Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

[ checklist ] Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha

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LindaAnn

linda suggested a trip to the sierra anchas for our hike today
haven't done much in this area, so was excited to hit the two high points and see some of the mining stuff
we got going around 0810 from pocket spring after looking at the waterfall
hiked up forest road 489 to the turnoff
steep and rocky, can't imagine driving it
played on the digger then walked along the old road along the south face of asbestos point to check out a few of the mines
went inside two of them a few feet
we didn't inhale
took another old road up toward asbestos point
this road gradually deteriorated into a bushwhack with deadfall
found the use trail up to the peak
nice views to the south
descended off trail back to the better part of the road, then started up to zimmerman
road walk partway, then off trail over a hill and up to the point
a bit brushy and rocky on the steeper part
spent some time up top having a snack, taking photos and admiring the views to the east
back to the road, then down the road, inspecting the bizarre tepee constructed near pocket spring
it's been there since at least march according to @dixieflyer and @wildforaz
on the drive out, linda kindly showed me a couple of the camping areas overlooking roosevelt lake
would like to spend more time in the anchas
thanks for driving, linda
i loved the hike - great choice!

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Autumn Foliage Observation Light

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hazhole

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Nov 20 2024

LindaAnn

Guides 110
Routes 2,246
Photos 8,982
Triplogs 2,600

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Ancha A to Z, AZ

Hiking		Nov 20 2024
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600

Hiking	8.91 Miles	2,318 AEG

Hiking	8.91 Miles	6 Hrs 6 Mns	1.64 mph
	2,318 ft AEG	40 Mns Break

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trekkin_gecko

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

It’s been three years since I was out on these two trails, and Kelly had never been on them, so a trip to Asbestos & Zimmerman was in order.

We drove up FS489 to Pocket Spring. The road has some rough spots. I’d suggest high clearance 4wd for a couple of places. We looked around the spring and waterfall area before beginning our hike up the road.

Quickly noticed the abandoned tepee. That thing takes up most of the area where I usually park. Looks like at least three people were living in it. Fairly elaborate setup. They’d also marked some rocks with pink spray paint, although we did not feel compelled to follow the arrows.

The hike up the road was uneventful. Some fall color. When we got up top, I suggested visiting the mines first. No rattlers this time, but there was a wasp guarding one entrance. We walked a short distance into two of the larger entrances, briefly pondering the health effects. Wandered farther doen the road, but nothing of interested was seen.

After that, we headed up towards Asbestos Point, following the old road, which was choked with deadfall. Could see the edge of one more mine off the north side of the hill, but it looked difficult to access. The short climb up to Asbestos is steep. We looked around the top for a moment, then headed back down, skipping the road portion.

Finally, we headed over towards Zimmerman. Once the road ended, we generally stayed left of the fence, meandering to avoid vegetation. One small section of deadfall and brush couldn’t be avoided. Steep climb up to Zimmerman. Found the benchmark, then walked along the eastern edge, enjoying the views. Very windy, so we found a sheltered spot for lunch.

Mostly straightforward hike back down to the jeep. On the drive out, we headed over to some cool overlooks on the west side of the road. Not a high mileage hike, but it has a lot of interesting things to see. Thanks, Kelly, for joining me on this one!

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

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[ checklist ] Asbestos Point South Fork Parker Creek

Autumn Foliage Observation Light
Some color from the maples and sycamores.

	Pocket Spring - Sierra Ancha Mtns	Dripping	Dripping
	Some water, but I would be hesitant to drink surface water in this area.

_____________________

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Mar 01 2024

WildForAZ

Routes 9
Photos 490
Triplogs 20

female

Joined May 20 2016
AZ

[ checklist ] Mount Baldy Pocket Creek Theodore Roosevelt Lake Zimm Benchmark Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Mar 01 2024
		WildForAZ • Triplogs 20

Hiking	7.67 Miles	2,450 AEG

Hiking	7.67 Miles	5 Hrs 21 Mns	1.43 mph
	2,450 ft AEG

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The hike description and official route from @Grasshopper are spot on and much appreciated

I have always liked Pocket Creek, and this hike follows it upstream for quite a distance. Last year in late May, I intended to hike to both Asbestos Peak and Zimmerman Point in one hike, but that ended up being wishful thinking. After coming down from Asbestos Peak that day, I was too hot and tired for Zimmerman and decided to save it for another day. Today's high was in the 60s making it perfect weather to hike up to Zimm.

