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| Hiking | 2.18 Miles |
729 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.18 Miles | 1 Hour 20 Mns | | 1.72 mph |
| 729 ft AEG | 4 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I've driven past Iron Dike many times and wanted to stop and check out the ruins, but it always ended up being "next time." Earlier in the day, I hiked to Mazatzal Peak and was done by early afternoon with plenty of time, so it was finally "this time." I parked at a small pullout off FR 626, went over a fence, and aimed for the transmission lines on the east side of Iron Dike.
There's a dirt road farther east that branches off 87 that, in hindsight, probably would've made things easier. The straight shot I took is mostly flat, but I had to cross through multiple fields of thick, dry grass that left my socks and boots covered in foxtails, and there were several brushy areas around some washes that slowed things down a little. Once I passed under the transmission lines, it was a steep, rocky, and brushy approach up the southeast side of Iron Dike as the walls came into view.
There may have been an easier approach that would've avoided most of the talus slopes farther around the north side, but this worked out, and I was up on top after ~ one mile. There was more to the site than I expected...it has a long, defensive perimeter wall that extends around a large portion of the east edge of the mountain where the cliffs aren't as steep. There were also several obvious interior rooms on top, though no artifacts, which didn't surprise me given the proximity to the highway and power lines.
Despite the many reminders of modern civilization nearby, Iron Dike offers nice views of Mt. Ord, Saddle Mountain, and other Mazatzal peaks, and it's nice vantage point looking down on FR 201 and the roads leading into some of the Mazatzal trailheads. The top felt higher up than it looks from the highway. It was extremely windy today, so I didn't spend much time on top before heading back down and collecting more foxtails along the way. Overall, it was worth a visit since I was in the area anyway, and I'm glad I finally took the time to see what's up there. |
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