| |
| Slate Creek to Baker Mountain, AZ | |
|
| | Slate Creek to Baker Mountain, AZ | | | |
|
|
Slate Creek to Baker Mountain, AZ
| | |
|
| Hiking | 3.80 Miles |
787 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.80 Miles | 3 Hrs 15 Mns | | 1.17 mph |
| 787 ft AEG | | 25 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Baker Mountain has been on my list for almost 7 years but somehow it never rose to the top. But lately every time we drove by on AZ 87 it seemed to call out to me. So... so I thought I better give it a shot before the hot weather arrives.
Unfortunately I couldn't find my original plan so last night I threw together two options:
#1: Follow Forest Road 27 almost 3 miles up from Slate Creek then head east for a few miles first along the remnants of an old mining road, then bush-whack across a few ridges before the final ascent.
#2: Follow Slate Creek a mile then turn south and work my way up the drainage, hoping to make use of the old mining roads.
Since option #1 would likely be a 10-mile (and very likely 8-10 hour) round-trip with plenty of bush-whacking over unknown terrain I took a pass on that one.
So option #2 it is...
The first part was easy enough, just following along Slate Creek. I hadn't gone a quarter-mile before encountering a rattlesnake coiled on a rock. Situated were the rock was, it would not be receive direct sunlight so I was a bit surprised. The snake was quite lethargic, not so much as a wiggle of the tail... just a quick movement of the tongue and that was it. It didn't appear to be a diamond-backed rattlesnake but I still haven't figured out what it was. If anyone has the answer, feel free to label it in the photoset.
Once I turned into the drainage it wasn't long before I was presented with various challenges. Thankfully the falls were dry or it would have been a quick end to my hike. With plenty of effort I was able to scale the dry-falls, and with help from my new titanium-blade lopper I was able to deal with the heavy vegetation. The worst spots were where large trees had fallen and clogged the drainage.
The moment I reached the drainage leading toward the summit I was presented with a real challenge no matter which route I attempted...
Left: The loose-scree slope took me all of 15 seconds to give up on it. Two feet up, slide three feet down.
Right: Steeper slope with super-thick vegetation laced with large boulders.
Center: Scaling large boulders in the drainage.
I began on the right until forced into the drainage, when I spotted a mine across the drainage. Ok, now I have something of interest to check out. Once I crossed the drainage I realized the mine was about 25 feet up a 90° wall so prepared to continue on... until I turned around and spotted what appeared to me a much larger mine entrance behind a tree. Out came the lopper and I soon had a path into the mine.
It wasn't very large, only going in about 40-50 feet and the only inhabitants were two small birds. Thanks to me trusty Fenix flashlight I could see unused blast-holes drilled into the back wall as well as a few ancient cow-patties. How a cow could get here... well it must have been a LONG time ago, before the mine roads eroded away or were completely overgrown.
Ok, done with the mine, time to get climbing again. But not for long... scaling boulders, cutting through thick brush and soon I was faced with a wall which I knew was a show-stopper for me. At the rate of 300 feet vertical per hour and another 700 of unknown terrain yet to ascend I realized it was more than I had time or energy for and headed back down.
Thanks to more judicious use of the lopper the down-climb went quickly. Once back to Slate Creek I continued east then climbed the northern slope to be able to get a better look at other possible routes up Baker Mountain. I filed away the information for future use then headed back out.
While I didn't reach my planned destination, at least I encountered my first rattlesnake of the year... belated as it was. |
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
