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Peak 3134 - Apache Junction Quad - 11 members in 18 triplogs have rated this an average 3.6 ( 1 to 5 best )
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Mar 05 2023
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 Guides 110
 Routes 2,246
 Photos 8,982
 Triplogs 2,600

45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Goldfields sampler, AZ 
Goldfields sampler, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Mar 05 2023
LindaAnnTriplogs 2,600
Hiking12.46 Miles 3,009 AEG
Hiking12.46 Miles   9 Hrs   2 Mns   1.76 mph
3,009 ft AEG   1 Hour   57 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Put together sort of a random loop for today, with options to make adjustments. Jason and I got started from the Wolverine Gate at 0600. Cool to start, but no breeze made it nice. Lights for the first 20 minutes or so. The road walk is boring, but went by quickly. The sun rose as we left the road and took the trail up to the saddle.

From there, we headed over to Dome Mountain first, getting the highest peak of the day out of the way. Careful descent, the over to Peak 3134 on the Three Lesser Peaks route. After a break up there, we dropped off the south-southeast side of the peak and steeply descended to the southeast. Once over to a rocky ridge, the footing got much better, and we made our way to 3089. Great views from up there. Another descent, off the northeast side this time, and ascent up to 3047.

Came off the east side of that peak, to the saddle, then north down the drainage, which had some water. We stayed just on the east bank as we made our way down, then traversed east over towards the next big wash. The offtrail was slow, but not terrible. Original plan was to take the wash south, but we switched gears and headed southeast on Horse With No Name. This was a good choice, as the section we took was a lot of fun and had great views.

Dropped down into Cottonwood Wash, then south. Headed west on the road (Rock House trail), then south to Blue Ridge. Looked around there, then walked back to the parking lot. Great day & weather. Not too much traffic on the roads out there, and only saw a few hikers in the final mile or so. Good to hike with Jason again.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Substantial
Lots of flowers along nearly the entire route.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Cottonwood Spring Dripping Dripping
Spring and springbox were full of water.
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Stop crying and just go do the hike.
 
Jan 08 2023
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 Guides 21
 Routes 1,182
 Photos 36,858
 Triplogs 1,570

69 female
 Joined Feb 26 2004
 Phoenix, AZ
Bulldog Canyon - Blue Ridge Loop, AZ 
Bulldog Canyon - Blue Ridge Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jan 08 2023
tibberTriplogs 1,570
Hiking6.77 Miles 928 AEG
Hiking6.77 Miles   3 Hrs   33 Mns   2.04 mph
928 ft AEG      14 Mns Break
 
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Cousin Jaelyn cut her South America trip short and ended up at her mom's house in San Tan Valley and texted me for a hike. I called Deborah who was also in town and I picked this hike that I took Jaelyn's sister on Dec 2021 [ photoset ] . Weather was perfect. The road walk was VERY noisy until making the turn on FR 10 to the north. From then on we only saw horseback riders.

As we came down the hill, to the NW I could see what looked like a stone wall. I had never noticed it before. It looks natural and there is a pullout below it. Even though I hiked us past the wash turn, misreading RS, we didn't get close enough to investigate. We headed back to the wash, took the obligatory picture by the tall chollas and continued to our first destination: Cyclops. Jaelyn took the lead and nailed the cairned route on the way up. We took our pictures and enjoyed the always beautiful view :) . We got to see a red-tailed hawk in flight as well. Jaelyn removed her first cholla from her shoe.

We headed back down and Jaelyn kept heading east while we went down the way we came up. We headed toward the bedrock area of the wash looking for reflections in the water but the horses had been through so the water was a little mucky in most of the little pools. It's still a little hard to follow the trail from time to time so sometimes, we probably hiked more through the wash. However, the sand was somewhat hardened in many areas so it wasn't bad. I do like staying above the wash for the views. And since this was Jaelyn's first time in this area (she's only done Picacho with me on this very same day 12 years ago [ photoset ] ), I wanted her to have a good visual.

I tried to point out the various peaks and we reviewed some of the flora. She's a bit of a gardener so likes to know about the desert; doesn't quite compare to Kona, but our desert was showing off with all its puffy chollas and various other plants including Jojobas and Foothill Palo Verdes not to mention the Saguaros that she couldn't get enough of; especially their interior when it was exposed. Deborah also likes the desert flora.