After witnessing the horror show of what the FR489 "road" has become

, I parked at the lower TH. Tire tracks were visible in the mud all the way to the top, so some people are making it happen (probably with a seriously beefed-up off-road machine). It amazed me that no vehicle parts were laying on the ground

Pocket Creek has plenty of water right now, and the sound of it made the day extra nice. Water was also trickling down the big, colorful waterfall located southwest of the road. Some manzanita bushes were in full bloom.

The unfortunate part of the hike is that this area has some major wildfire damage. And there is a lot of deadfall.

The off-trail portion of this hike was much easier than I expected. It was easy finding a path through the vegetation, and it was not too steep.

The views from the top were excellent. It was nice to stand on some rock platforms on the edge and take in the view. I didn't see any wildlife today, but in the last half mile, there were two places with a LARGE pile of bear scat (wasn't fresh though).

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mining Equipment

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_____________________

5 archives

Sep 10 2022

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 840
Photos 22,055
Triplogs 1,993

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Asbestos Zimmerman, AZ

Hiking		Sep 10 2022
		chumley • Triplogs 1,993

Hiking	8.05 Miles	2,513 AEG

Hiking	8.05 Miles	4 Hrs 47 Mns	2.00 mph
	2,513 ft AEG	46 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Asbestos Point Pocket Creek South Fork Parker Creek Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha

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John9L

9L has been pushing to do Asbestos for about a decade. I never understood why as it looked mostly meh everytime I drove by and it had never made any sense to add on to another planned hike while I was out that way. So when he mentioned it as an option for today I agreed with some reluctant apathy.

Needless to say, this one exceeded my low expectations by leaps and bounds. I think Zimm is a one and done ... the reward isn't worth the extra effort. Unlike Asbestos.

I didn't realize that the 2016 Juniper Fire had so thoroughly charred the Pocket Creek drainage. It's matchsticks in here. I'm also not sure when FR489 got to be such a rough route. It seems that post-fire deadfall and flooding has pushed it beyond the reach of FS repair, but I got the impression that it was already a serious jeep trail even before then.

We had great weather, poofy clouds, cool breezes, great views, and somehow no known snake encounters despite bushwhacking through desert scrub, tall grass, and mine tunnels. I'll do this one again sometime.

Culture

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[ checklist ] Benchmark Reference Mark

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Apr 07 2021

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,485
Photos 16,072
Triplogs 1,375

male

Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Sierra Ancha A to Z, AZ

Hiking		Apr 07 2021
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,375

Hiking	9.60 Miles	2,841 AEG

Hiking	9.60 Miles	6 Hrs 10 Mns	2.10 mph
	2,841 ft AEG	1 Hour 36 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Benchmark Fire Lookout Structures Height of Light Mine Shaft Mining Equipment Old Rusty Stuff Reference Mark Truck Remains/Wreckage

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I decided to head out to the fringes of @grasshopper and @Oregon_Hiker territory today and do this fun hike.

I parked at the first pullout on the left, just a short distance from 288. I could have easily driven another mile before the road got gnarly, but I figured that I'd add a little distance and elevation gain by parking where I did.

There was some water flowing in Pocket Creek, but not as much as the last time that I did this hike one year ago.

I went up FR 489 to a saddle, and then went to Zimmerman Point first. It wasn't a bad bushwhack to the summit, but I didn't set any speed records. The last time that I was there I located the benchmark and reference mark #2, but I did not locate RM #1. @Flying_Fliver informed me that RM #1 was 47.59 Feet from the benchmark, on a true course of 18 degrees and 18 minutes. Armed with that information, finding reference mark #1 this time was as easy as taking candy from a baby!

After getting back to the saddle, I went up to Asbestos Point. The ascent was much shorter and easier than going up to Zimmerman Point. I was on a forest road for a bit heading up toward Asbestos Point, but rather than following the road around to the north side of the summit, I went off the road and ascended up the east side of Asbestos Point. This is by far the easier way to get up to the summit. There are nice views of Roosevelt Lake and Four Peaks from the summit.

