Montezuma Sleeping • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Apr 14 2023

pseudalpine

Guides 59
Routes 1,100
Photos 1,191
Triplogs 1,290

male

Joined Jan 01 2023
Arizona

Torote Loop - North

Phoenix, AZ

Torote Loop - North

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Apr 14 2023
		pseudalpine • Triplogs 1,290

Hiking	17.72 Miles	6,124 AEG

Hiking	17.72 Miles	9 Hrs 33 Mns	2.08 mph
	6,124 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break

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Estrella Peak 4512

Montezuma Sleeping

Quartz Peak Trail - Sierra Estrella

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I'd guess that every Arizona outdoor enthusiast has a bucket list ready for days like today. Well, one of the many on my list was this hike. The forecast was for a break in the recent hot temperatures. The day did not disappoint. Almost perfect, except for those pesky gnats! I had three goals on this hike. The first was to find Mel's bandana she had lost on our previous trip to Hayes Peak. The second was to not get bit by a viper. The final goal was linking up three of the Sierra Estrella's main summits. I closely followed our previous route and quickly found the lost bandana, so after that I was elated to put the phone away, transitioning into sheep mode and trying to step up the pace. Hayes Peak didn't seem that difficult, as well as most of the traverse south towards Montezuma Sleeping. There surprisingly were well-worn sheep trails in many places on the ridgeline and remnants of the 1945 plane crash. Nearing the north side of MS though, the topography became more challenging and didn't really let up at all until Quartz Peak. I saw one large ram below me when ascending MS. He quickly distanced himself from me with what seemed like very minimal effort. An old friend gave me some advice about this ridgeline, stating that it's best to stay on the ridgeline proper. I tried to keep to that great advice, except the last three very rocky peaks before reaching Quartz seemed tough to go over, so I traversed the northeast side of them. It was a jenky, grueling bushwhack to say the least. If (unlikely) I repeat this route, I'd try it CCW, up the Quartz Peak trail first and try to crest those three peaks when fresher in the hike. This is a more difficult hike. It would be insane to attempt this without prior experience hiking.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Brittlebush Bursera Dudleya Juniper Ocotillo Saguaro

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Trash Hauled Out

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Butterfly Mountain Montezuma Sleeping Quartz Peak - Sierra Estrella

7 archives

Dec 13 2020

Jim

Guides 73
Routes 176
Photos 10,174
Triplogs 2,324

46 male

Joined Sep 08 2006

Montezuma Sleeping

Phoenix, AZ

Montezuma Sleeping

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 13 2020
		Jim • Triplogs 2,324

Hiking	8.00 Miles	2,677 AEG

Hiking	8.00 Miles	7 Hrs		1.26 mph
	2,677 ft AEG	40 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

no routes

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Rain finally came and so I was able to journey to the Rainbow Valley to hike this. I had been planning to hike it last spring, but my toe injury put a stop to that. After the dry summer, I didn't really feel like dealing with more dust, so I was putting this off until it rained, and it was worth the wait. The road was nicely packed and almost free of any of the normally powder dry dust on Riggs Rd. It won't last. I came and went by the north route and I-10, as well as the brief section of the 303 dumping on to Cotton Lane. I did think about driving home using the south route, but I finished too late to see anything.

Once again, this is one of the hardest off trail peaks in this range. Everything still looks dry, but the soil is moist. Elephant Trees are just starting to leaf out after the rain, and smell great as usual. The summit was nice, and the views great as always. It was, however, very cold on top, and pretty chilly for the entire hike. The wind didn't help.

I didn't see or hear much wildlife. Guess the season is wrong, and it was cold.

Route finding was pretty easy from memory, but this is a straight forward summit.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Elephant Tree

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Mar 21 2020

TeamBillyGoat

Routes 27
Photos 189
Triplogs 29

52 male

Joined May 27 2013
Apache Junction,

Montezuma Sleeping

Phoenix, AZ

Montezuma Sleeping

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Mar 21 2020
		TeamBillyGoat • Triplogs 29

Hiking	4.00 Miles	2,677 AEG

Hiking	4.00 Miles
	2,677 ft AEG

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no linked trail guides

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A close friend of mine took these photos. I wasn’t actually there. He’s really good at photo shop too. But he told me this was an amazing hike. A real kick in the pumpkin. He also said you better be in top physical condition to attempt this. And bring plenty of water and electrolytes.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Black Vulture Turkey Vulture

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2 archives

Mar 23 2019

Jim

Guides 73
Routes 176
Photos 10,174
Triplogs 2,324

46 male

Joined Sep 08 2006

Montezuma Sleeping

Phoenix, AZ

Montezuma Sleeping

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Mar 23 2019
		Jim • Triplogs 2,324

Hiking	8.00 Miles	2,677 AEG

Hiking	8.00 Miles	7 Hrs 30 Mns		1.14 mph
	2,677 ft AEG	30 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

no routes

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no linked trail guides

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Harder than anticipated, but off trail often can be. I do not recommend ascending the gully that trends North to south, just off the summit, and instead suggest using the slope that is the natural extension of the drain you hike up.

Not a highly visited peak, but some do come. Pretty challenging. Did the trick.

Wildflowers Observation Substantial
A sneezy slope covered nightmare of flowers!

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Dec 26 2016

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 673
Photos 7,281
Triplogs 4,660

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

Montezuma Sleeping, AZ

Hiking		Dec 26 2016
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,660

Hiking	10.45 Miles	3,484 AEG

Hiking	10.45 Miles
	3,484 ft AEG

no routes

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Montezuma Sleeping

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johnlp

john had the day off, so we made the night before decision to hit montezuma sleeping in the estrellas
he's done all five, but this is his favorite, and along with montezuma peak, it's been on my to-do list
the drive in was fine in my truck, sand packed down somewhat with recent rains
some frost on the sand and on rainbow valley vegetation
turned left where you would turn right for quartz and parked at about the 5th transmission tower
probably 40 degrees when we got going at 8:25
john had drawn up a track in route manager that went up a drainage
it's too bad we didn't follow it on the ascent :lol:

ended up north and took a different one, which worked, although we eventually had to bushwhack up to a ridgeline
we could have topped out on the north side of the peak, too
this hike is 100% off trail
except for the lower open desert, there is nowhere to relax; you always have to watch your footing and you're never on level ground
let's just say that we ended up making this hike more difficult than it needed to be
navigational and electronic issues led to some backtracking and a long day
the summit is steep with some scrambling, loose rock and sticker bushes
the same could be said for anything along the ridgelines
it's a cool summit area - great views of ord, four peaks and the pinals with snow on top
a bit chilly so we didn't stay long
our descent line was a good one
the initial drop into the original drainage wasn't fun, but the drainage had little brush, decent footing and some cool bedrock
a few pour-offs required a work-around or a downclimb
we stayed in the wash a little too long, ending up south of where we parked
the route john drew up is viable, and we may put that together with my partial descent for a good track
a good hike, certainly a challenge for me and i know i slowed john down
don't mind a little off trail for a peak ;)
the estrellas are beautiful, rugged and remote for being so close to the valley
nice to have been up on four of the five major peaks
fun to see where i've been looking up at the ridgeline every day
thanks for a great idea, john, and for being willing to go up there again

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cadastral Survey Marker Memorial

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hazhole

3 archives

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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