Elephant Head - North Approach • Hike & Climb Trip • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Apr 03 2022

RedwallNHops

Guides 1
Routes 269
Photos 613
Triplogs 1,360

50 male

Joined Dec 22 2003
Tucson, AZ

Elephant Head North Face and Chino canyon, AZ

Canyoneering		Apr 03 2022
		RedwallNHops • Triplogs 1,360

Canyoneering	6.20 Miles	2,567 AEG

Canyoneering	6.20 Miles
	2,567 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

linked

Elephant Head - South Approach

Elephant Head - North Approach

Partners

none

no partners

Needed something to get in shape and this fits the bill. The North Face route is fun as ever. I was hoping Chino would have some flow after last weeks weather event but there were just pools. No swimmers but a couple of deep wades. Brought a 3/2 wetsuit - didn't really need it but it was nice to have. We ended up doing 2 rappels.
Fun day.

Wildflowers Observation Light

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Dec 28 2018

ohiobike

Photos 5
Triplogs 6

67 male

Joined Nov 05 2015
oro valley, AZ

Elephant Head - North Approach

Tucson, AZ

Elephant Head - North Approach

Tucson, AZ

Hike & Climb		Dec 28 2018
		ohiobike • Triplogs 6

Hike & Climb	4.30 Miles	2,431 AEG

Hike & Climb	4.30 Miles
	2,431 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

I scouted this route in preparation for a group hike. I think it important to note Rvcarter's contribution with the gps file for driving to the "trailhead". Once on the dirt portion of the drive, there are several, unsigned junctions, some of which have 3 options and the correct turn is not obvious. Also, if you are accustomed to finding these "routes" have, over time, become trails, this is the exception. There was no evidence that anyone had ever hiked this route other than an abundance of cow pies to indicate cows like the area.

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Mar 17 2018

Pivo

Guides 2
Routes 513
Photos 5,596
Triplogs 4,313

male

Joined Mar 01 2009
Aztec, NM

Elephant Head - North Approach

Tucson, AZ

Elephant Head - North Approach

Tucson, AZ

Hike & Climb		Mar 17 2018
		Pivo • Triplogs 4,313

Hike & Climb	5.61 Miles	2,390 AEG

Hike & Climb	5.61 Miles	5 Hrs 23 Mns		1.21 mph
	2,390 ft AEG		20 LBS Pack

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none

no linked trail guides

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partners

RedwallNHops

Always a fun outing.

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Mar 18 2014

rvcarter

Guides 36
Routes 310
Photos 2,235
Triplogs 241

79 male

Joined Mar 27 2008
tucson, az

Elephant Head - North Approach

Tucson, AZ

Elephant Head - North Approach

Tucson, AZ

Hike & Climb		Mar 18 2014
		rvcarter • Triplogs 241

Hike & Climb	4.30 Miles	2,431 AEG

Hike & Climb	4.30 Miles
	2,431 ft AEG

Linked

linked

Elephant Head - South Approach

Partners

none

no partners

Pro: A 20-foot rope is helpful at a couple points for most hikers.

Note: this triplog was first posted under the Elephant Head / North Face description, but has been reposted here to assist the reader in finding it.

This is one heck of a hike/climb. Got the idea reading bknorby's triplog. It has lots of exposure and tricky climbing but is not technical. I'm also posting a gps route from I-19 to the parking spot, 12.9 miles in.

First, I wouldn't recommend either our way in or out, but there is no good way. Just don't go any higher than we did to the ridge that you need to get to to find the route across the face. The route across the north face is not marked but there is some disturbance at key points. You will see from our track that we got off too high and had to retreat down a few hundred feet to get on the right track. My GPS track has lots of spurious points, but I cleaned it up and posted it just the same. It might help someone, but recognize that that the points along the north crevasse are all over the place because of satellite reception. Let me know if you want to see a .kmz of my track and SPOT points.

Second, once you get to the saddle where you start across the face, look up and you'll see two possible routes. Do not take the upper one, as we did. Take the lower one, which looks really narrow but is really plenty wide, across the face. There is some tricky climbing but doable for most people with some boulder scrambling or climbing experience. A 20 foot rope may come in handy for the final segment (see pic).

We didn't want to go back down the way we came up, so chose the loop back to the car from the saddle part way down the normal route. Good luck. Even tho the numbers aren't impressive, the difficulty is real. See my pics for some more insight. Excellent, exciting fun.