There are two benchmarks on Asbestos Point: one from 1934 that is labeled "Asbestos" and one from 1947 that is labeled "JDB" and has the elevation of 6651 on it. I wonder what "JDB" means?

After descemding down from Asbestos Point, I walked around and looked at some of the mine adits. There is some interesting stuff to see, so this was worth taking a look at.

It was a great day in the Sierra Ancha Wilderness, although it was a bit warmer than I would have preferred.

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Asbestos

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

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[ checklist ] Asbestos Point Aztec Peak Aztec Peak Fire Lookout Four Peaks Theodore Roosevelt Lake Zimm Benchmark Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha

Wildflowers Observation None
There are virtually no wildflowers at this point, but I think that there will be some in the coming weeks -- I would not expect many flowers yet at the relatively high elevation of this hike.

Pocket Creek

Light flow

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Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there

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Apr 25 2020

hikerdw

Routes 268
Photos 2,969
Triplogs 541

66 male

Joined Aug 16 2009
Mesa,AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Apr 25 2020
		hikerdw • Triplogs 541

Hiking	10.63 Miles	2,545 AEG

Hiking	10.63 Miles	5 Hrs 38 Mns	2.25 mph
	2,545 ft AEG	55 Mns Break

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Pocket Spring - Sierra Ancha Mtns

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Seeing the recent triplogs we decided to check this hike out. Enjoyed the area and seeing all the mines and mining relics. The weather was good but did warm up on the hike out as we dropped down. Saw one deer while hiking out to Asbestos Point. The hike out to Zimmerman Point was a climb, loose in some spots. On the way back we took two detours, one to check out the source of Pocket Spring, and a second to climb up the small falls area. We were going to explore back a bit in that drainage but ran into a permanent camp behind some trees at the top so we decided not to continue. Nice day enjoying the Sierra Ancha.

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[ checklist ] Pocket Spring - Sierra Ancha Mtns

Pocket Creek

Medium flow

Quart per minute

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Apr 16 2020

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,485
Photos 16,072
Triplogs 1,375

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Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Sierra Ancha A to Z: Asbestos - Zimmerman, AZ

Hiking		Apr 16 2020
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,375

Hiking	10.50 Miles	2,887 AEG

Hiking	10.50 Miles	6 Hrs 25 Mns	2.05 mph
	2,887 ft AEG	1 Hour 17 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Benchmark Fire Lookout Structures Grave - Unidentified Medicine Wheel Mine Shaft Mining Equipment Old Rusty Stuff Reference Mark Truck Remains/Wreckage Wooden Dwelling

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I figured that a good place for a social distancing hike was deep in the heart of @grasshopper and @Oregon_Hiker country, so I headed out to the Sierra Ancha to hike up to Asbestos Point and Zimmerman Benchmark on Zimmerman Point.

This hike only got on my radar screen when @LindaAnn posted a couple of triplogs over the last week.

I parked not far off of 288 on a turnout on FR 489. I could have easily driven up to Pocket Spring and parked there, but I was hoping to get a 12 mile/3,000' AEG hike, so I decided to park where I did. As it was, I came up a little short on the distance and elevation gain, but that was OK. I did not mind the extra walk up to the spring -- the grade was not bad, the tread was good, and there was plenty of water flowing in the creek, which was nice listening to.

Once past the spring, the grade got steeper, and the road was rutted out in some places. I doubt if too many stock trucks or SUV's would want to tackle the road past the spring.

I went up to the Zimmerman BM first. The off-trail hiking was fun, although it was a bit steep, rocky, and slippery in places. The views on top were really nice, and I located the benchmark and one reference mark. After having a snack while enjoying the views, I headed back down and made my way over to Asbestos Point.

To get to the summit of Asbestos Point, I went up an old logging road that looped around the east side of the summit and approached it from the north. The road had a lot of deadfall on it, and it wound up being more or less a bushwhack to get up there. I would have been better off to do what @LindaAnn did and just go off-trail up to the summit from the east. I did go back down that way though.

