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| Hiking | 7.75 Miles |
2,982 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.75 Miles | 8 Hrs 2 Mns | | 1.18 mph |
| 2,982 ft AEG | 1 Hour 29 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | This hike was to the summit of Swisshelm Mountain (elevation of 7,185 feet and prominence of 2,025 feet), which is the highpoint of the Swisshelm Mountains of southeast Arizona. The Swisshelm Mountains are in a valley west of the Chiricahua's and are roughly halfway between Wilcox and Douglas.
The Swisshelm Mountains are a hodgepodge of BLM land, state trust lands, and private lands. In looking at a land ownership map I believe that Swisshelm Mountain is on BLM land, but there is no reasonable way to get there without going through private land. In the past some people have hiked in from the north, but landowners now prevent coming in from that way. There is a good route from the southeast off of Leslie Canyon Road, but that area has locked gates with lots of no trespassing signs. I came in from the west, going through the town of Elfrida. I went through private land posted for no trespassing, but the landowner kindly granted my request to hike in through his land.
The first 2 miles of the hike were on a road. The road was smooth and well-graded at first, but eventually it became more of an ATV type road. After leaving the road we busted up a steep slope to a ridgeline. After the hike I checked my track and over a 1/2 mile stretch we climbed 1,055 feet -- that's a grade of 40%! The grade doesn't tell the whole story, as there was loose rock, cactus, cholla, ocotillo, agave, yucca, thornbushes, and other pleasantries to deal with. We eventually made it to the ridgeline though, and from there the hike was much easier, although there were some up-and-downs on the ridgeline.
Views were great at the summit, so at least there was a good payoff for the work that it took to get there. We went back the way that we came. It might have been slower descending the steep slopes than it was coming up. It was almost too steep to safely descend in some places.
I am glad that I did this hike, but once is enough for me! |
| _____________________
| Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there |
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