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Johnny Lyon Hills HP - 2 members in 2 triplogs have rated this an average 4 ( 1 to 5 best )
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Jan 17 2024
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 Guides 104
 Routes 256
 Photos 16,118
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53 male
 Joined Dec 30 2005
 Tucson, AZ
Johnny Lyon Hills HPTucson, AZ
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 17 2024
Mike_WTriplogs 528
Hiking7.47 Miles 2,489 AEG
Hiking7.47 Miles   6 Hrs      1.25 mph
2,489 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Note: Thanks to DixieFlyer for info about the road, parking and info about this peak. I did this hike in conjunction with the nearby Keith peak. Stats include going to BOTH this peak and Keith peak.

I stayed on the road for about 1 mile. Then when the road started going down hill I started the gradual climb going North & Northeast. When I got closer to the rocky ridge, I saw a few places to climb up and on top of the ridgeline but the rock climb looked pretty steep in these areas. When I got below the rocky cliffs, I found a place to climb after a few minutes. The climb up and over the rocky area was steep and brushy in some places. I believe it would have been easier & faster to hike about 100-200 feet Southeast around this rocky area because it appeared to end not too far from where I was. Anyway, once I was on the ridge I stayed near the top for a while, then dropped down to have an easier time going around the rocky or extra brushy areas. There were a few times where I went higher because it looked clear, then other times where I went lower from the top of the ridge because it looked clear. Some areas were pretty messy and I needed to go slow. It was about 0.7 miles to get to the peak and there were several false summits along the way. At the high point, I found a registry under a stack of rocks. Wade's entry was on Monday, just 2 days before mine.

On the way down I felt like I chose a better route, staying on the North side more than the top of the ridge and only going back up to the top of the ridgeline when I was totally blocked down below. Eventually, I passed by the area where I had climbed up earlier, and then when there was a gap I dropped down the South side of the rocky ridge to get around easier. Before too long I was at the first major saddle to the Southeast. Shortly after this point I saw a small house which probably was part of the Keith ranch. I thought I saw a vehicle parked near the house but there wasn't any other sign of activity. I hiked back down to the dirt road going South/Southwest trying to keep a reasonable distance from the private property. Once on the road, I looked for a route going to Keith peak. See my trip report for Keith peak for more info....

Timeline:
------------
10:17 am - started hike at 2nd gate
10:43 am - turned off road after about 1 mile
11:05 am - crossed final wash before climbing up the steep slope to the rocky cliffs up above
11:30 am - reached rocky cliffs, found a "weak" area and started a steep climb up and through the rocks
12:31 pm - made it to the summit, took a long lunch break and several photos
1:30 pm - left the summit
2:43 pm - arrived at saddle to the Southeast
3:14 pm - reached the dirt road after crossing a few washes, started ascending Keith peak
3:50 pm - saw a group of 3-4 javelina less than 1,000 feet from the summit
4:05 pm - reached Keith peak, found and signed registry
4:30 pm - left Keith peak summit
5:07 pm - arrived at saddle about 1 mile NW of summit. There was evidence that cattle hung out here a lot.
5:34 pm - arrived back at road after a few wash crossings and following some ridgelines Northwest which seemed easier than hiking North to the road
5:50 pm - arrived at vehicle. Sun was just setting.

Stats (includes BOTH peaks):
-------
Distance (round trip) = 7.47 miles
AEG = 2,489 feet
Strava moving time = 4 hrs 39 mins
Strava elapsed time = 7 hrs 34 mins
_____________________
Michael Williams
IT Professional
Rocky Point Vacation Rentals
Ocean Front Condo in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico
www.beachfrontmexico.us
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Jan 15 2024
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 Guides 99
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male
 Joined Jan 07 2017
 Fountain Hills,
Johnny Lyon Hills HPTucson, AZ
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 15 2024
DixieFlyerTriplogs 1,374
Hiking4.57 Miles 1,577 AEG
Hiking4.57 Miles   4 Hrs   2 Mns   1.37 mph
1,577 ft AEG      42 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
I had spent the night in Sierra Vista and decided to hike to this peak on my way back to the VOS.

I drove in 3 miles on E Keith Ranch Road from Cascabel Road, and parked before a gate that had a sign prohibiting vehicular traffic but allowing foot travel. The road was in good shape and most vehicles could make the drive I think.

My original plan was to drive another 1.25 miles and park near a clearing and leave the road from there. I gained about 500 feet in elevation in the first mile on the road, before dropping about 150 feet on my way to the clearing. It made no sense to do this since the 150 feet would have to be regained, but the GPS track that I had created started from the clearing so I decided to go there anyway.

I went cross country for a ways, before going up a fairly steep slope to a ridgeline that was my target. It wasn't all that steep but it was a bit brushy in places. Once on the ridgeline I went about a half mile to the summit. The ridgeline was rocky and brushy in places, and there was a good bit of scrambling to do while going across the ridgeline. There was nothing sketchy or technical, and it was mostly what I would call easy class 2 scrambling. It was fairly slow going however, at least for me.

I eventually got to the summit and enjoyed the really nice views up there.

On the way back I got tired of being on the ridgeline so I decided to descend when I was about halfway back to my ascent point on the ridgeline. The upper part of my descent route was a bit steep, but the grade lessened soon enough. It was also less brushy than the way that I came up to the ridgeline. The descent was more efficient than the way that I came up, and I got back on the road at just about where I should have.

I enjoyed this hike -- it was wide open with not much obstructing your views. It was a pretty straightforward hike, and if I lived closer I would likely do this one again.
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Summit Register Log
_____________________
Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there
 
average hiking speed 1.31 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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