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| Hiking | 6.09 Miles |
1,854 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.09 Miles | 3 Hrs 20 Mns | | 1.83 mph |
| 1,854 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Since Governors Peak is so close to Sunnyslope, I ate breakfast at home, instead of picking up QT. Driving past Lake Pleasant on Castle Hot Springs Road, the only confusion I had was when the road makes a 90° turn to descend to Garfias Wash. (Left goes to Spring Valley.) Garfias Wash had water for hundreds of yards upstream of the bridge, as Lake Pleasant’s water level is currently 30 ft. above “full” ( http://pleasant.lakesonline.com/Level/ ).
Parking at the small pullout just past the cattle gate, I could see the white backcountry sign-in stand across Castle Creek, where Spring Valley Trail begins. But the short bluff down to the creek is steep, so instead I walked 100 yds. north on Castle Hot Springs Rd., down to the creek, before doubling back to the stand.
Currently, the Spring Valley Trail and Hermit Trail (go right) split is marked by three cairns. I spotted some burros who waited for me to take several photos. On my way back, I had forgotten about them, so when they snorted I was quite startled. More so than the gunfire which accompanied my final half mile.
My favorite view of the day was from the second saddle, north across Four Tanks Canyon, towards the Governors Peak ridgeline. More so than the pollution-obscured summit view of Phoenix. Even Lake Pleasant was hazy.
From the bottom of Four Tanks Canyon, the trail — Bell Trail? — follows plentiful cairns up a steep wash between Hill 2992, on the right, and the now visible summit of Governors Peak, on your left. It is 390 ft. in 0.4 miles to the third saddle, with some boulder steps and marble-covered slick rock to be negotiated. (Which I slipped on several times while later descending.) The saddle is marked by a large cairn. A trail begins to descend north, towards the Castle Hot Springs Resort, but you should turn left.
The trail climbs 450 ft. in the final 0.4 miles, first along the yellow cliff band, then most steeply up an easy chute, before crossing a grassy slope towards the hidden Governors Peak summit.
For some reason, the sign marking the Governors Peak summit is facing away from the trail. The summit log was a jumble of loose papers. The oldest I found was from December, 1995. As I was perusing the entries, I was surprised by a young gal approaching the summit. I didn’t want to weird her out, so I ate lunch on the side of the summit opposite Lake Pleasant, while she enjoyed the better view. Or the more polluted one.
Hike Video: https://vimeo.com/517839799 |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
One ocotillo, one redstem stork's bill, both between the saddle (2800 el) and summit (3200 el). |
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| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