Keeping an eye out for the cairns is still a bit tricky. As we meandered along I noticed the horses went off to the south from the wash. After checking HAZel, I knew this wasn't the right way but we decided to be adventurous and follow where it would lead us as long as it kept going the way I needed it to. The horse people have been out trimming so we tossed the clippings off the trail which was quite narrow in this particular section. Well this is definitely NOT a main trail so eventually I needed to veer east, but first we had to get up on a hill so I could get a good visual.

We walked on the top and enjoyed our views. I found a good route down and we took that and with a little jig and jag via FR 1356 I got us on a rough road that would take us up another tall and long hill. Now I just had to hope we could hook up with Blue Ridge ridge area. Believe it or not, the road turned into a single track and was even heading in the right direction. So the only question remaining was whether or not we would have to go down to go up. I pointed out the views to Top Hat, the Four Peaks, Weavers and the Flatiron as we continued on our way. And wha la, we were able to merge to the next ridgeline that would take us on the Blue Ridge.

We got over to the main area where you can look toward the alcove below. The lichen was glowing per normal and is a sight to see if you're not used to seeing such masses of it. Walking around this volcanic tuff is pretty at every turn. It's a little different than volcanic tuff that Jaelyn has in Kona but at least she could somewhat feel at home :lol: ; especially since Kihlauea is at it again. Now it was time to negotiate that slippery section coming down from the Blue Ridge. It's still slick but fortunately, short. I am still amazed that horses traverse that.

We finished off the hike by getting to see some deer grazing on the side of the hill so that was nice. It's a little tricky getting back to the TH once you're near the wash and though I apparently missed the trail, we made it to the road with no problem. I think some of these trails in here are hard to see because of the rain we've had.

We finished our day at Los Gringos where Jaelyn and I enjoyed a Grande Waborita with our food. (FYI, the poblano chicken enchiladas and poblano rice are so good).

WATCH: 1:24-4:57PM, 6.46 miles, 2102-2513 feet. 134 avg bpm, 166 max. 31% Zone 5 max, 54% Zone 4 anaerobic, 15% Zone 3 aerobic burning 1450 calories. Temp 63.8 sunny and 36% humidity.
_____________________
For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled.
 
Apr 09 2022
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 Guides 25
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 Photos 5,897
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40 male
 Joined Mar 01 2018
 Chandler, AZ
Dome Mtn - 3 Lesser Peaks - Elliptical Arch, AZ 
Dome Mtn - 3 Lesser Peaks - Elliptical Arch, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Apr 09 2022
John10sTriplogs 346
Hiking10.21 Miles 2,475 AEG
Hiking10.21 Miles   8 Hrs   29 Mns   1.90 mph
2,475 ft AEG   3 Hrs   6 Mns Break
1st trip
We only had time for something shorter today, so we decided to return to the Goldfields and finish off a hike that we didn't quite complete in early January, on another day when we were short on time. That day, we hiked to Dome Mountain and two of the Three Lesser Peaks before we needed to turn back. The plan today was to change it up and hike the full loop counter-clockwise, following a 2019 route by @mr_squishy, and also look for Elliptical Arch, which we didn't find in January.

The parking lot at Bulldog Canyon Gate was empty when we arrived just after sunrise, and it was in the mid-60s when we got on the trail and headed toward Blue Ridge. The first few miles were a combination of trails, roads, and some easy off-trail hiking in washes before we reconnected with trails/roads again. West of Top Hat, we followed part of the Twin Arches route before branching off for the climb up to the saddle between the two eastern Lesser Peaks.

We hiked the peaks east-to-west and started with Peak 3047, the one we didn't have time to reach in January. It's an easy hike to the top, and there was a wooden (SOTA?) post at the summit. Next up was Peak 3089, and the eastern side of the peak was covered with beautiful orange flowers, which looked great among the other yellow wildflowers and the many cacti and ocotillo blooms.

At the summit, I was curious to see if anyone had signed the register I placed in January. They hadn't...I guess that peak doesn't get much traffic, or the jar was a little too hidden. Regardless, I was also the second person to sign my register :). From there, we followed the ridge over to Peak 3134, and that register had quite a few names added since we were last there...that one is obviously the most popular of the three. I considered going over to the other low peak NE of 3134, the unofficial fourth Lesser Peak (Least Peak?), but it didn't look like there was much to see over there.