There were some cool views at the summit, and I ate lunch there while enjoying the views. While up top, I located both benchmarks -- one from 1934 and one from 1947.

On the way back I stopped and checked out some of the old asbestos mines.

I did not see any other hikers on this hike. On the way back down, I met 2 RAZR's that were going up the rough section of the road.

I really enjoyed this hike and it was one that I would do again!

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Asbestos

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Asbestos Point Aztec Peak Aztec Peak Fire Lookout Four Peaks Theodore Roosevelt Lake Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
There were a few isolated wildflowers -- mostly western wallflower, but a few lupine and Indian paintbrush.

Pocket Spring - Sierra Ancha Mtns

Gallon + per minute

_____________________

Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there

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Apr 14 2020

LindaAnn

Guides 110
Routes 2,246
Photos 8,982
Triplogs 2,600

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Apr 14 2020
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600

Hiking	5.94 Miles	1,880 AEG

Hiking	5.94 Miles	5 Hrs 58 Mns	1.25 mph
	1,880 ft AEG	1 Hour 12 Mns Break

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realm09

watermelonW

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

When I told my kids last Saturday that we'd come back and hike Zimmerman soon, they really took it to heart. After two days of them asking when we'd go back, I decided to go back out there today. We drove up 489 about 1.3 miles to just past Pocket Spring and parked in a small open area on the left side of the road, just before the roads turns into a mess. We got started around 0830 and headed up. Nice and cool, and it was obvious the area must have received a nice amount of rain last night. The kids were still waking back up from sleeping in the car, so we took our time on the uphill. Lots of mud on the trail that wasn't there on Saturday.

Near the top, we headed east on the road towards Zimmerman. Once the road ended, we crossed the fence and began the offtrail portion of the hike. My route up wasn't the greatest, but we managed to avoid the worst of the vegetation. At one point, some sort of large insect jumped/flew directly into my son's left eye. He screamed. A lot. I was worried his eye had actually sustained some damage since it was pretty red and watery, but after he calmed down all I could see was a small cut just below his eye next to his nose, from a wing, I guess??? weird, but either way, he was okay. We continued up, then down a little, then steeply back up to the top. A couple times, I was questioning my decision to bring the kids on this one--it's pretty steep, with a lot of loose rock--but they did fine.

We headed over to the flat rocks on the east side and had lunch while sitting up there and enjoying the views to the east. Heading back down was slow going, but my route was much better. I stuck closer to the fence the entire way back down, which helped a lot. Once back on the road, we headed over to the mines again so the kids could play on the machinery. I think playing there was the real reason my kids wanted to do this hike again. After that, it was a quick and uneventful walk back down to the car. The kids asked if we could come back next week. Ha! I told them we have to do some different hikes for a while, but that we'd come back in the fall.

Culture

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[ checklist ] Asbestos Point Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha

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Stop crying and just go do the hike.

2 archives

Feb 13 2020

LJW

Routes 154
Photos 1,505
Triplogs 266

31 male

Joined Jun 02 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Asbestos Point - Zimmerman Point, AZ

Hiking		Feb 13 2020
		LJW • Triplogs 266

Hiking	10.72 Miles	2,868 AEG

Hiking	10.72 Miles	6 Hrs 31 Mns	2.37 mph
	2,868 ft AEG	2 Hrs Break

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[ checklist ] Asbestos Point Aztec Peak South Fork Parker Creek Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha

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Asbestos Point and its mines is one of my favorite places to take people for some Arizona history. The views from the peak aren't bad either. I brought a couple friends to show them what's up there. I had never been on top of Zimmerman, so we added that in too.

I was here a year and a half ago and the Forest Service was working on the road. It's pretty smooth and clear to the gauging station. After that the road is in rough shape, but recent tire marks attest to its do-ability with the right truck. Trees had fallen over the road but were cut and cleared away recently. Good amount of snow and ice on the road in the early morning that turned to mud later in the day.

Didn't visit all of the mine adits, just the two I was interested in going in. Made it in farther than I have before, past where light from the outside is visible. Still a lot of asbestos veins in the rock wall that shine when flashed with a headlamp. Did our best not to kick up dust. Old timbers have been re-supported in interesting and unsettling ways.

