Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

login for filter options

Mar 19 2022

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,762

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Granite Mountain X3, AZ

Hiking		Mar 19 2022
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,762

Hiking	15.34 Miles	4,008 AEG

Hiking	15.34 Miles	9 Hrs 4 Mns		2.08 mph
	4,008 ft AEG	1 Hour 42 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Granite Mountain 4,699 - Tonto NF

West Granite Mountain 4555 - Tonto NF

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Partners

partners

joebartels

johnlp

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

After hiking the Ballantine Boulder loop the end of February, looking to the west, there were a number of prominent peaks that looked interesting.

Not knowing how slow the terrain was going to be, I sketched up 4 options with different distances, AEG and peaks. The one we ended up doing was the shortest and worked out just fine. Knowing this was a popular ORV area, my biggest concern for the day was all the potential traffic while we were on the road portion. This ended up not being a problem.

After our 4 mile road walk up Sycamore Creek and Log Corral Trail, we roughly followed the same route as @FLYING_FLIVER used, to spread his magic dust on top of Granite Mountain-4699. It's a steep one and brushy in spots. Most of the way up, we came across a motorcycle trail, that possibly would have made this easier, albeit longer. It came from the direction of Red Mountain.

At the top, we took a break an admired the views and geology.
View from the Top of Granite Mountain 4699 -> [ youtube video ]

Next up was West Granite Mountain-4555. The only slightly tricky part of this one was getting off of Granite. We used the continuation of the motorcycle trail for a portion, before making the push to the top. Another break up here, with the best views of Bartlett, Rio Verde and the McDowells.

We retreated roughly the way we ascended and hit the motorcycle trail again. We used this until it started heading in the wrong direction and then headed off trail towards our next target to complete the trifecta, Little Granite Mountain-4214.

We were all kinda tired at this point, so the last 650' push to the top was a bit of a slog. At the top we were greeted with a welcomed breeze and ate some lunch overlooking Bartlett.

Just east of the peak on this one, we once again picked up the motorcycle trail which made our egress much easier than it could have been. We came across a buzz worm on the way down that gave us plenty of warning before slithering off.

Fun peaks to hit and there are a few others out there that are still on my list.

Always good hiking with John Long Play and Joe

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Reference Mark

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

Brush Corral Canyon

Dry

Indian Springs Canyon

Dry

Log Corral Canyon

Dry

	Log Corral Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	We actually filtered from here on the way out. There are also 2 sources just east of here coming from the cliff rocks.

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

1 archive

Mar 19 2022

johnlp

Guides 1
Routes 14
Photos 7,202
Triplogs 5,208

68 male

Joined Mar 16 2008
chandler,az

Granite Mountain X3, AZ

Hiking		Mar 19 2022
		johnlp • Triplogs 5,208

Hiking	15.34 Miles	4,008 AEG

Hiking	15.34 Miles	9 Hrs 4 Mns	2.08 mph
	4,008 ft AEG	1 Hour 42 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

Granite Mountain 4,699 - Tonto NF

West Granite Mountain 4555 - Tonto NF

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Partners

partners

joebartels

The_Eagle

Been too long since I joined Bruce and Joe on one their adventures. I had never ventured into the vast area between Hwy 87 and Bartlett Lake so this looked interesting and new.

We started hiking at Sycamore Creek & the 87, heading for the three Granite Mountains. Not sure who named these but they didn't have a lot of imagination. The first few miles are along creeks on FS roads. Soon enough we left for the off trail up to Granite Mountain. Like most off trail peak hiking the trek was steep and loose, with no shortage of catclaw.

Views from all three peaks were outstanding. West Granite Mountain was next. We burned a lot of energy getting up there. The view of Bartlett is very nice from the summit. We descended towards a motorcycle trail we could see below. This saved time but the trail is steep and treacherous with loose gravel to negotiate.

Little Granite was up next. This is the easiest one to ascend. Views of the far end of Bartlett Lake stood out. We descended more steep loose terrain until we reached a FS road for the final furlongs to the finish.

Always fun to hike with these two. Thanks for having me along.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Gooding's Verbena

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Point

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

_____________________

“Good people drink good beer.” Hunter S Thompson

Mar 19 2022

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,797
Photos 14,494
Triplogs 5,894

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Granite Mountain X3, AZ

Hiking		Mar 19 2022
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	14.67 Miles	4,025 AEG

Hiking	14.67 Miles	9 Hrs 5 Mns	2.06 mph
	4,025 ft AEG	1 Hour 58 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Granite Mountain 4,699 - Tonto NF

West Granite Mountain 4555 - Tonto NF

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Partners

partners

johnlp

The_Eagle

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Dusty Roads
The first mile or so of the road was intriguing. Then it got blah heading up. It's actually a cool area. Miles of road walking drags on but absolutely nothing is stopping you from slowing the pace down to a crawl by negotiating the scrub chaparral on the sides.

Granite Mountain
Our approach was mild bushwhacking with one notable obstacle that split the group momentarily. Two or three false summits keeps enthusiasm on a rollercoaster. 250 feet to the top, I wrote the hit single Surfing Granite Mountain with accolades from all parties. This was the best of the three Granite Mountains for relaxed lounging opportunities on the slanted granite.

West Granite Mountain
Best of the three Granite Mountains for views.

Little Granite Mountain
This was just stupid. We took our lunch break on the uncomfortable peak.