We had some time to spare when we came down to the saddle northwest of 3134, so I made a quick out-and-back up to Dome Mountain and signed the register. The 1982 Girl's Tennis statue/trophy that was up there in January was still there, but both arms were broken off and sitting nearby. The summit register was full and the cover had separated from the pages...things have deteriorated up there in the past few months.

I returned to the saddle, and we headed into the beautiful area with the yellow rock west of Peak 3134. I'd done a little more research on the location of Elliptical Arch, and it paid off--we left the trail and found it pretty quickly. All the pictures I'd seen were taken from a distance, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was easy to get over there and see it up close...unlike so much of the Goldfields, it wasn't the typical crumbly, loose rock leading up to the arch.

[ youtube video ]

We didn't see any hikers all day, just some ATV in traffic in the last mile on the way back to the trailhead, and the parking lot was still empty when we finished. Not much mileage today, but it was nice to come back and complete the full loop and find Elliptical Arch on a much warmer day.
 Geology
 Geology [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Natural Arch
 
Jan 06 2022
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 Guides 110
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 Photos 8,982
 Triplogs 2,600

45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Dome Mountain 3381 - Goldfield MtnsPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 06 2022
LindaAnnTriplogs 2,600
Hiking9.30 Miles 2,298 AEG
Hiking9.30 Miles   5 Hrs   5 Mns   1.94 mph
2,298 ft AEG      18 Mns Break
 
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Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Got started a little later than I would have liked, but temps were still okay. In an effort to avoid some of the road walk, shortly after starting, I veered west and followed some lesser used roads and a horse trail north for a while. Worth the effort? Debatable. It certainly wasn’t any faster, but it kept me off the road.

Continuing north, I headed uphill and up to the saddle. That section of trail is fun, and I like walking through and across the rocks. At the saddle, I turned left and made my way up to Dome Mtn. Going a few days after rain is nice—the rocks are dry, but the dirt is still slightly softer, giving better traction. The higher you go, the steeper it gets. Lots of loose rock just below the summit, which is more noticeable on the descent.

After a quick break at the summit, I carefully made my way back down. The rocks are grippy, but it was still nice to be in a newer pair of shoes with good tread. At the saddle, I headed over to 3134. Plenty of cairns to follow. I wished I had brought some clippers since some of the palo verde is encroaching on the trail. Ten or fifteen minutes of work would have spared me some scratches. Took another break at the summit, then headed back down.

Once back down to the road, I headed east and then south towards Blue Ridge, borrowing one of @tibber ‘s recent tracks. Neat area, with some cool rocks. Noticed an alcove below, which I headed over to after I had made my descent. Easy enough to get to the alcove, but it was full of bees, so I took a few pics and made a hasty retreat. From there, it was a quick walk back to the trailhead.

A little warmer than I would prefer, and no breeze, but still a nice day.

dry Bulldog Canyon Wash Dry Dry
Dry
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Stop crying and just go do the hike.
 
Jan 02 2022
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 Guides 25
 Routes 376
 Photos 5,897
 Triplogs 346

40 male
 Joined Mar 01 2018
 Chandler, AZ
Dome Mountain and Two Lesser Peaks, AZ 
Dome Mountain and Two Lesser Peaks, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jan 02 2022
John10sTriplogs 346
Hiking9.04 Miles 2,386 AEG
Hiking9.04 Miles   7 Hrs   28 Mns   1.62 mph
2,386 ft AEG   1 Hour   54 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
On our first hike of 2022, we headed back to the Goldfields for the third time in the past few weeks. The plan for today was to hike up to Dome Mountain and Three Lesser Peaks, and hopefully see Elliptical Arch on the way. We started from Bulldog Canyon Gate at sunrise, and it was a cold morning, with a layer of ice on the puddles. The views of the peaks were beautiful as the sun came up and we started hiking along FR 10 and FR 1356.