Road goes most of the way to Zimmerman and then we followed the ridge up. Stayed west of the fence going up from point 6128 and that led to some scrambling. Not much of a bushwhack as there are more than several game trails criss-crossing the slopes.

Top is flat but there are some nice clear rock areas along the cliffs. Could see as far as the snow-topped Pinalenos and White Mountains. Didn't see any hikers or off-roaders all day, but there were more than a few cars going up and down the 288.

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Asbestos

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Pocket Creek

Medium flow

1 archive

Sep 02 2017

LindaAnn

Guides 110
Routes 2,246
Photos 8,982
Triplogs 2,600

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Asbestos Pt & Zimmerman Pt, AZ

Hiking		Sep 02 2017
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600

Hiking	12.54 Miles	3,246 AEG

Hiking	12.54 Miles	7 Hrs 27 Mns	2.09 mph
	3,246 ft AEG	1 Hour 27 Mns Break

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Finding something out of the heat, and away from the Labor Day crowds was my goal for the day, and the Sierra Ancha fit the bill. We actually parked and started from FR488 since we weren't sure if we were going to do an out & back, or loop around to the north and have to walk back south down Hwy 288, so we started out with a little over half a mile of road walking. Nice warm up, but I did the obligatory whining about walking a road.

We got to FR489, and started heading uphill. That road would be awful to drive (only for very capable 4wd) but made for easy hiking. Lots of bugs, but temps were nice, and the scenery was great. Old mines are always a favorite of mine, so looking for those kept me entertained on the hike up. Some areas are definitely fire damaged, but there was a lot more green than brown.

At the saddle, we headed to the old mines on the south side of the mountain, and followed the old road west. Mines galore--I was happy. I walked to the entrance of each one to take a pic. And almost immediately encountered a rattlesnake. No surprise there. We took some pics, then moved on to the next mine. A couple mines later, my phone died. The screen wouldn't work, I couldn't reset it, etc, so I had to switch to my camera, which was luckily still in my pack. Shortly after that, we got to a mine that had some old bunks in it, and saw another rattler. Took some more pics, and continued on. Near the west end of the road, there was a large mine set back maybe 50' or so.

After that, we returned to the saddle, then followed the road up to Asbestos Point (short steep offtrail for the last bit), took a few pictures, then found some shade to have an early lunch just below the summit. We then headed back to the saddle, then over towards Zimmerman Point. At the end of the road, we headed off trail, generally following the old fence. Fire damage actually helped clear some brush in places, but it was still slow going, and steep in a lot of places. Great views all around from the top of Zimmerman, and we took another breaks on the rocks towards the NE end. High clouds had finally moved in from the south, which helped make the temps more comfortable.

We made better time on the way back down from Zimmerman, then it was easy walking back down 489. We encountered a 4wd club who were Forest Service volunteers doing road maintenance. They were friendly, and we chatted with them for a while before continuing on our way. Once back at 288, it was the road walk back to the car, where we saw a garter snake on the side of the road--finally, a harmless one! Fun hike, and nice to do something different.

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_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

1 archive

Sep 02 2017

The_N

Routes 54
Photos 1,508
Triplogs 325

39 male

Joined Mar 18 2015
Payson, AZ

Asbestos Pt & Zimmerman Pt, AZ

Hiking		Sep 02 2017
		The_N • Triplogs 325

Hiking	12.54 Miles	3,246 AEG

Hiking	12.54 Miles	7 Hrs 27 Mns	2.09 mph
	3,246 ft AEG	1 Hour 27 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Arizona Black Rattlesnake Black-tailed Rattlesnake Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly

