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| Peak 3022 - Organ Pipe, AZ | |
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| | Peak 3022 - Organ Pipe, AZ | | | |
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Peak 3022 - Organ Pipe, AZ
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| Hiking | 14.02 Miles |
1,589 AEG |
| | Hiking | 14.02 Miles | 8 Hrs 3 Mns | | 2.15 mph |
| 1,589 ft AEG | 1 Hour 31 Mns Break | | | |
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| Partners |
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none
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| no partners | | This was a hike to the summit of Peak 3022 (elevation of 3,022 feet and prominence of 1,201 feet), which is in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and in the Organ Pipe Cactus Wilderness Area. The peak is maked 3019 on topo maps, but LiDAR has determined that the elevation is 3 feet higher than what is shown on the topo.
I drove in on Puerto Blanco Drive and parked at one of the blue aid stations at the wilderness boundary. This was 9-10 miles from highway 85, and I was on the one-way section of the road that starts at the Pinkley Peak picnic area. This meant that I would have to drive all the way around on the loop on my way out.
I hiked on a road for the first 3 miles, which was easy road walking. Then I headed out across the desert floor, which again was easy walking at first. Then, after about 1/2 mile from leaving the road, the terrain became littered with basalt rocks which would continue for the remainder of the ascent. Some of the rocks were embedded in the ground while others were loose on top of the ground. Either way I had to watch my foot placement so as to not step on any ankle busting rocks.
I continued across the desert floor, and then I entered a canyon that would take me to the eastern slopes of the peak. The hike was fairly flat until I started heading up the slopes to the peak, which were covered in loose rocks and talus, making the going very slow. In the last push to the summit I gained 750 feet of elevation in about 0.4 miles.
There were nice unobstructed views at the summit, so I hung out there a bit before returning the way that I came. The descent down the slopes was probably as slow, if not slower, than the ascent due to the steepness combined with the loose rocks.
The hike turned out to be more difficult than I envisioned due to the very rocky terrain over about 1/2 of the hike. I am glad to have gotten this one done! |
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| Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there |
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