Synopsis
Overall a great hike. Would redo in cooler weather when pants aren't like oven mits.

Wildflowers Observation Light
Verbena, common monkeyflower, primrose, chia, poppies, oxygen-starved richards, lupine, fairy duster, wiry lotus, white rock daisies, white phlox

_____________________

- joe

Nov 22 2012

mazatzal

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Phoenix, AZ

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Nov 22 2012
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	11.00 Miles	1,350 AEG

Hiking	11.00 Miles	5 Hrs 30 Mns	2.36 mph
	1,350 ft AEG	50 Mns Break

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

We went up Log Corral Canyon to the fence/gate and then off trail.

_____________________

Oct 13 2012

CannondaleKid

Guides 44
Routes 162
Photos 24,766
Triplogs 2,411

75 male

Joined May 04 2004
Mesa, AZ

Little Granite - Indian Point loop, AZ

Hiking		Oct 13 2012
		CannondaleKid • Triplogs 2,411

Hiking	7.20 Miles	1,850 AEG

Hiking	7.20 Miles	6 Hrs 13 Mns		1.58 mph
	1,850 ft AEG	1 Hour 39 Mns Break	22 LBS Pack

no routes

Linked

linked

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Partners

none

no partners

Due to a last-minute change in plans this was going to be a short hike to the summit of Little Granite Mountain before taking the Cherokee to map out washes east and west of Forest Road 393. But knowing many times for me one thing leads to another, I filled my CamelBak bladder to its limit and set off. Good thing I did.

The hike from the Log Corral saddle allows no time to loosen up, with an immediate climb up and steep and shifty slope through cholla. After the first climb things got better with no more cholla and more rolling terrain for the rest of the way to Little Granite summit.

I found no log at the summit so I took the usual summit pan photos and 360 pan video. Looking north I could see Maverick Mountain, which has been on my peak bag list for a while so decided to do some scouting for a future climb. I set off along the ridge directly toward Maverick Mountain, climbing each minor peak along the way until I reached the tallest of the bunch, Peak 4015.

From the summit of Peak 4015 I shot another 360 pan video then took my time scanning the slopes of Maverick Mountain seeking the best route to the summit. At this moment I was vacillating whether to go ahead and summit Maverick now, or wait for a dedicated hike just for that purpose. Although the route from where I stood looked great as opposed to an approach from FR393 to the west it appeared to be more than I was ready to tackle today.

But I had no sooner started on my way back toward Little Granite that I realized two more of the peaks on my list in the Maverick Mountain quadrant were right there in front of me, I decided to make a big loop to bag them both on the way back to the trailhead.

Of course it helped that much of this area had burned in the lightning-ignited Charley Fire in August so I wasn't bushwhacking through brush... at least not until my climb out of the wash between Indian Point and Peak 3742.

Indian Point was a reasonably easy climb from the northwest up to the summit. I searched for a summit log but found none so I sat down for my PB&J lunch. Although it was before just noon it was still cool so it felt great with a stiff breeze as well. More photos and a 360 pan video and it's time to bag the last peak before heading home.

Barely 3/4 mile away is the summit of Peak 3742, but it will be the most challenging part of the hike. First it entails descending 600' down a steep, loose slope, through heavy brush to an open wash, through heavier brush on the other side then over 600' up another steep slope, this time with loose rocks hidden in tall grass. I took short breaks on the climb until I reached the summit. Again no log so I took the usual photos and 360 pan video and began my trip back, wrapping up my big circle loop.

The last leg included a steep 400' drop to the west followed by an 800' climb almost all the way back up to Little Granite before the last steep drop back down to the TH. For a short time I followed a single-track motorcycle trail which had fresh tracks, probably from the trio who borrowed some tools from me to fix bike problems while I was driving Log Corral Trail before my hike. I believe one of them mentioned this was called the Dagger Trail.

Tons of photos and video so I broke them up into 4 separate sets, one for each leg of my loop hike.
The photosets on HAZ are as follows:
1. Little Granite = http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=21971
2. Peak 4015 = http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=21976
3. Indian Point = http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=21978
4. Peak 3742 = http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=21979

I posted the 360-degree summit pan videos on my web site as follows:
1. Little Granite = http://changephoenix.com/jpserver/web/public/file.php?id=262
2. Peak 4015 = http://changephoenix.com/jpserver/web/public/file.php?id=263
3. Indian Point = http://changephoenix.com/jpserver/web/public/file.php?id=264
4. Peak 3742 = http://changephoenix.com/jpserver/web/public/file.php?id=265

_____________________

CannondaleKid

Jan 04 2004

mazatzal

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Phoenix, AZ

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Jan 04 2004
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	12.00 Miles	1,850 AEG

Hiking	12.00 Miles	5 Hrs 40 Mns	2.12 mph
	1,850 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Went up Log Corral Canyon to the fence/gate and then off trail to bag Little Granite Mtn.

_____________________

Dec 16 2001

mazatzal

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Phoenix, AZ

Little Granite Mountain 4214 - Tonto NF

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 16 2001
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	10.80 Miles	1,550 AEG

Hiking	10.80 Miles	5 Hrs	2.16 mph
	1,550 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

linked

Granite Mountain 4,699 - Tonto NF

Partners

none

no partners

Exploratory trip to check out access routes to Granite Mtn and Little Granite Mtn.

_____________________

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

username		X
password		X