I'd only previously hiked up to Dome Mountain from the back (north) side, so this was my first time approaching from the south on the "official" route. The stretch between FR 1356 and the saddle is a great area among all the yellow cliffs, though some idiot spray-painted red arrows to mark what was already an obvious route...there seems to be a lot of that in the Goldfields. I'd marked a waypoint where I thought Elliptical Arch was located and explored a little off the trail but didn't find it. We did find some small windows in the rock, but not the arch. On our way up to the saddle, we had to go up around some smooth rock slopes that were covered in ice.

When we reached the saddle, we took a left up toward Dome Mountain. It's a short (~0.5 mile) and fairly steep route up to the summit, but much easier than the approach I took last time from the other side. This stretch had a series of white paint streaks marking the route...not as visually intrusive as the red arrows, but still annoying. One other hiker got up to the top around the same time we did, and the wind chill was very cold--the temperature was in the 40s, and the wind must have been gusting 25-30 mph at the top, so we had an incentive to keep moving and not linger at the top too long.

Near the summit cairn, there was a small statue/figure of a cartoonish tennis player, and the base said, "Girls Tennis 1982"...an odd thing to find at a summit. I found my previous entry in the summit register from September. My friend and I hiked to Dome Mountain and Peaks 3269 and 3239 that day, and it was 100°+ and very humid, and he ended up with bad leg cramps. His entry in the register, which I hadn't read until today, started with "Inhospitable conditions..." Today, we had the opposite problem with the frigid wind chills--what a difference four months makes :).

We headed back down toward the saddle and passed two people and a dog making their way up, and they were cursing the inaccuracy of AllTrails as they passed :). We hiked up to Peak 3134 next, and the trail was well established and had plenty of cairns marking the way. We signed the summit register and took a quick break at the top. There were plenty of familiar HAZ names in the register--more there than in the Dome Mountain register.

[ youtube video ]

With the amount of time we had today, we'd talked about making it an out-and-back and hiking to the two other Lesser Peaks another day, but it looked like a fast hike to get over to Peak 3089, so I decided to make a quick detour over there. It was a short but steep scramble off the peak on the southeast side of 3134 but easy hiking along the ridgeline after that. TBoneKathy waited on 3134, and it took me ~10 minutes to get over to Peak 3089. There was no summit register there, but I had an empty plastic bottle with me and placed one at the peak...I'd forgotten to bring an extra writing utensil to leave behind, so it's a BYOP register :).

[ youtube video ]

Getting over to the third peak, 3047, looked straightforward, but I headed back for the hike out since we didn't have too much time today....though, in hindsight, I should have just gone over there--it probably would have only added another 20 minutes getting there and back. But we started down from 3134 to the saddle and hiked out the same way we came in. We still didn't see Elliptical Arch on the way back but had plenty of great views of the Superstitions. The wind had calmed down, and it turned into a nice day, and it was a solid start to the year even if we didn't hike the full loop or find Elliptical Arch today.
 Meteorology
 Meteorology [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Sunrise

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Bulldog Canyon Wash Pools to trickle Pools to trickle
water report recorded in the field on our app Route Scout Small puddles
  3 archives
Nov 16 2021
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 Routes 215
 Photos 1,337
 Triplogs 124

