Rugged Mesa 5660 - Tonto NF • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

login for filter options

Apr 01 2020

FLYING_FLIVER

Guides 1
Routes 259
Photos 10,458
Triplogs 293

male

Joined Jan 28 2010
Fountain Hills,

Rugged Mesa 5660 - Tonto NF

Camp Verde, AZ

Rugged Mesa 5660 - Tonto NF

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Apr 01 2020
		FLYING_FLIVER • Triplogs 293

Hiking	7.67 Miles	1,677 AEG

Hiking	7.67 Miles	7 Hrs 10 Mns	2.12 mph
	1,677 ft AEG	3 Hrs 33 Mns Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Only 3 Haz members have logged hikes to Rugged Mesa, and all three just used the mesa as part of their track, to get to there real destination - Turret Peak.

I chose to hike up Rugged Mesa as a destination, because I knew my reason for going up there may take all day. (Turret Pk can wait, as a stand-alone hike).

There's a symbol on some TOPO maps, of a triangle on Rugged Mesa.
It could be either a triangulation station (for we hikers, a benchmark), or possibly a 'GLO' Mark (General Land Office survey disk). The symbol appears to be almost, but not quite, at a point where four sections of land intersect, so it could be a GLO mark, yet most TOPOs indicate a 'benchmark' with that triangle symbol.

GLO marks are usually disks set on a pipe, extending up about a foot or two.
As most know, benchmarks are usually round disks, set in a cement block, or in a bedrock boulder.
Also the USGS has set many 'benchmarks' without a disk. They just etched/carved a number in a boulder, and that etching/carving is the benchmark location. (See my Joe's Hill hike).
[ photo ]

The fourth thing the symbol could be is ….. nothing at all.

The Hike:
The mesa is about 2 miles long, and about 3/4s of a mile at its widest.
I drove to the base of Rugged Mesa, and hiked up.
Most of the mesa is ringed (at the top edge) with protective boulder walls, or just great big boulders. After finding a soft spot through the boulders, I was greeted with rather easy hiking atop the mesa. Tall grasses, 5 Ft high shrubs, including catclaw, and boulders of all sizes are up there.
Also, some hardwoods are present, showing signs of a long ago fire.

I hiked to the 'triangle symbol' area, and started searching.
A zillion boulder outcrops are in this area, plus alot of shrubs and trees. I stood on boulders for height, and scanned areas, looking for disks, any lumber, etchings in boulders, and short pipes coming out of the ground.

Finally, while scanning my 4th or 5th section, I saw what appeared to be a pipe, about 100 feet away.
It 'was' a pipe, and it had a disk atop the pipe.
It was a GLO mark, designating where 4 sections of land meet.
YIPPEE for me.

Still curious about that triangle symbol on TOPOs, I did search that specific area for a disk, and for etchings/carvings in boulders. I saw nothing else 'man-made', so I took photos of the 'disk-on-a-pipe', and then just wandered around Rugged Mesa.

I descended the mesa at a different location, for variety.
It was a much longer, arduous track down, and not recommended. Very thick vegetation, on very steep terrain.

As my curiosity was satisfied, I call the hike a success, and alot of fun.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Indian Paintbrush Prickly Pear

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cadastral Survey Marker

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Granite Peak Rugged Mesa Turret Peak

_____________________

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN

Nov 29 2014

joebartels

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

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Rugged Mesa - Turret Peak - Bishop Creek Loop, AZ

Hiking		Nov 29 2014
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	11.80 Miles	2,495 AEG

Hiking	11.80 Miles	9 Hrs 8 Mns		1.51 mph
	2,495 ft AEG	1 Hour 20 Mns Break	12 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Rugged Mesa 5660 - Tonto NF

Turret Peak

Partners

partners

The_Eagle

The AMC Eagle had perks in the area to knock off his wish list. Started about 7:40am in crisp yet warmer than average 40ish temps. The aroma of a nearby campfire tickled our senses. Short of a mile we turned off-trail for a mean beeline ascent up Rugged Mesa. The nippy chill was no match for this ascent so we retired the warm hats and secondary shirts.

Unfortunately neither of us came prepared for the villain of Autumn. Foxtails and other sharp seeds from the record summer rainfall wanted blood. Had we come prepared with gaiters this would have been enjoyable. Temps were perfect. Visibility was great. We had just enough knowledge to name off a few surrounding and distant peaks.

Contemplated Turret as the chaparral looked thick. More so as our feet were crying uncle. Already invested thus far we forged ahead. Dropped off the NE end of Rugged Mesa then ascended the SW side of Turret. Midway up it got steep. It also got interesting so our decision panned out. I took a stab at a direct assault up the SE corner while Bruce wrapped around the east. Made it up one class four pitch with another to go. I retreated as it felt like I was taking too long. The downside of that decision was having to hover over an agave midway on the wall. After some speed praying it worked out.

Turret is pretty cool up top with it's 360 degree perched views. Three FLIVER discs found up top. 2 referenced to the 1 peak. Heading up we had joked about wanting an army to come up and kill us so we would not have to tread anymore foxtails. Looking back the worst was on the west side of Rugged Mesa, most notably our initial ascent.

