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Black Mountain - Little Ajo Mountains HP - 1 member in 1 triplog has rated this an average 4 ( 1 to 5 best )
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Jan 29 2024
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 Joined Jan 07 2017
 Fountain Hills,
Black Mountain - Little Ajo Mountains HPSouthwest, AZ
Southwest, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 29 2024
DixieFlyerTriplogs 1,375
Hiking3.10 Miles 1,416 AEG
Hiking3.10 Miles   4 Hrs   6 Mns   0.76 mph
1,416 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
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This was a hike to Black Mountain, the highpoint of the Little Ajo Mountains, which are near (where else) the town of Ajo.

The peak, the trailhead, and my route are all on BLM land, so there are no access issues associated with this hike.

From my parking spot I could see the ridgeline that I would take up to the summit, as well as the false summit and the true summit.

I first went to the false summit, and it was a steep climb to get there. There were a number of rock outcroppings on the ridgeline that I took up. I bypassed the first rockoutcropping, and the terrain had a lot of loose rock on it, making the going a bit slippery. Thereafter, I stayed on or near the crest of the ridgeline because the rock was solid and the footing was better.

The traverse from the false summit to the true summit was fun in a way. There were several rock outcroppings to go up and over. Some looked daunting from a distance, but when I got up to them the going was not nearly as bad as it looked. Some of the ridgeline was a bit narrow, but not a knife edge by any means.

There were nice views at the summit, so I stayed up there for a bit. I located RM2, but that was the only fliver that I saw up there.

I returned the way that I came. The traverse from the true summit back to the false summit went well, so I guess that I learned something on the way up. The descent down from the false summit was very slippery though, and wasn't all that enjoyable.

Synopsis
I thought that this was a nice little hike, but if you are averse to rock scrambling you probably won't want to do this hike. There was nothing sketchy about the scrambling and I never sensed any exposure, but there is a good bit class 2 scrambling on this hike.
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Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there
  2 archives
average hiking speed 0.76 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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