53 male
 Joined May 26 2017
 Phoenix, AZ
Dome Mountain and Peak 3125, AZ 
Dome Mountain and Peak 3125, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Nov 16 2021
Nate_FTriplogs 124
Hiking7.82 Miles 2,032 AEG
Hiking7.82 Miles   4 Hrs   31 Mns   2.01 mph
2,032 ft AEG      37 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Hiked in the beautiful Goldfields this morning. A good track from Hike Arizona kept me on the right path and I also visited
a nearby Eastern peak from the saddle, I measured other peak at 3125 feet, according to Garmin. A little overgrown in places, but cairned well. Enjoyable day! I'll have to take the loop around next time! :)
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Feb 08 2021
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74 male
 Joined Dec 10 2016
 Gold Canyon
Dome Mountain 3381 - Goldfield MtnsPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Feb 08 2021
DaytripperTriplogs 909
Hiking7.37 Miles 1,950 AEG
Hiking7.37 Miles
1,950 ft AEG12 LBS Pack
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LindaAnn
Parked at the Wolverine Pass Gate across from the inhabitants of a mini school bus .Started the FR 10 road walk portion then FR 1356 until crossing the Bulldog Canyon Wash , next the ATV road to reach the “trailhead” ,if you have the gate code that is! First a little workout to the saddle noting a few red arrows on the way then the steep work out portion to the peak, all the while the energizer bunny was nipping at my heels and I could sense the eye rolls with suggestions to upgrade my Dad jokes :? . From previous trips had recalled seeing the broken up plastic register container so I brought up an ammo can to replace the now glass container took a couple of minutes to sign the register and then placed it in the summit cairn. We paused here for a snack and to admire the views and the @adenium geocache. About the time we were ready to leave 4 others arrived but they sequestered on the north end of the summit. Linda patiently admired ,from a safe distance behind , my slip , sliding and nimble descent down the ball bearing summit path. When back to the saddle we decided to burn a few more calories and head up to peak 3134. Easy to follow cairned path with much less little loose rock than we just encountered encouraged us to continue. A nice multi arm Saguaro greeted us on reaching the ridgeline but I forgot to get a picture on the way down, Linda looked in the glass jar register at the summit cairn but I don’t think she signed in. Calorie burn accomplished we headed back down , trip from the saddle back to the ATV road went quickly, for me anyway, as I regaled Linda with tales from my Navy days of yore since she was unable to nod off. Along the road walk back experienced only mild dust dispersion from an ATV, a dirt bike and dust devil that passed us by. One of us thought the temps were good today. Thanks @LindaAnn for another enjoyable hike, appreciate you :D
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Feb 08 2021
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 Guides 110
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45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Dome Mountain 3381 - Goldfield MtnsPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Feb 08 2021
LindaAnnTriplogs 2,600
Hiking7.20 Miles 1,932 AEG
Hiking7.20 Miles   4 Hrs   57 Mns   1.77 mph
1,932 ft AEG      53 Mns Break
 
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Daytripper
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Met Tom at the Wolverine gate at 0800 and we headed up to Dome Mtn. Zero traffic on the road portion, so that was nice, and it seemed like no time at all before we reached the actual trail.

Easy uphill up to the saddle. I noticed a few red arrows. Not sure why someone couldn’t have just built a cairn if they really felt the route needed more definition, but hopefully the red paint is cheap and washes away soon.

At the saddle, we turned left and headed up the steeper section up to the summit. Quite steep in places, with ball bearing type gravel on the trail in a lot of places. A pole makes both the ascent and descent much easier. Took a snack break on the summit. Views were a little hazy, especially towards Phoenix. Warm, no breeze. A few minutes before leaving the summit, a group of four arrived. Saw two other hikers on our way down, and that was it for the day.

Tedious hike back down to the saddle. I wouldn’t do this hike in the rain. At the saddle, we decided to head over to 3134. Fairly easy route up, well defined, steep in only a few places. Similar views as Dome. Easy hike back down. Saw only a quad and dirt bike on the road on the way out.

I’m glad I wore pants and not shorts, since there were a few brushy spots. I think my kids would like both of these peaks, although I would drive to where 1356 makes a sharp right turn and park there so my kids wouldn’t be on the road. Thanks, Tom, for joining me on this one, even though I was whining about the warm temps.
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Jun 16 2020
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68 male
 Joined Mar 09 2012
 Gilbert, AZ
Peak 3134 - Apache Junction QuadPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 16 2020
rayhustonTriplogs 938
Hiking3.65 Miles 1,104 AEG
Hiking3.65 Miles   2 Hrs   44 Mns   1.40 mph
1,104 ft AEG      8 Mns Break
 
1st trip
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CannondaleKid
Mark and I headed to the south side of the Goldfields to hike Peak 3134 from about a mile or so inside the Wolverine TH.

After a short road walk, we picked up a single track trail that would take us to the top of the peak. The trail is fairly easy to follow, but if you’re not sure, there are plenty of cairns augmented with some old white paint marks on some rocky sections.

The views from the top are impressive. Today we had a clear view of the Bush fire to the north. It didn’t look too bad when we arrived but it escalated quickly. As we started down, I looked back one last time and noticed that the smoke plumes were much bigger. Not good.