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LindaAnn

It was a nice day to be in the Ancha. I'm always happy to trek to some off-trail peaks. Throw in some mining history, a few rattlers, and Linda is happy as well. We walked up FR489, which was a mess. It goes right through the heart of the biggest burn scar in the area we occupied this day. Huge pine trees were burned all the way to the top. Lower vegetation was thriving, plenty of flowers, too. The entire hike was a butterfly wonderland. Great views start once reaching the saddle. We decided to explore the mines before going up to Asbestos Point. Cool to see. Many, if not most, are very expansive. On this sun exposed side of the mountain, it's no wonder these mines are crawling with snakes. That last mine was so heavily guarded, a rattler was positioned in a bush, like a sniper on a rooftop. That was enough to send even the snake whisperer running. We then took the jeep road, followed by short off-trail, to Asbestos Point and relaxed for a few before heading back down to the saddle. Continuing off-trail to Zimmerman Point was fun. Not too scratchy, lots of flowers, even a nice breeze if postitioned just right. I enjoyed this summit and it's views more. Flat rocks allow for comfortable scenery viewing. The trip back down to FR489 was over quickly. Having not seen anyone all day, it was surprising to cross paths with about 12 jeeps and 4runners. These volunteers were making the road passable again (for vehicles like theirs) and were doing a great job from what we observed. I'd imagine deadfall removal will be ongoing for many years. This turned out to be a fun, more exploratory, kind of day. I enjoyed every moment.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

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[ checklist ] Armer Mountain

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

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1 archive

Jun 06 2017

rwstorm

Guides 1
Routes 136
Photos 22,415
Triplogs 1,041

77 male

Joined Feb 28 2003
Tucson, AZ

Pocket Creek, AZ

Hiking		Jun 06 2017
		rwstorm • Triplogs 1,041

Hiking	2.00 Miles	500 AEG

Hiking	2.00 Miles
	500 ft AEG

no routes

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Time for a quick trip to the Sierra Ancha. One of the things I wanted to do was document some of the old hydrological sites (stream gauges) that date back to the establishment of the Sierra Ancha Experimental Forest in 1932. First stop on the way up to Aztec Peak was Pocket Creek. Last time I drove up FR 489 to the asbestos mines was 2005. It was a relatively easy drive then, but triplogs posted here since indicate a tougher go. My goal today was just to hike to the stream gauge about a mile in. I parked at a spot a little ways in from the highway turnoff and headed up. The road really has deteriorated a lot past the concrete foundations (since I was last here 12 years ago). I can't say what the road is like above the gauging station, but I'm sure conditions are pretty bad following last year's Juniper Fire. The road may even be impassible at some point. Bottom line: better to head up to the mines as a hike vs drive. :sweat:

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[ checklist ] Yellow Monkey Flower

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[ checklist ] Automobile Remains/Wreckage

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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Sep 26 2015

CannondaleKid

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

75 male

Joined May 04 2004
Mesa, AZ

Z to A - Zimm BM to Asbestos Point, AZ

Hiking		Sep 26 2015
		CannondaleKid • Triplogs 2,411

Hiking	6.20 Miles	1,841 AEG

Hiking	6.20 Miles	5 Hrs 3 Mns		1.29 mph
	1,841 ft AEG	15 Mns Break	25 LBS Pack

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[ checklist ] Armer Mountain Asbestos Point Aztec Peak Fire Lookout Zimm Benchmark

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trixiec

We spotted a great campsite during our hike up Forest Road 489 two weeks ago and decided to return when the next opportunity arose. And that's exactly what we did, only this time we drove all the way up to the campsite, which provided an awesome wide-screen view of Roosevelt Lake and the surrounding area.
:worthy:

We left Mesa early enough to set up camp and be on the trail by shortly after 9 am. Our first objective was Zimmerman Point, which is a small peak we had to cross to get to Zimm Benchmark. The high point on Zimmerman Point provided but a narrow window for a viewpoint so I only took a moment for a couple photos and we began the steeper climb to Zimm Benchmark.
NOTE: Zimmerman Point (6128) and Zimm Benchmark (6871) are NOT one-and-the-same.
(Check the map)

On the way up we followed relatively fresh game trails as much as possible and ended up crossing a fence back-and-forth twice before reaching the summit. The summit itself is pretty flat so the panorama photos and video see more vegetation than scenic views so we wandered around a bit before continuing northward along the up-and-down ridge toward Peak 6936.

Every once we would reach an opening in the vegetation which provided some spectacular views. The down-side to this route was thickets of holly and manzanita. A few times the game trails brought us to what appeared to be dead-ends but were simply areas where we had to seek a small gap and go-with-the-flow. Which meant it was pretty much one-way and we would have to follow a different route on the return leg.