We dropped off the NW end of Rugged Mesa following nobert15's ( correction, Hansenaz's! ) track initially. Steep, slower than anticipated yet the worst of the day was well behind. We angled north to Bishop Creek as Buck Basin was our next perk.

Bishop Creek felt like a resort with virtually nothing to impede travel. The crunch of sycamore leaves and occasional turning cottonwoods dazzled us. Sandwiched between Turret and an unnamed high peak, 5650, directly above NW rounded out the welcome wagon.

Out of Bishop, up a tributary towards Buck Basin, got our attention. The geology of the creek had a little flair. Bypassed a dryfall then lunched before another. An enjoyable Autumn lunch with a nice breeze. Time got away from us so a return is in the cards.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bishop Creek - Near FR 1981 Rugged Mesa Turret Peak

Autumn Foliage Observation Light
Sycamores past. Cottonwoods just underway.

	Bishop Creek - Near FR 1981	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Speaking to the two miles east of FR 1981. Shallow six inch clear pools up to twenty feet long on occasion. Barely flowing in one spot. Less desirable towards FR 1981, some stagnant, some with the oil layer on top.

_____________________

- joe

Nov 29 2014

The_Eagle

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

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Rugged Mesa - Turret Peak - Bishop Creek Loop, AZ

Hiking		Nov 29 2014
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,762

Hiking	12.46 Miles	2,505 AEG

Hiking	12.46 Miles	9 Hrs 6 Mns		1.60 mph
	2,505 ft AEG	1 Hour 20 Mns Break	15 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Turret Peak

Rugged Mesa 5660 - Tonto NF

Partners

partners

joebartels

I needed to scratch this itch.
This has been another on my radar for awhile.

My interest was re tweaked when I was researching the General Crook Trail that Denny and I completed last year.

On March 27, 1873, a group of soldiers and Apache Scouts under the command of Captain George M. Randall crept up Turret Peak around midnight. Randall had the men crawl on hands and knees to avoid making any noise or rattling any stones. Waiting until dawn, the soldiers charged and surprised a rancheria near the crest of the mountain. The natives were so startled and panic-stricken that many of them simply jumped from the mountain side falling to their death below.[2] Some resisted, fighting for a little while before being killed or surrendering. Fifty-seven natives died as result and several more were wounded and captured. Unfortunately a few civilians were found in the cave after the fighting had stopped, killed accidentally by the covering fire or rolling rocks. The attack at Turret Peak proved demoralizing to the Yavapai and Apache people. Two weeks after the battle, on April 6, many of the hostiles surrendered to Crook at Camp Verde. Several of the soldiers who fought at Turret Peak were later awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/89/George_Crook_at_turret_peak.jpg

Temps were perfect on the day. In the 30's at the start but became very pleasant once we got into the sunlight.

A half mile road walk and then straight up Rugged Mesa. 'Twas a bit steep, but more than anything, I was wishing for the Gaiters I'd left in the truck. Rugged Mesa, with the proper protection, is a nice walk with great views. It was just under 2 miles across the top, but stopping to remove prickly things, slowed us down.

From on top of Rugged Mesa, we plotted our route up Turret trying to bypass as much of the sharp prickly stuff that we could. It worked out pretty well for the most part.

Based on the uncontrollable language coming from both of our mouths, this peak should be renamed Tourette Peak instead of Turret Peak

I made it to the western bench just below the peak and then Joe led us around the eastern side to ascend the Class 3 to the top of Turret. There was only one slightly sketchy spot. Views...well... WOW.

Video from atop Turret Peak :next:

http://youtu.be/IQi-CUAIUEY

We were woefully behind on our timetable due to the thickness of the Flora to this point. We decided we'd make it down to Bishop Creek, have some lunch, and then assess the situation.

Bishop Creek was like Heaven compared to what we were through. We went towards Buck Basin, but while eating some lunch, decided the rest of the track was not in the cards on this day. We retreated down Bishop Creek. Bishop Creek itself looks to be a worthy location to check out.

I DO have unfinished business up there, but at least Turret is out of my system.

Recommendations for Rugged Mesa / Turret Peak
Good GPS Track :next:

Check
Long Pants :next:

Check
Long Sleeve shirt :next:

Check
Gaiters :next:

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Teva

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Horseshoe Reference Mark

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Pine Mountain Rugged Mesa Turret Peak

Autumn Foliage Observation Light

	Bishop Creek - Near FR 1981	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Plenty of filterable water along the stretch we hiked.

_____________________

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

Dec 27 2001

mazatzal

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Rugged Mesa 5660 - Tonto NF

Camp Verde, AZ

Rugged Mesa 5660 - Tonto NF

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Dec 27 2001
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	4.60 Miles	1,060 AEG

Hiking	4.60 Miles	3 Hrs	1.53 mph
	1,060 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

From FR44 / FR3159 junction we went along FR3159 and then up onto Rugged Mesa came back down using the ridge on the south side to make a loop. Found an old rusty knife labelled "Old Hickory" near Hardscrabble Tank

_____________________

1 archive

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