The trip down was uneventful. We took a slightly different route for some different views, but mostly we chatted to pass the time. A humid start to the hike was offset by cooler temps, but I actually felt more comfortable with higher temps and lower humidity at the end of the hike.

Gorgeous day. We were unaffected by the smoke north of us, but it was sad to see so much of it.
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Jun 16 2020
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75 male
 Joined May 04 2004
 Mesa, AZ
Peak 3134 - Apache Junction QuadPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 16 2020
CannondaleKidTriplogs 2,411
Hiking3.65 Miles 1,104 AEG
Hiking3.65 Miles   2 Hrs   44 Mns   1.40 mph
1,104 ft AEG      8 Mns Break15 LBS Pack
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rayhuston
My plan for today originally was something off of Bush Highway but with the knowledge we'd very likely be dealing with smoke and the fact I was on this side of the Goldfields yesterday with no smoke to be seen or smelled (smelt?) I figured this one would provide a nice overview of the Bush Fire... and that it did.

Wolverine gate was WIDE open so I stopped, closed and locked it, and a moment later heard thank you from a man in the old RV 'camped' in the parking lot. I guess it was too much for him to walk the 30 feet to close it himself.
(I didn't notice it at the time, but on the way out I saw the rear window of the Chevy Malibu parked right next to the RV was shattered)

Slightly humid to begin with and due to dropping into the canyon before climbing to the saddle we had no wind to speak of so it felt slightly warm. Not much wind at the saddle between Dome and Peak 3134 but at the next smaller saddle we started to get a light breeze. At the summit we not only had great views but a pleasant breeze for a quick break.
Filmed at 6:54 am 6/16/20:
Bush Fire as viewed from the summit of Peak 3134

On the return trip we followed the usual route which provided a bit of variation. Just a tiny bit of off-trail near the end to avoid the rocky road.

Another fun hike!
On the downside it felt the time passed too quickly... maybe gonna have to extend our hikes a bit?
(Based on earlier trips of mine I really expected more distance but then I usually wander more when solo.)
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CannondaleKid
  3 archives
Jan 15 2020
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male
 Joined Jan 07 2017
 Fountain Hills,
Goldfields Dual Trifecta, AZ 
Goldfields Dual Trifecta, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jan 15 2020
DixieFlyerTriplogs 1,374
Hiking10.70 Miles 2,657 AEG
Hiking10.70 Miles   7 Hrs   1 Min   1.98 mph
2,657 ft AEG   1 Hour   37 Mns Break
 
1st trip
I somehow managed to convince Tracie the Intrepid to join me on a hike in the Goldfields where we bagged 3 peaks and went to 3 arches -- the dual trifecta! We went to the summit of 3 of the "lesser" peaks in the Goldfields -- Peak 3134, Peak 3089, and Peak 3047; and we also went to 3 arches -- Elliptical Arch, Overlook Arch, and Kissing Turtles Arch. Credit goes to @hikerdw for coming up for the name for Kissing Turtles Arch, and for providing a GPS track that leads to Overlook Arch and Kissing Turtles Arch.

I have counted 22 peaks in the Goldfields that are 3,000' or more in elevation, and with today's hike I have now been on top of 19 of the 22. Still remaining are Tuff Dome(3,145'), North Peak 3195, and Peak 3076.

We drove in through the North Bulldog Canyon Wolverine Pass Gate (I have a pass) to the Dome Mountain TH and parked. This saved about 4 miles RT of walking on FR 1356. The hike was an inverted lollipop loop hike. We first went to Elliptical Arch. Actually we went past it as I was wanting to get to a waypoint that I had saved on my GPS, but the waypoint was bogus. So we backtracked a bit and found the arch -- actually Tracie and her sharp eyes found it, as I am not sure that I would have seen it. We did not get up in the arch -- to do so I think that we would have had to go down a couple of hundred feet and come up through a slick rock drainage to get into the arch -- we'll save that for next time.

Then we went off-trail up to Peak 3134, then Peak 3089, then Peak 3047. We saw 4 javelina at the summit of Peak 3047, but that was all of the wildlike that we saw on the hike.

We continued the off-trail by descending NE from Peak 3047 to a nice use trail; from there we made our way over to Overlook Arch and Kissing Turtles Arch. We then reversed course and took the use trail back to Orohai Wash. From there we took the wash back toward Top Hat Hill until we hit FR 1356, and then took the forest road back to where we parked.