With vegetation so thick there wasn't much point in taking photos on Peak 6936 and we were soon heading back toward Zimm Benchmark. Initially we followed a game trail which slowly ascended as it counter-clockwise wound around Zimm Benchmark but as it brought us toward cliffs we left it and climbed more directly back up. Once we were near our original track we decided NOT to cross the fence and stay north of it, which turned out to be a very wise choice.

Back at the end of FR489 we took a side-trip east where where a mine used to be was but appears to have been covered up. But it provided a nice view of Zimm Benchmark from the southwest.
:y:

Now it's time to head west past our campsite and on to Asbestos Point along a wide counter-clockwise hook route. This part was easy enough as it simply meant following a well-defined mining road until it stopped then follow the well-defined trail to the summit.

Since it wasn't noted on the FS Topo map that it was a a bench-marked peak, we were a bit surprised not only to find a USGS Benchmark but a USDA Forest Service Mark as well. We wandered around a bit attempting to locate the Reference Marks but found none.

On the return leg we took an old side road that led as suspected, to another large mining site, which much to our dismay had been filled in long ago. But it did provide some great views toward the north and east. From there it was a short jaunt back to our campsite where we relaxed while taking in the great views southward. And as the wind calmed it was like we were in our own world... but not a sound, not even a bird, fly or bee was to be heard. So quiet one can hear your heart beat in your ears. Awesome!
:y:

Two videos:
Zimm Benchmark Summit Panorama
Asbestos Point Summit Panorama

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Fire Lookout Structures Reference Mark

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

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CannondaleKid

2 archives

Jul 17 2013

JuanJaimeiii

Routes 596
Photos 9,604
Triplogs 2,400

58 male

Joined Jan 30 2011
Chandler, AZ

Grantham Loupe, AZ

Hiking		Jul 17 2013
		JuanJaimeiii • Triplogs 2,400

Hiking	13.10 Miles	3,810 AEG

Hiking	13.10 Miles	8 Hrs 50 Mns	1.57 mph
	3,810 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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Parker Creek Trail #160

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joebartels

If it weren't for the manzanita stretch this loop would almost be good enough for Bruce's "52" list.

I do have to say that the highlight for me was not only seeing the "M" on the side of the Sierra Anchas up close, but actually getting to go down and experience it for myself. It is a giant slide of tailings that is full of asbestos. Pretty cool. The mines all along the shelf above it were cool as well.

Just before reaching Grantham the skies rumbled and we could see the rain coming down in the distance. The winds whistled in our direction so we headed down to the Parker Canyon Trail and cut our loop short. In many ways it turned out well but I would like to have hit Carr Peak also.

Thanks Joe for putting together a great hike. Next time no need for the Manzanita Torture though! All you had to do was just say you don't like books.

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Jul 17 2013

joebartels

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

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Grantham Loupe, AZ

Hiking		Jul 17 2013
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	13.10 Miles	3,810 AEG

Hiking	13.10 Miles	8 Hrs 50 Mns		1.57 mph
	3,810 ft AEG	30 Mns Break	12 LBS Pack

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Parker Creek Trail #160

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JuanJaimeiii

Sierra Ancha's hottest new spot is Grantham. The Mountain Dew kid is back in a conductor's hat throwing away the book. This peak has it all. Off-trail, bridge views, party slides, a touch of class four and mines galore.

The hike was made possible by well documented descriptions posted by Preston Sands, Grasshopper and inspired by Tanner.

From Parker TH we walked HWY 288 to FS 489. 489 is a shade and forest seekers dream walk. The grade never lets up until it delivers panoramic views on the historical boardwalk.

Zimmerman wasn't difficult to reach. That dude has a nice point of view.

Continuing on can not be recommended unless you are a 1mph manzanita wading enthusiast.

Grantham Ridge is cool. A wispy storm cracked it's whip on Armer. The forest of salad greens appeared to be tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless dew-kid Grantham would be lost. 7.5 hours into the tour we were dancing gangnam style on mighty Grantham! Leaving 2 minutes to enjoy the anticipated dynamite views... obscured.

