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| Goldfields: 3 peaks and 1 arch, AZ | |
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| | Goldfields: 3 peaks and 1 arch, AZ | | | |
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Goldfields: 3 peaks and 1 arch, AZ
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| Hiking | 12.19 Miles |
2,392 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.19 Miles | 8 Hrs 39 Mns | | 1.78 mph |
| 2,392 ft AEG | 1 Hour 48 Mns Break | | | |
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none
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| no partners | | The Three Lesser Peaks Trail looked like a nice, moderate route for a warm Sunday afternoon. We borrowed the route from @dixieflyer from 1/15/2020 to include a few arches.
We drove as far as my low-clearance vehicle could make it on FR 1356 before parking. The first couple miles were along the forest road. The turnoff onto the well-defined trail is marked by 2 large cairns but is still easy to miss if you're immersed in conversation and/or looking at the views. We looked for Elliptical Arch but didn't see it, so we headed for the peaks. There was a desert tortoise [ photo ] ambling across the trail as we ascended to the first peak. All 3 peaks were easy and quick to ascend but very very slow to descend due to all the loose rocks and bushwacking (and constant monitoring for snakes). There were more dense wildflowers and many hummingbirds as we reached the first peak. All 3 peaks had great views but the fencing on the 3rd peak diminished the views a bit.
We descended to the Horse With No Name Trail, which was very well-defined and easy, with excellent views. We encountered 2 separate Gila Monsters [ photo ] , about 1 mile apart, each one blocking the trail. The first hissed loudly and started running toward us, which was exciting. We went around each monster so they could continue getting their sun. We searched for the Overlook Arch but couldn't find it. We found the Kissing Turtles Arch after a little searching. It was smaller than expected but still very interesting. We then turned and looped back to the car.
Overall a beautiful day, temps in the 80s, a few clouds. Views were outstanding the entire way. Half of the wildflowers were past their peak but there were still many in full bloom. The music of the birds accompanied us the entire way. We saw 2 RAZRs early on but no other humans the rest of the day. It was cool to see some Gila monsters. |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Past their peak. Many are wilting, but many others still going strong. |
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