It was a great day to be out in the beautiful, rugged, seductive, and underrated Goldfields, and it was nice to bag 3 peaks that I had not been to before. Plus it is always nice to see some arches, and there are several of them in the Goldfields!
 Geology
 Geology [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Natural Arch
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Dome Mountain  Four Peaks
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
I saw a few wildflowers that were in the early stages of blooming -- I have a feeling that this year will be a good wildflower season, and I would think that the wildflowers will be blooming in late February to early January in the low desert.
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Feb 02 2019
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66 male
 Joined Aug 16 2009
 Mesa,AZ
Three Lesser Peaks TrailPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Feb 02 2019
hikerdwTriplogs 541
Hiking8.81 Miles 1,838 AEG
Hiking8.81 Miles   4 Hrs   40 Mns   2.27 mph
1,838 ft AEG      47 Mns Break
 
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This is a fun hike. I wanted to hike the Three Lesser Peaks in an east to west direction so from the TH parking we headed up Blue Ridge, dropped into a wash, picked up a horse trail that took us to the Green Thumb trail, which we took to 1356. The plan originally was to walk 1356 to Weeks Wash and make the climb up 3047 from the east out of the wash but after seeing what looked like a good route up to the 3047/3089 saddle we just jumped over 1356 and made our assault. The route we picked up to the saddle worked out fantastic. Once at the saddle we climbed up and then back down 3047, then hit 3089, and finally made the dip down and back up 3134. After signing the register on 3134 we made our way down the use trail to the Dome/3134 "T" and made our way back to the truck trying to locate the Elliptical Arch along the way with no luck, so will need to return to the area for a more dedicated search.

Only saw one other hiker as we were walking the ATV trail down to Bulldog Canyon Wash. As we got closer to the parking the motorized vehicle activity picked up. The weather was perfect.
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Dec 02 2017
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66 male
 Joined Aug 16 2009
 Mesa,AZ
Three Lesser Peaks TrailPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Dec 02 2017
hikerdwTriplogs 541
Hiking9.81 Miles 1,517 AEG
Hiking9.81 Miles   5 Hrs   20 Mns   2.18 mph
1,517 ft AEG      50 Mns Break
 
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Parked at the Dome Mountain TH and made a loop out of this great off trail hike. We saw a group of 7 deer near Bulldog Canyon. The use trail up to Peak 3134 was very easy to follow and the off trail hiking between the lesser peaks was very straight forward, even enjoyable. While on Peak 3134 the temps cooled and the sky opened ever so slightly to provide a welcomed drizzle. After a snack on 3047 we dropped down off the ridge line into Weeks Wash and finished off the loop via some road and horse trails. Fantastic day :)
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Jan 22 2017
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68 male
 Joined Mar 16 2008
 chandler,az
Peak 3134 - Apache Junction QuadPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 22 2017
johnlpTriplogs 5,208
Hiking6.33 Miles 1,308 AEG
Hiking6.33 Miles   2 Hrs   53 Mns   2.43 mph
1,308 ft AEG      17 Mns Break
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Pregame hike in the Goldfields. Lots more to explore out there. Cool area. Thanks Kelly!
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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Jan 22 2017
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67 female
 Joined Nov 17 2008
 phoenix, az
Peak 3134 - Apache Junction QuadPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 22 2017
trekkin_geckoTriplogs 4,660
Hiking6.33 Miles 1,308 AEG
Hiking6.33 Miles   2 Hrs   53 Mns   2.43 mph
1,308 ft AEG      17 Mns Break
 
