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| Tortilla Mountain Loop, AZ | | -
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| | Tortilla Mountain Loop, AZ | | | |
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Tortilla Mountain Loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 23.12 Miles |
5,081 AEG |
| | Hiking | 23.12 Miles | 8 Hrs 51 Mns | | 2.85 mph |
| 5,081 ft AEG | 45 Mns Break | | | |
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[ show ]
| no partners | | Had originally planned on Black Mountain but switched on a whim. Started around 7:30 and went counterclockwise starting with Tortilla Mountain.
Road walk for a mile up 213 before a couple guys in an off-roader offered me a ride to the trailhead. Declined, and changed my mind about going all the way down the road. Had a look at the grassy ridgelines to the west toward Tortilla Mountain and decided to cut corners on the loop and go for that summit instead. Left the road and went down to the creek and then up. It's steep, but there's no bushwhacking on the slopes and ridges, only crossing the two drainages.
Eventually made my way to the Tortilla Peak Ridgeline and the fun started. Good scrambling and some sense of exposure, particularly where the ridgeline is broken north of the peak. Distant views. Very poor man's Brown's - Brother traverse. Best part of the hike. Summit is up high off the ridgeline something like Cathedral Rock in the Catalinas, only no rope or reason to have one.
Have a hard time enjoying a summit not knowing how I'll get down. Did no research in advance, and on the maps the west side of the peak looks less cliffy. Didn't stay long before heading to the little subpeak to the south and working my way down. Cliffed out a few times, and I had to head farther south than planned, toward the drainage that cuts E/W across Tortilla Mountain. Ended up hopping down the creek to Peter's Canyon and found the trail.
Peter's trail toward Black Mountain and thought what's the point in doing that. Looks like more of an achievement from Charlebois. Saw the only people of the day on Peter's trail. They were running from Canyon Lake and had dropped a car at Tortilla TH. Had a brief chat during which they explained they knew which car was mine at the TH and mentioned I should go to Herman's Cave. Didn't end up going, sorry guys. Thanks for not keying my car.
Dutchman, Red Tanks, Hoolie Bacon. Only water I remember was at Larbarge Spring, in La Barge Creek by Whiskey Spring Canyon, and in the Box. |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Few at higher elevation |
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