Continuing the playlist to "Baby you can drive my Carr" wasn't peaking our interest with the onslaught deluge on route. Since Parker Lewis can't lose we headed straight down. The whip cracking storm insulted shafizzling out. On the brightside we encountered relics of intrigue along our new journeyed path.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Horse Lubber Grasshopper

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Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Grantham Peak South Fork Parker Creek

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- joe

May 19 2013

Oregon_Hiker

Guides 9
Routes 473
Photos 8,433
Triplogs 626

79 male

Joined Dec 07 2010
Phoenix, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		May 19 2013
		Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 626

Hiking	1.50 Miles	610 AEG

Hiking	1.50 Miles
	610 ft AEG

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Grasshopper

We made this a short hike by taking the Grasshopper Jeep 3 miles up the old mining road that follows Pocket Creek up to the Asbestos Point mine from Highway 288. Driving up this road requires a 4WD vehicle with some serious ground clearance. I would not attempt it with my stock Toyota FJ Cruiser. Water running down the road has resulted in many rock shelf drop offs over 18 inches high and some rocky areas littered with rocks the size of bowling balls. After a bone jarring ride with a white knuckle grip on the dash mounted grab bar we reached the end of the road close to our destination.

The hike to the top of Zimmerman Pt was steep but never steep enough to require scrambling on all fours. Some zig zagging to get around brush was required which also resulted in crossing back and forth over a pesky fence but elk and probably cows have done a good job of knocking down the fence to a reasonable height at most cross over points. Grasshopper for some reason has an aversion to barbed wire :scared:

so we picked our crossing locations carefully. Our route took us over the top of a knob down to a small saddle and then up the side of Z Point. On the way back we traversed around the west side of the knob which was a slightly easier route with less brush and fewer fence crossings. However we lost sight of visual landmarks in the tall forest and would have wasted time wandering around without the aid of a gps.

We easily found the 1946 bench mark in a clearing in the thick growth of junipers and manzanita on the flat top of Zimmerman Pt. The views at this location were very limited due to the surrounding brush but a short walk to the edges of the point revealed stunning panoramas of the Coon Creek drainage, the Salt River Wilderness to the south and Roosevelt Reservoir to the west and southwest. After a quick lunch at the bench mark location we circled the top of the point enjoying the views. I had wanted to explore along the ridge line to the north but dense thickets of manzanita made this too time consuming and unpleasant so we gave up on that plan.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] American Crow

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Armer Mountain Asbestos Point Bull Canyon Coon Creek Butte Pocket Creek Theodore Roosevelt Lake Zimmerman Point 6871 - Sierra Ancha

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May 19 2013

Grasshopper

Guides 48
Routes 510
Photos 9,555
Triplogs 578

79 male

Joined Dec 28 2006
Scottsdale, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		May 19 2013
		Grasshopper • Triplogs 578

Hiking	1.80 Miles	745 AEG

Hiking	1.80 Miles	3 Hrs 45 Mns	0.80 mph
	745 ft AEG	1 Hour 30 Mns Break

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Oregon_Hiker

This was day five (day hike #4) of our planned six day (5/15 to 5/20) Sierra Ancha Wilderness vehicle camping / hiking trip. We were camped just above the Billy Lawrence TH which was fourteen driving miles one way from the lower TH Start (at Hwy288/FR489) for this hike.

Oregon Hiker and I were initially not sure if we would be able to summit "this high on my priority list"

benchmark summit. I asked Larry if he would take a look at a possible route on Google Earth and draw-up a GPS Planning Route for us. He was kind enough to do so, and we both understood that it still might not be a safe route for us to try. We had two backup options just in case, and to also help with timing, I offered to drive my modified Jeep the three miles one way up serious 4WD FR489 instead of us having to hike it. It still took us forty-five minutes one way to drive it in my "Grasshopper" :sweat:

Our planned hiking route which is basically the now posted "official" GPS Route for this new hike description turned-out to be a good route choice and was really not that difficult an off-trail bushwhack nor that risky as was initially anticipated.

The short and long distance scenic views of this hike did not disappoint either :GB:

Also, as of this writing there is not a "Summit Register" available for sign-in, so hopefully someone planning on hiking this will kindly place a new one.. :thanx:

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Emory Oak

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]