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a year ago hiked up to dome and panorama with tibber and cannondalekid
you can see peak 3134 from much of that hike, so it's been on the list
hit up lp for a new peak that we could do and get home in time for football playoffs
about a mile and a half road walk, looking all the while at peak 3269, dome mountain and peak 3134
a cairned use trail goes up to the saddle between dome and 3134
took the right turn and continued up
well-defined and well-cairned trail to the summit
didn't see a benchmark or register
went east a bit on the ridgeline and considered going to peak 3089
neither of us felt like putting the time and effort into it, so we had a snack on 3134 and headed back down
nice views from up there of four peaks, superstitions and snow covered mazzies
could also see golden dome and tuff dome
the road walk on the return wasn't as scenic, but passed quickly
maybe not quite enough of a hike, but a good peak with good company
another fun experience in the goldfields
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hazhole
  2 archives
Oct 07 2015
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75 male
 Joined May 04 2004
 Mesa, AZ
Peak 3134 - Apache Junction QuadPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Oct 07 2015
CannondaleKidTriplogs 2,411
Hiking9.20 Miles 3,058 AEG
Hiking9.20 Miles   4 Hrs   33 Mns   2.10 mph
3,058 ft AEG      10 Mns Break25 LBS Pack
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What a perfect day for a hike in the Goldfield Mountains! Still a bit humid but with the highest temperature on the hike only reaching 75° it was quite enjoyable.

I set off from home without any particular plan in mind so I just drove east on Brown until I decided to drive into the Bulldog OHV Area and see what comes to mind. I went in through the Wolverine Pass gate and drove on FR10 then turned onto FR1356. As I drove on FR1356 I looked directly ahead at Peak 3134 and there was my inspiration for the day.

After taking photos at the summit I sat down for a few minutes to take in the great views while grabbing a quick PB&J lunch. In just those few minutes I heard some clomping from a rocky outcrop just below but could not see anything. I quietly put on my pack and carefully began circling the area from down-wind, hoping to find out what it was and maybe grab a photo. After about 15 minutes I finally approached the area only to find nothing there.
](*,)
Oh well... better luck next time. Anyway, Peak 3134 was a good start but I wanted something more significant so I took to wandering back-and-forth & up-and-down, exploring many areas I'd seen before but never bother to look closer. While doing that, I took a glance back up just in time to see a Bighorn Sheep bounding out of sight. No time for any photos.
](*,)
That explained the noise I heard earlier... it must have waited until I had dropped well below before it decided to move off.

While heading back I continued to take 'the long way' whenever there was something that caught my interest, and of course many times it meant climbing. So I ended up the hike with way more AEG than expected. But being no worse for wear it was an enjoyable hike.
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Desert Tortoise
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Dome Mountain
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May 16 2015
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51 male
 Joined Jul 27 2011
 Mesa AZ
Peak 3134 - Apache Junction QuadPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar May 16 2015
BEEBEETriplogs 372
Hiking1.85 Miles 901 AEG
Hiking1.85 Miles   4 Hrs   30 Mns   0.82 mph
901 ft AEG   2 Hrs   15 Mns Break18 LBS Pack
 
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xgtek
The original plan for this weekend was to meet up with Hank and Larry up north but due to the Weather and a work commitment that popped up I was unable to make that happen. This peak has been on my to be activated list for sometime it is close to home and never been on the air for SOTA. Charlie and I have been planning on activating close peaks for a while now and this was a good opportunity. My friend Xavier and Charlie met at my place and we headed out to Bulldog in the FJ got to the area of the peaks and started walking. Xavier and I took a route I plotted up the south face which provided some challenges on the last 200 feet to the summit with some exposure as well as slick smooth covered rock. After finding a safe way up we were rewarded with some great views of the storms moving through the valley. We made several contacts explored the summit and found some cairns on the north side and decided that maybe a better option then the way we came. It was a nice trail to follow well marked and brought us right to the starting point for Dome where we met back up with Charlie and headed back to the FJ. Another great hike and SOTA activation in the log.
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Wildflowers Observation Light

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max GF Peak 3134 South Creek Light flow Light flow
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Sep 11 2011
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41 male
 Joined Sep 13 2009
 Mesa, AZ
Bulldog Canyon LoopPhoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Sep 11 2011
jochalTriplogs 604
Hiking6.30 Miles 1,400 AEG
Hiking6.30 Miles   3 Hrs   45 Mns   1.68 mph
1,400 ft AEG
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Went up to the saddle between Dome Mountain and Peak 3134 (straight to the East of Dome Mountain), then on up to Peak 3134. Hung around the top a bit, then headed back down and poked around the saddle. Walked the wash from the saddle to FS 1356. In the wash, came across a rattlesnake. Didn't realize it was there until it rattled at me while I was walking by a meter away.
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average hiking speed 1.87 mph

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.

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