Black Mesa-New Water Mountains Wilderness Photoset • FLYING_FLIVER • 2019-01-17 • HikeArizona.COM

Black Mesa-New Water Mountains Wilderness, AZ

	2019-01-17
	40 by FLYING_FLIVER

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Black Mesa-New Water Mountains Wilderness, AZ

Hiking		Jan 17 2019
		FLYING_FLIVER

Hiking	5.76 Miles	1,585 AEG

Hiking	5.76 Miles	5 Hrs 38 Mns	2.03 mph

	1,585 ft AEG	2 Hrs 48 Mns Break

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This 'Black Mesa' is in the far NW part of the New Water Mountains Wilderness, just south of Quartzsite. For well over a century, the activity of choice in this area appears to have been mining and prospecting. There are mines (mostly prospects) all over the place.
In fact, I hiked a very tired 'prospect road' to get closer to the mesa. I then used a drainage up to the top.

The drainage was filled with vegetation, huge black boulders, and had many ponds of water from a recent rain. When I got bored with boulder hopping, I plowed through mostly non-sticky plant life. Once on top, It was an easy benchmark find.

This Black Mesa is about 1 mile long, and over 1/2 mile wide.

The mesa is rather featureless.
In fact, from the Black Mesa benchmark, right in the middle of the mesa, the N/E/S/W views are all the same. Without features, (and without a compass), you could easily get lost in broad daylight.

Surveyors set the Black Mesa Azimuth mark right on the vertical edge. There are very nice views from there.

It's a bit of a drive to this wilderness area, but I know of a couple mountains nearby that want me to climb them. They're lonely for visitors.

Culture

Azimuth Mark Benchmark Cairn Height of Light Inscriptions Reference Mark Summit Register Log

Named place

Black Mesa New Water Mountains Wilderness

_____________________

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN

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