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Check out my Instagram posts at "cartershift", and videos on my Rumble channel "rvcarter".

Mar 09 2014

GrottoGirl

Guides 3
Routes 569
Photos 11,976
Triplogs 1,634

50 female

Joined Sep 18 2009
Tucson, AZ

Elephant Head North Face, AZ

Hiking		Mar 09 2014
		GrottoGirl • Triplogs 1,634

Hiking	5.87 Miles	2,567 AEG

Hiking	5.87 Miles
	2,567 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

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Elephant Head - South Approach

Elephant Head - North Approach

Partners

partners

Baja Arizona Hiking

	Pivo	PontifixMaximus
	RedwallNHops	uphill_junkie

This past summer I ran into one of the old timers of the Southern Arizona Hiking club and he put up a challenge...ELEPHANT HEAD - NORTH FACE via the Staley-Peterson Route. I kept in touch with him via email and sorted out a few details such as where to park, what ridge to take, and then a picture with few lines drawn on it. Excited to try something new, we scheduled the hike and invited our mentor, John.

We worked out that John and his friend would start about an hour before us due to the 20-30 year age gap. We headed up the ridge and found them right where they said they'd be. From there the route finding and difficulty of the hike would be an equalizer. John let us go in front so we could have the adventure of finding the route ourselves.

The ramp we traveled up got narrow in a few spots. In one spot we had to crawl under a small tree. Someone knocked down a rock in that section and we heard it falling for several seconds without stopping. Then we had to traverse a section with dead and alive bear grass that made for a slippery chute down hundreds of feet. It was breath taking to say the least.

Finally, we hit the notch in which we would turn and travel towards the peak in an upward fashion. The others scurried ahead but I stuck with John since he was our guest. He mentioned that they had missed the route. We climbed around this tree and then ended up at a dead end just a predicted. We had to back track looking for the correct route that would take us up. John had a smile on his face as he watched us looking. He knew exactly where we should go but he wanted us to remember the moment and the route. I know I will!

The next section was probably a true class 4 climb. I might let someone convince me it was even class 5! It went straight up and there was a lot of exposure below. John's friend said it was the toughest climbing he had ever done. He had to leave his hiking stick behind and we shuttled it up the climb to him.

We had one other spot that was really difficult. It was a slabby section that had very few hand or foot holds. Joel scrambled up and set up a handline which a few of us used.

At the top we rejoiced in feeling alive!!! Nothing like some adrenaline coursing through the veins to make you live in the moment and really enjoy the sense of accomplishment. We had just gone up a route that very few had traveled and may have been lost in time if John hadn't shared it with us.

We replaced a lost elephant that some animal had likely carried off from the shrine. During lunch, John giving us a couple more challenges for the future!

What an awesome day! I can't explain how much gratitude I feel that John would take the time to pass on some of his vast knowledge of hiking in Southeastern Arizona!

Wildflowers Observation Light
Poppies on the flats.

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Mar 09 2014

RedwallNHops

Guides 1
Routes 269
Photos 613
Triplogs 1,360

50 male

Joined Dec 22 2003
Tucson, AZ

Elephant Head North Face, AZ

Hiking		Mar 09 2014
		RedwallNHops • Triplogs 1,360

Hiking	5.87 Miles	2,567 AEG

Hiking	5.87 Miles
	2,567 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

linked

Elephant Head - South Approach

Elephant Head - North Approach

Partners

partners

Baja Arizona Hiking

	GrottoGirl	Pivo
	PontifixMaximus	uphill_junkie

What a thrilling route to the top of elephant head. I will definitely not forget this one!

Wildflowers Observation Light

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Mar 09 2014

Pivo

Guides 2
Routes 513
Photos 5,596
Triplogs 4,313

male

Joined Mar 01 2009
Aztec, NM

Elephant Head North Face, AZ

Hiking		Mar 09 2014
		Pivo • Triplogs 4,313

Hiking	6.03 Miles	2,621 AEG

Hiking	6.03 Miles	6 Hrs 54 Mns		0.98 mph
	2,621 ft AEG	45 Mns Break	25 LBS Pack

no routes

Linked

linked

Elephant Head / North Face

Elephant Head - South Approach

Elephant Head - North Approach

Partners

partners

Baja Arizona Hiking

	GrottoGirl	PontifixMaximus
	RedwallNHops	uphill_junkie

Wow,what a hike! Truly a fun, adventure.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mexican Gold Poppy Ocotillo

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Elephant Head

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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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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