaks sometime.
One high point down.. fourteen to go.. |
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| “There is nothing that exists outside the thought of the immediate moment.” |
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Route Editor
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