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| Murphy Peak - Sierra Ancha, AZ | |
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| | Murphy Peak - Sierra Ancha, AZ | | | |
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Murphy Peak - Sierra Ancha, AZ
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| Hiking | 4.00 Miles |
530 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.00 Miles | 6 Hrs | | 0.67 mph |
| 530 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| partners | | This started out as a hike to the top of Murphy Peak following a ridge north from where we parked GH's 4-Runner on the road to the Aztec Peak lookout. This is a pleasant hike with very little AEG across a mostly open ridge top. GH and I spent a lot of time taking photos along the eastern edge of the ridge so NoNot reached the top of Murphy Peak long before we did and had to come back looking for us. 
There are great views of the Murphy Ranch and apple orchard from the top of the ridge. I have done some research on the ranch early history and all I can find is a Homestead land patent to Walter G Murphy for 40+ acres at that location dated Mar 14, 1921. Some other info lists him as having a 40 acre apple orchard near Young, AZ from 1918 to 1941 and dying on Jul 8, 1941. The dates for the land patent and the period when he owned the apple orchard indicate that he was resident there during the same time period as the Peterson's at their nearby ranch. He was married but census info indicates they had no children.
After spending some time on Murphy Peak GH and NoNot headed back for the car to return to camp and I descended Murphy Peak on the northeast side following a ridge that led me to an old abandoned logging road marked Tr #151 on my old Garmin Southwest topo map. I followed that old road down hill towards FR487 then crossed over to another old road that led me to the Peterson Ranch Site. I visited the old orchard (lots of apples coming on), the location of the Peterson Cabin, and spent some time looking for two old waypoints I found on one of my gps tracks from a few years ago. One was for the Carolyn H Cole memorial plaque and the other was the site of Edward Baker's murder on July 12, 1890. Supposedly he is buried at that location. I didn't find evidence of either at these waypoints and I'm not sure where I got them. After more snooping around I took an off trail route south east towards our camp. GH had expected me to return on FR487 and was a little spooked when he heard me crashing through some brush as I entered the campsite through the back door. |
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