|
| | | |
| |
|
| Hiking | 7.60 Miles |
1,438 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.60 Miles | 4 Hrs 48 Mns | | 2.09 mph |
| 1,438 ft AEG | 1 Hour 10 Mns Break | 18 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | While on other hikes, (Thompson Pk, Drinkwater Pk), I have noticed an overgrown jeep trail going up the side of this mountain to its ridgeline, and wondered why someone would go to the trouble and expense to cut into this mountain range. One way to find out is to hike up there and find out.
The trail (overgrown jeep trail) going up to the ridge-line is off Prospector trail in the Scottsdale McDowell Preserve. I used the Dixie Mine trail to access the area, but it can also be accessed from Bell Pass Trail. The trail-up oversees a huge valley below, once used by cattle ranchers.
There's definite evidence of mining attempts atop the mountain, ergo the jeep road/trail. There are sections of huge rock cut into, and other mining attempts that have been subsequently filled in. All of this appears only on the western one third of the ridgeline. The rest has not been disturbed, except for some stone walls.
The mountain slope from the valley on the north up to the top is gradual, so I imagine years ago cattle were up atop grazing, as there are rock walls and barbed wire in place to prevent the cattle from "going over the edge" on the very steep south side, and to keep cattle from roaming too far east on the ridgeline.
At one time Dixie Mine was called Red Mountain Mine and it's easy to see why. In places, rocks on the one mile long ridgeline are every shade of dark red imaginable. Very pretty in the bright sun. To the north, west and south, the Dixie Mine Ridgeline is positioned adjacent to all the familiar (and higher) mountains in the McDowell Mountain range. Dixie Mine Ridgeline has panoramic, unencumbered views of them all.
After my exploring, I bushwhacked straight down to the Dixie Mine itself and hiked out. My curiosity about that overgrown jeep trail was satisfied. |
| _____________________
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN |
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
